Travestis in the Brazilian Cultural Context: Narratives of Identity Fluidity and the Subjectivity of Taxonomies

Authors: Francisco Luís and Anjos Neto*

DOI: 10.23880/aeoaj-16000238

Volume 7, Issue 2

Abstract

This article aims to clarify some concepts that essentially reflect the way in which people express their gender and construct their identity, whether in relation to sexuality or simply because it is the way in which they conceive themselves as individuals and are perceived by others. We will focus on discursive figures that sometimes do not have an exact correspondence with the way, in which people express themselves, however, like all concepts, they are intended to be filled with some dose of arbitrariness and themselves are very much contested by those who feel, in one way or another, categorized by it. We will then take a deep look on concepts such as crossdresser, transvestite, travesti, hermaphroidite and others among this spectrum of concepts. With this exercise, we intend to highlight the unique identity essence of being a transvestite and Brazilian.

Keywords: Travesti; Gender Expression; Identity; Socialization

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