Terms of Empowerment:
The Writings of Jessica Xavier

Introduction

Jessica M. Xavier is a poet, musician, activist, and scholar. Here are some of her most important essays:

Choosing Terms of Empowerment: This is Jessica's prescription for overcoming shame through attention to the ways we define ourselves. It originally appeared in Tapestry Journal #71.
Transsexual Feminism and Transgender Politicization: In this essay, Jessica explains how a feminist approach to the politics of transgender activism can help both individuals and organizations avoid the danger of becoming yet another aspect of what they struggle against. It first appeared in TransSisters #10.
Passing As Stigma Management: This is Part One of Jessica's series of essays on Transfeminism. It is a review and analysis of Irving Goffman's Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity.
Passing As Privilege: Part Two of Jessica's series on Transfeminism deals with the consequences of our obsession with passing as nontranssexual.