Gender can be defined as the socially constructed behavior, attributes, and characteristics that a particular sex performs. On the other hand, sex is biological difference between male and female. Sexuality means sexual expression and orientation. Gender, sex, and sexuality seem to be very interrelated terms, but, usually the meaning is broad and complicated to define in a particular manner that suits every individual in every society.
‘Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation,’ co-edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman is a canonical works that contains essays, poems, and comics including an introduction, an intermission, and an epilogue by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman. This anthology is structured into five parts that gather stories, personal experiences, and gender issues from a diverse group of trans individuals that effectively and profoundly deconstruct, rebuild, and reevaluate the concept of gender. The contents of this book represent the gender identity, and step by step process of transition via their experiences, stories, and interpretation of gender which is the overarching theme of this anthology. The writers describe gender histories and events that have reflected their sense of being transgender or gender queer. Each part covers the stories and personal experiences of writers which are provocative, humorous, insightful, tender, and strong. All stories, essays, and poems of each part give the relationship and issues regarding sex, gender, and sexuality.
Equally important, Kate Bornstein, along with other authors in this book, challenges the gender ideology and narrates gender identity through her experiences. Some authors have different opinions from others for the very concept of ‘outlaw’, making its meaning more complexity and relating it to the greater depth of gender binary issue. According to Bornstein's quote in her memoir, ‘Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us’ (1994, pp. 3-4), “there is need for recognizable identity and the need to belong to a group of people with a similar identity.” By this, she means if an individual wants to be accepted and wants to have an identity in the society, he/she must belong to either one of two groups of people: males or females. In practice, gender includes the social behavior, activities, attributes and cultural characteristics that a society identifies and determines appropriate for men and women. Gender is too broad and complex to interpret in a particular way in association with social interaction and relation among individuals.
Furthermore, human beings need to have an identity not only for themselves but also for others. We use every set of standards to identify ourselves and others in every society, and each set of standards has an opposite set, like; female versus male, good versus bad, and hetero- versus homosexual. Every society has an assumption that an individual must fit into one set of standards that society specifies as standard for an individual to belong to in a binary system. Also, the male and female binary system is devised and adopted as a natural occurrence; however, authors in this book challenge the binary system and set themselves as contradictions to this system. They provide strong argument, experiences, and events that give a clear evidence to disprove hetero-normative systems of sex, gender, and sexuality.
It is generally believed that gender and sex are interconnected and non-interchangeable terms. Social and cultural beliefs assign the gender identity depending on the type of genitals you have. This is clear from the fact that it is very difficult for people to recognize and accept any individual as a man who has vagina and any woman who has penis. This fact is opposed by the Sherilyn Connelly in her essay ‘The Big Reveal.’ She emphasizes that her gender identity has not affected by her penis. For her, sex organs are not the basis for gender identification; he/she must be comfortable with his/her inner feelings and emotions. Thus it can be concluded that gender reflects an individual’s identification of the mind and emotions, whereas; sex belongs to biology of body and comfort within one’s body.
The concept of gender, however, has been challenged by sex reassignment surgery (SRS). By successful SRS surgery and hormonal intake, people have transformed themselves from one sex to another. This gives an idea that gender is changeable and shows clear evidence that change in gender requires change in sex as well, but, some activist opposes this concept. In ‘I am Transreal: a reflection on/of Becoming Dragon,’ Micha states how trans people become complete and perfect both internally and externally via SRS. In ‘Trans-ing Gender: The surgical Option,’ Mercedes Allen talks about the health related problems, financial burdens, religion restrictions, and their own personal view in doing the GRS. There are many health related issues related to GRS and hormonal therapy that have challenged the need of GRS among transgender people. Some trans are fine with the genitals and physical body they were given. In contrast, other find it necessary to have GRS in order to fit in society. This explains how trans people are opposing the social set of standards and are seeking an alternative standard set for identification.
