Perhaps it’s just the circles I run in (like Fedi, for example), but I noticed a significant percentage of trans folks are really into computers, even before they knew they were trans themselves.
I suspect these are some primary reasons:
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Computers (esp video games) are a socially “acceptable” hobby that alleviates dysphoria in trans people by enabling disassociation from their body. When we’re enraptured with a computing device, we’re often completely unaware of our bodies. We can, in a way, become pure consciousness and personality. If you’re feeling uncomfortable in your own body for whatever reason, this can be liberating.
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In many cases, computers are a safe way to explore gender expression through various digital avatars. Whether playing a character of a different gender in a game, or completely adopting a different gendered persona on a social platform, trans people can experiment with their gender expression completely free of the context of their body or existing social expectations.
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The internet allows connection with communities that are often inaccessible through in-person networks. This appears very well-known in the queer community in general. As trans people are an even smaller subset of this group, finding each other for community and support would be incredibly difficult if not impossible for many without the internet.
I’m sure I’m not the first person to have these thoughts. What are your thoughts on the matter? Am I way off base? Have you experienced any of this?
That makes a lot of sense, thanks for that perspective. I’ve definitely noticed trans women dominate a lot of online trans friendly spaces, so I can see why others could feel excluded from those spaces.