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I Am (Wo)Man: the Rhetoric of Transidentity in Politics

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I Am (Wo)Man: the Rhetoric of Transidentity in Politics I AM (WO)MAN: THE RHETORIC OF TRANSIDENTITY IN POLITICS, LAW, AND PERFORMANCE By Prairie Endres-Parnell, B.A., M.F.A A THESIS IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS Approved Dr. Katherine Langford Chairperson of the Committee Dr. Mark Gring Dr. William Gelber Accepted Fred Hartmeister Dean of the Graduate School December 2008 Texas Tech University, Prairie Endres-Parnell, December 2008 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work would not be possible without the patience and guidance of several people. I would first like to thank my chair, Dr. Katie Langford for helping me really think about what I was writing as well as for pushing me to become a stronger writer. I would also like to thank the other two members of my committee, Dr. Mark Gring and Dr. Bill Gelber, who put up with the rushed defense schedule and a somewhat unique subject matter. My husband, Aaron Parnell is, of course, included in these thanks for cooking, cleaning, and keeping me sane. For those in the transgender community, I hope that I have done more good than bad, helped more than harmed. Those of us outside of the transgender community want to know more; we want to understand your experiences. For her insight and much needed clarification from the other side, I most sincerely thank my friend Dani Watts. I wish to thank in closing my classmates and friends: I wish you all the best. ii Texas Tech University, Prairie Endres-Parnell, December 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................ii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................1 Review of the Literature ........................................................3 Transgender History..........................................................3 Defining Transgender ..................................................5 The Medically Transgender Experience ......................6 Physical Effects of Gender Dysphoria .........................7 Mental Effects of Gender Dysphoria ...........................11 Diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria ...................................14 Transgender Language Construction ...........................17 Feminist Literature and the Third Gender ...................20 Methods of Language Discovery ......................................25 Communication Theory of Identity ...........................25 Identity and Consubstantiality ...................................28 Close Textual Analysis ..............................................29 II. SEX ON THE STREET: A SPEECH OF TRANSGENDER IDENTITY.......................................................................36 III. THE SEX OF TRANS-LAW...................................................................57 IV. HIDDEN AGENDAS IN HIDDEN: A GENDER ..................................88 V. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS ...............................................112 REFERENCES ....................................................................................118 iii Texas Tech University, Prairie Endres-Parnell, December 2008 APPENDICES A. TRANS-SAFETY AND VIOLENCE SPEECH..................................123 B. THE CASE OF M.T. v. J.T. ................................................................127 iv Texas Tech University, Prairie Endres-Parnell, December 2008 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The concept of transgender identity is one that many people find difficult, offending, or even disgusting. Our national media has been known to display transgender individuals as objects to be stared at or to be bemused by. In recent months there have been many news articles discussing transpersons. In March, 2008 CNN reported that a transman from Hawaii had become pregnant with sperm from a local sperm bank. 1 In September 2008, popular TV show America’s Next Top Model included its first transwoman; Isis managed to remain on the show through five full episodes despite the abuse she received from fellow models. 2 In March of 2005, South Park aired several episodes detailing the transgender experience of the character named Mr. Garrison. 3 Even Fox TV show Bones included an investigation of a transgender body, complete with difficulties of gender acceptance by the primary characters of Booth and Bones. 4 These instances indicate a rise in the amount of transgender identity being portrayed in the media and a need for further understanding of transgender identity and the ways in which it is constructed. I use rhetorical analysis, specifically close textual analysis, to extract and examine the ways in which transgender individuals describe themselves, how they 1 Goldman, R. and K. Thompson. ‘Pregnant man’ gives birth to girl. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5302756 (accessed October 10, 2008). 2 Transgender Contestant to Compete on Top Model . August 13, 2008. US Magazine . 3 South Park: Mr. Garrison’s Fancy New Vagina March 2005. http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/901 . (accessed May 20, 2008). 4 Jerslid, Sarah. “Bones Pushes Some Buttons.” Zaptoit.com . http://blog.zap2it.com/ithappenedlastnight/2008/10/bones-pushes-so.html (accessed October 10, 2008). 1 Texas Tech University, Prairie Endres-Parnell, December 2008 utilize language to self identify, are described in the courts of law, and perform identity on stage. Perspectives used to describe the transgender experience are varied and come from multiple elements of scholarship in the medical, communication, cultural, and theatrical fields. Definitions of what it means to be transgender range from someone who simply does not feel like his/her body and mind match to someone who has had a complete sex change operation and is living full time as the preferred gender. Included in the history of this experience are ways in which the culture attempts to harmonize itself and find middle ground between the various definitions and identities. One way in which the culture attempts to unify its experience is through the language used by members of transgender communities. The use of close textual analysis helps to explore the language created identity of transpersons. Scholarly work on the culture and language of transgender individuals traditionally is restricted in two ways: either a) an author is transgender and is writing from a perspective within the culture or b) researchers are studying transgender cultures through quantitative means to determine sexual preferences, disease ramifications, and homelessness, just to mention a few of the recent quantitative studies. Few studies move beyond surface explorations of transgender identity, and even fewer address transgender language. This research fulfills a need in the communication and theatre disciplines to further understanding of transgender identity. 2 Texas Tech University, Prairie Endres-Parnell, December 2008 Review of the Literature Transgender History Transpersons are not a new phenomena. Through history accounts of those who fail to fit sexual norms occur, though such accounts are not prevalent. Prior to the recognition of transgender or transsexual identity as such, a group called by the incoming colonials “berdache” were recognized by the Native Americans. These individuals were said to live apart and be deemed good luck for the tribe; often, these individuals were considered extremely spiritual. Translated, berdache means to have two souls in one body; such individuals are now considered to be a “middle gender.” 5 According to Leslie Feinberg, this Native American subculture prefers to be known as “two-souled.” 6 Nearly one hundred years after the Native American “two-souled” people came now-famous transgender Christina Jorgenson. Born male, Jorgenson traveled to Europe for a castration surgery before returning to the United States and having a semi-structured vagina created. 7 Following the return of Jorgenson, the media became interested in the concept of transsexualism and the medical field, under the guidance of Harry Benjamin, took control of those who tested positive for gender dysphoria. 8 Once the medical community controlled the fate of transpersons, medical research increased. Improved medical procedures led to an increase in surgical treatment of gender identity disorder, rather than hormone or psychiatric treatment. During the period from 1950 to 1970, 5 Stryker, Susan and Stephen Wittle, eds. 2006. The transgender studies reader . New York: Taylor and Francis Press. 6 Feinberg, Leslie. 1996. Transgender Warriors . Boston: Beacon Press. 7 Feinberg, Leslie. 1996. Transgender Warriors . Boston: Beacon Press. 8 “Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders.” 2001. The International Journal of Transgenderism. 5. 3 Texas Tech University, Prairie Endres-Parnell, December 2008 surgery was the primary method of treatment, and successfully transitioned men and women were encouraged to blend back into society. 9 In the 1970s, Benjamin began to work towards a more complete treatment of transpersons and so, in 1979, he and a committee of doctors created the “Harry Benjamin Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders.” Since its inception in 1979, the Standards of Care has been updated several times, most recently in 1998. 10 As care for transpeople became more encompassing, transpeople began to refuse to fade back into normalcy after surgery and treatment. The 1980s saw a surge of gender “outlaws” who began to be very active in theoretical discussions as well as physical demonstrations.
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