Avgi Saketopoulou and Ann Pellegrini, "Gender Without Identity" (Unconscious in Translation, 2023)
Jun 27, 2023
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Authors Avgi Saketopoulou and Ann Pellegrini challenge static notions of gender identity, advocating for a more fluid understanding that evolves over time. They discuss the complex interplay between gender, trauma, and societal influences, emphasizing the importance of providing a safe space for individuals to explore their gender identity. The podcast explores the intersection of self-theorization, agency, and gender in relational contexts, highlighting the need for diverse perspectives in psychoanalysis.
Gender identity is constructed through intricate self-theorization processes, resisting static definitions.
Reevaluating the concept of cisgender challenges normative notions and explores gender fluidity.
Listening to diverse gender narratives with curiosity and respect fosters self-theorization and exploration.
Deep dives
Critique of Developmentalism in Gender
Pushing back against the notion of gender as a static core, the podcast discussion challenges the prevalent idea of everyone being born cis and heterosexual. It delves into the concept of all genders evolving and becoming, including the exploration of how trauma impacts gender identities. By critiquing the binary thinking around gender development, the episode emphasizes the need to listen to individuals' gender narratives free from the constraints of preconceived notions of fixed gender identity.
Reframing Cisgender and Gender Ontology
Revisiting the term 'cisgender,' the podcast episode sheds light on its evolving meanings and challenges the perceived normativity of cis identities. It unpacks the prefix 'cis' and its historical context, emphasizing gender fluidity and the impact of trauma on gender expression. The discussion delves into the allocation of gender and the complexity of gender formation beyond traditional developmental frameworks.
Complexity of Gender and Respect for Self-Identification
The episode underscores the importance of extending nuanced understandings of gender complexity to all individuals, irrespective of their gender identities. By advocating for dignity in self-identification processes, the conversation calls for an exploration of the external factors influencing gender formation. It highlights the need to offer the same level of curiosity and investment in listening to queer and trans individuals' gender narratives, respecting their self-theorization and self-exploration about their gender experiences.
Self-Theorization in the Clinic
Self-theorization in the clinic is highlighted as a crucial concept, emphasizing how individuals construct their identities in relation to external influences. The podcast delves into the idea that self-theorization is not about a neoliberal concept of choosing one's identity from a menu, but rather a complex interplay between external societal forces and personal agency. It stresses that gender is inherently improvisational and inventive, involving processes of experimentation and exploration. The discussion underscores the importance of allowing space for patients to navigate their self-theorization process, which may lead to unexpected outcomes and diverse identities.
Patient Affirmation and Analyst's Role
Patient affirmation and the role of the analyst in providing a safe space for exploration are key themes discussed in the podcast. The concept of patient affirmation is highlighted as a way for analysts to understand and navigate counter-transferences that arise during clinical encounters. The podcast emphasizes the significance of clinicians being patient with their own anxieties and disturbances that may emerge in the consulting room. This approach enables patients to engage in self-theorization and experimentation with their identities, encouraging autonomy and exploration in the clinical setting.
In this episode, JJ Mull discusses Gender Without Identity (Unconscious in Translation, 2023) with co-authors Avgi Saketopoulou and Ann Pellegrini. Weaving together a variety of influences -- ranging from the metapsychology of Jean Laplanche to trans of color critique and queer theory -- Gender Without Identity formulates a theory of gender formation adequate to the radical complexity of trans and queer subjects. Pushing up against static notions of “core gender identity,” Saketopoulou and Pellegrini argue for the ethical urgency of recognizing that gender emerges from complex processes of “self-theorization.” This brave new work invites radical new ways for working with gender diversity psychoanalytically.
J.J. Mull is a poet, training clinician, and fellow in the Program for Psychotherapy at Cambridge Health Alliance. Originally from the west coast, he currently lives and bikes in Somerville, MA. He can be reached at: jay.c.mull@gmail.com.
