Julia Serano and transgender people

Julia Serano is an American writer, performer, activist, and biologist. Serano’s work covers feminism and LGBTQ+ topics and includes performances, presentations, keynote talks, articles, and books.

Background

Julia Michelle Serano was born in 1967. Serano earned a bachelor’s degree from Philadelphia University [now Thomas Jefferson University] in 1989, then earned a doctorate from Columbia University in 1995. Serano worked as a biologist for 17 years.

Serano underwent a gender transition starting in 1999 while working as a researcher at UC Berkeley in the fields of genetics, evolution, and developmental biology. Serano’s work has examined insect and crustacean model organisms used for genetic research. Serano has published research on genetic aspects of egg development in Drosophila melanogaster and limb development in Parhyale species.

Serano’s analysis and coverage of what is now called “gender critical” or “trans-exclusionary” feminism began with a 2006 piece titled “Frustration.” That piece described the transmisogyny Serano had witnessed in some queer spaces.

Following the publication of the 2007 book Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity, Serano has gone on to publish a wide range of work on the intersections of gender, feminism, biology, and sexuality.

Serano is married to artist and musician Dani Eurynome and lives in the San Francisco Bay area with their animal companions.

Comments on Dreger (2008)

In 2008, Serano published a response to a “partial history” by Alice Dreger published in Archives of Sexual Behavior. Dreger attacked the trans rights movement for criticizing the anti-trans book The Man Who Would Be Queen by J. Michael Bailey.

“By centering the discussion around the most extreme and unsavory aspects of the backlash, Dreger creates the impression that the entire breadth of the trans community’s response to Bailey’s book was wholly unjustified, unprovoked and irrational. This, in combination with her failure to provide sufficient historical background and context regarding trans people’s marginalization in society and within psychology, and her continual dismissiveness toward trans people’s concerns about the book, practically strong-arms the reader into viewing the entire backlash as a mass hysterical overreaction on the part of trans people.”

Criticism of “autogynephilia”

Serano is a prominent critic of “autogynephilia,” a disease created by Ray Blanchard in 1989 to describe a kind of gender diverse sexuality.

In 2009, Serano participated in a panel titled “’Disordered’ No More: Challenging Transphobia in Psychology, Academia and Society.” at the IFGE 2009 Conference. Other participants were Joelle Ruby Ryan and Kelley Winters. Serano’s presentation was titled “‘Autogynephilia’ & psychological sexualization of MtF transgenderism.”

In 2010, Serano published “The Case Against Autogynephilia.” The abstract notes:

“Autogynephilia is a paraphilic model that states that all male-to-female (MtF) transsexuals who are not exclusively attracted toward men are instead sexually oriented toward the thought or image of themselves as a woman. The assertion that transsexual women are sexually motivated in their transitions challenges the standard model of transsexualism—that is, that transsexuals have a gender identity that is distinct from their sexual orientation and incongruent with their physical sex. This article provides a review of the evidence against autogynephilia and makes the case that the taxonomy and terminology associated with this theory are both misleading and unnecessarily stigmatizing.”

See my 2010 note for more.

In 2020, Serano returned to the subject in an analysis of the literature:

“It is generally accepted within psychology and among trans health providers that transgender people who transition do so because they have a gender identity that is incongruent with their birth-assigned sex, and distinct from their sexual orientation. In contradiction to this standard model, the theory of autogynephilia posits that transgender women’s female gender identities and transitions are merely a by-product of their sexual orientations. While subsequent research has yielded numerous lines of evidence that, taken together, disprove the theory, autogynephilia is still often touted by anti-transgender groups, including trans-exclusionary feminists. Here, I provide an updated overview of the scientific case against autogynephilia. Following that, I will forward an alternative ‘embodiment fantasies’ model that explains all the available findings better than autogynephilia theory, and which is more consistent with contemporary thinking regarding gender and sexual diversity. I will also demonstrate how autogynephilia theory relies on essentialist, heteronormative, and male-centric presumptions about women and LGBTQ+ people, and as such, it is inconsistent with basic tenets of feminism.”

Comments on the DSM (2013)

In 2012, Serano posted about our efforts to remove “gender identity disorder” from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, revision 5. We has protested the American Psychiatric Association in 2009 over their decision to include Kenneth Zucker and Ray Blanchard in the working group for the revision covering sex and gender. In 2013, Serano released an updated version titled “Trans People Still Disordered in DSM.”

