Erased gender

                             In "Undoing Gender" Butler narrates a fact which is about a homosexual young boy.

When i first read and also heard the story it hit me very much. As a matter of fact we are very familiar to these kind of stories, events and facts. I can say that more or less this kind of things at some point seem to be our daily routine. Long story short, i would like to briefly explain what the story is. As i mentioned above it is about young homosexual boywho lived one of those towns in the middle America. When seven years old child behaves coquettishly, there is nothing wrong with the attitude at these ages. Some mockeries, some verbal harresments these are the things, perhaps more, which we can clasify as a sort of comparatively softer attacks . But this ostensible kid become seventeen, everything all those coquettishly attitudes and all those feminine behaviours are considered much more annoying by the public and especially by some teens as well. One day, while the young feminine boy was strolling around , he was murdered by another young boy on the bridge of the town. The young feminine boy was stabbed ( This part is not narrated in the story but as far as i understood, it is quite clear that feminine young boy was stabbed)

The bridge represents the border which is situated in between of the real and the imaginary. These two subjects are on the borders. The homosexual one here is placed in the border of the symbolic and the imaginary. For him he is expilicitly in the symbolic world, however the so-called hetero one could not place him in the symbolic order accordingly one of them will be pass this border yet on the other hand expilicitly one of them already fell down the other side of the border i mean into Le Real. Now, i know these what i talked above seem to be a little bit ambiguos and as well as abit unrelevant connection between the story of the subject that i mentioned above and the topic which i analysis in this paper however the subjects are different yet the situation more or less the same. Then, why i started with this ostensible fact because in this paper i shall try to explain transsexualism, transvestism and relevantly hate crime towards the members of this ostensible

community, in the context of Lacan's, relatively one of the most important concept, “Mirror Stage.”

I shall also refer his noteworthy notions which are “The Real,” “The Imaginary” and “The Symbolic.”

Besides, because of the fact that I shall employ these aforesaid concepts and especially in the frame of symbolic order, hence the fact which Butler narrates , is suitable regarding of the issue which I shall analysis in the following parts of this paper.

And also I shall refer some narratives of transgender people. As we explicitly know that autobiography is an important part of being transgender. (transsexual, transvestism or intersex.) Narratives, for these people, are very crucial part of their becoming and for constructing their identity either.

For most people transsexualism and transvestism are considered as a some kind of illness or some kind of disorder situations. Especially in twentieth century this identity were regarded as perversion and considered as a some kind of ambiguous situation which has to be corrected by legitimate institutions or sometimes even corrected both by public an by some another subjectivities with not by any stretch of the imagination way. Understandably, there are lots of ongoing speculations about this issue which is needed very much attention on. One should be always very careful when s/he studies on aforesaid identities. Because of the fact it could be very easy to cross the line. When it comes to such an ambiguous issue, it could be much easier to make a mistake or, like I mentioned before, to cross the line. Accordingly, one should always approach the issue at a certain distance. To my mind, narratives of transgender people, their autobiographies play an important role in this very moment if one is willing to understand the very crucial process in its essence. I shall also refer some of the narratives to understand some points in the context of the psychoanalytic method which I try to highlight some of the issues in this paper as well. On the other hand I shall also analysis the agent of hate crimes . I mean the subjects who commit homicide Comparatively I am willing to do my best for avoiding the unwelcome results and as well as some misunderstandings. Because, if one deals with such an ambiguous issue, one should always be careful of categorizing the situations and the process ,or else some unwelcome and unappropriated results can be emerged which, to my mind, no one will be willing to put his/her-self in such condition. As a result for either way, it is really need to be careful yet there is no diagnosis in psychoanalytic method and especially for such an important topic requires much more attention on.

Because of the fact there is no diagnosis in psychoanalysis, to get a diagnosis and label the process as a sickness or some kind of mental disorder by using certain data , is the latest thing to do by me and as well as most of the people.

On the other hand the same apprehensiveness should be thought for the agent of hate crimes as well. Yet the aforementioned apprehensiveness should be also differentiated by considering the situations and as well as subjects. Labeling the murderer as a sick or mental illness or classifying the situation which the murderer goes through as an extraordinary circumstance may lead the agent of hate crime to be justified his situation in its essence. And also by so doing he can get away scot-free which we mostly witness the aforementioned situation usually in our country.

First of all i would like to begin with the ego construction of transgender people and would like to point out comparatively certain important issues (especially considering of the fact that the body is the surface of our very ambious being) such as how they construct their ego with the self or the skin which is not belong them. By so doing, I will refer their narratives and autobiographies as a crucial data like I mentioned above. After I highlight aforementioned issues, I shall try to underscore agent of hate crimes. Briefly I shall try to analysis the process, especially why the all transsexual people are murdered by using knife and so.

My study will be framed in the context of the very crucial notions of Lacan, namely; “The Real”, “The Imaginary” , “The Symbolic” and as well as the very important part of these ostensible concepts that is “Mirror Stage.” I will use these terms to highlight the aforementioned situations and also to underscore flamboyant subject's process as well.

