Riki Wilchins
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Riki Anne Wilchins (born 1952) is an American
activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...
whose work has focused on the impact of
gender norms A gender role, also known as a sex role, is a social role encompassing a range of behaviors and attitudes that are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for a person based on that person's sex. Gender roles are usually cent ...
.


Background

Wilchins founded the first national
transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...
advocacy group (
GenderPAC GenderPAC (the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition) was an LGBT rights organization based in Washington, DC working to ensure that classrooms, communities, and workplaces were safe places for every person to learn, grow, and succeed, whether or not th ...
). Their analysis and work broadened over time to include discrimination and violence regardless of individuals' identity. While this perspective has been widely accepted, its breadth has provoked criticism by some in the transgender community. Wilchins's work and writing have often focused on youth, whom they not only see as uniquely vulnerable to the gender system's pressures and harm, but whom they see as capable of "looking with fresh eyes". Wilchins's work has been instrumental in bringing transgender rights into the mainstream
LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...
movement, and has helped bring awareness of the impact of gender norms to a wider audience, and they are credited with coining the term "genderqueer." In 1996, they starred in Rosa von Praunheim 's film ''
Transexual Menace The Transexual Menace, or The Menace, was a transgender rights activist organization founded in New York City in 1993. It was the first direct action group of its kind, and grew to be a national organisation with 24 chapters. History and activiti ...
''. Wilchins's early activism with the "Hermaphrodites With Attitude!" protest group and intersex leader Cheryl Chase led to the founding of
Intersex Awareness Day Intersex Awareness Day is an internationally observed awareness day each October 26, designed to highlight human rights issues faced by intersex people. History The event marks the first public demonstration by intersex people in North America ...
. In 2001, Wilchins's work resulted in them being selected one of just six community activists named by ''Time'' magazine among its "100 Civic Innovators for the 21st Century". In 2009, Wilchins debuted The MANGina Monologues (A One Trans Show) at DC's Busboys & Poets, one of the first trangsender standup shows. A founding member of
Camp Trans Camp Trans was the name of an annual demonstration and event held outside the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival (MWMF or Michfest) in Oceana County, Michigan. This demonstration was held by transgender women and their allies to protest against th ...
, since the mid-1990s Wilchins has been highly active in founding a number of organizations and events focused on gender issues, including: * The Menace, the first large
direct action Direct action originated as a political activist term for economic and political acts in which the actors use their power (e.g. economic or physical) to directly reach certain goals of interest, in contrast to those actions that appeal to oth ...
group for transgender rights, which was modeled along the lines of
Queer Nation Queer Nation is an LGBTQ activist organization founded in March 1990 in New York City, by HIV/AIDS Activism, activists from AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, ACT UP. The four founders were outraged at the escalation of Violence against LGBT peop ...
and which at one point boasted representatives in 40+ cities (co-founder Denise Norris). * a 1996 demonstration held with members of
Intersex Society of North America The Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) was a non-profit advocacy group founded in 1993 by Cheryl Chase to end shame, secrecy, and unwanted genital surgeries.Matthews, Karen (Oct 22, 2000). Debate Grows Over Using Surgery on Infants with Amb ...
, now marked as Intersex Awareness Day. * NYC Gay Community Center Gender Identity Project (co-founder Dr. Barbara Warren, Dir. of Social Services). * NYC Gay Community Center Transgender Health Empowerment Conference, an annual event (co-founder Dr. Barbara Warren, Dir. of Social Services). * Camp Trans, an annual educational event outside the
Michigan Womyn's Music Festival The Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, often referred to as MWMF or Michfest, was a feminist women's music festival held annually from 1976 to 2015 in Oceana County, Michigan, on privately owned woodland near Hart Township referred to as "The L ...
that contested the exclusion of anyone who was not deemed a " womyn-born womyn" (co-founders Janice Walworth, Nancy Jean Burkholder). *
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) is an American sex-positive advocacy and educational organization founded in 1998. NCSF has over one hundred coalition partners (consisting of businesses including law firms, mental health professi ...
(co-founder Susan Wright, its first Exec. Dir.) * National Gender Lobby Day, an annual event on
Capitol Hill Capitol Hill, in addition to being a metonym for the United States Congress, is the largest historic residential neighborhood in Washington, D.C., stretching easterly in front of the United States Capitol along wide avenues. It is one of the ...
(co-founder
Phyllis Frye Phyllis Randolph Frye is an Associate Judge for the Municipal Courts in the US city of Houston, Texas. Frye is the first openly transgender judge appointed in the world. Biography Phyllis Frye, born circa 1946, is a transgender woman. She ...
).


