The Two Revolutions: A History of the Transgender Internet

The Two Revolutions explores how the internet shaped transgender identity and activism from the 1980s to the present, reconstructing the manifold digital networks of transgender activists and cross-dressing computer hobbyists. It argues that digital communications sparked significant momentum within the movement but also further cemented existing power structures.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 01 August 2023
Publisher: New York University Press

The internet has played a pivotal role in shaping the American transgender movement, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s. In her book, "The Two Revolutions," Avery Dame-Griff explores how the rise of the internet has influenced the development of transgender identity and activism. Through extensive archival research and media archeology, Dame-Griff reconstructs the manifold digital networks of transgender activists, cross-dressing computer hobbyists, and others interested in gender nonconformity who incited the second revolution of the title: the ascendance of "transgender" as an umbrella identity in the mid-1990s.

Dame-Griff argues that digital communications sparked significant momentum within the transgender movement, but also further cemented existing power structures. The book covers a historical period that is largely neglected within the history of computing, as well as the poorly understood role of technology in queer and trans social movements.

"The Two Revolutions" offers a new understanding of both revolutions: the early development of the internet and the structures of communication that have led us to the current tipping point of trans visibility politics. The book tells a crucial part of trans history, highlighting how trans people online exploited different digital infrastructures in the early days of the internet to build a community.

In conclusion, the internet has played a significant role in shaping the American transgender movement, and "The Two Revolutions" provides a valuable insight into this history. By exploring the digital networks of transgender activists and others interested in gender nonconformity, the book offers a new understanding of both revolutions and their impact on the development of transgender identity and activism.

Weight: 430g
Dimension: 153 x 229 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479818310