For a Special Issue of Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy

Transgender Studies and Feminism: Theory, Politics, and Gendered Realities
Edited by Talia Mae Bettcher and Ann Garry agarry@calstatela.edu


The recent publication of The Transgender Studies Reader (ed. Susan Stryker and Stephen Whittle, New York: Routledge, 2006) marks a watershed in the development of trans studies. Arising in the early nineties in close relation to queer theory, trans studies is characterized by the coming-to-voice of trans people, long the theorized and researched objects of sexology, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, and even feminist theory.

Sandy Stone's groundbreaking "The Empire Strikes Back: A Posttranssexual Manifesto" sought the end of monolithic accounts of trans people (authored by non-trans) to reveal a multiplicity of trans narratives told by trans people themselves. By recognizing trans people as flesh and blood human beings with particular access to experiences of "transness" and transphobic oppression, as its starting point, trans studies opens up a way of theorizing "transgender"--for trans and non-trans people alike--that ideally resists, rather than reinforces, mechanisms of transphobia.

This raises important questions in feminist theory and politics. How can feminist theory best understand transphobia and trans resistance? Where do feminist and trans politics meet? Where are the overlaps and gaps, the points of connection and disconnection?

Hypatia invites submissions to a special issue on transgender studies and feminism, which recognizes the emergence of trans studies.

We welcome articles that investigate the relations between feminism and transgender studies. Articles exploring the intersections of multiple oppressions are especially welcome, as are submissions that come from subject-positions outside the United States (and North America more generally). We seek a collection of papers that is international in scope.

We also welcome articles that focus on issues specific to trans studies, trans politics, and trans people. This includes (but is hardly limited to) the following: medical regulations of trans bodies; transphobic violence; transphobia in housing, employment, education, medical treatment, and the like; sexual violence against trans people; critiques and concerns about various views within trans studies or politics, tensions between queer theory and trans studies.

Submissions need not be limited to the discipline of philosophy; we encourage interdisciplinary submissions. Regardless of disciplinary orientation, all submissions need to be theoretically sophisticated. Submissions that show a sensitivity to the interrelations among theory, politics, and real impacts upon flesh and blood human beings are especially welcome.

Papers should be no more than 8000 words, prepared for anonymous review,and accompanied by an abstract of no more than 75 words. Please provide a cover letter identifying your paper as a submission for the special issue "Transgender Studies and Feminism: Theory, Politics, and Gendered Realities."

The deadline for submissions is 15 April, 2008. Papers should be submitted by electronic attachment in Word to Talia Bettcher at tbettch@calstatela.edu. Submissions should follow Hypatia guidelines (see http://www.msu.edu/~hypatia/). Please address all correspondence, questions and suggestions to Talia Bettcher or Ann Garry at agarry@calstatela.edu.

We look forward to hearing from you.

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