Colonial Dysphoria

Colonial Dysphoria (CD) is a profound psychological and emotional distress experienced by transgender individuals of color, rooted in the lasting impacts of colonial legacies. This term not only encompasses the psychological and social issues arising from colonial history but also emphasizes the intersection of race, gender, class, and colonialism in shaping individual identities and self-perceptions. CD articulates a unique distress experienced by transgender individuals of color, profoundly affected by the compounded legacies of colonialism. This distress arises from the restrictive narratives and identities imposed by colonial systems, which obscure modes of self-knowledge and existential realities.

CD challenges traditional philosophical views on self and existence by exposing how deeply colonial legacies can influence individual consciousness and self-awareness. This condition articulates the unique distress experienced due to restrictive narratives and identities imposed by colonial systems, which significantly distorts self-knowledge and existential realities. Transgender individuals of color face a compounded impact as they navigate their identity within these imposed frameworks.

CD is characterized by several interrelated components that cumulatively contribute to the profound psychological and emotional distress experienced by transgender individuals of color. These components highlight the pervasive influence of colonial legacies on their lives and identities. One significant aspect of CD is epistemic violence. This form of violence is manifested through the imposition of a dominant worldview that actively devalues or erases alternative ways of knowing and being. By privileging certain narratives – often those of the colonizers – over others, epistemic violence perpetuates a sense of alienation among those who are marginalized by these narratives. This alienation is not merely about feeling left out but actively suppressing the cognitive and cultural frameworks that individuals and communities might otherwise affirm and inhabit. Colonial powers not only imposed their worldviews but also specific gender norms and roles that aligned with Western binary gender constructs. This imposition has led to the devaluation and erasure of non-binary, fluid, and third-gender roles that were historically present and respected within many indigenous and non-Western societies. The erasure of these identities from historical narratives and contemporary recognition is a form of epistemic violence that distorts the self-perception of individuals whose gender identities do not conform to the imposed binaries.

Ontological alienation is another critical component of CD. This alienation occurs when individuals feel a profound disconnect from their cultural and gender identities due to colonial narratives that fail to recognize or validate their existence. The colonial imposition denies them the reflective mirrors needed to see themselves authentically, thus distorting their sense of identity and belonging. For transgender people of color, this disconnection is even more severe as they navigate the intersecting oppressions that overlook and undervalue their unique experiences and realities. Ontological alienation within the colonial gender continuum is experienced by transgender individuals of color who find that their complex identities are neither acknowledged nor respected within the binary gender frameworks established by colonialism. This alienation is not merely from their cultural or ethnic backgrounds but also from a gendered understanding of themselves that resonates with their internal sense of identity. The colonial narrative often fails to provide the ontological tools needed for these individuals to see themselves reflected in society.

Navigational exhaustion arises from the constant effort required to move between different cultural and identity-based contexts, particularly those still dominated by colonial legacies. This exhaustion results from the relentless need to adapt, explain, and often justify one’s identity and presence in spaces that are not inherently accommodating or understanding. The psychological fatigue stemming from this continuous navigation is a testament to the strenuous mental and emotional labor that transgender individuals of color must endure. The exhaustive nature of this navigation is compounded by the need to constantly confront and correct misconceptions and biases about gender that are deeply ingrained in both institutional and interpersonal contexts.

In the framework of Western medicine, while gender dysphoria is typically understood as an increase in dissonance related to gender and bodies, for transgender people of color, this dissonance extends beyond these aspects. The colonial gender system exacerbates dissonance around body materiality, the borders of what constitutes a trans body, identity, and what constitutes trans knowledge, complicating their experiences in ways that go beyond traditional understandings of gender dysphoria.

Colonial systems often impose rigid, binary understandings of gender that do not acknowledge the fluidity and diversity of gender expressions found in many non-Western cultures. This exacerbation of gender dysphoria reflects the additional struggles faced by transgender individuals of color as they contend with both the denial of their gender identity and the erasure of their cultural heritage. This intensification is not only a result of personal psychological conflict but also a systemic issue rooted in the historical distortion of gender identities.

Lastly, Relational Strain often emerges as individuals defend their identities in various social and personal spaces. The ongoing struggle to affirm oneself in a world that frequently questions or outright denies that self can lead to profound feelings of isolation and chronic inadequacy. This strain is particularly felt in personal relationships and social interactions where the need for continual explanation and justification can be emotionally draining and deeply discouraging. The strain is also evident in interactions with institutions and broader societal structures that continue to enforce outdated or inappropriate norms, making it difficult for individuals to relate authentically with others and even with themselves.

