Post by @mallory_sinn@hachyderm.io

2026-04-09 21:53 UTC

Today, I'm chewing on Kate Manne's theory of misogyny as a social force for policing the roles of "human giver" and "human being" in what it has to say about the shapes of transmisogyny. I'm not sure if others have developed it in this way, but here's the thoughts it spurred in me. It's especially this summary of Manne's framework in Nagoski & Nagoski's "Burnout" that got me thinking: "Kate Manne describes a system in which one class of people, the “human givers,” are expected to offer their time, attention, affection, and bodies willingly, placidly, to the other class of people, the “human beings.” The implication in these terms is that human beings have a moral obligation to be or express their humanity, while human givers have a moral obligation to give their humanity to the human beings." (Nagoski & Nagoski, p. 8) Of course, cis women are expected to be and socialized into the role of "human giver" while cis men are expected to be and socialized into the role of "human being," and if a woman should choose to act as a human being, rather than solely a giver, she is then punished - this is how the system of misogyny is enforced. #TransFem #TransWomen #Transmisogyny #Trans #Feminism #TransFeminism

Replies (1)

@mallory_sinn@hachyderm.io 2026-04-09 22:01

So what happens when we place trans women and transfeminine people into this framework? We are perceived to be in the role of a "human being" before transition, since we are seen as men. When we transition, we are taking on a role as women that is expected to be that of a "giver." But here's the thing: by asserting our needs, our right to expressing ourselves, and our humanity in transitioning, we are engaging in an action that is fundamentally a contradiction within this system. Expressing oneself, having needs worth receiving care, and taking up space are the prerogative of "human beings" and the act of transition and asserting our femininity or womanhood is just that - we are women asserting ourselves as beings. But we are supposed to be subjugating ourselves into the roles of "human givers," not taking up space or asserting needs. We see this in how originally trans women were only given access to gender-affirming care if they behaved in ways that were submissive, were seen as attractive to straight men, and our orientation solely pointed at straight men. It was unrelated to our own needs or desires, only our ability to be human givers. This continues in how often the few roles we are consistently still allowed to exist is as sex workers and as an object for pornography.

Open ##3463012