Trans Tactics: Sun Tzu’s Guide to Defending Our Lives – Part 4
“All warfare is based on deception.” – Sun Tzu, The Art of War
When Sun Tzu wrote those words, he didn’t mean lying for no reason. He meant that in any struggle, especially when the odds are stacked against you, control of the narrative is everything.
For trans people and our allies, this lesson is especially relevant. The war we’re fighting isn’t just about policies or bathrooms; it’s about who gets to tell the story of who we are.
In hostile climates, like today’s legislative assaults and social media dogpiles, knowing how to shape perception is how we survive.
Why Strategic Deception Matters
Let’s be clear: “deception” here isn’t about dishonesty or manipulation. It’s about using your knowledge of the battlefield to shift focus, reframe attacks, and expose hypocrisy.
It’s about refusing to play the game your enemies want you to play and instead changing the rules.
Example: Trans Language Reclamation
When trans people reclaim slurs or create new terms, like “transfemme” or “transmasc,” we’re not lying about who we are. We’re refusing to let cis-centric language define us. That’s strategic deception: subverting the tools meant to erase us.
Three Tactics for Controlling the Narrative
Let’s break it down. Here are three ways to apply Sun Tzu’s lesson to the modern war on trans lives.
Reframe the Argument
When bigots shout “biology,” they’re not trying to understand; they’re trying to control the frame.
Strategic move? Don’t debate within their frame. Shift it entirely.
Instead of arguing “what is a woman,” talk about “why trans people’s medical care is about dignity and survival, not debate.”
Use Humor and Satire
Humor is one of the oldest and most effective forms of strategic deception. It disarms haters, shifts power dynamics, and shows that we’re not just victims, we’re smart, creative, and here to stay.
Example: When TERFs get outraged about neopronouns, trans creators flood TikTok with hilarious, fake “new” pronouns, turning bigotry into a punchline.
Expose Hypocrisy
A core tactic of strategic deception is revealing the contradictions in your opponent’s story. When politicians claim to care about children’s safety but cut funding for trans youth shelters, that’s a story you can tell and flip.
Example: Trans activists in Texas exposing how anti-trans lawmakers use “family values” as cover for policies that actually harm kids.
Deception vs. Misinformation
It’s important to draw a clear line: strategic deception isn’t about spreading false info, it’s about revealing the truth in ways your enemy can’t control.
Misinformation just adds to the chaos. Strategic deception cuts through it, showing the cracks in the lies meant to erase us.
Why This Matters: It’s About Power
Narrative control isn’t just a marketing gimmick. It’s how people build political power. Laws follow culture, and culture follows narrative.
When trans people can tell our own stories, on our own terms, it becomes much harder for hate to thrive.
Ally Action: Amplify and Protect
Allies, your job here is to help trans people control the narrative, without co-opting it.
- Boost trans voices. Share our words, not your interpretation of them.
- Don’t get sidetracked by trolls. Don’t feed their chaos.
- Use your platforms to highlight trans truth.
Real-World Example: The Power of Reframing
In 2023, after a wave of anti-drag bills, trans and queer performers didn’t just protest; they reframed drag as a centuries-old art form of gender play and resistance.
They showed that drag is about community, expression, and liberation, not some boogeyman for politicians to fear.
Result? The conversation shifted from “are drag queens dangerous?” to “why are these lawmakers obsessed with criminalizing joy?”
That’s strategic deception in action. And it’s a reminder that even when the laws seem stacked against us, we can still win the story war.
The Bottom Line
Sun Tzu wasn’t writing about hashtags or press conferences. But he understood one thing: the one who controls the story controls the battle.
For trans people, that’s more than strategy; it’s survival.
We’re not here to be silent. We’re here to be storytellers, satirists, and truth-tellers who see through the lies and refuse to be erased.
And that’s how we win, even in the most hostile climates.
Next Up: “Opportunity in Chaos: Advancing Rights During Backlash”
Dropping June 14. Only on TransVitae.com
