Trans* identities and theories

This week, one of our assigned readings included ‘Decolonizing Trans/Gender 101’ by B. Binaohan. In this reading, Binaohan challenges ‘white’ discourse around trans/gender, especially, the ‘white’ history of transgender. This is done by using Biaohan’s own experiences “as examples for how trans/gender 101 needs to be decolonized for all the ways that it was essentially impossible for [them] to see [themselves] in the type of narrative and structure prevalent in Teich’s book.” (Note: Nicholas Teich is the author of ‘Transgender 101: A Simple Guide to a Complex Issue’). Biaohan writes: “The problem lays in all of these white attempts to explain, educate, and reduce the complexity of a complex subject for those who oppress [us]” (p. 5).

At the beginning of the article, Biaohan discuses their own ‘Filinp@’ gender identity: “Tagalog bakla,” and their experience growing up as a IaoPoc (Indigenous and or Person of Colour) in Canada. Later in the article, Biaohan critiques white scholars for beginning trans histories with a pathologization of white people and discusses the correlation between colonization and erasure of trans Indigenous peoples from history.

My first thought on this article was: “This is important.” I think this article perfectly articulates the complexity that is Queer identities, especially, the intersections of Trans identities. It is important that the author of this critique on white discourse is, and self-identifies as, a ‘Tagalog bakla’ IaoPoc. While white scholars can and should also seek to decolonize their own (and other’s) works, Biaohan’s self-locating in this article adds to the impact and truth of their writing. Further on this, it is important that this piece by Biaohan critiques scholarly discourse from the perspective of someone effected by the false assumptions perpetuated by white versions of history. What this piece reminds me is that written histories only portray one version of the truth: it is important to dissect, criticize, and analyze all accounts and explanations of peoples, especially when they are coming from outside sources. Decolonizing trans/gender is integral to locating the truths of gender identities.