Unlivable Lives Violence & Identity in Transgender Activism

The vast majority of anti-violence activism in the United States occurs within the framework of identity politics. Identity-based movements, such as those to stop violence against people of color, women, and LGBT people, have become so commonplace as to seem to be a natural way to reduce violence. Unlivable Lives examines how identity politics and anti-violence activities shape group identity and practices of activism in ways that can be unintentionally damaging to the very groups they aim to protect. Analyzing thirteen national organizations working to reduce the violence experienced by transgender people, sociologist Laurel Westbrook reveals that activists use a number of techniques with consequences that run counter to the goal of making trans lives more livable. Rather than reducing fear, these tactics may actually increase it, leaving group members convinced that a violent fate is inevitable. Provocative and galvanizing, this book envisions new strategies for anti-violence and social justice movements and will revolutionize the way we think about this form of activism.

Anti-violence movements rooted in identity politics have become so commonplace as to seem a natural way to reduce violence. Unlivable Lives reveals the unintended consequences of this approach within transgender anti-violence activism. It illustrates how techniques designed to attract broad sympathy and outrage unintentionally obscure the causes, patterns, and lasting solutions to violence against trans people and run counter to the goal of making trans lives more livable. Analyzing over a thousand documents produced by national organizations from 1990 to 2009, Westbrook charts both a history of the movement and a path forward that relies less on identity-based tactics and more on intersectionality and coalition building. Provocative and galvanizing, this book envisions new strategies for anti-violence and social justice movements and will revolutionize the way we think about this form of activism.

Anti-violence movements rooted in identity politics are commonplace, including those to stop violence against people of color, women, and LGBT people. Unlivable Lives reveals the unintended consequences of this approach within the transgender rights movement in the United States. It illustrates how this form of activism obscures the causes of and lasting solutions to violence and exacerbates fear among members of the identity group, running counter to the goal of making lives more livable. Analyzing over a thousand documents produced by thirteen national organizations, Westbrook charts both a history of the movement and a path forward that relies less on identity-based tactics and more on intersectionality and coalition building. Provocative and galvanizing, this book envisions new strategies for anti-violence and social justice movements and will revolutionize the way we think about this form of activism.