As we all clearly know from Lacan's mirror stage the self is constructed by his or her image which is reflected through the mirror. Mirror stage is one of the most crucial part of constructing the ego. Before this stage, the self as Lacan suggests; looks like a fragmented egg. Lacan also names this situation as a “Hommelette.” The fragmented egg which is scattered out everywhere and the self can not know his borders and limits at all. Lacan also consubstantiates this circumstance with "The Real" where the infant feels him or her-self the whole with everything and especially with the mother. We can also name this ostensible fact where the everything and as well as nothing are found altogether. Lacan also names this fact as "no-thing-ness." The infant cannot differentiate him or her-self from environments. She or he thinks that s/he is a part of the rest, especially like i mentioned before, it thinks still mostly part of his or her mother ego. The infant does not know his bodily borders or to put in a another way, the infant does not know his or her ego. Lacan calls this stage a "Hommelette." The infant doesnot control him or her-self . Infant's motor activities has not developed yet because of the fact that the creature called human is a premature alive. Accordingly, at some point, that is why our ego, motor activities and relatively our bodily control is not developped yet when we come into the world. This is one of the most noteworthy thing to state out and explicitly the most crucial reason why we are in need of someone-else. Especially but unfortunately the mother. Hence , the infant doesnot know in this stage him or her self-being. He or she is a fragmented egg which is scattered out. In this stage, for the infant the world is coposed of everything and as well as nothing. For the infant the circumstance which s/he is through, namely the whole situation is non-differential moments. Because of the fact that s/he doesnot know ego limits. There is no ego yet. s/he cannot differentiate him or her-self from the environment. In this stage the infant still is experiencing the wholeness. Because this stage is both nothing and at the same time everything.

As we know again from Lacan's Mirror stage, the infant meets him or her image at first mirror scene. First of all the infant sees the image of the self through the reflected mirror vision scene. According to Lacan, at this first seen , the infant's strange reaction and behavior is jubilant. The first mirror scene approximately corresponds the infant's one and a half years old.

In this stage the infant firstly sees him or her self. Lacan names this experience as if the fragmented egg was coming together. Lacan also draws a parallel this situation with backwards slow motion screening, or to put another word as Lacan suggest; "as the reverse motion shot of the breaking of an egg” The all fragmented self comes together. The infant sees the whole, a complete of him or her self-being. Inner and outer part of the body now is seen as a whole. However the infant's motor activities still are not developed yet. The infant know his or her image which is reflected through the mirror, however s/he does not feel completely controlled alive. The infant does not still have a certain coordination. This recognition causes great confusion and ‘libidinal dynamism’ as the pre-linguistic infant struggles with its first identity conflict.(Lacan, 1977) The image which infant sees has limits, the others tell him or her that the image which s/he sees that is you however the infant does not feel like at all. With this image comes separation and the infant perceives his or her image as other. There is a image before me and everybody tells me that is your image but I do not know this image, as we narrate on behalf of the aforementioned infant, he or she would narrate it so.

Hence it means that the infant assumes that one day I shall be it. The image which is reflected through the mirror. The image is seen perfect, whole and it seems to have all the control. Accordingly this image shall be ideal-ego, from now on the infant starts to achieve his or her ideal-ego, to put in a other word the perfect other. Hence from now on the infant starts to differentiate the things from the environment.

So, let's just try to understand the subject who has transgender idendity. How these people, then, construct their bodily ego considering the miror stage. If the miror stage is relevant with construction the inner an outer part of the body. In this essence how these two different, litteraly different , parts of the body enters into construction the self and the ego. To my mind, one should very neatly look at the aforementioned issue try to figure out the this stage and therefore the process as well. if we learn to be or how to be self through the other's gaze, then, in this situation which the subject cannot be mirrored and reflected, how is the ego be constructed. I mean for the tarnsgender person , the body is reflected, the body is appealed if these aforesaid image does not belong the subject, how s/he construct his or her ego ? Beacuse of the fact that transgender peole usually tell that the body is reflected or the seen body does not belong them . One of the transsexual person narrates her autobiography that "i felt always trabbed in this body. Sometimes i wanted cut my body and i wanted to escape out through wound." what do they see when they look to the mirror? And beisdes where is lieing the difference sex and the gender in this issue so that according to Lacan Mirror Stage, when infant first see her self or his self, the infant feels jubilant. But in this issue what a transexual person feels. Can we also have word of this situation with jubilant or else this one is something else that is most likely feels anguish or so.

Yet , according to Lacan, we do not know the sexual distinction at the mirror stage. Accordingly how does the transgender subject construct his or her bodily-ego. As we know when the infant first sees his or her image, s/he does not yet awareness of the sex distinction. Beacuse of the fact that we know the sex difference occurs at the stage of oedipus complex . And also as Lacan suggest; "the consequences of the miror stage are not worked out until the entry in to the symbolic."(Lacan, 1954) Accordingly the consfusion for the transgender person starts with entry into the symbolic world. Hence, symbolic world shall modify the body lateron. After sex distinction and entry into the symbolic worl transsexual subject's process is composed of many mirror stages.

