Transphobia Talia Mae Bettcher Ph D Some Preliminary

Transphobia Talia Mae Bettcher, Ph. D.

Some Preliminary Data • approximately 50% report history of unwanted or forced sex • approximately 50% report history of physical violence • NCAVP reports average of 215 anti-trans hate crimes per year • Remembering our Dead has tracked 350 trans people who were murdered

Transphobia cannot be abstracted from other forms of oppression.

specificity • QUESTION: Is a trans woman who presents and lives as a woman “gender-bending”, or is she following gender norms? • QUESTION: Who decides?

The idea that trans people transgress gender norms can constitute a transphobic the identities of soinvalidation of me trans people.

Types of Transphobia • different forms of transphobia apply to different groups of trans people • different forms of transphobia occur in different forms of discourse and social context

Basic Denial of Authenticity

I. Identity Enforcement You say I’m a man… I say I’m a woman You say I’m a woman… I say I’m a man I say I’m neither – or both… you say I have to choose. • enforcement of the meaning of words • enforcement of the meaning of bodies Basic Denial of Authenticity

II. Appearance/Reality Contrast • really a so-and-so disguised as a such-and-such • living as a woman although “biologically male” • discovered to be “anatomically” such-and-such • “I never would have known you’re transgender…” Basic Denial of Authenticity

III. Genital Verification • Extreme cases: – inappropriate touching – Forced exposure • Sneaky cases: – “have you had ‘the surgery’ yet? ” – “are you a man or a woman? ” – “discovered to be transgender” Basic Denial of Authenticity

IV. Double Bind • hallmark of oppression: DAMNED IF YOU DO, DAMNED IF YOU DON’T • evil deceivers vs. make-believers Basic Denial of Authenticity

V. Sexual violence as punishment • rape • other forms of sexual humiliation Basic Denial of Authenticity

VI. Blaming the victim • “He (or she) tricked me” • moral invalidation; accusations of wrong-doing • equation of “sexual deception” with rape Basic Denial of Authenticity

A Philosophical Story • gender presentation is taken to communicate genital status • gender is a mandatory system of sexual violence • trans people resist this system.

Larger Oppressive Context • BDA occurs within a larger system of sexist oppression and sexual violence against women • BDA occurs within a larger system racial oppression and racialized sexual violence

Concerns • trans people may uptake harmful behavior to “prove” their reality • external pressure to “pass”: quadruple-binds • transphobia within trans community: “real-er than thou”

contact Dr. Talia Mae Bettcher tbettch@calstatela. edu Susan Forrest sforrest@bhs-inc. org