Trans Liberation, 78ers & Assessment Task 3 Preparation

Trans Liberation and Lived Experiences

Introduction and Content Warnings

• This week's focus is on trans liberation.

• Content Note: We will be viewing videos documenting individuals' experiences with police-enforced violence.

  • Some older, dated terminology will be encountered. These terms were reclaimed and reused for specific purposes at the time but are not recommended for current use.

  • The principle that "personal is political" is paramount. Individuals have lived experiences that may transform abstract debates into deeply personal realities. It is crucial to be mindful of this in all learning environments.

  • Earlier class discussions on Pride parades highlighted the significance of lived experience.

The 78ers' Experiences and Police Violence

• The 78ers: This term refers to people who participated in the original Mardi Gras march in Sydney in $1978$. These videos detail their experiences with police violence.

• Historical Context of the 1978 March:

  • It was originally organized by the Sydney Gay Liberation Front and was not called "Mardi Gras" at the time.

  • It was a rally, not a parade. Rallies and marches are often forms of resistance, whereas parades are typically celebratory. The 1978 event was fundamentally an act of resistance.

  • Participants faced severe police violence.

• Video Content:

  • Video 1: Features interviews, including Peter Murphy, discussing general experiences of police violence. It's approximately $4$ minutes long, with somewhat unclear sound but with transcripts available. It addresses a critique of an attempted apology by the New South Wales police force, deemed insufficient by the 78ers.

  • Video 2 (Peter Murphy Interview): This video is about $2.5$ minutes long, with clear sound and transcripts. Peter Murphy recounts his specific, near-fatal bashing at the hands of the police, making it an emotionally intense viewing experience.

• Viewing Advisory: Due to the explicit nature of discussions on police violence, viewers are encouraged to take breaks if needed (e.g., turn off screen/sound, step away) as the content is intense.

  • These topics are addressed in Week $10$ with the assumption that students have developed a foundational understanding of the history and nuances involved.

Debriefing: Cultural Memory and Police at Pride

• A "circuit breaker" image is used post-video to transition and debrief, acknowledging the horrific nature of the stories.

• Purpose of Bearing Witness: These accounts highlight what it means to achieve liberation and take up public space. It explores the idea of existing fully and wholly in public, rather than being confined to the private sphere.

• Discussion Points:

  • Police Presence at Pride: The videos connect to ongoing debates about the presence of police at modern Pride parades. This debate is global and revolves around whether police are "policing space" or if the community is "reclaiming space."

  • Cultural Memory: How do the historical accounts of police violence inform contemporary resistance to police presence at Pride marches?

  • Commercialization of Pride: The discussion also touches upon concerns about the commercialization of Pride spaces, questioning why individuals might need to march under corporate banners rather than solely as their authentic selves.

Unpacking Liberation Movements: Women's, Gay, and Trans Liberation

• Stryker Reading: This week's reading by Stryker is noted as challenging but provides clear arguments, particularly concerning radical feminism, and traces the historical unity and divergence of these movements.

• Key Debates from Stryker's Article:

  • Perceptions of Gender: Trans liberation movements (as discussed in Stryker's time) focused on the possibility and desirability of movement between genders and breaking down universal gender expectations for individuals (though non-binary experiences were less visible in the text). Gay liberation, in some aspects, created its own gender roles.

  • Radical Feminism's Stance: Women's liberation, particularly radical feminism, often adopted a rigid definition of a "woman is one thing," leading to critiques (e.g., comparing transsexual research funding to "Nazi science" indirectly via "The Transsexual Empire").

  • Unique Needs Neglected: Trans people's specific needs for identity recognition and medical care were often neglected by broader gay liberation and feminist movements.

  • Reinforcing Stereotypes: A significant debate was the radical feminist view that trans women reinforced negative stereotypes of womanhood by embodying certain ideals, while trans women argued they were expressing their authentic selves.

  • Origins of Stereotypes: The stereotype of trans women as rapists, as discussed by Stryker, may trace back to specific conflicts, but its roots likely precede and are broader, potentially linking to concepts like "hydraulic sexuality" (Week $6$ or $7$ material) which frames male sexuality as inevitable and needing prevention.

Charting the Debates: A Summary Table

(Note: This table is a simplification and cannot fully encapsulate complex historical debates.)

The Poststructuralist Lens

• Foundational Idea: Building on Foucault's ideas of discourse and bodies as sites of power from last week, poststructuralism views bodies as nuanced, subject to, and capable of resisting disciplinary power.

• Critique of Essentialism: The "real female form" or "real woman form" is impossibly to universally define, as human experiences and identities are incredibly varied. This challenges the rigid definitions often found in radical feminist discourse.

• Problem with Radical Feminist Focus: Radical feminism often focuses on biological factors like reproduction or menstruation. However, not all women (cis or trans) can reproduce or menstruate, and biological sex itself is not static or simple.

• Diversity of Trans Women's Experiences: Not all trans women conform to or prioritize traditional aspects of womanhood.

