An Interview with Janet Mock
Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- An Interview with Janet Mock
This interview was conducted on September 3, 2014, at Cafe Pick Me Up in New York City, New York, and the last four questions are from a follow-up discussion on December 3, 2014, in Lewiston, Maine.
It’s so wonderful to see you, Janet. Thank you for sharing space with me and lending your time to talk about your memoir Redefining Realness, writing by trans women of color, your career as an activist-writer, and your relationship to the African American literary tradition. Before we start with the questions, let me first congratulate you for making the New York Times bestseller list in 2014 and for achieving remarkable success this past year in a variety of political and artistic circles.
Thank you, Timothy. It’s so good to see you, too. I am glad you could make the trip down. I am really excited to hear about your research and to talk about Redefining Realness and how you’re teaching the book. This is all still kind of surreal and really new to me, so I am still processing it all, and I am sure I will be for a while.
I can understand that. It’s all happening so fast, but there is so much to be excited about. Why don’t we get started and see where the questions lead us? I am hoping that we can begin by talking about audience, structure, and your writing process a little bit. When thinking about audience, who did you have in mind as the ideal reader of Redefining Realness?
In my mind, the reader has always been that young trans girl of color, that seventh grade girl—like I was—who is looking for a reflection of herself or looking for a story that speaks truth to her—to all of her. In the introduction of the book, I talk a little about a lack of a reflection that spoke truth to me during my girlhood, so I think that girl was on my mind as I was writing.
Would it be fair to say that you are answering Toni Morrison’s call: “If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it”?
Absolutely. I believe that storytelling is powerful and can be transformative. And telling our stories is a revolutionary act. I believe in the power of words and connecting [End Page 502] and sharing through them. That’s one important reason for the #girlslikeus project [on Twitter], too.
Do you think that you have reached any unintended audiences with your honesty, artistry, and unflinching self-exploration in Redefining Realness and elsewhere?
Absolutely. I mean, yes, I have received great feedback from other audiences [Laughter]. I want as many people as possible to find a piece of truth or healing or self-love in the book. Cis black women sometimes tell me, “This book isn’t just for trans women; it’s for all of us.” I love that. Even though I wrote with that young trans girl in mind, I am overwhelmed by the love all people show me on Twitter, at signings, and in emails, and I am grateful for how they are connecting to Redefining Realness and then sharing their stories with me. Yet I want to make it clear that though many people see themselves in the book, I do think I should reiterate that trans women and girls of color were in mind when I wrote this. They remain at the center of this narrative, even if others are inspired along the way.
While we are talking about audience, I want to ask you about the structure of Redefining Realness, particularly those moments in which you share the writer-activist part of yourself clearly. At times, you pause or rupture the immediate story to give your reader important broader context about trans rights or clarity about the use of particular subcultural vernacular. Sometimes, you even provide suggestions for possible solutions when you lobby for what should be made available or what cultural logics...