GenderPAC

In 1995, Wilchins founded the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition,
GenderPAC GenderPAC (the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition) was an LGBT rights organization based in Washington, DC working to ensure that classrooms, communities, and workplaces were safe places for every person to learn, grow, and succeed, whether or not th ...
, a tax-exempt organization focused on gender rights issues. GenderPAC originally focused on the transgender community, but gradually broadened its focus to include anyone who suffered discrimination or violence because of their gender identity or gender expression. GenderPAC described its mission as the creation of "classrooms, communities, and workplaces
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
are safe for everyone to learn, grow, and succeed â€” whether or not they meet expectations for
masculinity Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some behaviors con ...
and
femininity Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered fe ...
." In late 1999, the organization was incorporated and received tax-exempt status. In 2009, it rebranded and relaunched as a new organization, TrueChild, effectively ceasing operations as GenderPAC. While GenderPAC's Executive Director, Wilchins helped dozens of corporations as diverse as IBM,
JP Morgan Chase JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered in New York City and incorporated in Delaware. As of 2022, JPMorgan Chase is the largest bank in the United States, the w ...
, and
Citigroup Citigroup Inc. or Citi (Style (visual arts), stylized as citi) is an American multinational investment banking, investment bank and financial services corporation headquartered in New York City. The company was formed by the merger of banking ...
, as well as major funders like the Arcus and
Gill Foundation The Gill Foundation is an American philanthropic foundation based in Denver, Colorado. It is one of the largest funders of efforts to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the United States. The foundat ...
s to expand employment
non-discrimination Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of Racial discrimination, r ...
policies to include gender identity and gender expression. GenderPAC's Congressional Non-Discrimination Pledge eventually had almost 200 sponsors, including both Republicans and US Senators. They helped compile and publish the GENIUS (Gender Equality National Index for Universities & Schools) Index, which rated and ranked schools' adoption of gender identity protections. During their watch, GenderPAC also launched the GenderYOUTH Network, which eventually supported student groups at 100+ schools in creating safer and friendlier environments for those who were gender non-conforming on their own campuses.


1st National Survey of TransViolence

In 1995, with help from researcher Emilia Lombardi, GenderPAC compiled and published the "1st National Survey of TransViolence", based on surveys provided by more than 500 respondents. In 2006, in partnership with Global Rights, GenderPAC researched and published "50 Under 30: Masculinity & the War on America's Youth", the first human rights report to document an under-reported tide of violence that had claimed the lives of more than 50 young people aged 30 and under attacked because of their gender identity or gender expression from 1994 to 2004. With a fresh round of attacks, the report was reissued just two years later as "70 Under 30". More than 80 groups endorsed the reports' recommendations, including the
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (The Leadership Conference), formerly called the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, is an umbrella group of American civil rights interest groups. Organizational history The Leadership Co ...
,
National Organization for Women The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist organization. Founded in 1966, it is legally a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and in Washington, D.C. It ...
(NOW),
National Council of La Raza UnidosUS, formerly National Council of La Raza (NCLR) (La Raza), is the United States's largest Latino nonprofit advocacy organization. It advocates in favor of progressive public policy changes including immigration reform, a path to citizen ...
(NCLR),
Interfaith Alliance Interfaith Alliance is a national interfaith organization in the United States founded in 1994 to counteract the religious right. Its stated goal is to protect faith and freedom by respecting individual rights, preserving the boundaries between re ...
, and the
Human Rights Campaign The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for LGB ...
. The report was used by the House Sub-Committee which marked up the
Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is a landmark United States federal law, passed on October 22, 2009, and signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 28, 2009, as a rider to the National Defense Auth ...
(the final bill included gender identity as a protected category and was eventually passed and signed into law). Wilchins received their bachelor's degree from
Cleveland State University Cleveland State University (CSU) is a public research university in Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 and opened for classes in 1965 after acquiring the entirety of Fenn College, a private school that had been in operation since 1923. ...
in 1982 and a masters in
clinical psychology Clinical psychology is an integration of social science, theory, and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and persona ...
from the
New School for Social Research The New School for Social Research (NSSR) is a graduate-level educational institution that is one of the divisions of The New School in New York City, United States. The university was founded in 1919 as a home for progressive era thinkers. NSSR ...
in 1983. Wilchins then founded Data Tree Inc., a computer consulting company specializing in banking and brokerage on
Wall Street Wall Street is an eight-block-long street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs between Broadway in the west to South Street and the East River in the east. The term "Wall Street" has become a metonym for t ...
. Wilchins is an out
transsexual Transsexual people experience a gender identity that is inconsistent with their assigned sex, and desire to permanently transition to the sex or gender with which they identify, usually seeking medical assistance (including sex reassignment ...
lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...
feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
. In a 2017 article published in The Advocate, Wilchins said their pronouns were they/them/theirs.


