Well, in this first half of chapter 3 of Eve Shapiro's Gender Circuits entitled "New Biomedical Technologies, New Scripts, New Genders," it sounds as if the biotechno stuff goes a long way in keeping everything status quo as far as gender norms and scripting. It's true, however, that there has been no mention yet of gender reassignment surgeries or the hormone therapies that go along with that. But at this point, I question whether or not those will even constitute straying from normal gender practices.
Looking at what Shapiro did discuss in the first half of this chapter, it is apparent that much of the hassles people put themselves through biologically (everything from bariatric surgery to spa treatments) are in direct alignment with keeping the scripts already established by society. As Shapiro points out, if only 59 percent of the population of the U.S. are obese women, why is it that 85 percent of the bariatric surgeries are performed on women? (147) Well, even a 5th grader, to borrow from Jeff Foxworthy, could answer that question; it's because women are suppose to be thin!!! Another disturbing fact that Shapiro points out is that "the most common cosmetic surgery procedures for people of color are nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, and breast agumentation, which are all procedures that alter racialized facial and body features to better match White norms" (152). So not only are we attempting to meet correct gender scripts, but we are also trying to reproduce the hegemonic power structures.
At this point in time, this book is simply depressing me. I've always known that this society does everything possible to maintain gender norms and power structures, but this text points this out with statistics and facts that can't be ignored. I just keep telling myself that even with the proof being presented, things have gotten better. For some, the internet has opened up a wealth of information and things like transgender are no longer taboo subjects to discuss in the open. And even though I haven't read it yet, I'm sure that Shapiro will discuss the fact that it is easier for people trapped in the wrong body to get help, something that just a few years ago was still extremely difficult.
So tune in tomorrow night to see if Shapiro does indeed find the positive in the biotechno aspects of gender. Hopefully, I'll get to finish the chapter.
Looking at what Shapiro did discuss in the first half of this chapter, it is apparent that much of the hassles people put themselves through biologically (everything from bariatric surgery to spa treatments) are in direct alignment with keeping the scripts already established by society. As Shapiro points out, if only 59 percent of the population of the U.S. are obese women, why is it that 85 percent of the bariatric surgeries are performed on women? (147) Well, even a 5th grader, to borrow from Jeff Foxworthy, could answer that question; it's because women are suppose to be thin!!! Another disturbing fact that Shapiro points out is that "the most common cosmetic surgery procedures for people of color are nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, and breast agumentation, which are all procedures that alter racialized facial and body features to better match White norms" (152). So not only are we attempting to meet correct gender scripts, but we are also trying to reproduce the hegemonic power structures.
At this point in time, this book is simply depressing me. I've always known that this society does everything possible to maintain gender norms and power structures, but this text points this out with statistics and facts that can't be ignored. I just keep telling myself that even with the proof being presented, things have gotten better. For some, the internet has opened up a wealth of information and things like transgender are no longer taboo subjects to discuss in the open. And even though I haven't read it yet, I'm sure that Shapiro will discuss the fact that it is easier for people trapped in the wrong body to get help, something that just a few years ago was still extremely difficult.
So tune in tomorrow night to see if Shapiro does indeed find the positive in the biotechno aspects of gender. Hopefully, I'll get to finish the chapter.
RSS Feed
