Browse Articles

L. Zachary DuBois, Jae A. Puckett, Sarah F. Price, Kelsi Kuehn, Brenna Lash, Tian Walker, Natalie R. Holt, Ralston Allura L., T. Zachary Huit, Makinna Miles, Sage Volk, A. Capannola, Clover Tipton, Debra A. Hope, Richard Mocarski, Robert-Paul Juster | June 30, 2023

Marginalization experienced by transgender and gender diverse (trans) people exerts negative effects on health. However, few studies examine how trans people respond to events reflecting structural stigma or anti-trans sentiment and the sociopolitical contexts in which they occur. This study examined how trans people (*N* = 158) residing in Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, and Tennessee responded to specific sociopolitical events and their impacts on health and well-being. Baseline data were collected Fall 2019--Spring 2020, followed by monthly surveys for a year. Current analyses include baseline data and one monthly survey. At baseline, participants reflected on their responses to the 2016 presidential election of Donald Trump and a 2018 memo leak with negative implications for trans people's lives. Participants reported decreased positive experiences (e.g., hopefulness) and increased negative experiences (e.g., fear) after these events. Additionally, 80.2% of participants reported increased hate speech following the 2016 election. During one of the monthly surveys, we found variability in participants' responses to the 2020 presidential election. Perhaps due to backlash, 31.3% of participants reported increased hate speech, with participants of color reporting additional negative impacts. These findings contextualize experiences of trans people, highlighting how marginalization and exposure to minority stressors are shaped by structural-level stigma.

Challenges and Recommendations for Change

Zack Marshall, Chris Kaposy, Fern Brunger, Vivian Welch | December 16, 2022

The field of research that includes transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse (collectively, trans) people is expanding. In early research, trans people were often the objects of study. As trans studies evolves, community members are turning a critical eye to research practices. In this paper we join others in presenting a call for changes at each stage of the research process. Grounded in specific examples, nine core challenges are identified. Related to research focus and study design there are problems linked to: 1) centering a cisnormative world view, 2) conducting research not identified as a priority by trans communities, and 3) lack of accountability in research design decisions. Regarding data collection and analysis, concerns include: 4) reinforcing gender binaries, 5) collapsing gender and sexual diversity, and 6) misrepresenting trans experiences through data manipulation. In terms of reporting and publishing practices, challenges are identified related to: 7) misgendering, 8) informational erasure in reporting research results, and 9) under-attention to complex informed consent dynamics. Linking the trans research ethics literature with concrete documentation of the ways researchers discuss and represent trans people and their personal information in peer-reviewed publications, this manuscript contributes to new dialogues about improving research processes with communities invested in accountability.

Julian Applebaum | December 15, 2023

As the number of transgender legal cases reaching American courts increases, a growing body of scholarship has begun to examine how judges and institutions struggle to reconcile gender variance in a system with deeply entrenched gender normativity. Scholars have examined how judges become the interpreters of gender when presiding over cases concerning transgender inclusion and civil rights, constructing narratives of what it means to be transgender and codifying it as law. This paper presents a novel systematic analysis of judicial frameworks courts use to adjudicate gender identity. Analyzing 70 court opinions from 1966 to 2022, I examine how judges rhetorically describe gender variance and gender variant people to anchor them within deeply entrenched gender normativity. Updating and recontextualizing past scholarship within the current post-Bostock transgender rights crisis, I present a typology of four categories of judicial interpretation---biological gender essentialism, medicalism, assimilationism, and deferential to the litigant---and note other rhetorical and juridical trends for interpreting gender variance. I argue that the frameworks that most likely lead to a trans litigant's victory are ones which reify the gender binary and pathologize transgender people, and discuss the problematics of that success.

On Fields, Post-Disciplines, and the Need for an Applied Transgender Studies

Thomas J Billard, Avery R. Everhart, Erique Zhang | June 13, 2022

The institutionalization of transgender studies as a field comes just as the academy has decided that “fields” are a less relevant and more cumbersome aspect of professional academic organization that prevents the kind of theoretical and empirical work needed to make scholarship relevant to contemporary society. A number of areas of intellectual inquiry have, accordingly, shifted to a “post-discipline” model of academic organization. But what would it mean to think of transgender studies as a post-discipline? First, it would mean a turn away from a focus on field-building within the humanities. Second, it would mean insisting upon transdisciplinary collaboration despite the academy’s failure to encourage such collaboration. But perhaps most importantly, it would mean a turn *toward* addressing the material conditions of transgender existence and the issues transgender people face in the world. In short, it would mean reorienting ourselves toward an *applied transgender studies*.

