易装的狂欢——从《穿裙子的小男子汉》论性别与服饰

The Carnival of Cross-dressing——An Analysis on Gender and Clothes from The Boy in the Dress

服饰是性别差异中强有力的文化象征,穿着与自己生理性别不相符的服饰(即易装)通常会被认为是逾越、挑衅的行为。英国儿童文学作家大卫·威廉姆斯的《穿裙子的小男子汉》通过书写十二岁的男孩丹尼斯穿裙子这一易装行为,凸显了服饰之于性别建构的重要意义。易装是一场性别越界的狂欢,它在颠覆刻板印象、打破性别二元区隔的同时,也鼓舞着社会中的每一个个体都能够更加自由地做自己。

Clothing is the powerful culture symbol in gender differences. Generally speaking, clothing that is incompatible with one′s gender will be seen as an impassable and defiant behavior. The Boy in the Dress is written by David Walliams, who is an English children′s literature author. This book highlights the significance of clothing for gender construction, through the transvestite behavior of a 12-year-old boy, Dennis, who once wore a dress. Cross-dressing is an orgy of gender transgression, which not only subverts the engraving impression, but also encourages everyone in society to be themselves more freely.