Blog Assignment 3

                To show minoritizing and universalizing discourses of sexuality, I chose True Life: I’m changing my Sex. In this episode there is a male to female trans woman, Elle, and a female to male trans man, Ted. Elle and Ted express how they feel as though they were born into the wrong body and take steps to correct this biological mistake. Both begin by taking estrogen or testosterone but then later proceed with sex reassignment surgery. The cameras follow them through this journey from the beginning as they inform their loved ones of their decisions to the end as they live their lives post-surgery.

                I will first talk about Elle and her journey. Elle, before even coming out to herself, was married to a woman. She admits about being extremely depressed and suicidal while she was living her life as a man. She also states that she would try not to have sexual thoughts because she felt as though they were wrong and confusing. Elle thought of her upcoming surgery as life or death, “suicide or surgery”. This surgery was not just cosmetic and elective for her. Post-surgery, Elle states, “For the first time ever in my life I want to live.” The surgeon that performed Elle’s sex reassignment surgery was also transgendered. This draws on a universalizing discourse that trans people can be people of intelligence and also very accomplished. This is not a norm we see upheld in today’s society. Lull defines a norm as something that is usual and standard. It is not a norm for transgendered people to be known for their occupations, especially as surgeons. For this trans woman to be made known in such a way really challenges the norms put on all trans people.

After healing from surgery, Elle begins to date. She tells the cameras how a guy came up to her in a bar and was hitting on her. She immediately told him that she was a transsexual and was surprised by his reaction. He was ok with it and called her the next day proving he really was. This as well is a universalizing discourse. In our culture, it is the “norm” for two cisgendered people to date or to desire relationships. Here, the norm is shattered. Not only are Elle and her potential date shattering a norm but how it is done is shown in a very natural way. This is especially so by the man’s interest before and after Elle told him about her being trans.

Ted’s story is quite different from Elle’s. Ted, before deciding to transition, thought the obvious role was to be a lesbian simply because it was easier to explain. This immediately draws on minoritizing discourses. Society situates cisgendered individuals as the norm and makes it difficult for a transgendered person to present themselves as who they are without immense amounts of judgment. This judgment and lack of acceptance is painfully clear when Ted expresses to his family that he has decided to go through with surgery to remove his breasts. His brother says, “It’s just a cosmetic surgery that’s not necessary.” His own mother still calls him her daughter and refers to him by his birth name, Ashley. She also said how she still considers him a girl and that she does not want a son. In his family’s minds, his birth given sex is what he is and it shouldn’t be tampered with. This pulls from the minoritizing discourse that gives fixed and absolute meanings without fluidity.

Works Cited

            Lull, James. “Hegemony”. Media, Communication, Culture: A Global Approach. New York and Chichester: Columbia University Press, 1995.

            Brown, Adriane. Class Lecture. “Refiguring Gender on the Small Screen.” The Ohio State University. Columbus, Ohio. February 2011.