“The following year, in May 2010—after the formal period of comments had passed—the DSM quietly broadened the language of the Transvestic Disorder diagnosis even more. One of the many complaints that I, and other trans advocates and activists, had raised was that the diagnosis was sexist because it singled out “heterosexual males.” We had levied these critiques in order to push for removal of the diagnosis altogether. But Blanchard and his Paraphilia subworkgroup seemed to have used our complaints as an excuse to expand the diagnosis even further! By removing the “heterosexual male” language, they made Transvestic Disorder applicable to trans people of all identities and sexual orientations.”

Comments on “The Detransitioners” (2017)

In 2017, The Stranger published a piece by Katie Herzog titled The Detransitioners: They Were Transgender, Until They Weren’t. Serano had written in 2016, including a follow-up post, on “detransition” and how the concept is misused and misunderstood.

The Stranger declined to publish a response by Serano.

References

Halberstam, Jack (July 5, 2023). Toward a Trans* Feminism. Boston Review https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/jack-halberstam-towards-trans-feminism/

Bianco, Marcie (July 13, 2022). Author Julia Serano Separates Sex From Stigma in Sexed Up. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/exclusives/2022/7/13/author-julia-serano-separates-sex-stigma-sexed

University of Maine (March 22, 2018). Event: A Social Justice Advocate’s Perspective on Call Out Culture, Identity Politics, and Political Correctness – Julia Serano. https://umaine.edu/womensgenderandsexualitystudies/event/call-culture-identity-politics-political-correctness-presentation-julia-serano/ [archive]

Carstensen, Jeanne (June 22, 2017). Julia Serano, transfeminist thinker, talks trans-misogyny. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/us/lgbt-julia-serano-transfeminist-trans-misogyny.html [PDF]

Lopez, German (August 9, 2016). The debate about transgender children and “detransitioning” is really about transphobia. Vox https://www.vox.com/2016/8/9/12404246/transgender-children-detransitioning-transphobia

Talusan, Meredith (March 6, 2016). The Lasting Transgender Legacy Of Julia Serano’s “Whipping Girl.” BuzzFeed https://www.buzzfeed.com/meredithtalusan/the-lasting-transgender-legacy-of-whipping-girl

Staff (November 11, 2014). OUT100: Trans Writer Julia Serano. OUT https://www.out.com/out-exclusives/out100-2014/2014/11/11/out100-trans-writer-julia-serano

Staff (October 10, 2011). Ms. Readers’ 100 Best Non-Fiction Books of All Time: The Top 10 and the Complete List! Ms. https://msmagazine.com/2011/10/10/ms-readers-100-best-non-fiction-books-of-all-time-the-top-10-and-the-complete-list/

McCook, Alison (May 1, 2010). A Transforming Field. The Scientist https://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/28963/title/A-Transforming-Field/

Foster, Julie (June 17, 2007). Transsexual finds sexism in feminism. San Francisco Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/books/article/Transsexual-finds-sexism-in-feminism-2586109.php

Staff (April 2, 2007). Review: Whipping Girl Publishers Weekly https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-58005-154-5

Selected publications by Serano

Serano JM (February 12, 2024). Why Are “Gender Critical” Activists So Fond of Gametes? Switch Hitter https://juliaserano.substack.com/p/why-are-gender-critical-activists

Serano JM (2020). Autogynephilia: A scientific review, feminist analysis, and alternative ‘embodiment fantasies’ model. The Sociological Review, 68(4), 763–778. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038026120934690

Serano JM (June 19, 2019). The Science of Gender Is Rarely Simple. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/us/julia-serano-gender-science-lgbtq.html

Serano JM (January 30, 2018). Thoughts about transphobia, TERFs, and TUMFs. Medium https://juliaserano.medium.com/thoughts-about-transphobia-terfs-and-tumfs-b77a18c1a225

Serano JM (October 24, 2013). Trans People Still Disordered in DSM. Social Text https://socialtextjournal.org/periscope_article/trans-people-still-disordered-in-dsm/

This is a synthesis of two 2012 posts:
(December 4, 2012). Follow up on DSM-still-considers-trans-folks-‘disordered’ post. http://juliaserano.blogspot.com/2012/12/follow-up-on-dsm-still-considers-trans.html
(December 3, 2012). Trans people still ‘disordered’ according to latest DSM. http://juliaserano.blogspot.com/2012/12/trans-people-still-disordered-according.html

Serano, J. (2012). Reclaiming Femininity. In Enke, Anne (editor). Transfeminist perspectives in and beyond transgender and gender studies, 170-183. Temple University Press, ISBN 978-1439907474

Serano JM (2011). Cherry Picking. In Diamond, Morty (editor), Trans/Love: Radical Sex, Love & Relationships Beyond the Gender Binary. Manic D Press. ISBN 9781933149561 archive https://archive.org/details/transloveradical00diam/mode/2up

Serano JM (2010). The Case Against Autogynephilia. International Journal of Transgenderism, 12: 3, 176 — 187. https://doi.org/10.1080/15532739.2010.514223 (PDF)

Serano JM (June 12, 2009). Psychology, Sexualization and Trans-Invalidations. Keynote lecture presented at the 8th Annual Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference. https://www.juliaserano.com/av/Serano-TransInvalidations.pdf.

