Riki Wilchins
Encyclopedia
Riki Wilchins is an activist whose work has focused on the impact of gender norms. While she started out as a transgender leader -- founding the first national transgender advocacy group (GenderPAC) -- her analysis and work broadened over time to include discrimination and violence regardless of individuals' identity. While this perspective has been widely accepted, its breadth has provoked criticism by some in the transgender community. Wilchins' work and writing has often focused on youth, whom she not only sees as uniquely vulnerable to the gender system's pressures and harm, but whom she sees as capable of "looking with fresh eyes." Wilchins' work has been instrumental in bringing transgender rights into the mainstream LGBT movmement, and has helped bring awareness of the impact of gender norms to a wider audience. In 2001, Wilchins' work resulted in her being selected one of just six community activists named by TIME Magazine among its "100 Civic Innovators for the 21st Century." A founding member of Camp Trans
, since the mid-1990s Wilchins has been highly active in founding a number of organizations and events focused on gender issues, including:
In 1995 Wilchins founded the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition GenderPAC
, a tax-exempt organization focused on gender rights issues. GenderPAC originally focused on the transgender community, but gradually broadened its focus to include anyone who suffered discrimination or violence because of their gender identity or gender expression. GenderPAC described its mission as the creation of "classrooms, communities, and workplaces [that] are safe for everyone to learn, grow, and succeed - whether or not they meet expectations for masculinity and femininity." In late 1999, the organization was incorporated and received tax-exempt status. In 2009 it rebranded and relaunched as a new organization, effectively ceasing operations as GenderPAC.
While GenderPAC's Executive Director, Wilchins helped dozens of corporations as diverse as IBM, JP Morgan Chase, and Citigroup, as well as major funders like the Arcus and Gill Foundations to expand their employment non-discrimination policies to include gender identity and gender expression. GenderPAC's Congressional Non-Discrimination Pledge eventually had almost 200 sponsors, including both Republicans and US Senators. She helped compile and publish the GENIUS (Gender Equality National Index for Universities & Schools) Index, which rated and ranked schools' adoption of gender identity protections. During her watch, GenderPAC also launched the GenderYOUTH Network, which eventually supported student groups at 100+ schools in creating safer and friendlier environments for those who were gender non-conforming on their own campuses.
With help from researcher Emilia Lombardi, GenderPAC compiled and published the "1st National Survey of TransViolence," based on surveys provided by more than 500. In 2006, GenderPAC researched and published "50 Under 30: Masculinity & the War on America's Youth," the first human rights report to document an under-reported tide of violence that had claimed the lives of more than 50 young people aged 30 and under attacked because of their gender identity or gender expression from 1994-2004. With a fresh round of attacks, the report was reissued just two years later as "70 Under 30." More than 80 groups endorsed the reports' recommendations, including the Leadership Conference for Civil Rights, National Organization for Women (NOW), National Council La Raza (NCLR), Interfaith Alliance, and the Human Rights Campaign. The report was used by the House Sub-Committee which marked up the Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes bill (the final bill included gender identity as a protected category and was eventually passed and signed into law).
Wilchins' writing has appeared in The Meaning of Difference, Feminist Frontiers, Language Awareness, Pomosexuals, Women on Women III, Out at Work, as well as periodicals The Village Voice
, Social Text, The Advocate
, and Girlfriends.
Wilchins received her bachelors degree from Cleveland State University
in 1982 and her masters in Clinical Psychology from the New School for Social Research in 1983. She then founded Data Tree Inc., a computer consulting company specializing in banking and brokerage on Wall Street. Wilchins is an out transsexual lesbian feminist.
Camp Trans
Camp Trans is an annual demonstration and event held outside the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival by trans women and their allies to protest the Festival's policy of excluding trans women from attending.-Background:...
, since the mid-1990s Wilchins has been highly active in founding a number of organizations and events focused on gender issues, including:
- The Menace, the first large direct actionDirect actionDirect action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
group for transgender rights, which was modeled along the lines of Queer NationQueer NationQueer Nation was an organization founded in March 1990 in New York City, USA by AIDS activists from ACT UP. The four founders were outraged at the escalation of anti-gay and lesbian violence on the streets and prejudice in the arts and media...
and which at one point boasted representatives in 40+ cities (co-founder Denise Norris). - Hermaphrodites With Attitude, the first direct action group for the intersex (co-founder Cheryl Chase, Executive Director of the ISNA, the Intersex Society of North AmericaIntersex Society of North AmericaThe Intersex Society of North America was a non-profit advocacy group founded in 1993 by Cheryl Chase to represent the interest of intersex people. Their objective was to end shame, secrecy, and unwanted genital surgeries...
