Trans care

9th Nordic Trans Studies Conference, December 8-9, 2025, Örebro University

In a world that seems to care greatly about trans politics but less so about the actual trans people, what does the concept of care even mean when applied to trans/non-binary bodies and experiences? Should gender-affirming operations be considered healthcare, or does this enable regimes to put restrictions on a kind of intervention that cisgender people can freely access through the paradigm of cosmetic surgery? And if we decide to adopt the healthcare label for strategic reasons, do differing models become unthinkable – models like that of Andrea Long Chu, who argues that “sex change” should be made available based simply on wanting, rather than medicalized conditions like gender identity dysphoria. Can grassroots redistribution of hormones entail a different kind of care than the medical establishment’s prescription of those same hormones to a diagnosed patient? And does the focus on healthcare obscure all the everyday care practices taking place between trans people and our comrades, lovers, allies, families?

Following introductory remarks by Siri Landgren, four 10-minute presentations are held by applicants selected through an open call. We welcome scholarly papers as well as other formats like essays and manifestos. The session concludes with an open discussion moderated by Dannie Milve, picking up on themes and issues raised by the presenters. The audience as well as the event’s speakers and facilitators are welcome to contribute.

Bios

Dannie Milve is a PhD student at Södertörn University, studying the roles of pleasure, sex(uality), and digital intimate media in non-binary subjectifications and becomings.

Siri Landgren (she/they) is an artist and writer based in Göteborg, Sweden. Her essays and criticism have been featured in publications like lambda nordica, Paletten, Socialpolitik and ETC