Controversy over transgender contestant in Miss Universe Canada beauty pageant
Read More:Universe|Miss Universe Canada Beauty Pageant.|Miss Universe|Jenna Talackova|Beauty Contest
3
TIMES VIEW
No reason to exclude
It's been an eventful week or so for Jenna Talackova. Ever since the finalist in the MissUniverse Canada contest was disqualified by the organisers due to being transgender, she has been at the centre of a heated debate about the validity of her partici-pation. Now the organisers have allowed her to compete, but it's not clear that the rules have been changed for all transgender women. While the last half century has been one of greater fluidity and freedom in terms of the social identities we choose, we may now be pushing up against what some would consider the ultimate barrier - gender.
Here, however, we must note that our definition of what is 'natural' is constantly being revised. Once upon a time homosexuality was considered against the order of nature; this is no longer the case. Similarly, given medical advances and our current understanding of biology and gender psychology, rules such as the one which this pageant used to disqualify Talackova - that she was not born a woman - are soon likely to be superseded. After all, if a transgender woman wins abeauty contest, it must be because she matches up to standards of feminine beauty and the judges couldn't distinguish between her and 'natural born' women. It makes little sense, therefore, to exclude her from a beauty contest.
In Talackova's case she underwent gender reassignment surgery at 19, and every form of legal identity she holds states her to be female. In every way that matters - to herself, to the state and to others - she and so many others like her are female. With medical advances choosing one's gender is becoming a real possibility. If this has made gender identity fluid, that helps the cause of gender emancipation. Society, therefore, needs to readjust its sights - there is no need to look askance at the trans-gender phenomenon.
COUNTERVIEW
Don't play with nature
Ruby Aggarwal
The present celebratory mood over allowing a transgender woman to enter the Miss UniverseCanada pageant is nothing but an encouragement for rash and irresponsible experimentation. Critics of trans-sexualism have correctly labelled gender transformation as a "bizarre biological masquerade". Let's get real here: sexual identity and gender are based on genetics from birth. Unlike caste or religion, which are social practices and beliefs, gender differentiation is a biological phenomenon. Maleness and femaleness are in the DNA and are unchangeable. Attempts to subvert this biological order are loaded with disastrous implications - medically as well as psychologically. The division of sexes from time immemorial is meant to prevent society from spiralling into chaotic disorder. Why then subject your bodies to complicated surgeries simply to satisfy a psychological state of mind?
Can a transgender woman qualify to the status of a 'natural born' female? Can sex-change operations wholly transform a male into a female, psychologi-cally or even physically? The jury is still out on this one: let's not rush to conclusions. Besides, the real aspiration in today's world fraught with gender imbalances should be to achieve equality in every aspect of life. Trans-sexualism can hardly be the keystone of gender equality.
Those advocating sex-change operations would also do well to keep in mind the traumatising effects of such drastic medical interventions. A review of medical studies of post-operative trans-sexuals by the University of Birmingham has found no solid scientific evidence to the clinical efficacy of gender reassignment surgery. The study also underlines traumatising effects among post-surgery patients, besides harmful medical side-effects. Rather than disturb the natural order of gender, isn't it better to try and improve existing gender relations?
No reason to exclude
It's been an eventful week or so for Jenna Talackova. Ever since the finalist in the MissUniverse Canada contest was disqualified by the organisers due to being transgender, she has been at the centre of a heated debate about the validity of her partici-pation. Now the organisers have allowed her to compete, but it's not clear that the rules have been changed for all transgender women. While the last half century has been one of greater fluidity and freedom in terms of the social identities we choose, we may now be pushing up against what some would consider the ultimate barrier - gender.
Here, however, we must note that our definition of what is 'natural' is constantly being revised. Once upon a time homosexuality was considered against the order of nature; this is no longer the case. Similarly, given medical advances and our current understanding of biology and gender psychology, rules such as the one which this pageant used to disqualify Talackova - that she was not born a woman - are soon likely to be superseded. After all, if a transgender woman wins abeauty contest, it must be because she matches up to standards of feminine beauty and the judges couldn't distinguish between her and 'natural born' women. It makes little sense, therefore, to exclude her from a beauty contest.
In Talackova's case she underwent gender reassignment surgery at 19, and every form of legal identity she holds states her to be female. In every way that matters - to herself, to the state and to others - she and so many others like her are female. With medical advances choosing one's gender is becoming a real possibility. If this has made gender identity fluid, that helps the cause of gender emancipation. Society, therefore, needs to readjust its sights - there is no need to look askance at the trans-gender phenomenon.
COUNTERVIEW
Don't play with nature
Ruby Aggarwal
The present celebratory mood over allowing a transgender woman to enter the Miss UniverseCanada pageant is nothing but an encouragement for rash and irresponsible experimentation. Critics of trans-sexualism have correctly labelled gender transformation as a "bizarre biological masquerade". Let's get real here: sexual identity and gender are based on genetics from birth. Unlike caste or religion, which are social practices and beliefs, gender differentiation is a biological phenomenon. Maleness and femaleness are in the DNA and are unchangeable. Attempts to subvert this biological order are loaded with disastrous implications - medically as well as psychologically. The division of sexes from time immemorial is meant to prevent society from spiralling into chaotic disorder. Why then subject your bodies to complicated surgeries simply to satisfy a psychological state of mind?
Can a transgender woman qualify to the status of a 'natural born' female? Can sex-change operations wholly transform a male into a female, psychologi-cally or even physically? The jury is still out on this one: let's not rush to conclusions. Besides, the real aspiration in today's world fraught with gender imbalances should be to achieve equality in every aspect of life. Trans-sexualism can hardly be the keystone of gender equality.
Those advocating sex-change operations would also do well to keep in mind the traumatising effects of such drastic medical interventions. A review of medical studies of post-operative trans-sexuals by the University of Birmingham has found no solid scientific evidence to the clinical efficacy of gender reassignment surgery. The study also underlines traumatising effects among post-surgery patients, besides harmful medical side-effects. Rather than disturb the natural order of gender, isn't it better to try and improve existing gender relations?
No comments:
Post a Comment