New Books in Philosophy Talia Mae Bettcher, "Beyond Personhood: An Essay in Trans Philosophy" (U Minnesota Press, 2025)
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Apr 20, 2025 
Talia Mae Bettcher, a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Albany, engages in a thought-provoking discussion on trans philosophy and identity. She explores the connections between transphobia, sexism, and racism through a decolonial lens, emphasizing the importance of appearance in gender dysphoria. Bettcher introduces her concept of interpersonal spatiality to analyze intimacy and challenge traditional binaries in gender. She critiques contemporary philosophical practices that oversimplify identities and advocates for inclusive understandings of trans experiences.
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Bettcher's Personal and Academic Journey
- Talia Mae Bettcher shares how her personal journey, including activism after Gwen Araujajo's murder, shaped her trans philosophy scholarship.
- She transitioned in 1995 while studying early modern philosophy and reflecting on selfhood concepts from Anscombe and Wittgenstein.
Critique of Categorical Oppression
- Bettcher rejects categorical vectors of oppression, instead focusing on analyzing social practices and structures of violence.
- This approach avoids fetishizing categories and reveals how terms like 'woman' operate in oppressive and resistant ways across contexts.
Interpersonal Spatiality Theory
- Interpersonal spatiality theory views intimacy and distance as essential for social recognition and agency.
- Boundaries regulate intimacy, and a system that restricts interpersonal spatiality for certain groups is abusive and oppressive.