From the Monster to the Kid Next Door: Transgender Children, Cisgender Parents, and the Management of Difference on TV

Authors

  • Alana Prochuk

Keywords:

childhood, transgender, television, talk shows, gender transition, parent-child relationships, gender representations

Abstract

Abstract
This article explores the recent surge in television representations of transgender children. In particular, it analyzes episodes of The Tyra Show, Anderson, 20/20, Dr. Phil, and The Passionate Eye, arguing that these shows exploit the cultural symbolism of childhood to defuse the political challenge posed by trans subjectivity.


Résumé
Cet article explore l’augmentation récente de représentations d’enfants transgenres à la télévision. Plus particulièrement, il analyse des épisodes des émissions The Tyra Show, Anderson, 20/20, Dr. Phil et The Passionate Eye, faisant valoir que ces émissions exploitent le symbolisme culturel de l’enfance pour neutraliser le défi politique posé par la transsubjectivité.

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Author Biography

Alana Prochuk

Alana Prochuk is a 2012 graduate of McMaster University’s MA program in Cultural Studies and Critical Theory.  She currently works for Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) Rape Crisis Centre in Vancouver, where she coordinates a campus-based initiative to combat gender-based violence, including transphobic violence.

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Published

2015-04-10