Hello We All Count forum members! Jay Greene, Racial Equity Policy and Research Analyst from State of Vermont Office of Racial Equity here.
I recently attended the “Foundations of Data Equity” training that was held on June 16-17, 2022. I mentioned gender performativity and queer theory in the chat during the discussion of data biographies (if I recall correctly.) I wanted to share some resources to learn more about this:
“Feminist Icon Judith Butler on on JK Rowling, trans rights, feminism and intersectionality”
This interview was an excellent primer on Butler’s theory of gender performativity and how their opinions on it have shifted over time. Content warning for discussion of transphobia and brief mention of suicide.
“Social Constructs” Philosophy Tube
The description of this video: “What are social constructs, and why do some people get so upset by them?” Discussion of social constructs broadly and how they apply to the construction of a binary gender system, author is a transgender woman. Her video “Identity” about realizing and coming out as trans is also amazing.
I identify myself as transmasculine/nonbinary but I also like the labels “agender,” “agenderflux,” and “neutrois”. I have a lot of feelings about the tendency of surveys, electronic medical records, etc. to conflate sex assignment with gender identity. How many surveys have you seen that ask “gender” and the response options are “male” or “female”? It is extremely frustrating and alienating as a nonbinary person to constantly have to put myself into boxes I don’t feel represent me.
I also enjoy the work of Kat Blaque on YouTube, who gives her perspectives as a Black woman who happens to be trans in many of her videos. I don’t always agree with her perspectives, but her videos always make me think. I wanted to highlight a diversity of racial perspectives on the Trans experience. Im Trans, but I'm NOT “Queer" (sorry) - YouTube “I am Trans, But I’m NOT ‘Queer’ (sorry)”
Hope that those resources are interesting to my fellow classmates and to the We All Count forum more broadly!
Thanks,
Jay Greene, MPH (they/them)