Red Emma’s

Mainstream technologies often exclude or marginalize transgender users. Trans Technologies describes what happens when trans people take technology design into their own hands. Oliver L. Haimson, whose research into gender transition and technology has defined this area of study, draws on transgender studies and his own in-depth interviews with more than 100 creators of technology—including apps, games, health resources, extended reality systems, and supplies designed to address challenges trans people face—to explain what trans technology is and to explore its present possibilities and limitations, as well as its future prospects.

Haimson surveys the landscape of trans technologies to reveal the design processes that brought these technologies to life, and to show how trans people often must rely on community, technology, and the combination of the two to meet their basic needs and challenges. His work not only identifies the role of trans technology in caring for individuals within the trans community but also shows how trans technology creation empowers some trans people to create their own tools for navigating the world. Articulating which trans needs and challenges are currently being addressed by technology and which still need to be addressed; describing how trans technology creators are accomplishing this work; examining how privilege, race, and access to resources impact which trans technologies are built and who may be left out; and highlighting new areas of innovation to be explored, Trans Technologies opens the way to meaningful social change.

Oliver L. Haimson is Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School of Information.

Dr. Sheena Erete is a researcher, educator, designer, and community advocate, whose research focuses on co-designing socio-cultural technologies, practices, and policies with community residents to amplify their local efforts. Her work has addressed topics such as community safety, education, civic engagement, and health. She publishes in top academic and practitioner venues and her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation and numerous other state and philanthropic organizations. Dr. Erete is an associate professor in the College of Information at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Associate Director of Research for the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM), and the founding director of the Community Research, Equity, and Design (CREED) Collective.