Abstract

Transgender Studies and Disinformation Studies are separate, emerging fields of scholarly inquiry. While disinformation about trans people is widespread and harmful, the two fields have not been extensively studied as intersecting realities, in part because they are so new. My research draws on theories and definitions of disinformation to analyze transphobic legal and political developments in the United States from 2020 to 2023. Specifically, I focus on trans panic laws to articulate the fundamental relationship between gender and accepted notions of common knowledge. Because large sections of the American population remain naive about non-binary genders, disinformation about trans people can be harnessed to create political power that can then be used to effect policy changes that have implications beyond the trans community. By articulating the intersection of transgender studies and disinformation, I contribute to broader discussions about gendered disinformation while also theorizing recent transphobic legal and political developments.