Bypassing Binaries: Towards a Feminist Politics of Transgression
This project is an archaeology of queer theory's tensions with feminist thought, as illustrated through understandings of the transgender body. First, I will examine the roots of both feminist's and queer theorist's understandings of sexuality as it relates to gender, pleasure, and danger. After that, I will examine the work of transgender activists who have been in direct conversation with the academy's theories to illustrate the ways that both feminist and queer approaches have been insufficient in addressing the specificities of the transgender experience. Considering these bodies of literature in conjunction with each other is important, as the ways that transgender activists push conversations around binary gender construction can serve as valuable model for activists concerned with addressing actual, lived realities outside of theory. Further, the challenges transgender bodies pose to both feminist and queer theories demonstrates the pressing need to constantly re-evaluate theories of sex and gender as they relate to embodied experiences. Ultimately, I will propose a new theoretical paradigm, a feminist politics of transgression, which will bring together the work of feminists, queer theorists, and transgender activists in the hopes of providing a platform for more effective collaboration. I believe that this work is necessary to bring current scholarly discussions of sexuality into a place which is more inclusive and ethical.
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
A Note on the Politics of Location
Postmodernism and its Discontents
analysis Anne Koedt anthology argue Barnard College Barnard conference binary gender binary opposition bodies and identities chapter Combahee River Collective context critique cultural debate discourse discussions of sexuality drag balls examine female sexuality femininity feminism feminist and queer feminist community feminist discussions feminist movement feminist politics feminist Sex Wars feminist theorists feminist thought framework gender and sexuality gender identities gender presentation Glick groups hegemonic heterosexual identity categories identity politics illustrate issues of sexuality Judith Butler Kipnis Koedt’s lesbian liberation libratory male masculinity Monique Wittig negotiate the spaces notion nuanced paradigm particular passing patriarchal control pleasure and danger politics of transgression pornography potential queer politics queer theorists question radical feminists radically challenge relationship between pleasure resistance role scholars second wave second-wave feminist sex-radical feminists sexual pleasure sexual practices socially constructed specific tensions theoretical theory’s transgender activism transgender activists transgender body transgender theory vaginal orgasm Vance violence Wittig woman women’s sexual