Understanding Anti-trans Tropes: “Transmaxxing”
This entry is part of the GLAAD Guide to Anti-LGBTQ Online Hate and Disinformation, an ongoing project to identify some of the most prevalent and egregious terms, tropes, and concepts that are used to harass, attack, and spread malicious misinformation about LGBTQ people on social media. Learn more here.
*CONTENT WARNING*
The example below includes a hateful term, phrases and imagery.
“Transmaxxing”
“Transmaxxing” is a common anti-trans trope used by right-wing political figures and media to fearmonger and fuel false narratives about transgender people. As inflammatory rhetoric and hate tropes targeting transgender people are on the rise, it’s critical to recognize that such terms are being deliberately deployed to fearmonger and dehumanize.
A deeply misogynist anti-trans trope arising out of alt-right incel communities, so-called “transmaxxing” falsely and maliciously frames the idea that men would transition to become women to gain perceived social benefits. As Them explains: “Transmaxxing is an incel ideology in “Black Pill” circles that stems from transphobia, misogyny, and white supremacy. It asserts that some people should transition for the social benefits of transition, even if they do not feel like their assigned sex is discordant with their gender … [it] represents a harmful and false trope that characterizes transitioning as a voluntary opportunistic step into privilege.” Queerty further clarifies “transmaxxing” as: “The idea that someone would transition not because of a desire to reflect their true gender, but to gain a social boost or reap social benefits.”
Conclusion
This is just one example of anti-LGBTQ online hate and disinformation. Every term and concept should be evaluated in context. For instance, LGBTQ people and allies may use hashtags with hate terms as counterspeech, or slurs such as “tranny” or “dyke” may be used self-referentially to reclaim them. This guide will be updated on an ongoing basis. Please see the latest GLAAD Social Media Safety Index report for a deeper exploration of the current social media landscape for LGBTQ people, including GLAAD’s recommendations and thought leadership in the field.
How to Report Anti-LGBTQ Online Hate Speech and Harassment
Every major social media platform has policies which prohibit hate and harassment on the basis of protected characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity. To learn how to report potentially violative content, check out GLAAD’s LGBTQ Digital Safety Guide, which includes basic tips on helping our community be more safe online.
About the GLAAD Social Media Safety Program
As the leading national LGBTQ media advocacy organization, GLAAD is working every day to hold tech companies and social media platforms accountable and to secure safe online spaces for LGBTQ people. The GLAAD Social Media Safety Program produces the highly-respected annual Social Media Safety Index (SMSI) and researches, monitors, and reports on a variety of issues facing LGBTQ social media users — with a focus on safety, privacy, and expression.
