Morgan, Sylvia (2017) Constructing Identities, Reclaiming Subjectivities, Reconstructing Selves: an Interpretative Study of Transgender Practices in Scotland
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Morgan, Sylvia (2017) Constructing identities, reclaiming subjectivities, reconstructing selves: an interpretative study of transgender practices in Scotland. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/8073/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Constructing identities, reclaiming subjectivities, reconstructing selves: an interpretative study of transgender practices in Scotland A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Sylvia Morgan (M.Litt, M.Ed) School of Social and Political Sciences, The College Social Sciences University of Glasgow, Scotland January 2017 Author’s Declaration I declare that the original work presented in this thesis is the work of the author Sylvia Morgan. I have been responsible for all aspects of the study unless where explicit reference is made to the contribution of others. This work has not been submitted for any other course or qualification on a previous occasion to University of Glasgow or any other institution. Sylvia Morgan Signed: ……………………………………………… Date:……………………………………………….. ABSTRACT This thesis provides a sociologically informed understanding of the intersubjective meanings of historical and emergent transgender identities and practices in Scotland. An investigation of the social construction of gender variant identities was conducted by means of an interpretative analysis, developed out of theories of phenomenology, ethnomethodology, symbolic interactionism and performativity, applied to the formation of gendered subjectivities. Empirical data took the form of narrative histories gathered through 38 in-depth interviews with 28 transgender-identified participants currently living in Scotland. As the first exclusively qualitative sociological study of transgender conducted in Scotland, the thesis contributes towards: research examining the formative experiences of trans people; research recording the narrative histories of older trans people; research methods for recruiting small, hidden, hard to reach populations; and a sociological understanding of the social construction of transgender identities and practices, in the context of changing legislation and social attitudes in Scotland. ‘People are different from each other’ (Eve Sedgewick, 1990:22) Contents Chapter 1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 2 1.1 Rationale for the Research ..................................................................................... 2 1.2 Aim and Objectives of the Research ...................................................................... 4 1.3 Gender Variance in Scotland ................................................................................. 5 1.4 Gender Variance Elsewhere ................................................................................... 8 1.5 Concepts and Terms ............................................................................................. 11 1.6 Structure of Thesis ............................................................................................... 16 Chapter 2 Literature Review....................................................................................... 20 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 20 2.2 Biomedical Genealogy of Transsexuality ............................................................ 21 2.3 Transgender Terminology .................................................................................... 28 2.4 Transgender Studies ............................................................................................. 33 2.5 Quantitative Studies: Survey Research ................................................................ 41 2.5.1 Scotland ............................................................................................................ 41 2.5.2 United Kingdom ............................................................................................... 45 2.5.3 Europe .............................................................................................................. 50 2.6 Qualitative Studies: LGBT UK ............................................................................ 52 2.7 Conclusion............................................................................................................ 57 Chapter 3 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................. 59 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 59 3.2 Interactionism - Performance of Gender .............................................................. 59 3.3 Ethnomethodology– Gender Accomplishment .................................................... 62 3.4 Bourdieu - Social Practice Theory ....................................................................... 63 3.5 Foucault – Biopolitics .......................................................................................... 69 3.6 Butler- Performativity of Gender ......................................................................... 71 3.7 Queer Theory ....................................................................................................... 74 3.8 Identities, Subjectivities, Selves ........................................................................... 78 3.9 Conclusion............................................................................................................ 79 Chapter 4 Research Methods ...................................................................................... 82 4.1 Methodology: Constructionist - Interpretative ..................................................... 82 4.2 Recruitment and Sampling ................................................................................... 84 4.2.1 Recruitment ...................................................................................................... 84 4.2.2 Purposive sampling .......................................................................................... 87 4.3 Data Collection - Interviews ................................................................................ 89 4.4 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................... 93 4.4.1 Thematic Analysis ............................................................................................ 93 4.4.2 Narrative Interpretation .................................................................................... 95 4.5 Ethics in the Research Process ............................................................................. 96 4.6 Anonymity and Pseudonyms................................................................................ 99 4.7 Reflexivity .......................................................................................................... 100 Chapter 5 Findings - Gender Practices .................................................................... 103 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 103 5.2 Subjectivities, Identities and Selves ................................................................... 104 5.2.1 Self-identification of Gender Identity ............................................................ 104 5.2.2 Age Distribution ............................................................................................. 106 5.2.3 Essentialist/Constructionist Identity .............................................................. 110 5.2.4 Narrative Construction of Self ....................................................................... 114 5.3 Meanings of Gender Categories & Practices ..................................................... 116 5.4 Bodies Do Matter ............................................................................................... 126 5.5 Performativity and Practices .............................................................................. 134 5.5.1 Binaries .......................................................................................................... 135 5.5.2 Definitional Disruption .................................................................................. 138 5.6 Conclusion.......................................................................................................... 141 Chapter 6 Findings - Formative Practices ............................................................... 144 6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 144 6.2 Families of Origin .............................................................................................. 144 6.2.1 Mothers .......................................................................................................... 146 6.2.2