Cristan Williams has worked for decades to address the practical needs of underserved populations. She founded numerous social service programs, community centers, and a community library and archive. She has published short stories, academic chapters and papers, and numerous articles for both print and digital magazines. She received numerous awards for her advocacy, presented at universities nationwide, served on numerous public health and community organization boards, and is a founding member of the Transgender Foundation of America and the Bee Busy Wellness Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center. She is a certified sexologist, community healthcare worker, holds a degree in sociology, and is a candidate for a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.
Trans History
Gender-expansive history has been an interest of mine for decades. I founded the Trans Library and Archives in Houston and rewrote the early etiologies of ingroup vernaculars specific to gendered minorities. Dr. Milton Diamond referred to my historical research as being “…extremely valuable not only to me but to the many researchers who strive for accuracy. Your work has certainly opened my eyes and corrected for me many misconceptions…” and trans activist and author, Kate Bornstein called my research a “must-read” for those in gender studies. Both Dallas Denny and Susan Stryker claim to be fans of my research, and Jamison Green called it “brilliant.”
For more on my personal blog posts concerning gendered language, click here.
- 2021: Women’s Movement, Trans Inclusion In/Exclusion From
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Trans Studies - 2021: TERFs
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Trans Studies - 2020: The ontological woman: A history of deauthentication, dehumanization, and violence
The Sociological Review - 2016: Radical Inclusion: Recounting the trans-inclusive history of Radical Feminism
Transgender Studies Quarterly - 2014: Alpha Male
The Queer South: LGBTQ Writers on the American South - 2014: Transgender
Transgender Studies Quarterly - 2014: Transgender*: The Rhetorical Landscape of a Term
Present Tense: A Journal of Rhetoric in Society - 2014: Historical Advisor
Trans Bodies, Trans Selves
Historical Exploration
One of my hobbies is exploring historical areas – especially if that historical area has been forgotten. I’ve researched, explored, and documented so-called haunted houses, pirate strongholds, snake-oil “medicinal” springs, forgotten and abused mass graves, and more. Here are a few of my explorations:
10,000 Forgotten Graves
Near downtown Houston, there is an enormous graveyard full of slaves, confederate solders, members of secrete societies and even a mass grave containing the jumbled remains of victims from the 1867 yellow fever outbreak. This purportedly haunted grave yard has designated places for “Paupers, Negroes, Families and those that committed suicide or died in a […]
Haunted Slave Cemetery?
Olivewood Cemetery is located just off I-10 and White Oak Bayou right next to a store called Party Boy. The neglected grave yard is supposedly haunted. With exposed human remains of ex slaves and thicket covered graves, it is no wonder Houstonians have spun ghost stories about this place for generations. There are a number of unmarked […]
Stewart’s Mansion: War, Cannibals, Pirates and Ghosts
A friend and I were out on an extended motorcycle ride when we unexpectedly came upon an abandoned mansion in Galveston, Texas. After exploring and taking photos, I came pack home and began doing research on the mansion. The history of this mansion and the land its built upon is quite unique. This history includes […]
Graveyard at the end of Demon Road
Huntsville, Texas locals refer to the road that leads to a small 1800s graveyard as “Demon Road.” Supposedly, some people report seeing hovering red lights traveling down the road. Others report that have been pushed and shoved by invisible hands on their way to the cemetery. At the end of this road lies Martha Chapel Cemetery. Doing a google […]
Et Cetera
I like turtles: While my favorites are centrochelys sulcata, agrionemys horsfieldii, aldabrachelys gigantea, and the Texas beauty, terrapene ornata ornata, I have cared for terrapene and tortoises since I was a child.
I like to paint and cultivate lovely outside garden spaces. I love the Texas hill country even as I am consistently saddened and embarrassed by the harmful Dunning-Kruger political culture cobbled together out of type I errors that seem to thrive there. While I don’t like Facebook, you can sometimes find me posting on my Twitter. You can also check out the stuff I write for the TransAdvocate. My Google Scholar profile is here, and my Academia profile is here.
Cristen, we are not acquainted and I am only learning about you now… while it’s come to my attention that you apparently know of me. I’d like to have a dialogue with you at your convenience, either by phone or on a private social media connection of your choosing. I feel it’s important we speak. I hope you’ll agree!
I am also writing to express my complete support for your site’s Open Letter and to congratulate you on your inclusion in this year’s Trans100.
Looking forward to e-meeting you,
Dawn Ennis