Seeing sexism from both sides: what trans men experience

FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES AS A RADIO NEWSCASTER in Victoria, British Columbia, Sheila Gardner fielded countless comments from male listeners—not about stories but about syntax. They’d call up, night after night, anytime they detected anything that sounded like an error. And invariably they’d offer corrections.

Then at age 52, Sheila Gardner became James Gardner, and suddenly the criticism faded. “I’m the same person,” says Gardner, now 57. But since he came out as male, “the men are less critical.”

As debates rage over controversial bathroom laws and viewers flock to shows like Orange Is the New Black and Transparent, it’s clear that the general public has never been more interested in the lives—and rights—of transgender Americans. But while the spotlight shines brightly on stars like Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner, transgender men