University of Michigan School of Information
Haimson: Trans technologies are facing real-world threats, stifling creativity

Wednesday, 05/21/2025
By Noor HindiAs anti-trans legislation and digital risks grow, UMSI assistant professor Oliver Haimson says trans technologies, tools built by and for trans communities, are increasingly under threat.
Haimson talks about his new book, Trans Technologies, for LGBTQ Nation. The book explores how trans creators, often working alone and with limited resources, are developing apps, websites and digital tools to support their communities.
The book, which has arrived at a pivotal political moment, highlights the resilience and creativity of trans technologists while exposing the vulnerabilities they face in the current political environment.
“We see people channeling rage and creativity into games and art, and those things can be resistance technologies, but sometimes they’re just outlets for creativity,” Haimson says. “And we see plenty of that, but imagine how much more of those just fun technologies we would see if people weren’t just always trying to survive.”
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Read “The trans tech industry is growing fast. But will transphobia stifle creativity?” on LGBTQ Nation.
Learn more about UMSI assistant professor Oliver Haimson by visiting his UMSI faculty profile.