论西方当代性别与跨性别理论的缘起、内涵与特性

Origin,Connotations and Characteristics of Contemporary Western Gender and Transgender Theory

性别与跨性别理论在西方当代批评理论中颇具代表性和影响力。该理论的缘起可追溯到20世纪20年代以来女权主义对女性受压迫根源的探寻、20世纪60—70年代生理性别/社会性别的分类与制度探讨、20世纪80年代男女性别二元对立困境。该理论先后以社会性别和跨社会性别概念为聚焦点,以突破二元对立为驱动力,对性别理论和跨性别理论进行了深入的学理探讨和批评实践。该理论一方面从多元视角考察生理性别与社会性别的关系,以获得对性别的整体理解;另一方面以跨性别群体的性取向遭压制的根源探讨为出发点,描述和解析除异性恋之外的跨性别性取向的内涵与本质,旨在为跨性别者争取公正合理的社会地位和政治待遇;此外,它与同性恋批评和酷儿批评构成文学跨性别理论与实践的互动促进关系。该理论体现出明确的介入和干预社会与政治的意识、以问题为导向的内在发展机制和跨学科的研究方法等三大特性。

Gender and Transgender Theory is influential in the contemporary Western critical theories.An integral examination of its origin,connotations and characteristics is helpful in disclosing the common features of the contemporary Western theories.The origin of theory can be traced back to the feminist exploration of female oppression root in the 1920 s,the studies of sex/gender classification and sex/gender system in the 1960 s and 1970 s,and male/female binary opposition predicament in the 1980 s.With gender and transgender as its core terms,and driven by the goal of breaking through binary opposition,it conducts an in-depth theoretical discussion and critical practice on gender theory and transgender theory.On the one hand,it examines sex/gender relations from multiple perspectives,and proposes the following theories:a theory of abandoning simplistic sex/gender distinctions to argue for gender as a complex discursive construction,a theory of gender as a useful category of historical analysis,a theory of identifying male/female sex differences,and a theory of gender determining sex;and all these theories are intended to eliminate sex/gender and male/female binary opposition and to disclose diversified connotations of gender.On the other hand,it describes and analyzes the connotations and essence of the sexual orientation of transgender groups based on the investigation of transgender situations in the society,which not only discloses the root cause of transgender suppression from multidisciplinary perspectives,but also clarify the reconstructive survival attitude,gender discourse and gender connotation,aiming at fighting for a fair and reasonable social status and political treatment for transgender groups,and a harmonious-coexistent social and political pattern among diverse sex orientations.In addition,it forms a theory-practice promoting relationship with lesbian criticism and queer criticism,showing interaction between literary criticism,cultural analysis and theoretical construction.Gender and Transgender Theory embodies three remarkable characteristics:firstly,it has a clear awareness of intervening and interfering in society and politics,which is geared to change the existing discrimination and oppression against women and transgender groups;secondly,it has a problem-oriented internal operating mechanism,in which the three core issues are the oppression of women,the binary opposition of sex/gender and the oppression of transgender groups;and finally,it has distinct interdisciplinary research characteristics.It starts from comprehensive and multidisciplinary perspectives of politics,sociology economics,psychology,culture studies,history,science and literature,and strives to solve practical problems of political equality,cultural construction and sexual orientation among different genders.