Gender outlaw on
men, women, and the rest of us / Kate Bornstein
Gender outlaw on men, women, and the rest of us - Kate Bornstein
A thoughtful challenge to gender ideology that continually asks
difficult questions about identity, orientation, and desire. Bornstein
cleverly incorporates cultural criticism, dramatic writing, and
autobiography to make her point that gender (which she distinguishes
from sex) is a cultural rather than a natural phenomenon. The chapters
range from ``fashion tips'' on her writing style to dialogue between
herself and another about the ``nuts and bolts'' of the surgical
process of a gender change (which she has undergone). Confronting
transgenderism and transgendered people is not easy for many
individuals, but Bornstein does it in a way that sparks debate without
putting her audience on the defensive. She suggests that ``the culture
may not simply be creating roles for naturally-gendered people, the
culture may in fact be creating the gendered people.'' Her discussion
of the ``parts'' of gender is based on respected sources and includes
analyses of gender assignment, identity, and roles. Things get mixed
up, according to Bornstein, because ``sexual orientation/preference is
based in this culture solely on the gender of one's partner of
choice,'' in effect confusing orientation and preference. Seeing queer
theater as a place in which gender ambiguity and fluidity can and
should be explored, she includes in the book her play, Hidden: A
Gender. Bornstein uses the term ``gender defenders'' to describe those
who work hard to maintain the current rigid system of gender, and she
claims that her ``people'' (i.e., the transgendered) are just beginning
to challenge the system and to demand acceptance and understanding.
Bornstein's witty style, personal approach, and frankness open doors to
questioning gender assumptions and boundaries.
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