The Transgender Phenomenon [Paperback]

Richard Ekins (Author), Dave King (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0761971645 | ISBN-13: 978-0761971641 | Publication Date: October 1, 2006

CHOICE MAGAZINE Outstanding Academic Title for 2007

`The field of "transgender" and "transpositionality" has been carved out as a new field of inquiry in the past decade, showing the fragmentation and diversification of masculinities and feminities - along with the error of any sharp polarisation. Dave King and Richard Ekins are the leading world sociologists in this field and have mined it richly since the 1970's. The book brings together a brilliant synthesis of history, case studies, ideas and positions as they have emerged over the past thirty years, and brings together a rich but always grounded account of this field, providing a state of the art of critical concepts and ideas to take this field further during the twenty first century. This is a must read for all interested in this new area of inquiry ' - Ken Plummer, Professor of Sociology, University of Essex. Editor of Sexualities. Author of Intimate Citizenship

`An outstanding survey of the evolution of trans phenomena, splendidly written, highly informative, scholarly at its best, yet easy to read even for those neither trans nor sociologist. Drs Ekins and King, experts in the field, unroll the panoramas of sex, gender, and transgendering that have evloved during the last decades. For everyone wanting to understand the interaction of women and men and of those who cannot or will not identify with either of these two cataegories, reading this book is a must, and a real pleasure' - Professor Friedmann Pfaefflin, University of ULM

`In a work destined to be a classic, Ekins and King offer a comprehensive overview of the diversity of contemporary transgender expression, along with an impressive conceptual framework for making sense of that diversity. The abundant case vignettes bring the authors' concepts to life and make the book a pleasure to read' - Dr Anne Lawrence, Clinical Sexologist in Private Practice, Seattle

`An outstanding survey of the evolution of trans phenomena, splendidly written, highly informative, scholarly at its best, yet easy to read even for those neither trans nor sociologist. Drs Ekins and King, experts in the field, unroll the panoramas of sex, gender, and transgendering that have evloved during the last decades. For everyone wanting to understand the interaction of women and men and of those who cannot or will not identify with either of these two cataegories, reading this book is a must, and a real pleasure' -

This groundbreaking study sets out a framework for exploring transgender diversity for the new millennium. It sets forth an original and comprehensive research and provides a wealth of vivid illustrative material.

Based on two decades of fieldwork, life history work, qualitative analysis, archival work and contact with several thousand cross-dressers and sex-changers around the world, the authors distinguish a number of contemporary transgendering `stories' to illustrate:

" the binary male/female divide;

" the interrelations betwen sex, sexuality and gender;

" the interrelations between the main sub-processes of transgendering.

Wonderfully insightful, The Transgender Phenomenon develops an original and innovative conceptual framkework for understanding the full range of the transgender experience.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is indispensable for anyone working in (trans)gender and sexuality studies and is a vital history of the interrelationships among these various transgendering narratives in Europe and America from the early 1970's to the present. The authors deftly move across disciplines, from early sociologist George Herbert Mead to Michel Foucault and Kate Bornstein, making this book a welcome relief from some of the narrow, discipline-bound work in transgender and sexuality studies. Summing up: Essential Upper-division division undergraduates and above." (J.M Irvine )

About the Author

Dave King and Richard Ekins are the leading world sociologists in this field and have mined it richly since the 1970's. Tales of Transgendering brings together a brilliant synthesis of history, case studies, ideas and positions as they have emerged over the past thirty years. The book brings together a rich but always grounded account of this field, providing a state of the art collection of critical concepts and ideas to take this field further during the twenty first century. This is a must read for all interested in this new area of inquiry - Ken Plummer, Professor of Sociology, University of Essex. Editor of Sexualities. Author of Intimate Citizenship

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761971645
• ISBN-13: 978-0761971641
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #704,515 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting, but a little "out there", June 1, 2008

By 

Tia "tia.calkin" (alaska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Transgender Phenomenon (Paperback)

This book aimed to describe the evolution our Euro-American culture has gone through in the past in terms of individuals who do not fit the dominant cultures idea of male or female. The two authors take a sociological approach that attempts to explore differences in identity.

The first chapter briefly defines the structure of the book in which it deals with four different processes or modes of trangendering. This term includes many other aspects of sexuality including transsexual and transvestite.

