Mika's resources on trans issues

hi! welcome to this carrd where i have compiled some resources on trans issues - most importantly on people who hate us and the argument they use to justify their hate. both trans and cis people who want to learn and educate themselves are welcome here. most of the resources are videos (though many have written sources in the description box). if you don't know where to start Some entry points is the page for you. from there you can delve into resources on the Gender Critical/TERF movement and further topics.

some of this stuff can be quite upsetting especially if the topic is close to you so please make sure to take breaks if you need - many of the video essayists/writers mentioned here make other fun content which i wholeheartedly recommend.

Some entry points

Hi and thank you for taking the time to read this resource page! Welcome to the world of trans issues. If you're here, I assume you know what trans people are and that they exist, so we'll skip that part (though if you want an interesting exploration of identity by a trans person, check out Identity: A Trans Coming Out Story by Philosophy Tube). In our society, trans people face a multitude of challenges. For a list overview, check out What rights don’t trans people have? but beyond that, there are many other issues.

One of those is transphobia, aka the hatred and/or discrimination of trans people. To understand the history trans people have with acceptance in society, see the video The History of Transphobia by Mia Mulder. For a philosophical perspective, I recommend Transphobia: An Analysis by Philosophy Tube and for a media-oriented analysis Tracing the Roots of Pop Culture Transphobia by Lindsay Ellis.

Often, transphobic arguments are based on "scientific" claims that are incorrect. It is important to stay informed and be aware of these claims. A starting point can be the article Stop Using Phony Science to Justify Transphobia. Resources debunking specific arguments can be found in the Further topics section.

To understand trans people's lives better and the issues they face in their day to day life, I recommend the book The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye. It is mostly focused on the UK, but touches on other areas as well and covers a wide range of topics.

There is a movement that opposes trans liberation in the name of "women's rights". But actually, its ideas are often harmful to cisgender (non-transgender) women as well as trans people. To learn more, check out the section on Gender Criticals/TERFs.

Gender Critical/TERF movement

TERFs (trans exclusionary radical feminists) or Gender Criticals are a group that try to present "rational" arguments for transphobia. To get an overview of their beliefs and tactics I recommend the videos What Are TERFs? - How "Gender Critical" TERFs Harm Transgender Folks by Jessie Gender and Gender Critical by Contrapoints. For a deeper dive, I recommend the Inside a Cult - Gender Critical video series by Caelan Conrad (links below).

To get an understanding of the history of this ideology and its ties to radical feminism, check out the video TERFs and False Consciousness by Rosencreutz. For a focus on biological sex see TERFs Are Wrong About Biological Sex by Lily Alexandre.

Articles on other topics relating to Gender Critical ideology

Further topics

Autogynephilia

Autogynephilia is a paraphilia where men are sexually aroused at the idea of themselves as women. Some transphobes claim that all trans women are autogynephiles. The following resources debunk this claim.

Puberty blockers

Puberty blockers are medications that block the onset of puberty. They are used for children who think they might be trans and allow them to take time to figure themselves out before puberty (they are however also used on children whose puberty starts too soon). Some people believe that puberty blockers are not safe, despite evidence showing otherwise. Check out further info below.

Rapid onset gender dysphoria

Sports

Other: Videos

⭑ Irreversible Damage is a "Gender Critical" book that centres around transmasculine people. This series debunks it and its "science" chapter by chapter.⭑⭑ Transmedicalism is an ideology that seeks to overly medicalise trans people and their experiences.

Other: Articles

Studies

J. K. Rowling, death of the author, ethical consumption etc.

Trans people have always existed

how can i help?
media recommendations

Trans issues term lexicon

AFAB - assigned female at birth
AGP - short for autogynephilia
AMAB - assigned male at birth
cisgender (or cis for short) - not transgender
FtM / MtF - female-to-male / male-to-female
GC - gender critical
GNC - gender non-conforming
NB - short for nonbinary, neither man or woman