• Connect to First Nations Feminism: If it's accepted that not all First Nations women align with all forms of feminism due to their unique experiences of oppression (as discussed last week), then the same acceptance should logically extend to trans women. There is no single universal experience of being a woman.

• Overall: Power infiltrates and affects individuals in diverse ways, meaning a single, unifying experience for all women is not feasible.

• Note to Students: This is an advanced concept for a first-year unit, but it is presented with the trust that students can grasp its nuances, especially after prior discussions.

• Further Research: For those interested, seeking out trans academics who write about their lived experiences is highly recommended.

Assessment Task 3: Essay Discussion

• Due Date: Friday, October $3$rd (approximately $2.5$ weeks away).

• Weighting: This essay is worth $50\%$ of your total unit mark.

• Word Count: $2000$ words ($+!/!- 10\%$).

• Referencing: APA $7$th edition.

• Minimum Readings: Use a minimum of $3$ set readings from the unit list, but more are encouraged to demonstrate comprehensive engagement.

• Instructions: Respond to one of the three statements below. Clearly state your chosen question at the beginning of your essay.

• Archival Documents: You may use archival documents, but ensure they are different from those used in Assignments $1$ or $2$.

Assessment Task 3: Question 1

• Question: "Concepts of gender in Australia have changed dramatically over time. Discuss some of the ways in which the ideas of either womanhood and femininity or manhood and masculinity have changed."

• Key Requirements:

  • Choose EITHER "womanhood and femininity" OR "manhood and masculinity." DO NOT DISCUSS BOTH.

  • Focus on "changed dramatically over time," meaning your essay must cover multiple historical periods, not just one specific era. Aim for at least two or three distinct periods.

• Potential Topics:

  • The public and private sphere.

  • Genteel femininity.

  • Mateship.

  • Sexology.

  • The "discovery" of homosexuality.

  • Suffragettes and First Wave Feminism.

  • The impact of World War I and II on gender roles.

  • Women's Liberation and Radical Feminism.

• Tips:

  • Archival documents can be effectively used here.

  • You might trace a specific aspect, like the evolution of "genteel femininity."

  • Avoid spending too much time discussing contemporary issues if unit readings didn't cover them extensively (e.g., focus on $1950$s housewives rather than "tradwives" if the material is richer for the former).

Assessment Task 3: Question 2

• Question: "Histories of sex, gender, and or sexuality are also histories of resistance. Discuss with reference to specific Australian historical events and or periods."

• Key Requirements:

  • You can discuss one, two, or all three terms (sex, gender, sexuality). Feel free to problematize the distinctions between them.

  • Reference "specific Australian historical events and/or periods." Your essay must cover more than one period/event; avoid focusing solely on one.

• Potential Topics:

  • Pre-colonization understandings of gender and the immediate impacts of colonization.

  • The role of the Gold Rush and its impact on gender roles.

  • Mateship during specific periods (e.g., $19\text{th}$ century).

  • Periods from colonization through to sexology.

  • Genteel femininity as a reaction to the Gold Rush and classism.

  • First Wave Feminism, suffragettes, and anti-migration perspectives.

  • The impact of World War I and II on gender roles.

  • Women's Liberation, Trans Liberation, and Gay Liberation movements.

• Tips:

  • Ensure your examples are specific, not vague.

  • Provide a clear definition of "resistance," drawing from academic sources or reputable dictionaries.

Assessment Task 3: Question 3 (Choose Your Own Adventure)

• Question: "Craft your own essay topic that addresses gender, sex, and/or sexuality across Australian history. The topic has to cover more than one historical event or time period. Discuss it with me and obtain an email approval prior to Week $10$."

• Key Requirements:

  • The topic must address gender, sex, and/or sexuality within Australian history.

  • It must cover more than one historical event or time period.

  • Crucially: You must discuss your topic with the instructor and obtain email approval before Week $10$ (which is this week, so act quickly; early next week may still be possible for discussion).

• Potential Focus Areas:

  • A particular person or persons.

  • A specific event or place/location.

  • A specific aspect of gender, sex, or sexuality that you wish to explore in depth (e.g., tracing Edward de Lacey Evans's history and its connection to gender roles in WWI/WWII).

Assessment Task 3: Rubric and Advice

• The essay is worth $50\%$ of your overall mark.

• Rubric Breakdown:

  • Engagement with Unit Content ($17.5\%$): Assesses the use of references from across the unit, expansion on seminar/lecture debates, and evidence-based writing.

  • Historical Knowledge ($17.5\%$): Evaluates contextual knowledge (e.g., differentiating between early/late $19\text{th}$ century, $1910$s/$1950$s), and the avoidance of presenteeism (the idea that the past is inherently "worse" or less evolved).

  • Argumentation ($10\%$): Checks for a clear, coherent argument that consistently answers the essay question. Tip: Copy and paste the question into your document header to stay focused.

  • Writing ($5\%$): Assesses clarity, absence of typos/grammatical errors, and correct APA $7$ referencing. Ensure thorough proofreading.

• Overall Advice: This essay is an opportunity to showcase your knowledge and engagement with the unit's content. Rise to the challenge by demonstrating comprehensive learning.