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Bonus Interview: Trans Technologies with Oliver Haimson
Season 5
In this bonus episode, Ashley sits down with Oliver Haimson, associate professor at the University of Michigan's School of Information and author of Trans Technologies. They explore how mainstream technology often excludes trans people—from face filter apps designed for cisgender amusement to healthcare systems that force patients to become DIY experts. Haimson reveals why trans people are simultaneously more tech-savvy and more skeptical of AI than the general population, and discusses how online communities provide lifelines for isolated trans people in rural areas. The conversation tackles the tension between scrappy, community-built solutions and the burden of maintaining them, while highlighting tools that help allies learn without putting emotional labor on trans people. It's a fascinating look at how technology both fails and serves transgender communities—and what it would take to do better.
Resources mentioned:
- Trans Technologies by Oliver Haimson: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262551861/trans-technologies/
- Trans Technologies Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/transtechnologies/
- The Trans Language Primer: https://translanguageprimer.com/
- What Do Transgender Software Professionals Say About A Career in The Software Industry? IEEE: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2303.12913
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Published on 10 hours ago