). - NYC Gay Community Center Gender Identity Project (co-founder Dr. Barbara Warren, Dir. of Social Services).
- NYC Gay Community Center Transgender Health Empowerment Conference, an annual event (co-founder Dr. Barbara Warren, Dir. of Social Services).
- Camp Trans, an annual educational event outside the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival that contests the exclusion of anyone who is not deemed a "womyn-born womyn" (co-founders Janice Walworth, Nancy Jean Burkholder).
- National Coalition for Sexual FreedomNational Coalition for Sexual FreedomThe National Coalition for Sexual Freedom is a pro-sexual freedom, advocacy and educational organization founded in 1997 in the United States...
(co-founder Susan Wright, its first Exec. Dir.) - National Gender Lobby Day, an annual event on Capitol Hill (co-founder Phyllis Frye).
In 1995 Wilchins founded the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition GenderPAC
GenderPAC
GenderPAC was a LGBT rights organization based in Washington, DC working to the stated aim of ensuring classrooms, communities, and workplaces are safe places for every person to learn, grow, and succeed, whether or not they conform to expectations for masculinity or femininity...
, a tax-exempt organization focused on gender rights issues. GenderPAC originally focused on the transgender community, but gradually broadened its focus to include anyone who suffered discrimination or violence because of their gender identity or gender expression. GenderPAC described its mission as the creation of "classrooms, communities, and workplaces [that] are safe for everyone to learn, grow, and succeed - whether or not they meet expectations for masculinity and femininity." In late 1999, the organization was incorporated and received tax-exempt status. In 2009 it rebranded and relaunched as a new organization, effectively ceasing operations as GenderPAC.
While GenderPAC's Executive Director, Wilchins helped dozens of corporations as diverse as IBM, JP Morgan Chase, and Citigroup, as well as major funders like the Arcus and Gill Foundations to expand their employment non-discrimination policies to include gender identity and gender expression. GenderPAC's Congressional Non-Discrimination Pledge eventually had almost 200 sponsors, including both Republicans and US Senators. She helped compile and publish the GENIUS (Gender Equality National Index for Universities & Schools) Index, which rated and ranked schools' adoption of gender identity protections. During her watch, GenderPAC also launched the GenderYOUTH Network, which eventually supported student groups at 100+ schools in creating safer and friendlier environments for those who were gender non-conforming on their own campuses.
With help from researcher Emilia Lombardi, GenderPAC compiled and published the "1st National Survey of TransViolence," based on surveys provided by more than 500. In 2006, GenderPAC researched and published "50 Under 30: Masculinity & the War on America's Youth," the first human rights report to document an under-reported tide of violence that had claimed the lives of more than 50 young people aged 30 and under attacked because of their gender identity or gender expression from 1994-2004. With a fresh round of attacks, the report was reissued just two years later as "70 Under 30." More than 80 groups endorsed the reports' recommendations, including the Leadership Conference for Civil Rights, National Organization for Women (NOW), National Council La Raza (NCLR), Interfaith Alliance, and the Human Rights Campaign. The report was used by the House Sub-Committee which marked up the Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes bill (the final bill included gender identity as a protected category and was eventually passed and signed into law).
Wilchins' writing has appeared in The Meaning of Difference, Feminist Frontiers, Language Awareness, Pomosexuals, Women on Women III, Out at Work, as well as periodicals The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, Social Text, The Advocate
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
, and Girlfriends.
Wilchins received her bachelors degree from Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University is a public university located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 when the state of Ohio assumed control of Fenn College, and it absorbed the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1969...
in 1982 and her masters in Clinical Psychology from the New School for Social Research in 1983. She then founded Data Tree Inc., a computer consulting company specializing in banking and brokerage on Wall Street. Wilchins is an out transsexual lesbian feminist.
Books
- Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion & the End of Gender (Firebrand), 1997 ISBN 1-56341-090-7
- GenderQueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary (Alyson), (Joan NestleJoan NestleJoan Nestle is a Lambda Award winning writer and editor and the co-founder of the Lesbian Herstory Archives.-Life:Nestle's father died before she was born, and she was raised by her widowed mother Regina Nestle, a bookkeeper in New York City's garment district, whom she credits with inspiring her...
, Clair Howell Co-Editors) 2002 ISBN 1-55583-730-1 - Queer Theory/Gender Theory: an Instant Primer (Alyson), 2004 ISBN 1-55583-798-0