Tamsin Kimoto is a PhD student in the Philosophy Department at Emory University and a member of the APA’s Graduate Student Council. Their primary research focuses on trans studies and Women of Color feminisms, especially questions in critical phenomenology, political philosophy, and the metaphysics of gender; they also write about diversity issues in philosophy through the lenses of social epistemology and queer of color critique.
What excites you about philosophy?
This is a difficult question to answer because it’s hard to separate the discipline from the professional context in which I now study and work. As a discipline, I think philosophy offers us a unique and powerful set of resources for examining the world, diagnosing problems, and developing solutions. Philosophy encourages us to ask difficult questions, which is not unique to the discipline, but it also teaches us to think slowly through the answers, which might be unique. While I’m often frustrated by the ponderous pace at which philosophers work through problems, I also find that this pace allows me to better identify gaps in my own thinking or that of others. I am excited about how trans philosophers are bringing philosophy and trans studies together. However, the professional context in which we do philosophical work is one that can be hostile to its members who deviate from what Audre Lorde might call the mythical norm. A powerful body of literature has pointed to the ways in which philosophy excludes or eliminates people of color, queer and trans people, disabled people, and women. This literature continues, I think, to inform many of us who find ourselves marginalized in the profession and our efforts to be in community with one another. So, at the moment, what excites me most about philosophy, and why I continue to stay in a field that is often unwelcoming for people like me, are the communities of marginalized philosophers I’ve been fortunate to find within the profession who support, inspire, and sustain one another. Sometimes this means critiquing exclusionary practices in the profession or developing incisive critiques of oppression in broader society; sometimes it’s just providing space to vent. However it looks, I’m here for it.
What are you most proud of in your professional life?
I was recently invited to travel to Tokyo and give two talks about my research. I’m most proud of this because I never imagined that I would be invited to talk about my research outside the U.S. (or even within the states if I’m being honest). One talk provided a phenomenological account of yawning in order to highlight how even reflexive actions are gendered and how the gendering of these actions is important for thinking about the phenomenology of transition, especially if we’re concerned as I am with transphobic violence (sexual, physical, and otherwise). The second focused on developing a robust model for identifying transphobia by attending to the affective investments, positive and negative, of a range of transphobes.
What do you like to do outside work?
I like to spend time with my friends and partners, explore Atlanta, dance, and stay involved in local QTPOC community through organizations like Southern Fried Queer Pride. I love cooking and baking, so I’m always trying to learn how to make new things, especially new vegetarian recipes.
Which books have changed your life? In what ways?
Too many to name. I suspect it’s an occupational hazard for many of us. In my case, the most powerful influences on the way I live and how I think have been texts by Women of Color feminists: This Bridge Called My Back and this bridge we call home are two anthologies of these writings that awakened me to what genuine commitments to feminist politics might look like. After I read chapters and selections from these books, I began to seek out and devour things written by women like Gloria Anzaldúa, Audre Lorde, and Mitsuye Yamada. I continue to come back to these texts and learn more as I re-encounter them. Through them, I came to understand the necessity of attending to the lived experiences and material realities of actually existing people as we critique oppressive structures and develop our arguments. They also taught me to care about my own life in all its material messiness. This has been important for my research, my politics, and my life generally and has helped me embrace my own gender, racial, and sexual identities.
When did you last sing to yourself or someone else?
The last time I sang was while dancing to Waka Flocka Flame’s “No Hands” at a friend’s birthday party. That was the last whole song anyway; I tend to sing one or two lines from songs as I go about my day to what I hope is the amusement of the people in my life.
What are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
I’m currently reading As Black as Resistance by ZoéSamudzi and William C. Anderson and Categories We Live By by Ásta, and I’m re-reading Whipping Girl by Julia Serano. I would recommend all three, but which I recommend might vary depending on the person asking.
Who is your favorite philosopher and why?
It’s hard to pick just one, but Talia Mae Bettcher is certainly one of my favorite philosophers. Her work was my introduction to thinking about trans issues specifically as a trans person. While I’d read some other things as I was coming to terms with my gender, she was the first person I’d read who both was trans and was talking about the things I was experiencing as I transitioned. Her work continues to provide a key touchstone for my own thinking about transness. She is also a mentor and support for many of us, and I’m grateful for her presence in the field.
This section of the APA Blog is designed to get to know our fellow philosophers a little better. We’re including profiles of APA members that spotlight what captures their interest not only inside the office, but also outside of it. We’d love for you to be a part of it, so please contact us via the interview nomination form here to nominate yourself or a friend.
Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall is an editor at the Blog of the APA who currently teaches philosophy, religion, and education courses solely online for Montclair State University, Three Rivers Community College, and St. John’s University.
