TRANSGENDER AND THEIR VISIBILITY WITHIN THE MEDIA By

TRANSGENDER AND THEIR VISIBILITY WITHIN THE MEDIA By Ywlianna Dominquez

SOME CLARIFICATIONS trans·gen·der transˈjendər, tranzˈjendər/ adjective denoting or relating to a person whose self-identity does not conform unambiguously to conventional notions of male or female gender. Transsexual people experience a gender identity inconsistent or not culturally associated with their assigned sex, i. e. in which a person's assigned sex at birth conflicts with their psychological gender. http: //www. clanmcreynolds. com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/11/trans_spectrum. png

CHRISTINE JORGENSEN Christine Jorgensen (1926 -1989), formerly, George, W. Jorgensen, a frail, blond. Introverted young man, went abroad and returned a broad. Trying to hide behind the façade of a blond bombshell, this Ex-GI finds life difficult within the states. His marriage is invalid because men cannot marry each other. Christine Jorgensen was one of the first advocates for Transgender voices within America. She gained rapid publicity due to her openness surrounding her reassignment surgery, but this privy insight into her life would later lead to trends regarding the gender binary, and

SYLVIA RIVERA The Stonewall Riots lead to the gay liberation movement of the 1960’s, -1980’s. This movement urged lesbians and gay men to engage in radical ideologies and action by going against their secrecy and shame, with gay pride. This will soon later manifest itself as pride marches. Which include amazing trans advocates such as Laverne Cox, and Janet Mock. Sylvia Rivera was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance. She was a trans woman of Puerto-Rican Venezuelan descent and was a transgender advocate. She was an American drag queen who began her activism with the Civil Rights Movement (55 -68) and the antiwar movement. Her work focused mainly on Trans, poc, and poverty stricken individuals who were marginalized from the

JANET MOCK Janet Mock was a man up until the age of 18 years old. Now she’s a beautiful woman with a successful career as an American writer and author. She is also an advocate for Transgenders. Mock is very conscious of her pronouns and how people think of woman within the western world. In many interviews, she corrects people’s misconstrued notion that she was a male or a boy until her surgery; and at times using her successful surgery as a mark of her womanhood. Janet knows that she was always a woman, even if society viewed as a male before her alignment.

LAVERNE COX As a Transgender Woman, Laverne Cox was Able to Obtain a Role and Stardom through Orange Is The New Black. She is a respected member within that community, and her appearance is a testament to the changing views on women within America. Like most actresses of color, Laverne Cox faces many challenges within her career. But her issues intersect with her transgender status. One of the biggest backlash is the assumption that Ms. Cox is not a woman. Within the show, she is given a role of power in educating the rest of the women about their own female anatomy. A lot of viewers and magazines alike insist that her existence is predetermined by the gender binary.

BLAKE BROCKINGTON Blake Brockington is a shining example of how queer kids can assimilate to mainstream society. He was crowned prom King and was able to fundraise 2, 355. 55 dollars for his school. This is the first time an openly transgendered youth has done so in Charlotte. He wanted to set an example for future Trans Boys. Within the past week, Blake died due to a suicide. His legacy will not die, no matter how short it maybe. Blake became an outspoken advocate, speaking against police brutality and violence through Trangender’s Day of Remembrance in an attempt to rally organizations to this cause.