Transgender and Nonbinary Individuals' Experiences of Gender Dysphoria in Bodily, Social, and Systemic Contexts During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Chloe Goldbach, Douglas Knutson, Satveer Kler, Dannie Klooster, Savannah LeForce, David Cole Milton | June 30, 2023

Conceptualizations of gender dysphoria have primarily centered only on bodily contexts, but researchers have recently identified the importance of also considering the roles of social and systemic contexts when conceptualizing experiences of gender dysphoria. The present study aimed to expand the understanding of transgender and nonbinary (TNB) individuals' experiences of gender dysphoria within bodily, social, and systemic contexts, including experiences at two points during and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 364 TNB participants at two time points: before (May 2019 to January 2020) and during (May to December 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. Consensual Qualitative Research-Modified (CQR-M) was used to analyze participant responses. Using CQR-M, 12 domains were identified that captured participant descriptions of factors that contribute to their experiences of gender dysphoria: (a) binary gender norms, (b) language, (c) systems and structural issues, (d) gender congruence, (e) safety, (f) community exclusion, (g) transition care, (h) close relationships, (i) multiple marginalization, (j) pandemic detriments, (k) pandemic benefits, and (l) buffers against experiencing gender dysphoria. The results of the present study suggest that social and systemic factors, in addition to bodily factors, play a significant role in the experiences of gender dysphoria reported by TNB individuals. These findings demonstrate a complex, far reaching, and relatively stable impact of social and systemic factors on the development and maintenance of gender dysphoria that needs to be integrated into the process of conceptualization, assessment, and treatment.

Jules L. Madzia, Tee Chuanromanee, Gaines Blasdel, DeGuia Aloe, Mary Byrnes, Nabeel A. Shakir, Megan Lane, Oliver L. Haimson | December 15, 2023

Online spaces are increasingly important for transgender people who are considering gender-affirming surgeries to find information, ask questions, and communicate with each other. While many surgical resources are community-generated, the onus of providing medical information about surgery should be on the surgical team. We sought to understand the potential for an online space for surgeon and community engagement. We assessed gender-affirming surgeon perspectives on online communication and communities by conducting a survey (*N* = 55) to understand current social media use and gauge surgeons' opinions related to participating in online spaces. We found that gender-affirming surgeons were not generally in support of a new online platform for patient-surgeon communication, with 67% responding that a new platform was not needed. Participants identified potential negative implications including risks to patients (e.g., misinformation, liability, and platform use in emergency situations) and risks to surgeons (e.g., the additional burden that the platform would place on their already-limited time, changes to surgeon culture, and safety concerns related to online harassment). Potential positive implications include opportunities to improve patient education and enhance patient care. Our results establish empirical understanding of social media use patterns among gender-affirming surgeons and may inform the design of resources to enable trans patients to receive the information and care that they require when considering and undergoing gender-affirming surgery.

What Gendered Mourning Among Midwestern Parents Tells Us About Familial Cisnormativity and Creating Livable Trans Futures

Mel Constantine Miseo | December 16, 2022

This article examines how feelings of loss and grief commonly experienced by parents of transgender youth, which I call gendered mourning, give insight into the cisnormative inner workings of family gender systems. Examination into the experience of gendered mourning illuminates the ways in which cisnormativity frames ideas of familial futurity, setting parents up for feelings of loss. Ethnographic fieldwork at a support group for parents of transgender youth in a Midwestern state in the United States and in-depth interviews with attendees of the support group reveal that gendered mourning primarily involves feelings about a child's changing name and body, the trans child existing in a hostile world, and fears of losing a child through suicide. Additionally, this study finds that gendered mourning has generative capabilities for informing parental work of fostering trans livability. This research positions cisnormativity, acting as a collective harm to us all, as the producer of loss instead of the transgender child.

