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Reproducing and Resisting the Binary: Discursive Conceptualizations of Gender Variance in Children’S Literature

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Reproducing and Resisting the Binary: Discursive Conceptualizations of Gender Variance in Children’S Literature REPRODUCING AND RESISTING THE BINARY: DISCURSIVE CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF GENDER VARIANCE IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AMEERA ALI A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN GENDER, FEMINIST, AND WOMEN’S STUDIES YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ONTARIO July 2020 © Ameera Ali, 2020 ABSTRACT This dissertation contends that within the slowly growing representation of gender variant characters in children’s literature, particular subjectivities of gender variance are often emphasized while others remain overwhelmingly excluded. This research encompasses an exploration of gender and children’s literature in an attempt to gain an understanding of the ways gender variance is constituted within 30 children’s picture books featuring gender variant protagonists. By implementing a feminist poststructuralist theoretical orientation, this study utilizes a critical discourse analysis to respond to the following three guiding research questions: 1) How is gender discursively constructed within children’s picture books on gender variance? 2) How do characters constitute and navigate their gender subjectivities and subject positions within the narratives of these texts? 3) What subject positions are available for readers to identify and align themselves with within these texts? Key findings that were elucidated through this analysis include that: 1) these texts emphasize a largely [trans]normative depiction of gender variance, wherein binary forms of gender variance are overwhelmingly overrepresented; 2) non-binary subjectivities were largely underrepresented as they were only marginally present; and 3) agender and genderless subjectivities were wholly non-existent. Considering that children’s literature serves as a tool through which children can learn about themselves, others, and the social world, the overrepresentation of binary subject positions alongside the underrepresentation of non-binary and genderless subject positions has significant implications for the children engaging with these books. Children belonging to the latter two groups are not able to identify with these characters and thus do not find themselves represented within this genre of texts. These children learn that their subjectivity is ‘other’, peripheral, and fundamentally erased as they become relegated to the margins of a genre of literature that is already marginalized to begin with. More importantly, the prospect of existing ‘beyond’ and without gender is not a possibility within these texts as gender itself is principally naturalized and normalized. Given its distinct overlapping emphasis on childhood, gender, and discourse, this dissertation offers a contribution to scholarship within the fields of early childhood studies, gender studies, sociology, and discourse analysis, and thus is largely multidisciplinary in scope. Keywords: children; gender variance; gender non-conformity; children’s literature; picture books; discourse; non-binary; genderless ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation has only been possible due to the unwavering support of the individuals in my life. I would like to thank you all for your contributions in getting me to this point. I would like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Deborah Davidson. You have gone above and beyond your role as a supervisor, and have mentored me into the individual I am today. You have always made me a priority and I am so grateful for all of the time, patience, and encouragement you have provided me, along with the comfort of knowing you were always one call away. I will deeply cherish these past years of having the pleasure and privilege to have known you, and although I will miss our dissertation phone calls, I am excited to move from supervisor and student, to colleagues and lifelong friends. Thank you for all you have done for me and thank you for being you. To Dr. Rachel Berman, you have known me since I was a teenager figuring out my first few years of university and have stood by me throughout the pursuit of both my Master and PhD degrees. It was such a pleasure to have had you along with me for so long and yet, our friendship and journey of working together has just begun. Thank you for playing such a pivotal role in shaping my critical understandings of childhood and my development as an academic. To Dr. Amber Gazso, I met you as a graduate student in your class, went on to work with you as a TA, was fortunate enough to have you as a valued member of my supervisory committee, and I am lucky to call you my friend. Thank you for all of the diligence and care you have given me over the years, and for supporting my growth as a student, educator, and scholar. I am excited to see how life will keep us together. To Dr. Katherine Bischoping, thank you for all that you have done in ensuring that this process went both smoothly and enjoyably. I will always remember how calm and comfortable you made me feel during the defence, and will never forget your sincerity and care. I take great pride in having you as my intellectual great-aunt! To Dr. Natalie Coulter, it has been such a pleasure and honour to have met you over the past couple of years and I am sincerely grateful for all of the care and mentorship you have invested into my development in so many ways and in such little time. I am so thrilled that you were a part of this process and am even more thrilled to continue to work with you moving forward. Thank you for everything. To Dr. Naomi Hamer, it was such a wonderful experience to meet and engage with you at the defence. The role of an external examiner is so critical and you have handled this with such rigour, thoughtfulness, and kindness. Thank you for sharing your academic expertise and for all of the guidance you have offered me. I look forward to a blossoming relationship with you. I would also like to say a sincere thank you to everyone in the GFWS department who supported me throughout the years. A special thank you to Dr. Allyson Mitchell, Dr. Enakshi Dua, Hazel Beecham, Yemi Adebisi, Celeta Irvin, and Sue Sbrizzi. Thank you for always gifting me with your bright smiles and offering me so much support and encouragement throughout this journey. To all of the delightful individuals who make up the Sociology Department, thank you for giving me a second departmental home and for all of the meaningful conversations and moments we have shared. I will miss roaming the halls and seeing all of your lovely faces. To the wonderful members of the Teaching Commons, thank you for supporting me in building my pedagogical praxis which has also greatly influenced this journey. A special thank you to Dr. Natasha May, Lisa Endersby, Mary Lynn Belmonte, Dr. Geneviève Maheux-Pelletier, Dr. Mandy Frake-Mistak, and Dr. Celia Popovic. I will always cherish all of our time together. iii To my friends and colleagues, especially: Dr. Shihoko Nakagawa, Dr. Liane Cheshire, Elizabeth Johnson, Nancy el Gindy, Helen Dring, Aidan Moir, Daniela Sanzone, Andrew Molas, Racheal Lawrence, Zohra Nouri, Ame Khin, Dr. Abigail Shabtay, Dr. Keith O’Regan, Sarah Irwin- Gardener, Cathy Boyd-Withers, Rubina Karyar, Wendy Chappel, Tamar Faber, Grace Lao, Dr. Tannaz Zargarian, Sofia Noori, and Sabina Mirza; thank you for supporting me through this process in whatever way you have. Whether it was through your constant support and check-ins, or simply having an encouraging conversation when running into one another, I appreciate you all. To my partner, Mohsen, thank you for all of the support and encouragement you have offered from day one until now. You are my inspiration and I aspire to be as passionate of a scholar as you are. I am excited to embark on the next chapter of my academic life knowing I will have your steadfast support and fruitful words of wisdom as always. I look forward to many more engaging conversations with you as we continue to traverse the academy. And lastly, to my parents. My gratitude to you in the roles you have had in contributing to this journey goes back to my first day of school when I was just shy of 4 years of age. Thank you for always fostering and nourishing my insatiable passion for education throughout the decades and instilling into me the values that have contributed to where I am today. Thank you for striving to give me so many opportunities that I never thought I would have been able to have, and for emphasizing the value in hard work, humility, and perseverance. Without your time, sacrifices, love, and dedication, the seeds of my academic ‘plant’ would neither have been able to sprout nor grow. I am eternally grateful for everything you have done for me. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ v Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Issue ................................................................................................................. 1 Objective and Scope of Study ....................................................................................................
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