For over a decade, Prof. Oliver Haimson has studied the intersection between Transgender identities and rapidly growing technology. His fascination with the topic started around 2011, when he noticed how social media impacted his gender transition. He began looking into things like how people were presenting themselves and disclosing their Trans identities. The technological boom showed Haimson that Transgender communities can flourish in internet chat rooms and on social media.

"There are so many benefits for Trans people... but because a lot of these mainstream technologies aren't very inclusive, that means that some people don't get to access the benefits," Haimson told the SGN.

He's since noticed the shift in social media as a consumer culture. Social media previously felt more personal than it does today, where influencers can sometimes feel larger than life. Some have found followings by documenting their transitions, but many watch from behind their screens. This trend may be why so many have flocked to smaller servers like Discord in search of community.

Haimson considers medical technology to be a part of Trans technology, since it has made transitioning more accessible.

"Technology is helping Trans people [by] addressing needs and challenges that Trans people in communities face," he said.

In his latest book, Trans Technologies, Haimson argues that Trans inclusion goes beyond ensuring that Trans coders are at the forefront of advancements.

"It's not enough to have the creator be Trans themselves," he said. "They need to be in contact with other community members who might not be [as] privileged as them... That's how we can use technology to make a positive impact."

AI and DEI

Through his studies, Haimson found that certain breakthrough technologies can negatively impact Trans people. He noticed that some seemed hesitant and skeptical of AI, and so he conducted a quantitative survey that found that Trans people — and especially those who identify as Nonbinary — had a much more negative view of AI.

"That has to do with the fact that there's a lot of discrimination and bias that happens related to AI for Trans people, specifically," Haimson said. "If you think about facial recognition technologies or airport scanners, there are so many examples of ways that it has harmed Trans people. It's not surprising that Trans people are more resistant."

Despite the negative implications of AI, Haimson hopes technology can make the world safer for Trans people, especially during the Trump administration. When conducting interviews for his new book, he learned of an app called Transformations, which maps anti-Trans bills nationwide. While technology can uplift the community, Haimson believes those in charge have the final say.

"We've seen some companies backtrack on their DEI initiatives," he said. "To me, this signals that they didn't care in the first place. They were doing what was culturally expected or acceptable at the moment."

Cuts to DEI initiatives harm Trans employees, and also lead to fewer advancements in tech that could improve the lives of all LGBTQIA+ people.

"It goes beyond just supporting Trans and Queer employees at these companies. It's also about ways to make tech more inclusive," he said.

Haimson believes major tech companies shutting out diverse minds will inspire indie tech to develop in its shadows.

"Mainstream technologies are not meeting Trans people's needs. [When] companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft move away from inclusivity, people will create technologies to show that if you don't support us, we may not need you. Maybe we can build our own technology futures."