Transphobia : A ”New Antisemitism”

In this paper, I explore similarities and differences between contemporary transphobic and anti-Jewish discourses. While scholars have shown entanglements between homophobic and antisemitic discourses in the European 19th century, as well as similarities between contemporary homonationalist and Western philosemitic discourses, less attention has been paid to how anti-trans and anti-Jewish discourses are intertwined. Playing with the notion of “new antisemitism”, which emphasizes the centrality of myths of Jewish wealth and power to discredit solidarity with the Palestinian cause—I show that similar notions of “strength” are surprisingly present in contemporary debates on trans rights, visible in tropes such as “they are everywhere”, “they are grooming our children”, and “they are a powerful lobby”. Inspired by Stuart Hall’s analysis of representations of the racial “Other” building on phantasies of both strength and weakness—mirroring the white Self’s desire and fear—I show that notions of trans people as both sick and powerful are in fact inseparable from one another, which is reminiscent of antisemitic discourses of Jews as simultaneously both “inferior” and powerful”. Finally, I analyze how “care” in contradictory ways is present in both transphobic (“caring for the children”) and philosemitic (“protecting Jews from Muslims”) discourses. The paper contributes to research in various ways: it shows the entanglements between racist and anti-trans discourses in a novel way; it shows that notions of “strength” of the “Other” are not exclusive to antisemitic discourses and thus dismantles the anti-Palestinian features of the paradigm of “new antisemitism”; and it gives new insights to the analysis of contemporary transphobia.