Women Studies: Transgendered Individuals Gender Identity
Woman: Considering the Definition in Terms of Poster Modern Feminine Theory and the Inclusion of Transgendered Individuals
The word woman is in direct relation to a multitude of factors such as anatomy, categorization, gender, and choice, each of which allots being a woman its own requirements. However, one definitive manner in which it is defined is explicitly not male as society is very bipolar in regards to gender in this sense. As a result of this polarization the term woman does not capture the diversity of gender experience and gender identity in the world. One’s identity is the entirety of themselves and their experience, and having gone through a transition, identifying with one end or the other of said transition is not a sufficient means of such. In the article “Critical Identities: Rethinking Feminis Through Transgender Politics” Eleanor MacDonald argues for the terms of gender identity to be revised. Feminist theorists have agreed that the presence of transgendered people is not destructive to feminism. This hasn’t always been the belief as is iterated by traditional feminist Janice Raymond who wrote in her book that “transsexuals rape woman’s bodies by reducing the real woman from artifact”. Feminist of the postmodern era believe that the acceptance of transgendered people creates a sense of diversity. The array of diversity amongst transgendered people can result in the binary break down of the mind and body. Since transgendered individuals break down the binary dualism between the body and mind that allows for diversity, which in turn makes it more acceptable for postmodern feminist. What they do not want to acknowledge however, is the categorical difference between male and female, but is what many transgendered individuals desire for they have been denied this label for so long. The politics that surround transgendered individuals and gender identity should be taken seriously by traditional feminist and postmodern feminist. MacDonalds
The word woman is in direct relation to a multitude of factors such as anatomy, categorization, gender, and choice, each of which allots being a woman its own requirements. However, one definitive manner in which it is defined is explicitly not male as society is very bipolar in regards to gender in this sense. As a result of this polarization the term woman does not capture the diversity of gender experience and gender identity in the world. One’s identity is the entirety of themselves and their experience, and having gone through a transition, identifying with one end or the other of said transition is not a sufficient means of such. In the article “Critical Identities: Rethinking Feminis Through Transgender Politics” Eleanor MacDonald argues for the terms of gender identity to be revised. Feminist theorists have agreed that the presence of transgendered people is not destructive to feminism. This hasn’t always been the belief as is iterated by traditional feminist Janice Raymond who wrote in her book that “transsexuals rape woman’s bodies by reducing the real woman from artifact”. Feminist of the postmodern era believe that the acceptance of transgendered people creates a sense of diversity. The array of diversity amongst transgendered people can result in the binary break down of the mind and body. Since transgendered individuals break down the binary dualism between the body and mind that allows for diversity, which in turn makes it more acceptable for postmodern feminist. What they do not want to acknowledge however, is the categorical difference between male and female, but is what many transgendered individuals desire for they have been denied this label for so long. The politics that surround transgendered individuals and gender identity should be taken seriously by traditional feminist and postmodern feminist. MacDonalds
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