AlterConf San Francisco 2017: Identity impostors: surviving self-erasure by Mikayla Hutchinson
Channel: Alter Conf
Date: 2018-04-11

AlterConf San Francisco 2017: Identity impostors: surviving self-erasure by Mikayla Hutchinson

We often talk about impostor syndrome - feeling like a fraud, undeserving of professional success. As an openly trans woman, I have seen parallels in my experiences and feelings when “passing” in various social contexts before and after transition, for example when attending events intended for women. These feelings cause a form of self-erasure: they undermine my identity and suppress my ability to share thoughts and opinions that I do not feel qualified to have. I'll talk about my experiences, some of the ways I think about this problem, and various approaches I’ve used for dealing with it.