Transition and Inclusion: Experiences of Gay Trans Men in Gay Communities

• In Event: 41021 - Student Forum Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Roundtable 2: Critical Gender Studies

Abstract

Even among the most progressive liberation groups, hierarchies persist. Since transgender identities were long seen as the "more sexually deviant" margin of gay collective identity, sociological transgender studies are relatively new compared to research on gay identities and cultures which had already reached maturity. This results in a disparity in cultural recognition, public image, and scholarly knowledge between LGB and TQ+ communities. Additionally, research on sexualities and gender identities typically runs parallel in past scholarly work, instead of showing the intersections of sexuality and transness. While there's a significant discourse around trans lesbian women in lesbian communities, trans gay men among gay communities remain neglected. The invisibility experienced by gay trans men could offer us a new perspective on understanding the more subtle, underlying tension within queer communities. Trans gay men's experiences of going through gender transition significantly influences how well they can fit into gay spaces, which are primarily populated by cis gay men. My project focuses on the experiences of trans men engaging in predominantly cis gay men's spaces, such as gay bars and social clubs. The study specifically asks: How does the transition status of trans men who identify as same gender loving affect their inclusion among gay spaces and communities? To address this question, I employ a qualitative methodology using in-depth interviews of 10 participants who are adult same gender loving trans men, out for more than 1 year, and have experience engaging in gay communities and spaces. The results indicate that although blatant transphobia is rare in most gay spaces, it's common for cis gay men to draw an invisible line between trans men and themselves. Alienation and microaggression from cis gay men toward trans men happen often in both public spaces and interpersonal romantic relationships.

Author

• Eddie Zhang, University of Washington