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Re-Presenting Gender Fluid Identity in a Contemporary Arts Practice

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Re-Presenting Gender Fluid Identity in a Contemporary Arts Practice Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 2011 Re-presenting gender fluid identity in a contemporary arts practice Matthew Jackson Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses Part of the Art Practice Commons, and the Gender and Sexuality Commons Recommended Citation Jackson, M. (2011). Re-presenting gender fluid identity in a contemporary arts practice. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/430 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/430 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. Where the reproduction of such material is done without attribution of authorship, with false attribution of authorship or the authorship is treated in a derogatory manner, this may be a breach of the author’s moral rights contained in Part IX of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Courts have the power to impose a wide range of civil and criminal sanctions for infringement of copyright, infringement of moral rights and other offences under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. 1 Re-presenting Gender Fluid Identity in a Contemporary Arts Practice Matthew Jackson Bachelor of Visual Art (Hons) This thesis is presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Education and Arts Edith Cowan University July 2011 2 Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge all of those who made this dissertation possible through their actions over the past three years. First and foremost my greatest gratitude must go to my most patient and supportive wife Kristine Lockwood. Thanks also to her parents Alan and Jennifer without whom I would not have had the financial support structures to finish this dissertation. Many thanks to Dr. Christopher Crouch and Dr. Nicola Kaye for their superlative supervision, support and friendship; I couldn’t have wished for better mentors. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mark Nicholson, Renee Cappetta and Linda Fry for so generously funding my global research trip. Thanks also to all the people who so generously provided me with meetings, contacts, information and accommodation whilst I was on my journey. Thank you Gay and Nancy Galsworthy (UK), Kenneth Fish and Robbie Hayes (Napa, California) and John and Susan Williams (Cambridge New Zealand) for taking me into your homes and nursing me back to health when necessary. My gratitude goes also to Nayland Blake and Harlan Pruden in New York, Manohar Elavarthi and our Hijra friends in Bangalore, Siripong in Bangkok, Adam Keim in San Francisco, Rich Kereopa in Auckland, Dan Taulapapa McMullin in Los Angeles for your friendship and help. My life is richer for having met you. Thanks also to Heather Shaw, Ash Porter, Sonja Seifert, Mark Chester, Lizzy Hendricks, Zoo and Fi Paskulich, Crina Belevi, Samantha Davies, norrie mAy welby, Jeff ‘Gryphon’ Gibbs and Alec Butler for the use of their invaluable photography and likenesses. 3 USE OF THESIS The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis. 4 Abstract This dissertation addresses the paucity of representation of gender fluid identity within contemporary imagery. An examination of historical and socio-political structures inherent in modern Western society serves as a foundational position for a broader exploration of differently gendered communities globally. The case is made for contemporary art to be encouraged as a tool for the emancipation of subjugated gender fluid identities. Examples of contemporary gender fluid visual art and artists are presented to illustrate the ability of art to enable agency within the broader gender fluid community. Finally, a commentary on my own artwork is presented and discussed in relation to the research and conclusions advanced within this dissertation. 5 Declaration I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief I. incorporate without acknowledgment any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher education; II. contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text; or III. contain any defamatory material. Matthew Meredith Jackson Dated: 16/06/2011 6 Table of Contents Acknowledgements 2 Use of Thesis 3 Abstract 4 Declaration 5 Table of Contents 6 Introduction 7 Chapter One - A personal overview of gender fluidity 16 Chapter Two - Foundations and history of gender 33 Chapter Three – Health professionals versus the gender fluid lifeworld 58 Chapter Four – Global perspectives on gender fluid identity 76 Chapter Five - The role of contemporary art as an emancipatory tool 106 Chapter Six - Achieving praxis in a contemporary creative practice 137 Us, Them and Me – A Commentary 144 Conclusion 180 References 185 Bibliography 192 7 Introduction This dissertation seeks to accomplish four distinct but concurrent goals; firstly, I endeavour to present a broad, but detailed overview of gender identity from a historical, theoretical and geographical perspective. Secondly I offer a perspective on Western modern gender identity from a number of voices, from both academic and lifeworld positions. Thirdly, I present an alternative perspective in the form of non Western gender fluid narratives. Finally I examine how each of these preceding aspects of my research has reflexively influenced the series of paintings I have produced in correlation with this dissertation. It is important at the outset to clarify two major points when approaching this dissertation; one is the use of the term ‘gender fluid’ in reference to many of the individuals and groups discussed within this text. The other is the argument for relevance and privileging of lifeworld voices within this dissertation. Use of the term ‘gender fluid’ Throughout this dissertation I refer to the gender fluid individual, and I am aware that this infers a concept of a classifiable sub culture with a community, be it local or global. It is necessary at this point to clarify this terminology as I do not wish to impose a set of cultural presuppositions on the cultural groups or individuals I will be discussing in following chapters. The term ‘gender fluidity’ has been chosen as an umbrella classification to encompass all realms of non hetero-normative, gender variant identity. This classification therefore acts as a convenient terminology, inclusive of all gender identity that sits outside of traditional paradigmal expressions of dimorphic gender. This is not to suggest that any of the individuals it refers to actively refer to, or think of their selves, as gender fluid. Most, if not 8 all of the groups discussed in this chapter have an established set of cultural beliefs and an already actualised gender identity and it is not my intention to infer otherwise. Many of the people and cultural groups discussed in this dissertation do not necessarily identify as either male or female in the Western hegemonic sense. In support of my argument and in an attempt to avoid a colonial perspective on gender identity I present a digest of non-Western perspectives on gender identity that in many instances is polemic and runs contrary to dominant Western hegemonic positions. In later chapters I present an overview of the lifeworlds, myths and representations of gender variant communities including India, Thailand and Indigenous North America. Along with this digest I will anecdotally discuss my own experiences with these cultures from a pan global research journey undertaken in late 2009. All this is in support of contextualising my practice. I shall argue that gender and gender identity are not limited to the binary of masculine and feminine as is traditionally accepted, but are far more ambiguous in their nature. With this in mind I discuss Jacques Derrida’s theories of deconstruction in correlation to the topic of gender (Derrida, 1997). To further substantiate my argument I draw upon contemporary scientific and psychological research which posits that at least one in five hundred people is born ‘differently gendered’ chromosomally (Edwards, 2006). I also review the effects of previously accepted modes of dealing with gender identity by the surgical and psychological professions, by first presenting the position of psychologist Dr. John Money (1972) and then discussing the long term consequences of the surgical and hormonal interventions he routinely prescribed. I examine the introduction of gender dysphoria clinics in the Western world and, drawing upon the writings of Sandy Stone, (Epstein, 1991) discuss the lack of agency for transgendered people within the hetero-normative structures of the health industry. 9 Most importantly to this dissertation, I assert the need to amend the discourse on gender identity to include those of the third gender, who I refer to as gender fluid throughout this text. From my position as a visual artist I have come to realise that the lack of gender fluid representation in visual art is surprisingly apparent. I introduce the proposition that the re- presentation of the gender fluid identity may inevitably help to generate acknowledgement and eventually lead to a greater understanding of gender fluid ontology within the broader community. I conclude that the necessary course of action is to create a visual language for gender fluidity that acknowledges the inherent ambiguity of its subject matter. To achieve this goal I both present discussions from queer and feminist theorists, such as Nayland Blake (1995) and Malcolm Miles, (1997) and suggest the appropriation of their methods in order to recode a visual vocabulary for the use in gender fluid representation.
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