CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN GENDER FRAMES The Case of Transgender Reproduction

• Published in: Gender & society Vol. 33; no. 6; pp. 865 - 887
• Main Authors: LAMPE, NIK M., CARTER, SHANNON K., SUMERAU, J. E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA Sage Publications, Inc 01.12.2019; SAGE Publications; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Cisgender; Gender; Gender inequality; Mass media images; Traditions; Transgender persons; doing gender; gender; cisnormativity; gender frames; repronormativity; transgender; reproduction; transnormativity
• ISSN: 0891-2432; 1552-3977
• DOI: 10.1177/0891243219857979

In this article, we examine the ways gendered frames shift to make room for societal changes while maintaining existing pillars of systemic gender inequality. Utilizing the case of U.S. media representations of transgender people who reproduce, we analyze how media outlets make room for increasing societal recognition of transgender people and maintain cisnormative and repronormative traditions and beliefs in the process. Specifically, we outline how these media outlets accomplish both outcomes in two ways. First, they reinforce cisgender-based repronormativity via conceptualizations of transgender reproduction as new and occurring in contrast to normative, cisgender reproduction. Second, they create a transnormative reproductive subject, which establishes a new socially sanctioned script for what it means to be transgender and what types of transgender experience may be recognized or accepted in mainstream society. In conclusion, we draw out implications for understanding how social authorities may shift existing gender frames to make room for changes in society while at the same time maintaining normative beliefs. These normative beliefs continue to facilitate societal patterns of gender inequality within such new frames.