The Transgender Gap
Trans and non-binary representation on Wikipedia
What is the transgender gap?
Gap is primarily about knowledge, not numbers
Our numbers may be small, but we still matter
Goal is not to have equal numbers of trans and cis editors or articles!
Goal is to be more welcoming and have more accurate representation
Gender and sex basics
All separate things.
Gender identity basics
Transgender - Does not identify with sex (male or female) assigned at birth.
Cisgender - Identifies with sex (male or female) assigned at birth.
Non-binary - Identifies as something other than a male or man, female or woman.
Genderqueer - Identifier used by some non-binary people.
Examples from Commons (all CC BY-SA 4.0)
Laverne Cox (by Pax Ahimsa Gethen)�Trans woman
Pax Ahimsa Gethen (by Melanie Hofmann)�Agender (non-binary)
Ryan Cassata (by Pax Ahimsa Gethen)�Trans man
Jamie Shupe (by Estrogin)�Non-binary
Vandalism and non-binary erasure
Examples of vandalism of the Genderqueer page on Wikipedia, fall 2015:
Global consequences
Google search result and cache, Aug 12, 2016
Content policies and lived experience
“No original research” and “verifiability” are core content policies of Wikipedia
But “reliable sources” don’t reflect trans lives accurately
Transgender narratives are shaped by cisgender people
Trans folks lack equal access to tell our own stories
“Neutral point of view” and activism
“Neutral point of view” is core content policy
But “neutral” viewpoint in USA is that of straight cisgender white male
For out trans people, activism is necessary for visibility and survival
“Political correctness” is really just treating people with respect
Policy against “righting great wrongs” not excuse for treating people disrespectfully
Manual of style: Who decides our names?
Guideline for gender identity (pronouns, etc.): “Give precedence to self-designation as reported in the most up-to-date reliable sources, even when it doesn't match what's most common in reliable sources.” (Good)
Guideline for mentions of trans people in other articles: “Use context to determine which name or names to provide on a case-by-case basis.” (Not good; vague)
Guideline for birth names: “In the case of transgender and non-binary people, birth names should be included in the lead sentence only when the person was notable prior to coming out.” (Room for improvement)
RfC to change above: Closer noted that only one openly trans person weighed in. (Me.)
Deadnaming and misgendering
Avoiding/reducing real harm; not giving “special treatment” to trans people
For those who transitioned before becoming notable, old name and gender are irrelevant
Using current name and gender is not “historical revisionism”
Curiosity is not sufficient justification
For editors, deadnaming in userspace particularly harmful
Social and psychological impact
Trans people are marginalized and vulnerable
41% of trans and gender non-conforming adults have attempted suicide
54% of trans youth have considered suicide (ideation); one third have attempted it
21 known murders of trans people in 2015; 22 in 2016; most were women of color
Best practices for gender surveys
Don’t ask for gender if unnecessary, and don’t assume binary gender
Don’t have just “male/female/transgender” options on forms; trans is not a gender
Make gender, pronouns, and salutations fill-in-the-blank if possible
Consider adding separate question about transgender identity
Good examples from Wikimedia Foundation
These are good examples from Wikipedia forms and surveys:
WikiConference North America signup form
Inspire Campaign survey
Contact and resources
Pax Ahimsa Gethen
User:Funcrunch (English Wikipedia, Commons, Meta)