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Talia Mae Bettcher and transgender people

Talia Mae Bettcher is a Canada-born philosopher who has written on transgender philosophical issues.

Bettcher’s most accessible responses to the pervasive anti-transgender sentiment in philosophy are the 2018 piece “When Tables Speak” and the 2025 sequel “While Tables Burn.”

Background

Talia Mae Bettcher was born October 8, 1966. Bettcher earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy/Linguistics from Glendon College at York University in 1991. Bettcher received a Mellon Fellowship to attend University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Bettcher earned a doctorate there in 1999, then began teaching at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) in 2000.

Bettcher married Susan Forrest in 2008.

Selected publications

Bettcher, Talia Mae (February 10, 2025). While Tables Burn: On the (Non) Existence of Trans People and the Failure of Philosophy. Daily Nous https://dailynous.com/2025/02/10/while-tables-burn-on-the-non-existence-of-trans-people-and-the-failure-of-philosophy-guest-post/

Bettcher TM (2022). How I became a trans philosopher. Journal of World Philosophies, 7(1), 145–156. https://scholarworks.iu.edu/iupjournals/index.php/jwp/article/view/5480

Bettcher TM (2021). Feminist philosophical engagements with trans studies. The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Philosophy https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190628925.013.44

Bettcher TM (2019). What is trans philosophy? Hypatia https://doi.org/10.1111/hypa.12492

Bettcher, Talia Mae (May 30, 2018). “When tables speak”: On the existence of trans philosophy. Daily Nous https://dailynous.com/2018/05/30/tables-speak-existence-trans-philosophy-guest-talia-mae-bettcher/

Bettcher TM (2017). Trans feminism: recent philosophical developments. Philosophy Compass https://doi.org/10.1111/phc3.12438

Bettcher TM (2017). Through the looking glass: Trans theory meets feminist philosophy. In The Routledge Companion to Feminist Philosophy. ISBN 9781315758152

Bettcher TM (2016). Intersexuality, transgender, and transsexuality. In The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Theory. Lisa Disch and Mary Hawkesworth, eds. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199328581.013.21

Bettcher TM (2014). Feminist perspectives on trans issues. In The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Edward N. Zalta, ed. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-trans

Bettcher TM (2014). Transphobia. Transgender Studies Quarterly 1 (1-2): 249–251. https://doi.org/10.1215/23289252-2400181

Bettcher TM (2014). When selves have sex: What the phenomenology of trans sexuality can teach about sexual orientation. Journal of Homosexuality https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2014.865472

Bettcher TM (2014). Trapped in the wrong theory: Rethinking trans oppression and resistance. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 39, No. 2 (Winter 2014), pp. 383-406 https://doi.org/10.1086/673088

Bettcher TM (2013). Trans Women and ‘Interpretive Intimacy’: Some Initial Reflections. in The Essential Handbook of Women’s Sexuality, Vol. 2, Donna Castaneda, editor. ISBN 978-0313397097 [PDF]

Bettcher TM (2012). Trans Women and the Meaning of ‘Woman.’ In A. Soble, N. Power & R. Halwani (eds.), Philosophy of Sex: Contemporary Readings 6th ed. [PDF]

Bettcher TM (2012). Full-Frontal Morality: The Naked Truth about Gender. Hypatia Volume 27, Issue 2  Spring 2012, pp. 319–337. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1527-2001.2011.01184.x

Bettcher TM (2011). Without a Net: Starting Points for Trans Stories. American Philosophy Association Newsletter: Philosophy and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues Volume 10, Number 2 Spring 2011 [PDF]

Bettcher TM (2009). Trans Identities and First-Person Authority. In Laurie Shrage (ed.), You’ve Changed: Sex Reassignment and Personal Identity. ISBN 978-0195385700

Bettcher TM (2008). Pretenders to the throne: a commentary on Alice Dreger’s “The controversy surrounding The Man Who Would Be Queen: A case history of the politics of science, identity, and sex in the internet age.” Archives of Sexual Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-008-9326-0

Bettcher TM (2007). Evil Deceivers and Make-Believers: Transphobic Violence and the Politics of Illusion. Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy 22:3 (2007), 43-65. muse.jhu.edu/article/218001 [archive]

Bettcher TM (2007). Gender, Identity, Theory, and Action. in Geraldine B. Stahly (ed.) Gender Identity, Equity, and Violence: Multidisciplinary Perspectives Through Service Learning. 978-1579222185 [archive]

Bettcher TM (2006). Appearance, reality, and gender deception: Reflections on transphobic violence and the politics of pretence. In Violence, Victims, and Justifications: Philosophical Approaches, Felix Murchadha (ed.), 174–200. ISBN 978-3039107353 [PDF]

Bettcher TM (2006). Understanding Transphobia: Authenticity and Sexual Abuse. In Trans/forming Feminisms: Transfeminist Voices Speak Out, ed. Krista Scott-Dixon, ISBN 978-1894549615 [archive]

Bettcher TM, Lombardi E (2005). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender/Transsexual Individuals. Social Injustice and Public Health, Barry S. Levy (ed.), Victor W. Sidel (ed.) [PDF] https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171853.003.0007

Resources by Bettcher

Academia.edu (academia.edu)

What is is like to be a philosopher (whatisitliketobeaphilosopher.com)

Susan and Talia (bettcherforrest.wordpress.com)

  • Personal site

Learning Trans (learningtrans.org) [2010–2020 – archive]

Note: In 2025, this site phased out AI illustrations after artist feedback. The previous illustration is here.