Calvin m. Anderson, M.A.
... is a philosopher, political ethicist, sexologist, advocate, and movement-builder dedicated to defending autonomy, consent, memory, and marginalized liberation.A former lead instructor of Philosophy and Political Science at San Francisco State University, he is now a Affiliated Researcher at the Center for Positive Sexuality and the founder of various social justice projects, including Lou’s House, a fiscally-sponsored project assisting trans people fleeing U.S. persecution, and the emerging National Intersex+, Non-binary, and Transmasculine Abortion Fund (NINTAF), a project advancing reproductive justice for historically erased bodies.Anderson's work spans bioethics, queer critical theory, political philosophy, and grassroots systems design, with a growing focus on countering AI-generated misinformation through movements like the Integrity in Technology Alliance (ITA) (forthcoming) and the meta-political philosophy of Rememberism.
Research & Cv
My research centers on applied ethics, political theory, queer critical epistemology, and the intersection of autonomy, technology, and justice. I am committed to a vision of philosophy that is public, urgent, and inseparable from the fight for human dignity.
I specialize in...
Social and Political Philosophy
Applied Ethics (esp. Bioethics, Technoethics, Labor, Identity)
Public Philosophy
Trans & Reproductive Justice History and Theory
Meta-Political Ethics and Moral Emotions
The Philosophy of Race, Sex, & Gender
I explore questions such as...
How do systems of power attempt to overwrite memory, identity, and agency?
What does it mean to preserve moral truth in an age of technological distortion?
How can we build ethical frameworks that protect marginalized lives against erasure?
My current philosophical projects include...
Investigating 'medical misogyny' against transmasculine people in reproductive healthcare
Integrating FTM (female-to-male) histories into the queer philosophical canon
Developing Rememberism, a political-epistemological theory of memory as sacred resistance
Critical work in Queer Techno-Bioethics, focusing on anti-LGBTQIA+ bias in AI training data
Selected Research and Publications:
| Title | Publisher | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Sex Betting: A Feminist Ethical Critique of Covert Sexual Wagers" | The Journal of Social Philosophy | 2025 | Under Review |
| "Transsexism: The New Problem in Feminism That Has No Name" | The Journal of Positive Sexuality | 2025 | Prepared |
| "Killing, Consent, and Kinky Sex" | Dialogue | 2019 | Published |
| Invisible Men: The Transmasculine Studies Reader | TBD (co-editor) | est. 2027 | *In-progress |
| "How Medical Misogyny Shapes Trans Men's Reproductive Oppression: A Bioethical Critique" | Oxford University Press, Intersections | TBD | *Proposal Submitted |
| Safeguarding Truth in the Age of AI: Luigi Mangione & Sandy Hook v. Alex Jones | Open Letter | 2025 | *In-progress |
| Regulating AI Misinformation to Reestablish Democracy | White Paper | 2025 | *In-progress |
Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and a Master of Arts degree in Urban Education from Rhodes College. He also earned his Master of Arts in Philosophy at San Francisco State University, and was awarded a pass with distinction for his thesis on "sex betting."
Service & advocacy
My work extends beyond theory into public action, building movements that refuse erasure and fight for collective liberation.
Founder, LOU'S HOUSE —
Grassroots project providing emergency support to transgender individuals fleeing persecution within the U.S.
Founder, THE NATIONAL INTERSEX+, NON-BINARY, AND TRANSMASCULINE ABORTION FUND (NINTAF) —
A national project supporting abortion access for marginalized communities excluded from mainstream reproductive justice funding.
Affiliate Researcher, CENTER FOR POSITIVE SEXUALITY —
Researching the intersection(s) of applied ethics and trans philosophy, specifically looking at how larger social practices and institutions can better accommodate the unique needs of transgender men.
Community Mentor, PUBLIC HEALTH & WGSS STUDENTS —
Work alongside emerging scholars from Columbia Mailmain School, Emerson College, and UC Berkeley focused on queer-affirming mental health, trans advocacy, AI, and ethical systems design(CANCELLED)
Vice Chair, GRADUATE STUDENT COUCIL, AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL ASSOCIATION —
Advocating for marginalized graduate students across philosophy programs nationally. Act as a representative for philosophy students from Master's programs.
APA Liaison, COMMITTEES ON NON-ACADEMIC CAREERS // INCLUSIVENESS IN THE PROFESSION (ex officio) —
Pushing for expanded labor rights for student workers and systemic reform within the discipline. I have worked to expand the Inclusive Syllabi Collection during my tenure(term ends late Summer 2025)
Panel Organizer, PUBLIC PHILOSOPHY —
Facilitated sessions on Feminist Latin(x) Philosophy and Teaching Philosophy in Prisons, with a commitment towards diversifying the philosophical canon.
