Transnational Perspectives on Gender and Sexuality (341-0-20)
Topic
Trans-Related Medical Surgeries in Thailand
Instructors
Jillana B Enteen
847/491-4337
Crowe 1-113
Office Hours: by appointment
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-331: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
Topic: Trans* Related Medical Surgeries in Thailand
This course is situated at the intersection of theoretical, cultural, medical, and commercial online discourses concerning the burgeoning Gender Affirmation-related surgeries presented online and conducted in Thailand. Using Gender, Queer, Trans, Asian American, and Digital Humanities Theories, we will discuss the cross-cultural intersections, dialogues, refusals, and adaptions when thinking about medical travel to Thailand for gender/sex related surgeries. We will examine Thai cultural/historical conceptions of sex and gender, debates concerning bodies and diagnoses, and changes in presentations of sex/gender related surgeries offered online. We will also explore how digital archives are created and managed. Investigating transcripts of live interviews, medical discourses, and an archive of web images offering GAS surgeries produced by Thais for non-Thais will serve as axes for investigating this topic.
Learning Objectives
We will be studying this topic using Three Axes:
1 Comparative Culture
Examining cultural-theoretical including: How sex gender system in Thailand is/was historically different than what we take as normal; How queer and trans theory have positioned trans bodies; How Asian American studies formulates transnational neoliberal practices; How issues of SRS medical tourism in Thailand.
2 Data and Digital Imaging
Data visualization and websites/webcrawls to understand how we see digital images and texts and how that informs both our understanding of the process, its surrounding medical and legal issues and the interplay of cultures.
3 Medical-Juridical
Medical, legal and policy issues at the US and transnational level concerning transnational tourism, transgender positionings, Standards of Care (WPATH) and different legal forces.
Class Materials (Required)
All readings will be available via Canvas.
Class Attributes
Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area