SWMS 355 Gender Studies Spring 2006
TRANSGENDER STUDIES
Walter L. Williams, Ph.D.
Professor of Anthropology, History, and Gender Studies
Office hours: following each class, and by appointment.
This is the third time this class has been offered by the
Gender Studies Program, among the first to be offered in the nation, on
transgender issues. Open to students from
a broad range of departments and programs, this class will cover the spectrum
of transgender roles from cross-cultural, historical, sociological and
psychological perspectives. Androgyny,
transvestism, transsexuality, and other transgender behaviors will be examined,
as well as intersexuality, medical standards, mores, laws, and social attitudes
toward transgender people. Five models
of transgenderism will be considered: medical, biological, psychoanalytic,
cognitive-social learning, and social constructionist.
REQUIRED
Helen Boyd, My Husband Betty (Group West Press).
Vern Bullough and Bonnie Bullough, Cross Dressing, Sex, and Gender
(
Richard F. Docter, From Man to Woman: The Transgender Journey of
Virginia Prince (Docter Press).
Christine Jorgensen, Christine Jorgensen: A Personal Autobiography
(Cleis Press)
Serena Nanda, Gender Diversity (Waveland Press).
Walter L. Williams, The Spirit and the Flesh: Sexual Diversity in
American Indian Culture (Beacon Press).
ADDITIONAL SOURCES (not required):
J.J. Allen, The Man in the Red Velvet Dress
Harry Benjamin, The Transsexual Phenomenon
Jennifer Finney Boylan, She’s Not There: A Life in Two
Genders
H. T. Buckner (1970). “The Transvestite Career Path.” Psychiatry 33,
pp. 381-389.
Holly Devor, FTM: Female to Male Transsexuals in Society
Holly Devor, Gender Blending (FTM)
Anne Fausto-Sterling, Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality
James Green, Visable Man (FTM)
Judith Halberstam, Female Masculinity
T. Cohen-Kettenis, Friedemann Pfafflin, Transgenderism
and
Intersexuality in Childhood and Adolescence (Sage).
Dhillon Khosla, Both Sides Now (FTM)
Don Kulick, Travesti: Sex, Gender and Culture among Brazilian
Transgendered Prostitutes
Joanne Meyerowitz, How Sex Changed: A History of Transsexuality
in the
Serena Nanda, Neither Man Nor Woman: The Hijras of
Esther Newton, Mother Camp: Female Impersonators in
Leila Rupp and Verta Taylor, Drag Queens at the 801 Cabaret
Daphne Scholinski with Jane Meredith Adams, The Last Time
I Wore
a Dress (Riverhead Books)
W. Simon and J. Gagnon (1986). “Sexual Scripts: Permanence
and
Change.”
Archives of Sexual Behavior 15, pp. 97-119.
June Singer, Androgyny
Betty W. Steiner, ed., Gender Dysphoria
J Stephen Whittle, Respect and Equality: Transsexual and
Transgender Rights (Cavendish)
.N. Zhou, et. al. (1997). “A Sex Difference in the Human
Brain and its
Relation to
Transsexuality.” International Journal of
Transgenderism I, p. 1.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. USC faculty and affiliated scholars will lead discussions and lectures, but because this class is a seminar student attendance and participation are essential. Each week you will read an average of about 100 pages, which is the College Deans’ standard for reading requirements in Gender Studies classes. Since you must be present in order to engage in discussions, if you miss more than one weekly meeting, you will be graded down. (10% of semester grade).
2. Midterm exam, covering the readings and discussions during the first half of the course (30% of semester grade).
3. Final exam,
covering the readings and lectures during the last half of the course (30% of semester grade).
4. Term research paper (doublespaced typed 12-15 pages in Times New Roman12 point, with one inch margins) should be carefully analyzed data gathered through research with sources other than the textbooks, and well written in style and professional citation form.
Choose a research topic related to the class subject, and intensively investigate it using at least six sources (use at least three of the following kinds of sources: books, journal articles, magazines, newspapers, unpublished manuscripts, film/video, internet sources).
Plagiarism of a paper will result in an "F" grade in this class. If it is suspected that a paper has been copied or bought, the instructor may ask the student to undergo an oral examination on the sources cited, as well as other requirements. The purpose of the term paper is to improve the student's writing and thinking processes, not just to turn in a completed work. Plagiarism will be treated as a VERY serious violation of the university's ethics rules, and may also result in expulsion from the university.
Turn in a written research proposal by the second week of classes, along with a beginning bibliography. The professor will approve or suggest changes in this topic, and the student will not change that topic unless consulting individually with the professor and turning in a new research proposal with bibliography, in writing, no later than the fifth week of classes.
(30% of semester grade).
CLASS SCHEDULE (dates are approximate and may be revised)
WEEK OF:
January 12 Introduction to the class.
READ: Begin doing reading to discuss in next week’s class.
ASSIGNMENT: Search for a research paper topic, and locate sources.
January 19 Cross-cultural perspectives
DISCUSS: Spirit & Flesh Preface, Introduction, Chapters 1-4 and 11.
Assignment: turn in research paper topic if possible, with 4 sources.
January 26 Cross-cultural perspectives
DISCUSS: Spirit & Flesh Chapters 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12.
Deadline to turn in research paper topic with at least four sources.
February 2 Cross-cultural perspectives
DISCUSS: Nanda, Gender Diversity
February 9 Historical Perspectives
DISCUSS: Bullough, Cross Dressing Chs. 1-4.
Assignment: prepare
take-home midterm test.
**** Friday February 17
Turn in take-home MIDTERM TEST.
February 16 Historical Perspectives
DISCUSS: Bullough, Cross Dressing Chs. 5-8.
February 23 Variations of transgenderism
DISCUSS: Helen Boyd, My Husband Betty
March 2 Transsexualism
DISCUSS: Christine Jorgensen first half.
March 9 Transsexualism
March 16 Spring Break NO CLASSES
Work on research paper during this week.
March 23 Cross dressers
DISCUSS: Docter, From Man to Woman pp.1-100.
March 30 Drag Queens, Drag Kings and Gender Impersonators
DISCUSS: Docter, From Man to Woman pp.100-140.
Bullough, Cross Dressing Chs. 9-11.
April 6 Biological and medical models of transgenderism and
intersexuality.
DISCUSS: readings to be assigned.
April 13 Transgender career paths: from prostitute to professional
Guest speaker
April 20 Transgender Activism
DISCUSS: Bullough, Cross Dressing Chs. 12-14.
April 27 .Reducing prejudice against transgender people.
********** Friday April 28.
final deadline to turn in RESEARCH PAPER *******
FINAL EXAM, on discussions and readings since the midterm, to be turned in before the scheduled exam date.