Transhumanism is, at its root, about improving the human condition through the use of technology. This shows up in many ways from the development of better prosthetics to the development of mind machine interfaces. Its most focused form is that of the drive to solve the problem of aging itself. These are all ways in which we seek to improve our bodies and help us live longer and happier lives. Virtually everyone out there can benefit from these new technologies and likely will to some extent. Even those who have no desire to radically change their bodies will still find value in new medical applications and repairs to rebuild their existing bodies to better health.
There are many though who see these new technologies as opportunities to not just maintain but to enhance themselves to a state that they find superior to the one that was granted by chance and evolution. Controlled automodification has always been around in small forms such as piercings but has been kept from its full potential by limitations of the body itself. With those barriers falling futurists and the technologies they promote are starting to see opportunities for people to mold themselves to fit their visions. It is therefore somewhat surprising that one of the most ardent groups of individuals who frequently seek significant modification is not one which seems to connect with Transhumanism or Futurism.
Transgenderism is a state of being where people feel that they wish to be or otherwise identify with another body type. After all we are not defined by our bodies but our minds. Most people have a preference for a body in their minds though. Some people wish they were taller, others wish they had a little more meat on their bones or perhaps a different shade of hair. Beyond that piercings are a standard in many societies as are tattoos. These are long term or permanent changes to bodies that are more or less considered normal. Many of them are available now and have been available for quite a long time via technology. People have embraced these opportunities one at a time as it was learned how to do them and have sought new technologies to help decrease the cost and achieve ever more interesting variants. It is interesting then, that we have seen far less enthusiasm from the Transgender community for Transhumanism and the technology it supports.
To be sure there are many who are transgender who, while they may identify with another form or see themselves as another sex, for various reasons do not seek or desire to actually physically change themselves. However, even with this consideration there are many who are actively trying to change themselves or trying to find the best ways to do so. There is a whole process now in place to enable this to be accomplished to varying levels depending on the needs and desires of the individual.
These technologies to improve humans and their condition is precisely what transhumanism is based in and as others have mentioned this creates a clear alignment of purpose between these groups. Yet transhumanists do not seem particularly interested in connecting with Transgender individuals. Indeed it seems that many transgender folks have never heard of that ideology. Why is it that groups like this are being overlooked by transhumanists? Why is there so little outreach in this direction and what might be done to try and connect more with those who so clearly have an interest?
