A study of male-to-female transsexuals' gender performances in Singapore.

• Main Author: Ng, Cheryl Rui Min.
• Other Authors: School of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Sociology::Family, marriage and women
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/22125
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This paper will discuss the gender performances that male-to-female transsexuals in Singapore engage in so as to display their femininity. Key issues like sex, gender and gender identity will be dealt with in the investigation of the ways that these MF transsexuals’ gender is performed. This paper will also attempt to highlight the difficulties that these transsexuals have faced throughout their lives as individuals who struggled with their gender identity. A dramaturgical approach has been taken to examine the transsexuals’ gender performances. These gender performances have then been described as ‘femaling’ in three various phases, namely, enhancement of one’s overall appearance, engagement in appropriate actions and behaviors, and employment of emotion work in dealing with the struggles. This paper hopes to eliminate misunderstandings or discrimination that the public have of transsexuals, such as proclaiming that they are ‘freaks’ or ‘abnormal’. After all, these MF transsexuals are merely dealing with their self perception of their own gender identity, and acting it out according to societal expectations of a woman.