Assimilation Versus Liberation: Envisioning a Trans Politics Based in Desire

bencrowther:

Assimilation versus liberation: this is the central issue of transgender (and most) civil, political, and social rights movements. This piece pivots on that tension and aims to determine some contours of a critical and liberatory trans politics. While the knee-jerk reaction of many of us located in this camp might be to opt out and/or create dissent around the established institutions, structures,and relations that created and maintain transphobic ideology, discourse and actions, often, as trans people, we are left with no other option but to navigate those very institutions (ie. hospitals, social services agencies, the criminal punishment system) in order to get what we want.

As someone who values desire over prescription and happiness over conformity, I am interested in figuring out how to actualize those values. I want to think about when to work within such dominant spheres and ask: must we only work in solidarity and coalition with groups and people whose politics are aligned with ours? What sacrifices are worth making, and who and which institutions and structures do we make them for? What does it mean to have a critical and liberatory trans politics, and how can we put our politics into praxis?

Read More at InOurWordsBlog.com

What will it take
for the gayristocracy to realize
that bisexual, lesbian, transgender and gay people
are in this together
we can and will
move the agenda forward.

But this will not happen
Until public recognition
of our common issues is made,
and a sincere effort to confront
biphobia and transphobia is made
by the established gay and lesbian leadership
in this country.

Lani Ka’ahumanu

(Speech delivered at the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation, 1993)

From the Journal of Bisexuality (2004) 3, 25-55 (via stfubiphobia)