Lecture by Dr. Hil Malatino: “Trans, Weird, Mad: Lessons from the Reed Erickson Archive”

Abstract: This talk contextualizes trans millionaire, philanthropist, and noted eccentric Reed Erickson’s legacy in relationship to contemporary trans politics, which means grappling with tough questions that continue to inform trans justice struggles: what role have non-profits and philanthropic support played in trans movement work? What role should they play? Why has the legacy of trans advocacy consistently resulted in the burnout and fatigue of advocates and organizers? What are the ongoing impacts of that exhaustion, and what alternative visions of trans flourishing does the Erickson archive provide? Placing Erickson’s writing and life experience in dialogue with the fields of mad and disability studies, we’ll think through how transness modifies experiences of trauma, disability, and debility.

Bio: Hil Malatino is Joyce L. and Douglas S. Sherwin Early Career Professor in the Rock Ethics Institute and Associate Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Philosophy at Penn State University. He is the author of Side Affects: On Being Trans and Feeling Bad (Minnesota 2022), Trans Care (Minnesota 2020), and Queer Embodiment: Monstrosity, Medical Violence, and Intersex Experience (Nebraska 2019), and co-editor the t4t issue of TSQ alongside Cam Awkward-Rich and the “Care Ethics Otherwise” issue of Essays in Philosophy alongside Sarah Clark-Miller and Amy McKiernan. His essays have appeared in Hypatia, TSQ, Signs, and many other journals and edited volumes. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and recipient of the Leslie Feinberg Award in Trans Literature.