The first category of transgendered individuals is based on our current cultures binary view of gender. This category abides by three rules; there are only two genders (M/F) of which you must pick one or the other, and there is no switching back and forth between them. Individuals who wish to migrate to the other gender do so in various methods. The author's describe it literally as a move, or switch to the other side, with no intention of turning back. This process can include body modification or substitutions which can range from surgery to altering clothes. While there is evidence throughout history of transgendered people there was little that could be done until medical technology's advancement. Prior to 1970 there were many cases of self castration or body mutilation. "Passing" in society is now a realistic option with improvements of hormone replacement therapy and reassignment surgery. It wasn't until 1966 that at John Hopkins the first sex change operation was performed.

Christine Jorgensen is one of the earliest cases of a full MTF operation. In Jorgeson's case the medical profession agreed to castrate him as hope to cure his homosexuality. It wasn't until publicity of the case did doctors treat it as reassignment surgery. The view of the 50's and 60's was that behavior, society, and environment shaped your gender not genes. Psychologist John Money coined the term "gender identity" in which he naively assumed he could select the sex of a child and raise it either way successfully. This lead doctors and psychologists awareness of differences between anatomical and psychological sex.

Virginia Prince coined the term, "transgenderist" (1979) and believed that there were three aspects to sexuality including the sexual, psychological, and social. Prince considers herself a male woman who cross dresses and makes some body substitutions whose concerns are psychological and social, not sexual. Dr. Fisk views true transsexuals as those who are intensely consistently uncomfortable in their assigned gender. Anne Lawrence and Ray Blanchard have identified two categories of MTF transsexuals. Those who are masculine in behavior and attracted to men (autogynephilia) and those are feminine boys (homosexual transsexual).

The third chapter also is based on the assumption that there are two genders. This includes people who oscillate back and forth. The author compares it to tourism, or crossing the border, but there is always a return "home". Any modification to the body or behavior is temporary and usually done through clothing substitutions. It is commonly done by transvestites which literally means, opposite clothing. Most cases of cross dressing are accounted back to childhood in which there was a preoccupation with the other sex's clothing. It is categorized in the DSM as a paraphilia, or fetish. True transvestites are defined as heterosexual and usually married with children. "Drag" is a more comfortable term for those who are in performance. There is no such thing as a closet drag queen/king.

The next chapter is where things get a little "different". The third orientation includes those who wish/have gone through un-gendering. They wish to negate their gender entirely so they can either erase, or substitute for something else. There are many examples in fantasy fiction literature that speak about people who are neither male nor female. Throughout history there have been great leaders who were eunuchs who did not have to be distracted or influenced by their sexuality. Several examples of "male sissy maids" were used to demonstrate instances in which people currently are un-gendered. These sissy maids make up a 3rd gender in which males become submissive house maids to dominating women. Many steps are taken to erase their maleness including shaving, gaffing, general neutral clothing, etc. While at first it appeared to me as a form of role playing but apparently it is a real profession in which no sexual exchanges are made. From the impression I got, male sissies do not have sexual relations with males or females, but rather themselves through masturbation and often "pink rubber sheets". I thought this whole scenario seemed a bit fictitious. Just because a handful of people take part in this fetish activity does not mean it deserves a whole chapter in a book. Unlike other examples of transgendered people I find this identity as less substantial and not entirely related to gender but perhaps other disorders. It would make more sense to me if it were part of an oscillating behavior, but not a permanent lifestyle.

The final category including those who are "transcending" gender, which involves gender "outlaws". They share an ambition to create a new gender in which males/females are intermixed. The biggest obstacle they face is the discrepancy between society's ultimate values of freedom of expression and their actual behaviors/attitudes on that matter. Even though identity is temporary and fluid I think a collapse of binary gender is not possible in society today. Our gender is integrated into every institution and aspect of our lives. It would be more of a political obstacle than anything else. Maybe in the future, we will all be sterilized and use techniques of assisted reproduction so gender won't matter. This model is also influenced by postmodernist theory and queer theory. Although I am familiar with the first, I wish queer theory would have been explained in more detail. Photographer Del laGrace Volcano identifies as a "hermself" gender queer. While he uses the male pronoun he identifies also as intersexed and as a "gender terrorist". His appearance and performance has been quite fluid throughout his life, and he represents both genders at the same time.

Obviously the last two models are the most unique. Over time I can see even more labels being created out of necessity as people continue to explore their sexuality and identities. I found the book really interesting and thought it read like a romance/science fiction/futuristic novel. Considering the authors are both sociologists I would have preferred less personal instances or "case studies" and more representable categories. I also liked all the chronological references that helped put the issue in a historical context.

While it is clear that our sex (genitalia) is firmly responsible for reproduction our gender however can operate independent of the restrictions and norms society places upon it.