GEOG 420 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Transphobia, Intersectionality, Trans Woman
5 Jun 2018
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Class 10: Migration/Borders March 20th, 2018
Readings: Pooja Gehi, Alisa Solomon on Christina Madrazo, Dalia Tourki
Class Discussion
How necessary is it to form or have a universal language?
o What of the multiplicity and richness in others’ languages, epistemic knowledges,
personal understandings of self…?
The ways in which language limits someone’s passing through borders, gaining access to rights
or privileges…
o Making legible claims requires our use of a particularly language, vocabulary,
presentation… ie. under American asylum law (“Vestida” does not hold any meaning in
U.S. context.)
o Need to be strategic
Maybe being strategic in asking for social changes in movements compromises the goals of some
within a group?
o Maybe the demands do not address the structural issues faced by most marginalised?
o Tension between necessary changes more broadly and specific interests?
Need to ground abolition in day-to-day life, peoples’ struggles… May require working with
people and understanding their every day realities.
Some Examples from Nora
Banning of trans peoples with too disparate mismatch between appearance and IDs?
o Canadian Aeronaut Act (2007), part of Aviation Passenger Protection Act
o Introduced a “no-fly” list
o Trans groups and activists began pushing against the legislating, claiming that it was
discriminatory against trans people
o But little to no regulation implemented against trans people, or at least no known or
recorded cases
o The legislation and the no-fly list had actually been passed as part of efforts for greater
national surveillance and profiling of highly racialised people (especially Muslim people)
o Failure of trans activists to recognise how these regulations were actually targeted against
racialised, Muslim groups to deny passage or entry.
Case of Avery Abbison, February 2014
o UK trans woman detained in Ontario Canada because she overstayed her visa
o Place in a male prison. (Because she was transition and, therefore, not post-operative?) →
Following media outrage, transferred to a female prison.
o Served as an important catalyst for prison reform
In contrast: Case of Mexican trans woman
o Immigration Detention Center
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Pooja gehi, alisa solomon on christina madrazo, dalia tourki. Need to ground abolition in day-to-day life, peoples" struggles may require working with people and understanding their every day realities. Banning of trans peoples with too disparate mismatch between appearance and ids: canadian aeronaut act (2007), part of aviation passenger protection act. Case of avery abbison, february 2014: uk trans woman detained in ontario canada because she overstayed her visa, place in a male prison. (because she was transition and, therefore, not post-operative?) Following media outrage, transferred to a female prison: served as an important catalyst for prison reform. In contrast: case of mexican trans woman. Immigration detention center: detained after neighbour complaints about noise. Partner (who often engages in violence against the woman) had been violent with her again. After finding that she was undocumented, police was quick in detaining her: after friends raised money to free her, she was released.
