A few days ago, Laverne Cox made a great statement on tumblr about trans bodies in the media. A year ago when my Time magazine cover came out I saw posts from many trans folks saying that I am “drop dead gorgeous” and that that doesn’t represent most trans people. (It was news to [me] that I am drop dead gorgeous but I’ll certainly take it). But what I think they meant is that in certain lighting, at certain angles I am able to embody certain cisnormative beauty standards. Now, there are many trans folks because of genetics and/or lack of material access who will never be able to embody these standards. More importantly many trans folks don’t want to embody them and we shouldn’t have to to be seen as ourselves and respected as ourselves. It is important to note that these standards are also infomed by race, class and ability among other intersections. I have always been aware that I can never represent all trans people. No one or two or three trans people can.
Besides her talking about Caitlyn Jenner, Cox draws attention to something I’ve been discussing with friends after reading many comments about Jenner in the media and on Facebook (among other places). While I have no problem when people discuss their aesthetic experiences, only talking about or commenting upon Caitlyn Jenner’s beauty seems shortsighted to me. Minimally, I would prefer comments and conversations attentive to intersections of identity, especially when socioeconomic status (and star status definitely affects class status in numerous ways) enables very different types of access to visible performances or re/constructions of bodies—trans-, cis-, or otherwise.