Transgender Activism in a Neoliberal-Developmentalist Assemblage

Aniruddha Dutta | June 13, 2022

Transgender and gender non-conforming people, particularly communities from predominantly working-class and Dalit (oppressed-caste) backgrounds such as kothis and hijras, were among those hit hardest during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. The COVID-19 crisis was exacerbated by the policies of the Indian state, which demonstrate an unstable assemblage or conjuncture of neoliberal and developmentalist tendencies, in keeping with long-term systemic patterns in the region. The article situates Indian trans activism during the COVID-19 pandemic within the context of the neoliberal--developmentalist assemblage that characterizes governance in contemporary India and examines the possibilities and limitations of such activism. During the COVID-19 crisis, trans communities and activists contest and negotiate with the state in variable ways, sometimes bolstering and suturing neoliberal and developmentalist modes of governance and sometimes challenging or undermining them, and even playing them against each other. This article traces these varied negotiations and analyzes how they not only enable the survival of trans people through the pandemic, but also demonstrate ways activists may push back against the state's simultaneous regulation and neglect of their communities.

The Mental Health Impact of Current Gender-Affirming Healthcare Pathways on Transgender Adults in England

Luka C. J. White, Daisy Holland, Marija Pantelic, Carrie Llewellyn | June 30, 2023

This study aimed to explore the mental health impact of current gender-affirming healthcare (GAHC) pathways on transgender people in England. Trans participants (experts by experience) were recruited through purposive sampling and took part in qualitative semi-structured interviews between October 2021 and January 2022. The data generated were analysed and coded using a thematic framework analysis. Sixteen trans individuals participated. The majority were white, transfeminine, and reported a disability and/or neurodivergence. Four key themes reflecting the mental health impact of GAHC pathways were identified: (1) anticipated or experienced discrimination, (2) long waiting times for treatment, (3) socio-geographic disparities, and (4) the role of psychotherapy and peer support. The mixed and inequitable provision of GAHC contributes to trans minority stress and has a substantial negative impact on the mental health of trans individuals, with participants describing healthcare avoidance, anxiety, depression, hopelessness, suicidality, anger, and chronic stress-related physical disability. Early access through primary care services to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), voice coaching, laser hair removal, and fertility preservation is likely to improve the mental health of trans individuals, alongside trans-affirmative or trans-led psychotherapy and peer support.

Trans Children's Experiences with UK Gender Clinics

Cal Horton | June 13, 2022

Gender clinics engaging with pre-pubertal trans children are divided between those that endorse a gender affirmative approach and those that do not. Little evidence is available on how trans children experience non-affirmative gender clinics in early childhood. This study aimed to understand pre-pubertal trans children’s recent experiences in non-affirmative gender clinics in the UK. Data focused on a cohort of trans children who socially transitioned under age eleven. Data were drawn from semi-structured qualitative interviews with ten trans children and 30 UK-based parents of trans children, focusing on children’s pre-pubertal engagement with UK gender clinics. Themes are presented on 1) inappropriate assessment of gender; 2) trans children under pressure; and 3) distress and trauma in UK gender clinics. The article presents evidence of continued pathologisation and problematisation of childhood gender diversity in UK children’s gender clinics. It demonstrates the harms pf the status quo and the need for systemic reform, providing modern affirmative care for younger trans children.

Examining the Socio-Politically Driven Gender Minority Stressors Experienced by People Who Detransitioned

Kinnon R. MacKinnon, W. Ariel Gould, Florence Ashley, Gabriel Enxuga, Hannah Kia, Lori E. Ross | December 16, 2022

Existing research on gender minority stress theory largely presumes that transgender identity is a categorically immutable characteristic often tied to a unidirectional gender transition, neglecting to consider individuals whose gender identity/expression and embodiment desires change over time. Applying constructivist grounded theory, this article empirically develops the concept of *detransphobia* from the distal and proximal gender minority stressors, stigma, and discrimination experienced by individuals who shifted or reversed their gender transition. Between October 2021 and January 2022, 28 participants completed semi-structured, one-on-one virtual interviews regarding their experiences of detransition/retransition and their social support needs. Interviews ranged between 50--90 minutes and they were transcribed and analyzed following an iterative, multi-pronged coding process to thematically conceptualize detransphobia. Fifty-two percent of the sample reported three or more past gender identities, 61% currently identified as nonbinary, and 100% identified along the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Participants' experiences of multiple gender transitions, and their embodiment following detransition, rendered them vulnerable to unique gender minority stressors for inhabiting an unintelligible category---detrans. Detransphobia was found to be rooted in cisnormativity and transnormativity, together with socio-politically-located anti-transgender stereotypes related to the process and the outcomes of detransitioning. Detransphobia compounds gender minority stressors and social exclusion in those who shift or reject their past transgender identity through the process of detransition.