On the other hand, as we know the image whic is appealed on the mirror is not perceived the self. At some point it is perceived as other. Hence this could be the positif side of transgender person. Since it is already seen another self, on one level it can be much easier to accept the self / ego or bodily ego (skin ego) as not the one of which she or he does not feel having the right body or self. The transgender person shall go back to imaginary to create a new body and shall crorrect the body or self in his or her imaginary world and then , afterwards, in the following mirror stages he or she shall fullfill the completeness of the inner and the outer part of the self.

As I mentioned above, after sex distinction and entry into the symbolic world transsexual subject's process is composed of many mirror stages. Thus different but relatively various mirror stages play an important role of constructing the subject's ego in its essence until sex change operation. And every operation shall enable to unifying the split between the subject's imaginary body and the symbolic body. But the most important part of being the whole in the context of aforementioned issues , also as Jay poser suggest; their autobiographies.

According to Jay Poser;

"autobiography brings into relief the split of the transsexual life; transsexual history brings into gendered relief the difference present in all autobiography between the subject of the enunciation and the subject enunciating. I was a woman, i write as a man. How to join this split? How to create a coherent subject? Precisely through narrative. Over the couser of the recountin, the narrative continuity, the trajectory of autobiography, promises, like transexual transition itself, rejoin this split into a single, connected "life."

As we can clearly see also from this passage, what joins the split in the symbolic life is language. Hence the form in the imaginary thus can be originated in the symbolic or to put in another word the total transition is provided with the util of symbolic system that is language. Obviously the author is having word this situation as a narrative process. After transgender one been through the sex change operation the completion period ends up with narrating. The shattered mirror stages are united with narrating the progresss. Accordingly the person completes his or her process with using the language.

Hitherto, i tried to more or less explain transsexual ego construction in the frame of mirror stage. This topic is such an issue that if one was willing to properly explain the whole process , it would be written pages. Hence i chose to explain briefly.

Now i would like to go through my second important issue which i mentioned at the beggining of this paper, that is , why most of transgender peope are murdered by stabbing.

I shall also touch briefly on this issue either. Why all transsexual people especially prostitute ones have to be murdered by their clients. To my mind, the person who commit murder does not see these people as a substitution. They see the mother in the imaginary. It means that this is like a phallic mother. She has a omni power. She is really powerful. She gave you a birth and life and she can take your life as well. This can be considered some like self-defence. The unconscious' self defence. However this does not mean that I try to justify the murder. I just want to state out that we can relate this ostensible action with the unconscious' self-defence or to put in another word we can illustrate the process as a self-defence of the unconscious. For them these people cannot be real, they cannot place transgender people in the symbolic world. Because he already give up the best image with castration.

At some point these people attack their mirror images. They rehearse the process which they went through by castration. Because they already accepted that there is no perfect body, there cannot be a such. Accordingly they attack their mirror images. Symbolic order cannot enable them to perceive the aforesaid people as a real or acceptable. Hence symbolic order is the responsible these attacks. If symbolic order forbids merely incest and permit the rest, probably we would not encounter such an unwelcome situations at all. Accordingly when these people encounter or have an affair with transgender people, they relived the castration anxiety. They feel lack because the person before them she has everything. They go through a trauma. Because of the fact that they see the person whom cannot be placed in the symbolic world. They have been told for years that there cannot be such kind of bodies or people. Once , they had been told that they had to give up their ideal-ego. Here goes the castration anxiety again. Transsexual transgresses the everything which have been told to them for years.

And we know that there must be some narcissistic problem, they cannot substitute the person whom he commits murder. Therefore they regress to the mirror stage again. Accordingly they encounter the perfect image and then they take this perfect image to “The Imaginary”. Then, “The Real” opens there and they feel themselves dropped in a well. Then, as we all know what happens when the person regresses to real, that is, he goes through a psychotic break.

Afterward, this person attacks she-male one, because he thinks that he looses his ego. He has to go back to the symbolic world and that's why he stabbed the transsexual one. He cuts into pieces the body. Because this body has no place in the symbolic order. He cannot configure the body image in the imaginary. He has to kill the transsexual one to go back the real world. (The Symbolic)

As a result, in this paper , as far as in me lain, i briefly explained the important issues by using Lacan's significant notions(“The Real”, “The Imaginary”, and “The Symbolic”)

I used the concept of mirror stage to frame the ego construction of transgender people and i refer the aforementioned notions which is stated above to discuss and to briefly answer the important question which i pointed out at the beginning of this paper.

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Lacan, Jaques (1978) The seminer of Jacques Lacan Book II: The Ego in Freud's Theory and in The Technique of Psychoanalysis 1954-1955. Jaques-Allain Miller (ed), Translated from the original Le Seminaire II, le mois danla theori de Freud et dans la technique de la psychanalyse, 1954-1955, by Sylvana Tomaselli, New York and London: W.W. Norton and Company

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