Additionally, identification of sexual orientation is not always associated with gender or sex identification. Trans people create confusion regarding the connection between sexuality, sex, and gender. They may have sexual expression and orientation to males or females in a similar way as a male might be attracted to either male to female. The sexual expression and orientation of a trans person to males or females despite their sex changes or assigned at birth, suggests that sexual identification and orientation is influenced by personal experiences and interpretations gained from societal factors, such as, school, family, friends, religion, and culture. But there are gendered difference in trans people’s expectations, experiences, personal interpretations, and understanding about sexual orientation and desire among transsexual people in how society perceives, negatively or positively.
The experiences of different authors and their mixed reactions regarding the gender issues, for example, equality and right for transgender people, differ from one another, however, their common purpose is to be accepted as a human. The authors have focused on gender issues that they encountered in their workplace, on the bed, and in society from diverse individuals, like, their intimate life partners, their friends, and family. Transgender people face many serious consequences: humiliation, dominance, harassment, and discrimination in society and thus this situation discourage their participation in social activities, and these situations act as a hindrance for the overall development of trans people in society.
Furthermore, many authors explain that the definition of gender based on binary sex is inadequate. Gender can be defined according to the context, opinion, feelings, and social interpretation of how a society and its people specify roles for a particular sex. Gender roles are interrelated with an individual’s sex. Society and government impose strict rules and regulations to limit rights and opportunities for trans people.
Interestingly, authors have argued that if trans people can cry, and act, and have blood, feelings, and emotions as other human beings have, why are trans people being harassed and not accepted into society. In ‘Trans Corporation,’ CT Whitely gives an example showing the benefit of being a transgender man in corporation. It shows that trans people are successful in understanding and interacting with both male and female groups to deal with complicated situations. In the ‘Princess,’ comic, Christine Smith portrayed the bullying issue faced at school with great force and humor. To overcome all these obstacles, many others have raised their voices against the system and discrimination. In ‘Letting My light Out,’ Leona Lo addresses the issue of Christian fundamentalism’s threat to a trans woman. All these reflect their issues, problems, and complications on one hand, and, their positive role and contributions to enlighten their capability and success for the development of society on another hand.
Additionally, Julia Serano in her essay ‘Performance piece,’ discusses that gender is not a merely performance rather it is a “confusing and complicated mess” (Bornstein et al., 2010:85). Our bodies and our desires are influenced by all external expectations that people place on us. She argues that gender is inexplicable, profound, varied, and intricate. Gender reflects behaviors and ways that come to an individual naturally which are not always associated with our physical performance. She gives an example that her way of acting and clothes she wore were the same during her hormonally transitioned state. Gender is an “amalgamation of bodies, imagination, desires, identities, life experiences, sensations, and behaviors” shaped by both naturally and socially acquired culture and language (Bornstein et al., 2010:87).
Furthermore, she argues, why would people express their feelings and emotions that may denote non-normative genders that bring high risk when shown in the public if gender is merely a performance? We, as human being, have learned gender from our birth. Certain characteristics, behaviors, and ways that come in one’s life are somehow more naturally influenced than others.
All in all, many poems, essays, comics, and experiences shared by many authors in ‘Gender Outlaws’ focuses and challenges the gender ideology and gender stereotypes to a greater depth. Bornstein and Bergman discuss about their memory from the past association, and analyze the physical and mental changes occurred in trans communities as a result of active movements of trans activists, and slowly changing interpretation of social norm. “Gender Outlaws’ emphasizes that constant intersections with gender, race, religion, sex, and sexuality is a fundamental need for successful representation of trans identities rather than isolation. To prove and illustrate this, Bornstein and Bergmann in this anthology have provided several diverse stories from trans communities. Authors have challenged, via their experiences and active movements, the social pressures that exist for trans people due to the socially structured binary gender system. To me, works and attitudes of discriminating, harassing, and imposing inhumane rules and norms on people based on gender, sexes, and sexuality in this modern era, obviously are the reflections of human tyranny. Thus, let’s create truly more just, equitable, and peaceful society by ending all the forms of discrimination and inequalities that exist in society.
Work Cited
Bornstein, Kate, and S. Bear Bergman, eds. Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation. Berkeley, California: Seal Press, 2010.
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