Reading Response #22

Summary:

     In the article "Transgender Rhetorics: (Re)Composing Narratives of the Gendered Body" by Jonathan Alexander, readers learn about the concept of transgender theories in relation to feminist studies that are used to help understand gender as a social construct. Alexander breaks down the article into subheadings and presents specific examples to help his argument. He talks about student writing and provides various stories of student experiences. Alexander believes that this concept should be confronted with an open mind in order to provide for better comprehension of the gender construct.


Synthesis:

     Alexander's article is closely related to the various articles we have read regarding identity within writing. The concept of transgender identity can relate to the concepts of Black English (Smitherman), Flynn's feminist/women concepts, and others.


Applying and Exploring Ideas:

3. The significance of trans pedagogy are the differences that it brings and the thoughts which it provokes. People are forced to think more deeply about the subject and look into the actual meanings of gender. Exposure to this construct could open up more minds and give people more insight; people would not necessarily be as judgmental. This concept is not as discussed as others, but I believe this significance is true throughout other minorities because when students are exposed to them, they are forced to think. They must open their minds in order to understand the complexity of what is going on.

4. Alexander describes gender as a construct because there is no solid definition. It is very much negotiable. This is seen through the concept of trans pedagogy. Transgender studies require the need to throw out all definitions and characteristics of male and female normality and transform meaning into something completely new. The concept is very personal, yet also can be political because there are people who do not fit the social norms that we have been taught, which provokes national and political/societal attention.


Personal Response:

     I got lost within the article at times due to the complexity of the topic and Alexander's writing, as well as the long length. However, I found this article to be interesting because most of the time as students, we are not required to look into this topic and we are rarely brought into it. We study gender as plain male or female, and are normally not looking at the transgender community. It provoked some thought in me and I think that Alexander got his point across well.