“Second Wave Trans Feminism” with Emily Cousens

Queer Lit - A podcast by Lena Mattheis - Tuesdays

You may think that second wave feminism and trans activism are mutually exclusive but guess what: there is actually a whole lot of diversity in second wave feminist theory, writing, activism and print culture. Emily Cousens has done lots of archival research to highlight trans thinking and the way it has informed and shaped second wave feminism. Listen to our conversation to learn more about the grassroots movements, trans newsletters and gendernonconforming thinkers that make the second wave trans. References:Emily Cousens’ Trans Feminist Epistemologies in the US Second Wave (Palgrave, 2023)University of Victoria ArchivesGLBT Historical Society San FranciscoDigital Transgender Archive https://www.digitaltransgenderarchive.net/Louise Lawrence Archive San FranciscoMs Bob DavisVirginia PrinceTransvestiaFoundation for Full Personality Expression (FPE)STAR Street Transvestite Action RevolutionariesBlack Lives MatterSisters UncutCombahee River CollectiveFoucaultBarbara SmithJudith ButlerMaxine WolfLesbian AvengersDyke MarchDressingDykes (Eleanor Medhurst) https://dressingdykes.com/2022/03/25/clothing-culture-at-the-lesbian-conference/Tri Sigma Heterosexual Crossdresser’s SocietyRobert StollerJohn MoneyKate MilletGayle RubinMargo SchulterMeg-John BarkerLeslie FeinbergBeth ElliottSandy StoneRadclyffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness Questions you should be able to respond to after listening: What is second wave feminism and how is it frequently misrepresented? Why are trans studies and second wave feminism often viewed as incompatible? What are Emily’s thoughts on this? What are some of the sources Emily works with? How is print culture defined here? Who is John Money? Why is he significant? How does Emily describe the role of nonbinary and intersex people in their research? How are trans men and trans women viewed differently in second wave feminism?