(Trans)phobia + (sexism) = Transsexism
The new ‘problem that has no name’ in feminist philosophy.
“The plaintiff asserts that the conspiracy to kill Brandon was simply an extension of the conspiracy to rape Brandon because [he] was a female who dressed like a male.” — Karina Eileraas, in regards to Brandon Teena’s murder trial (emphasis added and pronouns corrected).
In the sixteen years since its conception, the term ‘transmisogyny’ [1] has served as a useful means for trans women to conceptualize of their own oppression. In that time, there has still not been a sufficient companion word defended (i.e., transmisandry or transandrophobia) that allows for trans men to do the same.
This is due, in part, to the conversation being inundated with ‘Men’s Rights Activist’ (MRA) talking points; I think that this is tragic. We should not allow for simple statements like “Trans men face oppression” and “Trans men need their own word” to become right-wing, TERF, or neo-Nazi dog whistles. My community does deserve uptake. And it’s embarrassing that that needs to be stated. As such, I will not take any MRA points seriously, and I would strongly suggest you don’t either.
Trans men do face oppression. In terms of public identity, we’re transgender before we’re men. We will be transgender our whole lives; we will face transphobia our whole lives. And the particular kind of transphobia we face needs its own terminology. Otherwise, how will trans men know when they’ve been systemically harmed? How will trans men protect themselves from patriarchal violence?
What is sexism? What is misogyny?
Sexism, as defined for the purposes of this work, constitutes systemic and interpersonal discrimination or prejudice rooted in one’s biological sex. It relies on stereotyped conceptions of ‘female’ and ‘male’ bodies, driven by beliefs about their inherent physical and physiological differences. Sexism operates under the assumptions of male superiority and female inferiority. It hinges on the presumption that certain characteristics, capabilities, or roles are innately attributable to one's sex, leading to discrimination against those who defy these normative expectations.
Misogyny can be defined as a system of oppression that devalues and discriminates against individuals identifying or perceived as women qua women, regardless of their biological sex characteristics. It permeates society through institutional bias, cultural norms, and individual prejudices and is fueled by a long-standing patriarchal system that prescribes inferior roles and expectations to women.
I reject other definitions of sexism and misogyny specifically because they fail to capture within their scope trans men. Some feminist philosophers, like Kate Manne, do not account for trans men at all. Other scholars like Julia Serano and Emi Koyama attempt to leave room in their theories for us, but ultimately fall short, because they do not and cannot know the full breadth of our experiences.
Trans men are oppressed on two axes: (1) being transgender — transphobia, and (2) having a ‘female,’ or typically reproductively capable, sexed body — sexism. ‘Male’ and ‘female’ are groupings that we can witness in many animal species. However, sexism emerges once oppressive sex roles become naturalized—the assignment of which is predicated on one’s similarity to the exemplar (or archetype) of these groupings. Misogyny emerges in part as a consequence of stereotypes about the female sex role being mapped onto the gender category of womanhood.
Discrimination on the basis of sex and discrimination on the basis of gender often occur simultaneously. However, it is still valuable to make the distinction. Trans men frequently experience sexism without misogyny. Proper gynecological care is routinely denied to trans men; a discrimination predicated on their assigned sex, independent of their potentially non-existent connection to womanhood.
When a trans man with a beard, muscles, and a bald head walks into an OBGYN’s office for care, they may not face misogynistic backlash — they face transsexist backlash. According to a 2018 brief by Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 50% of all medical school textbooks do not teach about LGBTQ+ treatment beyond HIV. The Center for American Progress (CAP) argues that this is “likely contributing to transgender people’s inability to access affirming care.” Trans people receive worse medical care, and so do AFABs. Both of these oppressions intersect to guarantee that trans men, specifically, are hurt — hence the need for nuanced language.
Our associations between sex —> gender in this way is flawed. From sex, we get stereotypes. From these stereotypes, performative ‘womanhood’ emerges. Women performing womanhood reinforces the biological underpinnings of sex classifications. This, in turn, re-naturalizes the attributes that we assign to females.
