Reproducing Eugenics, Reproducing while Trans: The State Sterilization of Trans People

In many jurisdictions across the world, trans people are required to undergo genital surgeries that render them infertile for the state to legally recognize their genders. This article explores the rationalities used to justify mandating the sterilization of trans people, and names these eugenic logics. Much like the negative eugenics strategies directed at people of color, Indigenous people, those with a history of incarceration and people with disabilities (among others), trans people have had their reproduction restricted under the guise of doing what is in the best interest of children. This article demonstrates how historical eugenic logics concerned with normative notions of sex, gender and sexuality linger in the laws regarding trans people's legal gender recognition. This article calls for legal gender recognition based on self-determination, where giving up one's reproductive capacity is no longer a requirement all the while recognizing that trans people are parents, desire parenthood and are not inherently bad parents simply because of their non-normative gender identities or expressions.