Grant Development Leader, QUEER NONPROFITS —
Secured finalist standing for major national grants ($100k) supporting LGBTQIA+ mental healthcare expansion.
Applied Ethics — Beyond the Classroom:
Judge and Coach for Regional and National Intercollegiate Ethics Bowls (2021 — Present)
Invited to judge at the Ethics Bowl Regional Competition at Stanford University's McCoy Family Center for Ethics
Background
My work is grounded in three core principles:
Memory as Resistance: Remembering the oppressed, the erased, and the forgotten is not nostalgic—it is insurgent. Without memory, injustice flourishes unchecked.
Ethics as Praxis: Philosophy must not remain abstract. Ethical thought must shape how we build institutions, train leaders, design technology, and care for communities.
Liberation through Collective Flourishing: Justice cannot be reduced to procedural fairness alone. It must involve affirming dignity, repairing harms, and fostering new possibilities for human flourishing.
Book Recommendations:
The Communist Manifesto or Das Kapital Volume 1 — Karl Marx
Capitalist Realism — Mark Fisher
The Jungle — Upton Sinclair
all about love — bell hooks
Rape and Resistance — Linda Alcoff
A Room of One's Own — Virginia Wolfe
On Liberty or Utiliarianism — John Stuart Mill
We Both Laughed In Pleasure — Lou Sullivan, Susan Stryker
Gender Trouble — Judith Butler
I also had the opportunity to meet the late Charles Mills (d. 2021) when he gave a talk at the University of Memphis. I consider this a formative moment in my development as a philosopher.
teaching, training, & Consulting
In the classroom, I practice a dialectical approach.
I believe in fostering an inclusive and intellectually stimulating classroom environment that encourages critical thinking and ethical reasoning. My approach integrates theory and praxis, ensuring students not only learn philosophical concepts but also understand their relevance to contemporary social issues—and their own lives.
San Francisco State University Courses Taught:
Critical Thinking I: Focused on logical reasoning and argumentation that could be applied to students' real lives. I aimed to foster students' curiosity, imagination, and reflection in my 100-level seminars.
Contemporary Moral and Political Issues: Founded on exploring the three dominant (Western) ethical theories—deontology, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics—and then applying them to various moral and social questions. Cross-listed in both the Philosophy and Political Science Depts.
"I loved professor Anderson's class. He made the class very fun and I loved all the different discussions we had, I think it was an amazing class." — anonymous student feedback
Secondary Courses Taught:
Government & Political Science: Prioritized critical engagement with the legislative structure and history of the United States. The curriculum taught was composed primarily of student (1) debate and (2) storytelling. -- AP & Honors courses --
Acted as a Teaching Assistant for the following courses:
- Lower-division -
Introduction to Philosophy
Critical Thinking // Introductory Logic
U.S. Politics
- Upper-division -
Medical Ethics // Ethics in Medicine
Philosophy & Cognitive Science
Environmental Ethics
I have also delivered training to future queer-affirming professors and therapists.
HIPAA compliance & Teleheath ethics
Working with transgender clients
Philosophy in prisons training
Reproductive ethics
Autonomy-affirming accommodations for disabled students
Expanding the canon through storytelling
I am now offering consulting on LGBTQIA Healthcare Equity & Compliance projects
who are my services for?
Organizations (non-profit // for-profit)
Coalitions, Co-ops
Collectives (sliding-scale available)
Health centers, Hospitals
Ethical infrastructure & operations, including ethical AI integration and audits
Narrative and comms strategy for 2026
Grantwriting, program design, and systems thinking
LGBTQIA and anti-racist equity frameworks
Media & Journalism
Selected Blog Posts:
"Expanding the Canon Through Storytelling: A Pedagogically Queer Approach"
Blog of the American Philosophical Association, Graduate Student Reflection Series
"The Masculine Dichotomy"
TRANSpanic! Blog"You Were Never One of Us"
TRANSpanic! Blog
Selected Podcast Episodes:
"A Sit Down with @JUNlPER"
TRANSpanic! Blog
Contributed Articles:
(COMING SOON!) —
"Existentialism & Trans Life"
MadyCast News
Contributing Writer
Contact
I am always happy to talk about my research. If you are interested in collaborating on a project, would like access to any of the referenced materials, or are interested in booking a time for consulting, please reach out.I will get back to you as soon as I am able.