Daisy Holland, Luka C. J. White, Marija Pantelic, Carrie Llewellyn | December 15, 2023

Transgender (trans) people experience health inequalities, which includes inequities in accessing and navigating healthcare systems. General practitioners (GP) in England have a limited role in delivering trans-specific healthcare. Few studies have explored what is positively working in GP-led primary care settings and how this can be more widely implemented. This study aims to explore the views and expectations of trans people regarding primary care services. Data were generated using qualitative semi-structured one-on-one interviews conducted with trans experts by experience who were recruited through purposive sampling. Results were analysed and coded using a thematic analysis framework to identify key themes. Positive and negative experiences of accessing and navigating general practice settings were identified by 16 trans people as experts by experience. An overarching theme was for gender-affirming services to be provided through general practice in order to reduce waiting times for specialist care and to move towards an informed consent model of care. Through demonstrating examples of good practice, general practitioners are advised to take a proactive role in providing positive gender-affirming healthcare for trans people. An informed consent model of care should be implemented to improve healthcare access.

Lynne Regan | December 15, 2023

Negotiating the university environment can be difficult for many students, but for transgender students there can be additional hurdles. With university often being the first experience of real independence for young people, it may also be a place where they feel they can be themselves for the first time, as they navigate an environment away from family and friendship ties from the past. Employing a transformative paradigm, I used an online survey to investigate trans student experiences across different higher education institutions (HEIs), and remote one-to-one interviews to explore in-depth perspectives and voices. I examined the challenges these students faced around themes of harassment, bullying and transphobia, representation in the curriculum, and institutional facilities and administration. Participants reported feelings of segregation and otherness resulting from difficulties changing names/genders on HEI systems and insufficient gender-neutral facilities on campus. A lack of trans representation in the curriculum was clear and students reported obstacles accessing mental health support services. I identified institutional cisnormativity as an explanation for many of the negative experiences and apparent exclusion of this student group.

Interpreting Malicious Responses to an Online Questionnaire about Transgender Undergraduate Engineering and Computer Science Student Experiences

Andrea Haverkamp, Finn Johnson, Michelle K. Bothwell, Qwo-Li Driskill, Devlin Montfort | June 30, 2023

Online research that solicits participation from marginalized communities or is conducted by scholars of marginalized identities may be targeted by individuals who intend to tamper with the study outcomes and/or harass the researchers. Our goal is to identify and interpret malicious responses recorded in a first-of-its-kind national questionnaire for transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) students in undergraduate engineering and computer science programs. Data categorized as malicious (50 of the 349 total responses) contained slurs, hate speech, or direct targeting of the research team. The data was coded inductively and discursively interpreted through social justice frameworks. The responses contained homophobic, transphobic, ableist, anti-Black, antisemitic, and anti-Indigenous content. Online memes associated with white nationalist and fascist movements were present throughout the data, alongside memes and content referencing gaming and "nerd" culture. Malicious responses can provide critical insight into the social conditions in STEM education. In application, we call for researchers to critically analyze, rather than discard, malicious data to shed light on these phenomena and generate empowering "counterspeech" to confront hate and reclaim agency. These findings show that social justice STEM education must include perspectives on online hate radicalization and center anti-colonial, intersectional solidarity organizing as its opposition.

The Importance of Stage of Gender Affirmation

Gayle Brewer, Laura Hanson, Noreen Caswell | June 13, 2022

Previous research suggests that transgender men and women are more likely to experience body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Few studies have, however, investigated the manner in which body dissatisfaction and eating behavior are affected by the gender affirmation process. To address this issue, semi-structured interviews were conducted with transgender men and women (*N* = 22) recruited from British support groups. Participants were aged 19--71 years. Participant sexuality included heterosexual, homosexual, pansexual, and asexual orientations and all participants identified themselves as white. For both transgender men and women, analyses revealed a shift from a focus on psychological wellbeing in the early stages of gender affirmation to physical wellbeing in the later stages. While body dissatisfaction appeared to dissipate as gender affirmation progressed, a common theme across the gender affirmation process was that both transgender men and women engaged in risky behaviors related to transforming body shape and size. Findings highlight the need to consider the influence of gender affirmation when researching the interconnections between attitudes, behavior, and emotions relating to gender identity.