Serano JM (2008). A Matter of Perspective: A Transsexual Woman-Centric Critique of Dreger’s “Scholarly History” of the Bailey Controversy. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 37 (3), 491-494. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-008-9332-2

Serano JM (2006). Frustration. https://www.juliaserano.com/frustration.html

Media

Julia Serano (July 16, 2025). Why Does “Transvestigation” Happen? On Gendering, Ungendering, and (Mis)Perceiving Trans People. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC6lsvUKEQ0

Julia Serano (June 4, 2025). Why Do Straight People Sexualize Queer People? LGBTQ+ Stereotypes, Sexualization & “Contagiousness.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tq66YS5Kus

Fat Chicks On Top with Auntie Vice, CharRon Smith, and Julia Serano (March 12, 2025). Julia Serano: S*xed Up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUFHsnA3SP8

Julia Serano (March 10, 2025). Barrette Manifesto. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auEs_fVvmoU

themarychu (January 29, 2025). pseudoscience with julia serano. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9weHcNZ0PE

Julia Serano (January 14, 2025). Debunking Myths About Trans People & Restrooms (& other “sexual predator” tropes). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK41ePuOmzY

Julia Serano (Decemeber 17, 2024). Fighting Words. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ7TGim6vYA

Julia Serano (September 25, 2024). Celebrity, Sublebrity & Parasocial Relationships (a feminist analysis). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujZFxOkzcZU

Julia Serano (September 25, 2024). Do Trans People Reinforce Gender? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn4FwNgB18I

Medium with Julia Serano (September 3, 2024). Making Sense of Debates Regarding Gender-Affirming Care | Julia Serano | Medium Day 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXfJ7zYsPSY

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria and Julia Serano (May 26, 2024). Transgender Activism w/ Julia Serano. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgyMKFhWUcU

Julia Serano (February 12, 2024). Trans People and Biological Sex: What the Science Says. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZymYiwoRoC0

Medium with Devon Price, Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Julia Serano, and Katherine Alejandra Cross (August 19, 2023). How the Media Gets Trans Coverage Wrong | Medium Day 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2FGh9VB4xc

Chair in Transgender Studies (July 17, 2023). Julia Serano: Moving Trans History Forward 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE3HGhIx0_I

Translash with Imara Jones (July 12, 2021). A Coordinated Attack on Trans Youth. https://translash.org/podcasts/the-anti-trans-hate-machine/a-coordinated-attack-on-trans-youth/

Gender Queeries – CFRO 100.5 FM – Vancouver (August 11, 2022). Julia Serrano. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFO3byDtYXY

Novara Media with Michael Walker and Julia Serano (December 30, 2021). Were Trans People “Born This Way”? | Downstream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkSsZqR6-GU

Andrea James (April 8, 2015). Julia Serano: “Autogynephilia” & psychological sexualization of MtF transgenderism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1EdJ_XndU8

QCC (August 15, 2016). Julia Serano 2005 TransForming Community. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96JTdT9tOVc

Books

Serano JM (2022). Sexed Up: How Society Sexualizes Us, and How We Can Fight Back. Seal Press, ISBN 978-1541674806

Serano JM (2020). 99 Erics: a Kat Cataclysm faux novel. Switch Hitter Press, ISBN 978-0996881043

Serano JM (2016). Outspoken: A Decade of Transgender Activism and Trans Feminism. Switch Hitter Press, ISBN 978-0996881005

Serano JM (2013). Excluded: Making Feminist and Queer Movements More Inclusive. Seal Press, ISBN 978-1580055048

Serano JM (2007). Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity. Seal Press, ISBN 978-1580056229

Serano JM (2005). On the Outside Looking In: A Trans Woman’s Perspective on Feminism and the Exclusion of Trans Women from Lesbian and Women-only Spaces. Hot Tranny Action!, OCLC 163613642 https://www.juliaserano.com/outside.html

Serano JM (2004) Draw Blood. Hot Tranny Action!, OCLC 163596815

Serano JM (2002). Either/Or. Switch Hitter Press, OCLC 58926464 https://www.juliaserano.com/eitheror.html