Congress Paper Abstract

Genderlove and genderfreedom: towards an emancipatory politics of trans/gender

Surya Monro, Doctoral Student, Dept of Sociological Studies, The University of Sheffield. 

Email: s.c.monro@sheffield.ac.uk

This working paper reports on findings from doctoral research concerning Transgender/transsexuality (TS/TG) and emancipatory gender politics. I utilised feminist and empowerment methods in conducting research with TS/TG activists, community leaders and others.

Trans problematises gender and sexual orientation binaries. Transgender people change sex physically and/or socially and T experience includes non male/female as transition stages and in some case as intersex or androgynous identities.

The problematisation of binaries posed by T people has important implications for sexual politics. Politics based on binaries dissolve when biological sex becomes mutable and gender roles more fluidly constructed. this fluidity epitomises the poststructuralism of Judith Butler. However poststructuralism is shown to be limited, since findings underline the importance of gender as a means of communication and show some T people to experience it as innate. Moreover, gender is central to social structure, and findings demand structuralist analysis of gender inequalities.

This research explores the conflicts and possibilities occurring within Transpolitics and how these relate to other politics of gender. Struggles rage between feminists, queer and TS/TG activists and within TS/TG communities, where needs to assimilate clash with needs to challenge a deeply transphobic and heteropatriarchal society. ’Gender Freedom’ calls for the recognition of diversity, agency, non harm and equality.

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