2/7 Colloquium - Rowan Bell (University of Guelph)

Title: The (Dis)Functions of Gender Identity

Abstract: The second Trump administration's attack on trans people is in full swing. Within hours of taking office, the sitting president signed into law an executive order mandating federal recognition of only two sexes, which are assigned at birth. These “real” sexes are contrasted with gender identity, which is subjective, fluid, and internal—in other words, not real. This is the latest entry in a recent rhetorical strategy of attacking trans people on the grounds that our existence depends on dubious metaphysics. This strategy is effective in part because it is right about one thing: the public-facing metaphysics of gender identity is dubious. The concept of gender identity as it is articulated in various public-facing documents is historically, metaphysically, and politically problematic. Historically, it is grounded in trans-antagonistic sexology. Metaphysically, it assumes an implausible essentialist individualism about trans existence; this, in turn, is ruthlessly exploited by trans-antagonistic forces. Politically, it makes trans people appear isolated, anomalous, individual. This separates us from one another, encouraging us to see liberation as a matter of securing our individual rights, rather than building the material conditions that make our lives possible. I’ll also argue, however, that this version of gender identity is a red herring. Trans people are real, not because of some unfalsifiable internal property, but because of the lives that we live and the social practices that we build in our communities. As anti-trans activists launch attacks on those communities, it is crucial that we organize around them. In place of gender identity, I defend a metaphysics and politics focused on trans community; what we build together, how trans-antagonistic forces try to tear it down, and how we can stop them.

This talk is part of the Arizona Feminist Philosophy Graduate Conference.  The full schedule of the conference is available here

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