A Conversation Between Nyke Slawik and Alba Rueda

Patricio Simonetto, Janek Scholz | December 16, 2022

The Argentinian Gender Identity Law was approved in 2012. On the occasion of its tenth anniversary and in the wake of a German self-determination law, two pioneer trans activists engaged in policymaking---Alba Rueda of Argentina and Nyke Slawik of Germany---discuss the challenges of developing trans-supportive policies in Latin America and Europe. Besides the differences between the two countries and the complexities of language and political--cultural translation, the conversation showcases some of the various ways in which scholarship, policymaking, and activism can create critical spaces of conversation to foster new synergies against exclusionary and reactionary trends, and to build a more democratic and equal future for everyone. The conversation is preceded by a short scholarly introduction that presents the theoretical context for the conversation and introduces the discussants. The article closes with a conclusion that unpacks the general implications of the conversation for scholars and advocates working in Germany, Argentina, and beyond.

Fertility Intentions and Desires Among Transmasculine Young Adults

Alischer Cottrill, Elizabeth Janiak, Allegra Gordon, Jennifer Potter, Madina Agénor | June 13, 2022

Though many transmasculine individuals pursue pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood in their lifetimes, research on the reproductive health needs of this population remains limited. This study aimed to explore the fertility intentions and desires of transmasculine young adults, as well as the multilevel factors that influence their pregnancy-related decisions. We conducted in-depth interviews with transmasculine young adults aged 18--29 (*N* = 21) in Boston, MA, USA between February and July of 2018. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach involving inductive and deductive coding via a codebook applied by two independent coders. While many participants reported no lifetime desire for pregnancy, a sizable minority expressed some desire to become pregnant in the future. Fertility intentions were shaped by a range of anticipated barriers, including gender dysphoria, difficulty navigating gendered stereotypes about pregnancy, inadequate information about fertility and pregnancy for transmasculine individuals, and a lack of health providers with the training and experience to offer high-quality pregnancy-related care to transmasculine patients. Multilevel interventions that address cisnormative stigma and discrimination in reproductive health care settings, improve patient-provider communication, and increase provider fluency with transmasculine health needs are necessary to facilitate access to the full spectrum of fertility-related services among transmasculine young adults.

Coltan Schoenike | December 15, 2023

Deeply-seeded issues of cisgenderism and discriminatory bias are continuing problems that slow equal rights advances and facilitate further harm for transgender and gender diverse communities - and research literature is no exception. A salient example of this is the historical and ongoing works of Dr. Kenneth Zucker and his colleagues. Previous research by Ansara and Hegarty (2012) has already illustrated this in detail, noting these researchers were often the most cisgenderist while having the highest degrees of influence. This review of literature examines a collection of Zucker’s first, second, and third author works from 2010-2022 using Anasara and Hegarty’s (2012) framework of binarism, misgendering, and pathologizing to assess cisgenderism within the writing. A lot occurred over those twelve years, including Zucker’s work as chair of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders work group for the gender dysphoria diagnosis, the controversial closure of his youth gender clinic in Toronto, and massive increases in visibility and discussion of transgender healthcare. In many ways, it appears that Zucker’s pattern of cisgenderism has continued. This review of literature explores this pattern in detail and offers insights as to why many of these ideologies are harmful to transgender and gender diverse communities.

by Paisley Currah

Zein Murib | December 16, 2022

Vinshy P. K. | June 30, 2023

This brief report examines the political exclusion of the transgender community in Kerala and factors impeding trans people's inclusion in electoral politics. The report's main argument is that the political exclusion of the trans community in Kerala is an extension of their socio-economic exclusion. Cultural and social exclusion, institutional or structural barriers, lack of identification documents, lack of awareness about the right to vote, lack of money and resources, violence, and discrimination are some of the factors that hamper the political participation of trans people. This report also showcases some possible recommendations for change that would increase the political inclusion of transgender people in Kerala.

Florence Ashley | December 15, 2023

Adoption is increasingly being discussed as an alternative to procreation for trans youth given the impact of gender-affirming medical care on fertility. In this article, I caution against idyllic views of adoption and offer a critical perspective on the social, political, and ethical dimensions of adoption. After reviewing adoption's relationship to sexism, racism, imperialism, and cisheteronormativity, I sketch an alternative view of adoption as a complex and multi-valenced form of care in an unjust world.

