Susan Stryker on solidarity: An interview for the Journal of Lesbian Studies

For a special issue on Solidarity within the LGBTQ + community edited by Finn Mackay and Nikki Hayfield, Ella Ben Hagai, the editor of the Journal of Lesbian Studies interviewed Susan Stryker. Susan Stryker is a lesbian historian whose research, books, and films were pathbreaking in creating the field of trans* studies. I interviewed Susan to better understand the connections between queer cultures and the emergence of trans scholarship. I was also interested in her perspectives on the sort of solidarities that played a role in the trans revolution today. In the last part of the interview, I discuss with Stryker the political obstacles facing trans people and forms of solidarity necessary to face the current backlash in the U.S. against LGBTQ + people in general. In her interview, Stryker highlights the connection between BDSM subcultures, women of color feminism, and the emergence of trans* scholarship. She discusses the historical galvanization of trans and queer resistance around police violence and carceral logics, drawing lessons for overcoming current divisions in the queer community. Speaking about contemporary politics in the United States, Stryker illuminates the backlash against feminism and transgender rights and provides inspiration toward a strategy of united front politics.