Here's an example:
Being nurturing. Female humans tend to spend more time with their young than their male counterparts by virtue of their carrying pregnancies and giving birth. Chest / breast feeding tends to take around two years. After noting the social value of this trend, the foundational belief “Females are nurturing” is adopted by society, medicine, culture, and academia. This creates a domino effect whereby new children who are assigned female at birth are trained to be nurturing (e.g., training with baby dolls). After a time, AFAB children begin to identify their nurturing tendencies with their womanhood. Adopting this belief for themselves, they then condition womanhood into their own female children, and so on.
This is how womanhood as an invention informs the sex grouping ‘female,’ and how the division of the sexes ultimately spawned womanhood. Trans men’s very existence elucidates this tension.
Not all who are female are women, and not all women are female. Trans men are (for the most part) men with female bodies. And Serano, Manne, and other feminist philosophers do not account for us sufficiently.
This is sad for me, as I’ve spent my whole career studying sexist violence and reproductive history. Seeing my favorite authors use “woman” and “female” interchangeably, alongside “sexism” and “misogyny,” hurts, as it feels exclusionary of trans men in a way I could never quite articulate using their language. So, I devised my own (after reading and listening to the stories of trans men, FTMs, and trans-masculine people).
We could just as well call transsexism something else. The word we agree upon to name this oppression does not matter as much as pointing it out and rectifying the injustices themselves.
What are these injustices? Transsexism in action.
I’m now going to go through a list of specific instances of systemic oppression against trans men, that does not all at once apply to any other group. Some examples may also be applicable to other kinds of transgender people with female (or internal) reproductive systems. I would not want to speak over such groups on their own oppression, so I will only talk about being an FTM.
All of the oppressions listed are things that I have either personally experienced, received first- or second-hand from a trans man, a historical or legal account, or a fact. Some of the claims made cannot be properly substantiated because, well, trans men have not been properly researched. Much of our suffering is lumped in with the suffering of women. This, in itself, is unacceptable.
This is a living list and will be updated as more research is completed.
1. Medicine
Trans men receive worse (or no) OBGYN care. Robert Eads died in 1997 as a result of OBGYNs refusal to treat his ovarian cancer.
Photograph of Robert Eads by Mariette Pathy Allen Trans men receive worse (or no) care for cancer in their breasts and reproductive organs. See Jay Kallio.
Trans men face transphobia when receiving abortion care. Abortions ought to be considered gender affirming care and covered by insurance, because pregnancy can cause dysphoria for trans men.
Trans men have their rape kits “lost,” such as with Brandon Teena’s assault.
Trans men who live with HIV can pass it on to their children if not tested and treated.
Long wait times for top surgery surgeons. No incentives to train new medical students in gender-affirming plastic surgery.
Trans men frequently have their gender dysphoria ignored if they have another mental disorder, such as depression, anxiety, or autism, or that original disorder may be ‘blamed’ for the dysphoric thoughts.
“According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, nearly half (48%) of trans men reported postponing or avoiding preventive care out of fear of discrimination and disrespect. One in five trans men also reported being refused health care because of their gender identity” (2011, NCTE).
2. Testosterone & HRT
Testosterone is a Schedule III medication, just like ketamine; it is subject to serious restrictions by the US government. If the US government wanted to easily and immediately end HRT for trans men, all it would have to do would be to change testosterone from a Schedule III to a Schedule I—no different than heroin.
Doctors don’t know the full impacts of testosterone on pregnancy. Running pharmacological tests on pregnant people is generally regarded as unethical, as it can seriously harm the fetus.
Trans men must stop testosterone for a full six months before they can get pregnant, according to doctors. But, at the same time, we are told that testosterone is not a reliable form of birth control. We do not fully understand the impacts of HRT on fertility.
Testosterone, if injected, requires a needle. Trans men in many states face barriers to accessing safe and clean needles.
Doctors don’t know the full, long-term impacts of testosterone on breast / chest feeding or menopause.
3. Relationship violence
Pregnant trans men face familicide (family annihilation). Camdyn Rider was an eight-month pregnant trans man who was killed in a murder-suicide by his boyfriend one week ago.
Photo from Camdyn Rider’s Facebook page Trans men face heightened domestic violence rates.
Trans men face the highest rate of dating violence amongst trans individuals. Teenage trans man Jacob Williamson was brutally murdered last month after meeting up with an online significant other. The man that Jacob met with and his girlfriend killed him in cold blood. His body was dumped on the side of the road.
