Ever wondered what ableism and transphobia can look like when they combine?
Well, have you heard some version of “trans people are taking advantage of Autistic girls to convince them that they’re trans”?
If you aren’t familiar with both transphobia and ableism – as in you do not understand the subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which they can manifest – then on the surface a statement like this may not seem overly problematic.
So let’s break it down for you.
Why is it ableist?
The argument presented in the statement implies that Autistic people are easily swayed. The implication is that an Autistic girl cannot possibly know her own mind well enough to understand her gender and needs to be protected from making the wrong decision.
The central premise is that an Autistic girl lacks the mental capacity to make informed decisions about her own identity. Arguably, there is a level of sexism present too as the assumption also plays into this stereotyped and patriarchal idea of women being weak and needing protecting. And being incapable of making their own decisions.
But we digress. Autistic people (regardless of their gender) are more than capable of interrogating their own understanding of self. Often, when you are Autistic can struggle to perform social norms, which include your performance of gender.
When you sit on the outside of such things, you have time to interrogate them. To question whether something really is fact and to explore what it means to you.
Besides this, if you have ever tried to convince an Autistic person to do something that does not make sense to them, you’ll know how ridiculous it is to assert that anyone could convince them that they were incorrect about their own gender.
Ableism is what allows us to buy into this reasonable concern. To challenge it, thankfully, is fairly easy. Assume competence when you meet Autistic people. If an Autistic person has high support needs or low support needs, they still deserve your respect and to be treated as capable. (This does not mean refusing accommodations!)
Why is it transphobic?
Fundamentally the argument assumes that being trans is a negative thing which is transphobic. Being trans is something to protect vulnerable communities from rather than simply being a state of being. The language also relies on an assumption that trans people are predatory and seek to ‘convert’ people to transness. It creates a disconnect between transness as an identity and positions it as an ideology.
To challenge this, we need to treat being transgender as something people simply are. Some people are cis, some people are trans. It isn’t negative to be either. If we ask, why would it be bad if they were trans, often people get stumped.
Some people may cite concerns that individuals who are not ‘really’ transgender will seek out irreversible treatment. It is important to note that access to such treatments (hormones and surgery) are heavily restricted. They are expensive and waitlists to access things through the NHS are years long (and that is a best case scenario). While detrans people exist, the rate of regret for gender affirming care is significantly below the rate of regret for knee surgeries. Yet, we aren’t trying to legislate knee surgeries away or to put people through more psychological testing to access them.
Tackling both ableism and transphobia
The thing is, if we were to tackle only the ableism in this statement or only the transphobia, we would fail to adequately address it. The two depend on each other to make the statement work, and this is generally how a lot of isms work.
That’s why it is so important to take an intersectional approach. Think of it like weeding a garden. Without tackling both issues, you leave roots in place and then the plants grow back. If we want a truly inclusive society, we need to be able to tackle intersectional oppression.
What examples of intersectional oppression can you think of in your own life? How might you tackle them?
If you aren’t sure where to start, Simply Equality can help you. Use the contact form below or email us at info@simplyequality.com. We run workshops, public speaking, consultancy and coaching.
Let’s create a more inclusive world together.