Research Paper - Presentation

Unfortunately it will not let me upload audio files, but they are accessible within the PowerPoint attached at the bottom.

Through portrayals of the transgender body, this paper examines the way that the lived experiences of transgender people have been effected by the American Government Legislation.

Introduction

The word 'transgender' is an umbrella term that encompasses an extensive range of self-identifications beyond the binary of male and female.

It is not only about transitioning physically or medically between genders but is representative of an assertiveness about being who you are, making transgender lived experiences both complex and multifaceted. Personal narratives extend beyond society’s concept of journeys of self-affirmation, where the term transgender is not limited to the states of pre-operative, post-operative, or in-transition.

For my personal research, I conducted interviews with three artists – Ebenezer Galluzo, Evan Schwartz and Cassils. I spoke to them about their practice, how they feel their artwork fits into contemporary society and individual artworks that were prominent in a discussion regarding the oppression of trans rights and a history of prejudice in the American legislation. We also discussed how their experiences of navigating America as LGBTQ+ individuals have shaped their artistic practices into what they are today and how the Trump legislation impacted them as a person, as well as an artist.

Ebenezer

Ebenezer Galluzo identifies as both transgender and non-binary, depending on how he feels, he will use different methods to bind (or not), as to what feels most comfortable to appease his dysphoria that day.

Galluzo came out as transgender only a few months before the Trump administration came into power, which meant that the process of transitioning came at a rather frightening time, which I’ll let him tell you about.

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Considering the audience of this art would be surrounded by a narrative of transphobia, the outcome was not surprising.

By not allowing a stranger to impart a new, derogatory comment onto his trans body, he aimed to make a negative commentary feel redundant.

On reflection, he realised the photography was a coping mechanism, capturing his experience of transitioning in the only way that felt safe.

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Evan

Best Man portrays the gaps Schwartz feels with cisgender males, which change, expand and contract. That the differences he feels from them is not always what is assumed, because politicians fashion their debates of transgender people around the body, and the body is only one piece of it.

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Schwartz felt pushed into the spotlight by the change in administration in 2017.

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Three years ago, Schwartz described his practice as “suspended”, stating that when he experiences something that makes him think – that’s when he starts to create.

So it can’t be coincidence that, when Trump-era legislation was still being pushed through, Schwartz created The Lies I Tell Myself - a series of photographs reenacting the facial expressions he has witnessed when digressing the truth about his assigned sex at birth, exploring the “relationship between offender and the threatened”. Reflecting on how these displays of unease and repulsion, not always subtle, have impacted the development of his gender identity, cataloguing the responses as a form of “internalised transphobia”.

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Cassils

The Trump legislation didn’t just have an emotional impact on trans and queer people, some so much so that they struggle to say his name, but also a physical impact.

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Understanding the impact of his nude body, Cassils presents himself as a material through which to communicate his chosen subject matter.

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Fountain, the accompanying performance, marked the final two hours of collecting the liquid, with accompanying audio.

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Conclusion

Such courageous advocacy in the face of America's legislative repugnance for their authentic existence is what unites Ebenezer, Cassils and Schwartz. They embolden and empower other trans artists to combat transphobia at the highest levels of society.

Driven by individual determination to take a stand, together their art tells a story that resonates with non-binary people the world over: a population whose voices demand to be  seen.

Research Paper 10-15 minute Presentation.pptx

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