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Transgender

Science Trying to Answer Why People Are Trans

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DNA

Why are girls born as girls, and boys as boys? What about an individual who is biologically female but feels or sees oneself as male, or the other way around? Dr. Qazi Rahman who is a lead investigator into LGBT mental health at King’s College London revealed that science still can’t give a complete answer to those questions. ‘This is the key question at the moment,’ the scientist told The Guardian. ‘We know much more about how nature shapes sexual orientation, and my view of the science is that nurture does very little, if any, shaping of sexual orientation. We … Read more

Dispatches from Hogwarts G.S.A.: A Game of Thrones Report Card

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We love HBO’s Game of Thrones. It’s some of the best storytelling on premium cable, possibly the best production quality ever for a TV series (DRAGONS!), and the directing and acting are pretty darn awesome to boot. We’re also really happy the phenomenally popular show has increased interest in high fantasy on the small screen, big screen, and in books. Another thing we love about GoT is that it has gay, lesbian and bisexual characters and decent portrayals of women. The Hogwarts G.S.A. believes gender equality and LGBTQ equality go hand-in-hand, so strong, diverse female characters are important to us … Read more

For Writers: Gender Shift

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Gender

Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Richard Wood: Speaking of FF and other non MM varieties of LGBT sex, why are almost all shifters male? Can a male shifter be female when shifted or choose which sex to be? Or how about shifters who shift between male and female human forms? Why are all shifters shifting between human and animal forms? How many men and women would like to experience sex from both male and female perspectives? Thinking here of Heinlein’s “I will Fear No Evil”. This topic deals with gender issues, which can be a touchy topic, so I … Read more

For Writers: The Difference Between Transgender and Gender Bending

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Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Matthew J. Metzger: For trans: the difference between trans stories and genderbending stories. This could be a dicey one. Gender discussions often are, so let’s try to talk this in a respectful, polite way. As Matthew points out, gender bending and being transgender are two different things, though to the outside observer, they may have some similarities, in that both challenge our traditional conceptions about gender. And in addition to transgender, we can also add the gender fluid category. So here are my thoughts – and feel free to tell me if I am … Read more

For Writers: Writing Transgender

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Transgender Flag

Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Matthew J. Metzger: The big one for me is the double standards. There seems to be a presumption that you need to have a degree in gender studies to write a trans character, no matter the actual plot or genre of the book. Whereas I can see eight novels on my feed right now that are M/M and could be changed to M/F with a simple pronoun switch-up. Why can LGB books be about, well, anything you want, but the idea of a book with a character who just so happens to be transgender … Read more

Trans Woman Becomes a Dragon

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Eva Tiamat Baphomet Medusa

A trans woman has claimed to be the first person to have both ears surgically removed, for cosmetic reasons, in her quest to become a dragon. Eva Tiamat Baphomet Medusa, or Tiamat for short, is a 55-year-old trans woman from Arizona who has undergone a series of procedures to become a ‘mythical beast’. She has had her nose radically altered, tooth extractions, eye coloring, a forked tongue and a full-face tattoo. Full Story at Gay Star News

“The Artifact of Foex” by James L. Wolf

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Genre: Queer Science Fiction Length: Novel   CHET IS a student of archaeology, nearing the completion of his studies. His current project has been field work in a patch of solidified lucid mud, capable of perfectly preserving objects stuck in it throughout the ages. It’s same old same old for Chet, until two Flame (god-affiliates with unusual powers) show up, and assist with unearthing the artifacts, including a complete person. Fenmore, a rogue from three hundred years ago, takes the artifact, and with the help of the Flame, runs with it. Chet gives chase, and from that point on, his … Read more

For Writers: Tech and Trans

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Trans Sci Fi

Today’s topic comes from QSFer Elizabeth Barrette: How magic or technology can allow people to alter their bodies, and what that means for transfolk. This is a fascinating one, and a tricky one. I used magic to “transform” a trans character, and ran it by one of my trans friends. I was surprised by some of the minefields I was walking across without even knowing it. How would your trans character feel about having their physical gender changed to match their internal one? Are we being myopic thinking every trans person would want such a thing? What about gender non-conforming … Read more

Trans Representation in Speculative Fiction

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Today’s topic comes from QSFer Freddy MacKay: It would be also great to have a discussion on trans* characters in the different genres. How they are handled. How the world/tech/magic/nature works for them or against them. SF could be interesting because technology could be developed enough you wouldn’t ever know the difference unless a trans* person wanted you to. What kind of society would that be? How would trans* people identify themselves and why? A parallel (though not the same) would be looking at the deaf community and how they feel about cochlear implants. Some are all for them, others … Read more