“While the motive is still being determined, it does not appear that Williamson was specifically targeted because of [his] gender identity,”
— Union County Lt. James Maye (emphasis added).
Eighteen-year-old Jacob Williamson. Photo provided to The Post and Courier Trans men are at a heightened risk of being trafficked, especially if they are mentally or physically disabled, homeless, or an addict.
Trans men are frequently turned away from domestic violence shelters, especially if they are passing.
Trans men face entrapment (forced or coerced pregnancy), birth control manipulation, and stealthing (non-consensual condom removal).
Trans men being abused within the transgender community may not speak out for fear of hurting the greater movement.
4. State violence & issues of legality
Trans men, especially in the South, may face the state abducting the children that they birthed.
Trans men are abused and sexually violated by the police. Emmett Brock, a 24-year-old trans man was attacked and sexually assaulted by police last month. He has been charged with a misdemeanor for fighting back against the cops.
A screenshot from the surveillance tape of Emmett Brock’s assault Trans men are less likely to be believed in court, by virtue of being both trans (stereotyped as ‘deceptive’) and female (stereotyped as ‘hysterical’).
Trans men may lose custody in court of the children that they birthed, especially if the other parent is cisgender.
Some insurance companies will only cover necessary preventative care like pap smears if your legal documents state that you are female.
5. Access to resources
No trans men’s pregnancy loss support groups or other resources.
No resources for single trans fathers.
No resources for incarcerated pregnant trans men.
No resources for trans men with postpartum depression and other pregnancy-related medical conditions.
No resources for trans men with so-called ‘female’ physical conditions, like fibromyalgia.
No resources for trans men with the ‘female’ profile of autism and other conditions.
6. Culture
Trans men, like actor Elliot Page, have been accosted for ‘leaving lesbianism’ and ‘betraying their womanhood.’
Elliot Page for GQ Magazine Trans men are treated as though our perspectives are misguided by the right and by feminists.
Trans men frequently face the trauma of being conditioned as female children (e.g., sexualization, objectification, assault, purity culture, rape culture, and so on).
Trans men are shunned from trans spaces when they attempt to speak out about bullying and harassment they’ve received.
Trans men with bigoted opinions and AFAB detransitioners are frequently touted by the right as useful idiots.
7. Community
Trans men face bullying and a high rate of suicide. Thirteen-year-old Australian trans boy Onyx John killed himself only a few days ago.
Photo from Onyx John’s Facebook page Trans men do not have many (non-sexual) role models. Buck Angel, pictured earlier, is a pornographic actor. He is one of the most famous trans men alive today.
Trans men earn less than cis men merely by virtue of being able to carry a child (e.g., ‘the true cost of motherhood’), but also earn less than the baseline worker.
Trans men lack a strong cultural identity and much of our shared history has been lost or destroyed (or amalgamated into womanhood).
Trans men are frequently treated as outsiders in the queer community, especially if they pass.
Trans men frequently go ‘stealth’ (i.e., keep their trans identity a secret) to try and protect themselves and their families. However, trans men are always trans, so even ‘stealth’ trans guys can face transphobia (if they are outed) and transsexism (when they must speak about their health, past and current genitalia, and surgical history to a physician).
Each one of these bullet points deserves its own article. I hope to write them all someday.
It’s time to listen to trans men.
Naming a problem is the first step towards addressing that problem.
Trans men have needed a word for our oppression as long as we’ve been experiencing it. The beliefs that underpin transsexism are the same fascistic, puritanical beliefs that underpin all bigotry.
The only difference is how these beliefs manifest towards trans men in particular.
Take a moment and look back at all the trans men that have been mentioned in this article. Most of them are dead. Most of them were in early adolescence when they were killed. Some of them were pregnant, disabled, homeless, impoverished, abused, addicts, or sex workers. All of these men deserved protection. All of these men deserved liberation.
And in their names, let's raise our voices, shatter the silence, and end transsexism — for their sake, for our sake, for the sake of a future where every trans man can live fearlessly and free.
— C.
Notes:
[1] Serano, Julia (2007). Whipping Girl.
[*] This article was inspired by a longer philosophy paper that I wrote a few months ago. If you are interested in feminist philosophy or just want a more in-depth argument, here is a .pdf file of the original paper:
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