http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20585301,00.html
Jenna Talackova, originally born Walter, always had a the “internal conviction that” she should have been born with a female’s body rather than a male’s, and expressed that conviction behaviorally [1]. At the age of 14 she started going through hormone treatment and by 23, she underwent sex-reassignment surgery, had her Adam’s apple surgically removed, and received breast implants. She transformed into a “leggy model” who has competed successfully in transgendered and more traditional and exclusive bigendered pageants since her operations. She was selected recently to compete in Miss Universe Canada, a pageant owned by Donald Trump and operating under the Miss Universe franchise guidelines. Given that there are “rules about a contestant’s gender at birth,” [2] and that Talackova falsely claimed to be born female, she was ousted from the competition. Her rejection from the Miss Universe pageant represents our ignorance about the differences between sex and gender, our solely bigendered focus, and our fear of those who do not identify with their “natural” state at birth.
The term sex, referring strictly to biological processes that define an individual’s form, is often seen as the former side of the nature versus culture dichotomy. Gender, “necessarily excluding biology” [1], is seen as relating to socialization and perception of one’s self and one’s sexuality. Variations in sexual organs and physical manifestations of one’s sexuality do not just affect one’s sex but also one’s gender. Fausto-Sterling describes human sexuality as similar to Russian nesting dolls, with multiple layers. She states that “an individual doll is hollow, [but] only the complete assembly makes sense” [1]. A slight alteration from the wooden dolls in humans, however, is that their shapes can change with time, but the change must occur at all levels so the layers continue to fit. The believed difference amongst individuals who have studied the topic is that gender is a social construction whereas sex is strictly scientific. However, as Fausto-Sterling’s quote above alludes, sex is just as much a social construction and evolves with social norms.
Sex and gender as terms and concepts are often incorrectly used interchangeably. When using these terms however, they are most often used to describe the traditional decision made at birth of an individual's sex; as a society we do not condone sexual transformations or social influences that would create a difference between one’s sex and one’s gender. A doctor’s decision to alter an intersex child in order for them to socially conform means that the public generally refuses to allow one’s sex and gender to differ. If an intersex individual were allowed to maintain their mix of sexual organs, they would be given the opportunity to established a gender identity, and possibly, if circumstances allow, surgically alter their sex to align with their gender.
Because of this ignorance surrounding sex and gender terms and definitions, the subtleties to which they refer, and the truth about the influence of social beliefs on both notions, transsexual and transgender are also confused. The confusion in this instance also comes from a fear of individuals who associate as transgendered or transexual. While transgendered represents a range of ambiguous gender and sex relationships, transexual, as a subset of this, describes individuals with gender and sex misalign and who take medical steps to align their “internal gender identity with their physical self” [3]. The Miss Universe pageant, like the medical community and public belief, only accepts one notion, and that is what is determined at birth, when defining who is allowed in their competitions. Any misalignment between one’s sex and gender is not taken into consideration, as femininity and masculinity are assumed to be integral parts of one’s sexual identity, and not one’s gender. The irony of this situation is that the main focus of the pageants are exuding femininity, which is not necessarily based on one’s sex and more often stems from social influence. Talackova’s postoperative looks represent my perception of a highly feminine and seductive beauty, with thin, long legs, a sculpted body, beautiful golden locks, and high, delicate cheekbones. Femininity as a traditionally gendered characteristic, which is even defined by the World Health Organization as representing the gender category, is the most important part of pageants, but those who do not or in the past have not sexually aligned with this, are excluded. Determination of one’s sex is the deciding entry factor, when one’s expression of gender is what is praised [4].
The wariness of accepting an individual who does not fit into the model of sexual and gendered dualism explains the derision Talackova faced in middle and high school from immature adolescents. It also unfortunately explains the ridicule and rejection she has faced from the adult community now that she is living and working in their circle. “The knowledge developed by the medical disciplines empowers doctors to maintain a mythology of the normal by changing the intersexual body to fit, as nearly as possible, into one or the other cubbyhole” referring to the male or female boxes on legal and official documents. Although the federal and legal systems go to great lengths to maintain two sexes, our bodies do not, and thus male and female, and their manifestations, masculinity and femininity, “stand on the extreme ends of a biological continuum” [2]. Without two genders, it is difficult for society to conceptualize the relationship between individuals, which is usually defined by gender differences and the associated characteristics. Accepting a continuum of genders and sexes, and thus a continuum of human interactions, is required, as the bisex system is not representative of true biological processes; the dual system of sex and gender in which we function must become more versatile.
