Early Trans Internet (Mentor Text L)

In “An Oral History of the Early Trans Internet” by Henry Giardina, Giardina explains just that- the history of the early trans internet. He discusses the history via segmented interviews with trans people who lived through this time period. It is a very informative piece, one that helps describe the struggles of being trans back then and now.

It is hard to say who the intended audience is for this piece. I speculate that it is mostly for young trans people today who were raised with internet access and the online community. However, it also seems to be written for those who do not understand trans people, as its interview styled writing sheds light on the personal stories of these individuals. The speaker of the text is actually multiple people, providing a range of experiences that help shape an understanding of the culture and experiences of trans people before and during the internet boom.

This article informs the readers about the struggles of finding community before the internet, and how difficult it was to find like-minded individuals. It shows how hard the trans leaders fought to provide these outlets for other trans people even when it the companies were trying to snuff out their presence on the internet. Overall, it shows how far this movement has come in providing community for its members and sharing the experiences of trans people then and now.