In this very excellent book, Sam Elkin relates his bumpy journey from lesbian to transgender lawyer in the aftermath of the 2017 marriage equality postal survey.
Thanks for this interview with Sam Elkins. I'll definitely be buying his book! I was pleased that the first question hit on the real problem with the "Trans trauma narrative" as it was then - and still is today. Not that being Trans has a lot of difficulty (and trauma) often associated with it, but many voices and even commissioned reports often stated ONLY the trauma that Trans people experienced and hardly ever the good that occured in our lives. Unsurprisingly, that one sided narrative was weaponised by the Right, casting being Trans as THE CAUSE of our traumatic experiences. I first published on that problem back in the late 20-teens (see my pieces in Archer), but it has been a real effort for those of us in the advocacy space to nuance the Trans narrative so that the causes of BOTH our liberation and repression can be better understood in the public space. When you do that, it's easy to explain to non-trans people what our needs are. And, surprise, surprise! Our needs (for health, housing, legal, finacial access) are more or less THE SAME as everybody else's. Trans people aren't sad, broken, alienated people needing to be "fixed", we are people Just Like You, who simply want to be treated fairly.
Thanks for this interview with Sam Elkins. I'll definitely be buying his book! I was pleased that the first question hit on the real problem with the "Trans trauma narrative" as it was then - and still is today. Not that being Trans has a lot of difficulty (and trauma) often associated with it, but many voices and even commissioned reports often stated ONLY the trauma that Trans people experienced and hardly ever the good that occured in our lives. Unsurprisingly, that one sided narrative was weaponised by the Right, casting being Trans as THE CAUSE of our traumatic experiences. I first published on that problem back in the late 20-teens (see my pieces in Archer), but it has been a real effort for those of us in the advocacy space to nuance the Trans narrative so that the causes of BOTH our liberation and repression can be better understood in the public space. When you do that, it's easy to explain to non-trans people what our needs are. And, surprise, surprise! Our needs (for health, housing, legal, finacial access) are more or less THE SAME as everybody else's. Trans people aren't sad, broken, alienated people needing to be "fixed", we are people Just Like You, who simply want to be treated fairly.
this is a great comment, thank you! So incredibly true
Great interview! So glad you shared this with us. I think I need this book, and the cover is brilliant!
thanks Robin! It's a really enjoyable read