Author

Wilchins's essays and articles have appeared in: *''Contemporary Debates in the Sociology of Education'', Rachel Brooks, Kalwant Bhopal, Mark McCormac (editors). Palgrave Macmillan, 1994. *''The Encyclopedia of Identity'', Ronald L. Jackson (editor). SAGE Publications, 2010. *''Feminist Frontiers'', Verta Taylor, Leila J. Rupp,
Nancy Whittier Nancy Whittier is an American sociologist and a professor at Smith College. She has written many books, including ''Feminist Generations'', ''Feminist Frontiers 5'', and ''The Politics of Child Sexual Abuse: Emotion, Social Movements, and the Stat ...
(editors). McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008. *''Gender Violence (Second Edition): Interdisciplinary Perspectives'', Laura L. O'Toole, Jessica R. Schiffman, Margie L. Kiter Edwards (editors0. NYU Press, 2007. *''Language Awareness: Readings for College Writers'', Paul Eschholz, Alfred Rosa, Virginia Clark (editors). Bedford/St. Martin's, 2004. *''The Meaning of Difference : American Constructions of Race, Sex and Gender, Social Class, Sexual Orientation, and Disability : a Text/Reader'', Karen E. Rosenblum and Toni-Michelle C. Travis, editors, McGraw-Hill. *''Negotiating Ethical Challenges in Youth Research'', Kitty te Riele, Rachel Brooks (editors). Routledge,2013. *''Out at Work : Building a Gay-Labor Alliance'', Kitty Krupat, Patrick McCreery, editors. University of Minnesota Press, c2001. *''PoMoSexuals : Challenging Assumptions About Gender and Sexuality'', edited by
Carol Queen Carol Queen (born 1957) is an American author, editor, sociologist, and sexologist active in the sex-positive feminism movement. Queen is a two time Grand Marshal of San Francisco LGBTQ Pride. Queen has written on human sexuality in books such a ...
and
Lawrence Schimel Lawrence Schimel (born October 16, 1971) is a bilingual (Spanish/English) American writer, translator, and anthologist. His work, which frequently deals with gay and lesbian themes as well as matters of Jewish identity, often falls into the genres ...
, Cleis Press, c1997. *''Trans Bodies, Trans Selves : A Resource for the Transgender Community'', Laura Eriskson-Schroth, editor. Oxford University Press, 2014. *''Women on Women 3 : An Anthology of American Lesbian Short Fiction'', edited by
Joan Nestle Joan Nestle (born May 12, 1940) is a Lambda Award winning writer and editor and a founder of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, which holds, among other things, everything she has ever written. She is openly lesbian and sees her work of archiving hi ...
and Naomi Holoch. Plume, 1996. They have also contributed articles to ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...
'', '' The Advocate'', and '' GLQ''.


Publications


Peer-reviewed research

*''Transgender experiences with violence and discrimination'', Lombardi, E.L., Wilchins, R., Priesing, D. Malouf, D.(2002). Journal of Homosexuality. 1, March, 2002, 89-101 *''One percent on the burn chart: Gender, genitals, and hermaphrodites with attitude'', David Valentine, Riki Wilchins (1997). Social Text. 52/53, 1997, 215-222 *''The Moderating Effects of Support for Violence Beliefs on Masculine Norms, Aggression, and Homophobic Behavior During Adolescence'', Paul Poteat, Michael Kimmel, Riki Wilchins (2011). Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21, 434-447


Books

* ''Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion & the End of Gender'', Firebrand Books, 1997 * ''GenderQueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary'', with
Joan Nestle Joan Nestle (born May 12, 1940) is a Lambda Award winning writer and editor and a founder of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, which holds, among other things, everything she has ever written. She is openly lesbian and sees her work of archiving hi ...
and Clair Howell Co-Editors, Alyson Books, 2002. * ''Queer Theory/Gender Theory: an Instant Primer'', Alyson Books, 2004. * ''TRANS/gressive: How Transgender Activists Took on Gay Rights, Feminism, the Media & Congress… and Won!'', Riverdale Avenue Books, 2017. * ''Burn the Binary! -- Selected Writings on Living Trans, Genderqueer & Nonbinary'', Riverdale Avenue Books, Oct, 2017. * ''Gender Norms & Intersectionality: Connecting Race, Class & Gender'', Rowman & Littlefield, Mar, 2019.


References


External links


Eighteen Things You Don't Say to a Transsexual
(PDF) {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilchins, Riki 1952 births Cleveland State University alumni American lesbian writers LGBT rights activists from the United States Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Queer theorists The New School alumni Transfeminists Transgender women Transgender writers Transgender rights activists