While the opportunity to have medical intervention to align one’s sex and gender is empowering for transgendered individuals, it also served to reinforce the two-gender system, and the medical and public belief that the “body, sex, and gender must conform,” [1] as Fausto-Sterling asserts. An unfortunate result of this procedure which has the power to make a transgendered individual feel as if they can live comfortably within one’s own body. Talackova speaks of not being able to look at her penis when seeing herself in the mirror, and being ashamed of the growth on her body [5]. Her procedure was able to liberate her from this depression but it moved her to the extreme female and feminine side of the gender continuum spectrum. Obviously, she did not move far enough for the pageant, and in actuality an individual moving their own identity and placement on that spectrum is unlikely to ever be accepted in such a traditional and non-accepting institution.
The rules of the pageant currently state that all contestants must be naturally born females. The emphasis is placed on the belief that a doctor’s determination at birth is the natural state. This places a god-like ability in the hands of the medical community because, perhaps unknowingly to the general public, the nature of biology is not always so clear cut. The medical community chooses to alter the natural biological equipment of some individuals in order to enforce the traditional gender division. Because these changes are reinforcing “nature,” unlike artificially transformations later in life to fit an alternative “natural” state, doctors in general are seen as moral and physical protectors; this is in contrast to the ostracization transgendered individuals face when confronted about their own decision to adjust their bodies.
Fausto-Sterling states that “humans are biological and thus in some sense natural beings and social and in some sense artificial--or, if you will, constructed entities” [1]. She also explains that in most scientific discussions, sex and nature are thought to be real and grounded in actual fact and reality, whereas gender and culture are seen as constructed and therefore less binding. The amount of power physicians have in affecting the lasting psychological, physiological, and social circumstances of an individual is not the proper balance and does not give weight to the individual or their ability to give consent; the use of their expertise which “enables them to ‘hear’ nature telling them the truth about what sex such patient ought to be” is grounded in social and not scientific beliefs.
Talackova wrote that she had been born a woman, which is illegal based on pageant rules because at birth she was sexually labelled as male. She, however, claims that from her first memories, she felt as if she should identify as a woman, and would feel complete if her sex also represented this gender association. The pageant and society, by claiming that certain decisions and labels are natural and others are artificial, seem to be using symbols that really do not invoke the meanings they desire. The issue behind the focus on a bigendered system, ignorance about sex and gender relationships, and the reliance on “nature” to enforce the current dichotomies and social norms, is that society is unwilling to, in the short term, transform their views of acceptable behavior. By appealing to what is natural to prevent acceptance of individuals who have undergone sex changes or associate with a range of gender identities, society can continue to ignore these individuals despite the modern rise in outward expression.
Nature and natural processes, however, are in no way static, and are constantly transforming and cycling in response to the many systems of which it is made. Artificial objects, on the other hand, are for the most part non-renewable, static, unchanging entities. To embrace what is “natural” means to embrace the changes one physically, psychologically, and socially faces and to alter one’s acceptance accordingly. Society and the Miss Universe Pageant instead do the opposite, while claiming to embrace one’s natural state. Talackova underwent many transformations and identified as a female at birth and felt as if her natural identity was opposed to the physical manifestations of her sex. To claim that she was naturally born female may not have represented the strict biological definition of sex, but certainly represented her role in society, interaction with other individuals, and identity. Her rejection from the pageant represents nothing more than fear of what is different, ignorance of gender and sex issues, and static viewpoints on one’s ability to change.
[1] Fausto-Sterling, Anne. Sexing the Body. New York: Basic Books, 2000.
[2] Dyball, Rennie. “Jenna Talackova Removed from Miss Universe Canada for Being Transgender.” People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20581831,00.html
[3] Rankin, Beth. “Transexual vs. Transgender: Explaining the intricacies. Fusion Magazine (2004) . (http://fusion.kent.edu/archives/spring04/trans/trans.html).
[4] Gender, Women, and Health. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/gender/whatisgender/en/
[5] Mascia, Kristen. “Jenna Talackova: I Was in the Wrong Body.” People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20585301,00.html
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