“A gente sempre tem coragem”: identificação, reconhecimento e as experiências de (não) passar por homem e/ou mulher*

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze the experiences of (not) passing as a men and/or women as contemporary performances of femininities and masculinities in order to go beyond the comprehension of a totally autonomous subject in face of their experiences of gender and sexuality, nor to take it from an idea of cultural determinism. From the ethnography of online and offline spaces, interviews and documentary analysis, I discuss the identification and the desire of recognition from different interlocutors considering some social markers of difference. I conclude that the act of (not) passing as occurs through the possibility of action before several elements, in a context of appreciation of the differences, but also rejections and discrimination towards the ones considered too different.

Interpersonal Violence and Passing: Results from a Brazilian Trans-specific Cross-sectional Study

“…There is selective impunity on crimes against trans women that makes the feeling of insecurity a daily occurrence in this group of the population (Leal & Mendonça, 2019). There are basically two mechanisms described that explain passing as a protector from violence in general, but as a risk factor for family violence in transgender women through the trans-panic mechanism (Blondeel et al, 2018; Clark, 2019; Duque, 2017; Lee, 2019; Lucca & Passamani, 2018; Lyons et al, 2019; Rodriguez et al, 2018).…”

“…Passing is an expression related to the social evaluation on whether a trans person’s gender is perceived as deviant or not, attributing validity to it (Duque, 2017). The term is controversial and debated since that alignment, defined by social norms and expectations, may be related to an attempt by trans people to fit into heterocisnormative and binary standards.…”

Poetic opening stanched by violence

“…For most clients, the travesti is never 'fully' or 'completely a woman'; she is ambiguous (Benedetti, 2005;Duque, 2017). Even when seduced by a femininity or even an ambivalence, at some point, the client perceives the ambiguity (of the penis, of being penetrated), or he perceives that it evanesces and a side emerges from which he yearns to escape.…”

Violência pós-morte contra travestis de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

“…There are issues like a person's birth name or legal name and their "nome social" (lit., social name; chosen name) that have a negative impact, limiting access to services, schools, formal work. Being identified as a travesti leads to prejudiced manifestations and discrimination 30 . For many, prostitution is all that remains as a source of work and income 31 .…”