Together, these components of CD paint a picture of a multifaceted and profoundly entrenched issue that affects many aspects of life for transgender individuals of color. The manifestation of CD in academic environments highlights significant challenges faced by transgender students of color. These challenges are predominantly evident through curriculum gaps, insensitive pedagogy, and administrative limitations under trans inclusive programs. Curricular gaps are particularly damaging as they often reflect a Eurocentric bias that ignores or marginalizes non-Western and non-cisnormative perspectives, thereby invalidating the experiences and identities of transgender students of color. Insensitive pedagogy and administrative practices further exacerbate these students’ feelings of invisibility and alienation, as they encounter environments that are not only unresponsive but often hostile to their unique needs and experiences.

CD, with its profound psychological impacts on transgender individuals of color, is intricately linked to the colonial gender continuum. This continuum represents the spectrum of gender identities and expressions that have been influenced, shaped, or suppressed by colonial ideologies and practices. Understanding the relationship between colonial dysphoria and the colonial gender continuum reveals how colonial legacies continue to affect gender perception and identity among marginalized communities, particularly those navigating multiple intersections of identity. Colonial dysphoria and the colonial gender continuum are interconnected in their mutual reinforcement of restrictive and damaging norms around gender and identity. Addressing the impacts of CD requires a critical examination and dismantling of the colonial gender continuum, advocating for a more inclusive understanding of gender that recognizes and validates the diverse identities and expressions of all people, especially those marginalized by the enduring effects of colonialism. This involves acknowledging the historical impacts of colonial gender policies and actively working to create spaces that honor and support the full spectrum of gender identities in the post-colonial world.

The concept of colonial dysphoria in my work emerges from a deep engagement with the psychological, emotional, and physical tolls imposed by colonial gender systems on transgender people of color. This term came to life in my research as I sought to articulate the layered forms of dissonance that exceed the boundaries of Western understandings of gender dysphoria, encompassing not just gender and body materiality, but also race, culture, and epistemic violence. In my fieldwork and activism, colonial dysphoria became a crucial framework to understand how colonial histories, particularly the imposition of binary gender norms and the suppression of Indigenous gender knowledge, continue to harm transgender individuals by distorting their identities across multiple dimensions.

Applying this concept to the Palestinian context reveals additional complexities, as explored by scholars like Nadine Naber and Maya Mikdashi. Naber and others’ work (2018) highlights how colonial powers shape gender and sexuality in racialized ways, while Mikdashi and Puar (2016:220) examine how the occupation and ongoing settler-colonialism in Palestine produce a “severely restrained economy of corporeality,” where Palestinian bodies are subjected to intense biopolitical control. Palestinians live under the weight of both historical colonialism and ongoing occupation by the Israeli state, which impacts not only their gender but also their ability to navigate everyday life. This experience compounds the violence of colonial dysphoria, where the borders around their bodies, identity, and the very meaning of trans knowledge are constantly surveilled and constrained.

As Naber et al. note, the imposition of heteronormativity by both Israeli settler colonialism and anti-colonial nationalist movements in Palestine reinforces violence against non-normative sexualities and genders. The epistemic violence in this context manifests not only through physical oppression but also through external narratives that erase Palestinian queer and trans identities, reinforcing ideas of Palestinian “barbarism” to legitimize Israeli control. Organizations like alQaws have confronted pinkwashing, where Israel co-opts LGBTQ+ rights to obscure its violations against Palestinians, by emphasizing that there can be “no queer co-resistance with colonizers” and highlighting the ways LGBTQ+ Palestinians are further marginalized by this practice (alQaws 2020). For transgender people of color, colonial dysphoria thus represents a compounded dissonance that affects not only their gender, but the very foundations of selfhood, race, and cultural identity. This is further amplified by the pressures of living under occupation, where checkpoints, walls, and military surveillance become part of the infrastructure of colonial violence.

Gender dysphoria in different sites across the Global South varies significantly due to the intersection of local cultural norms, colonial histories, and ongoing forms of imperialism. In many regions, colonial impositions of binary gender norms have disrupted Indigenous and non-Western understandings of gender, producing unique forms of dissonance. For example, while Western frameworks of gender dysphoria focus on a mismatch between gender identity and assigned sex, in the Global South, this dissonance often extends beyond the individual body to include broader social, cultural, and colonial dynamics that reshape how gender, identity, and bodily autonomy are understood and lived. Similarly, colonial dysphoria across the Global South manifests in diverse but interconnected ways, shaped by each region’s unique colonial histories and ongoing neocolonial conditions. In many parts of the Global South, colonial dysphoria is not limited to gender dissonance but also encompasses the disruption of Indigenous epistemologies, racial identities, and cultural practices. The imposition of rigid colonial gender binaries often conflicts with local, pre-colonial understandings of fluidity and multiplicity in gender and sexuality, creating a compounded sense of dissonance. This dissonance affects not only personal identity but also broader social relations and knowledge systems, as colonial legacies continue to frame what is considered “normal” or “legitimate” in terms of gender, race, and identity. Thus, colonial dysphoria is deeply entangled with the geopolitical realities and socio-historical context of each site, producing varied yet interlinked forms of psychological and material violence.