Julia Seranno

Julia Serano is an Oakland, California-based writer, spoken word performer, trans activist, and biologist. In recent years, Julia has gained noteriety in transgender, queer, and feminist circles for her unique insights into gender. This excerpt is from Qcc's TransForming Community which explored the friction at the intersection of contemporary trans and queer communities.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Julia
• Serrano
• Trans
• activist
• gender
• queer
• lgbt
• qcc
• cultural
• center

[changingone77]

As a trans woman, I'm often upset by the argument that trans women were socialized male, and should thus be excluded. To concur with your statement regarding socialization, I was not socialized as a cis male anymore than you were socialized a cis female. Knowing I was trans as a kid, I interpreted things differently than a cis male or a cis female. I internalized different messages. I did not have a "boyhood," in any conventional sense of the term, but a "transhood."

[nytransguy]

I have to admit- I make my own comment out of personal anger- after I posted I wished I didn't. I certainly don't belong in women's spaces as I have nothing in common/ no understanding of women aside from physicality and very little with socialization- to deride the feminist argument, I was really not socialized female. I am angry that trans women are not recognized and I wish I could somehow reconcile that- which i can't. I believe there can be an exclusive space for female-identified ppl.

[iremythpurr]

This is rape culture. Let females define ourselves FOR OURSELVES. Your entryism is male colonizing. FORM YOUR OWN FUCKING MUSIC FESTIVAL.

[itzyourcrayons]

please someone let me know! where can i hear more of her??? she is freaking awesome!

[juliecranford]

I wish I could understand all the words. It's kind of staticky or something.

[psdeadat29]

I have to finish her book.

[BlacknWhitesAlright]

I love Julia Serano. And look, trying to fit people who somehow upset the gender binary into spaces made specifically for one or the other category of the gender binary is a fool's game! I understand where the separatist impulse comes from, but its time has passed. Our understanding of gender has finally progressed beyond that point, and it's time for ideas like traditional "feminism" to be traded in for a fuller, less walled-off and much less combative understanding of gender.

[darliegoddess]

Yes nytransguy , yes. I completely understand ! They can attempt to socialize you female but we take what our minds need . I grew up with two sisters , my mom , my grandma and my aunts. If being socialized a "guy" is saying " You should act more like a real man " then yes I was socialized male but beyond that I never was.

And by the way, it's very hard to complain because we don't want to ruin anything for FTM's either.

[candyb86]

The whole "women's spaces" thing just generally bugs me anyways. In a time of transgender individuals who are able to bring their unique and important perspectives on gender (having seen BOTH sides), they should be welcomed into any discussion and any place.

Julia makes great points (albeit a little angrily), but I think the separatist idea of gender-exclusivity needs to be discarded.

[natwick]

Julia! I love you! <3