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Explaining trans identities to cis folk
Once when I was a baby trans I engaged in the endless debate about medicalised bodies compared to those who did not want surgery or hormones, learning language from older trans women which shaped my understanding of the trans experience. It took over a decade for me to move on from the language learned in those conversations, the tightly bundled phrases difficult to convey nuance to those outside the community. Indeed, even today in a world where trans semantics are much more pluralistic talking to cisgender folk about trans issues means reducing the complexity to simple tropes for their sake. Even me using the term folk gets wry comments, with some people accusing me of being too simplistic and childish in my language.
This highlights the central issue when talking about trans experiences to any cisgender person, namely that when you see the plethora of identities talking about it will always reduce it to the other person’s level of understanding. As an academic I am used to reducing complexity as part of my job; indeed, if I cannot explain complex ideas to lay people then I am failing at what I do. Science communication is a critical part of research, and many trans folk are forced into transgender communication when they engage cis people with their identities. We all become trans communicators when we come out, yet are never given the skills to do this effectively. Or…
