Outperforming Ourselves: Invitation for Dialogue
August 2002
in “
Sexualities
”
TLDR The critique suggests that Wilton's work unintentionally supports the very stereotypes it aims to question and calls for a broader, more inclusive approach to understanding gender.
In the 2002 critique by Myra J. Hird, the arguments of Tamsin Wilton on male-to-female (MTF) transsexualism are analyzed and found to inadvertently reinforce the psycho-medical discourses they intend to challenge. Hird argues that Wilton's reliance on Cartesian dualism and focus on sex reassignment surgery (SRS) as 'medicalized discourses' overlooks the diversity of trans experiences and excludes non-binary narratives. The critique extends to Wilton's use of male pronouns for trans women and the omission of FTM accounts. Hird advocates for a more nuanced understanding of gender and corporeality, challenging essentialist views and promoting dialogue within transsex, lesbian, and feminist communities. The document also addresses the heteronormative bias in psychoanalytic and psychiatric reports, the problematic nature of defining womanhood biologically, and the importance of inclusive gender narratives that recognize the performative aspects of sex and gender. Hird calls for unity among feminist, lesbian, queer, and trans communities to address broader social issues.