Julia S. Mead, Charlotte V. Hastings, Ilana Cass, Ella A. Damiano | June 30, 2023

Transgender and gender diverse patients face significant healthcare disparities that are often exacerbated for those living in rural areas. Our aim is to describe the characteristics of and medical services utilized by a transgender and gender diverse population seeking gynecologic care in a rural area. We conducted a retrospective chart review of transgender and gender diverse individuals who sought care and/or underwent gender-affirming gynecologic surgery at our institution. We compared patients presenting to the gynecology clinic from 2017--2018 to patients presenting to the dedicated Gynecology Gender Clinic from 2019--2020. We also describe the features that distinguish the clinic as specialized care. The clinic was able to utilize a pre-visit questionnaire to obtain patient name, pronouns, and gender identity in advance of the visit. Total unique patient volume increased by 83% (average 12 per year to average 22 per year). Hysterectomies performed increased by 320% (from 5 to 21 post-implementation) and encounter volume increased by 84%. The development of a Gynecology Gender Clinic program has led to an increase in clinical and surgical volume, improving access to care. Our data demonstrates feasibility of implementing the clinic and demand for specialized gender care in a rural community.

Trans Experiences of Positive Gender-Related Emotions

Kai Jacobsen, Aaron Devor | June 13, 2022

While trans identities are typically understood through the distress-based concept of *gender dysphoria*, some trans people use the term *gender euphoria* to describe their experiences. Broadly defined as positive gender-related emotions, the concept has become more common in trans communities in recent years but has received little academic attention. To fill this gap, we conducted qualitative interviews with five trans individuals. We found that gender euphoria refers to positive emotions resulting from affirmation of one's gender identity or expression and can include a wide variety of emotions and experiences. Gender euphoria can range from feelings of intense joy accompanying the attainment of milestones in gender transition through to a more consistent sense of calmness and relief occurring later in transition. We contextualize these findings within the gender minority stress model to explore the link between gender euphoria, dysphoria, and health and well-being generally. Our findings emphasize the value of prioritizing euphoria, happiness, and safety in gender-affirming care.

by Cindy Ann Kilgo

T. J. Jourian, D. Chase J. Catalano, Z Nicolazzo | December 16, 2022

A Mixed Methods Content Analysis of Transgender and Autistic Autobiography

Noah Adams | June 13, 2022

This article presents a mixed methods content analysis of autobiographies by transgender autistics (autistic-trans). It incorporates books, anthologies, poems, and prose, including self-published, grey, and professionally published texts up to June 2020. Seventy-one English-language texts in 15 separate books were identified. The first was published in 2003 and the majority have been published since 2013. The most common themes explored individuals' experience of autism diagnosis, community, coming out (as trans), and gender, with many speaking of being nonbinary, genderless, or using autism-specific genders (e.g., autigender). Notably, these themes, which exemplify those that are important to autistic-trans writers, contrast markedly with the topics of most academic work on autistic-trans lives. These experiences were explored in the context of the double empathy problem, the looping effect, gender performance, and trans healthcare access. These findings can be used to inform future research on the transgender-autistic community.

A Case Study of the Trans Equality Archive

Thomas J Billard | June 30, 2023

As transgender people have become more salient in American society, there has been a commensurate increase in interest in transgender history. However, archival collections currently have weak holdings in transgender history and materials pertaining to the history of the transgender movement remain under-collected. This brief report examines the Trans Equality Archive, a new archive of primary and secondary materials pertaining to transgender political history at the National Center for Transgender Equality in Washington, DC. Challenges pertaining to scope, born-digital records, and organizational priorities are considered as they relate to the preservation of neglected transgender histories.

The Promise of Applied Trans Studies for Building Structural Competency

Austin H Johnson | June 13, 2022

In 2021, the United States experienced the most active year on record for anti-trans legislation. In 2022, we are witnessing the renewal of this legislative harassment, with increased success on the part of anti-trans lawmakers. When these bills are passed into law and, importantly, even when they are resoundingly defeated or fail to reach an actual vote, the harmful rhetoric and ideology that is attached to them reverberates throughout trans communities resulting in social and psychological harm for transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse people. The burden of addressing and offsetting this harm is often placed on the shoulders of other trans people who serve as grassroots leaders in their communities. This article argues that while this support is lifesaving for individual trans people, transformative change requires an increase in *structural competency* in our mainstream social institutions, and makes the case for applied trans studies as a pathway to that end.

by Shon Faye

Matt Kennedy | June 13, 2022

by Hil Malatino

Jordan Keesler | June 13, 2022