Redressing the balance: Lived experiences of the harms of visually mediated transgender identity

Abstract

<jats:p>Trans* identities have a history of being constructed, regulated and erased. Often a trans* individual’s social status is judged by others on the basis of their perception of that individual’s achievement of normative standards of gender. We are living through a time characterized by the prioritization of visual identity alongside intense scrutiny of trans* identities in relation to their authenticity and right to recognition. Research should support a reorientation of scrutiny towards these issues and acknowledge their relevance to lived experiences of the hegemonic discourse related to conceptualizations of gender as binary that engulf trans* individuals' lives. This paper is informed by empirical research undertaken at the University of Plymouth and in particular reflections on trans* individuals’ lived experiences of social harms. It contributes to victimology by presenting a discussion of cultural (re)presentations of the self and processes of othering in relation to trans* individuals. The adoption of participatory visual-narrative methods as a route through which to challenge these harmful discourses is proposed. Such methods can refocus our gaze away from trans* individuals as problematizing the world for others, and on to the lived experiences of the structures and processes that foster stigmatization and marginalization.</jats:p>