Last month I read an article in the Herald Sun newspaper about the apparent discovery of a genetic basis for transsexualism. My first reaction was to raise an eyebrow in response to this scientific ‘breakthrough’. Being an anthropologist, I have always leant more towards understandings of gender as socially and culturally constructed. The ‘discovery’ reminded me of research on the ‘gay gene’ that was popular in the 1990s and is still popular today. Nevertheless, I am aware that it is important to consider how biological determinism can impact on the everyday lives of transgender people, particularly those people seeking hormone treatment or sex reassignment. I decided to find out what several scholars and activists had to say about the advantages or dangers of seeking a genetic explanation for gender.
The endeavour to map a genetic basis for gender identity is not new. After a quick search of a medical academic database, I found a variety of studies claiming to have found a genetic basis for ‘transsexuality’ or ‘gender identity disorder’ and these studies have been published regularly for almost a decade. Most of these studies refer to genes associated with the metabolism of particular sex hormones that impact on early sexual development.
The recent study conducted in Melbourne and Los Angeles and published in the journal Biological Psychiatry found that when comparing sex steroidogenesis genes between 112 male-to-female transsexual people and 258 control males, transsexuals had significantly longer Androgen Receptor repeats than non-transsexual men. According to Hare et al. (2008) this may lead to an under production of testosterone during early development and, consequently, the “incomplete masculinisation of the brain”. The authors also note that the effect they detected was weak and they suggest the possibility that “male-to-female transsexualism is due to multiple genetic factors”.
Not surprisingly, the study doesn’t mention the possibility of a combination of genetic and social factors. Now, I don’t want to get into an argument here over the environmental or biological origins of gender. I can’t deny that we have bodies or genes, just as I can’t deny that we are intricately shaped by social and cultural forces. I think perhaps it is more useful to be asking: what are the social and political consequences of adopting either biology or culture as explanations for the development of gender identity?
I contacted several transgender scholars and activists, and others who work on issues associated with transgenderism and transsexualism, and asked them what they thought about the ‘discovery’ of a trans gene, and what they thought the benefits or dangers are of scientific models that posit a genetic basis for gender identity.
According to Sally Goldner, a spokesperson for Transgender Victoria – an organisation that advocates for transgender people in Victoria, Australia:
"We welcome it but with a very strong cautionary note. We're all equal, we're not born with prejudices, but prejudice from people who don't like transgender people for whatever reason builds up against transgender people in the form of, 'you people are making a choice'. The discovery of a gene, along with the other genetic discoveries in Austria and elsewhere, counters such negativity. It strips away the opinion that transgender people have made a lifestyle choice, that they can go and get therapy and be back to the way people think they should be. It is useful in that regard.
The other side of this of course is, why should anyone have to prove themselves? Many transgender people say that they know their situation is innate. To say that we're all liars, or we're all mad or all confused is patronising and prejudiced in the first place. The other danger, of course, is if we start developing genetic tests. If there is a possibility of the genetic screening of babies, then people may have abortions simply because their child is transgender, which is not right. The other problem is no genetic test is perfect and why should anyone be more trans than someone else? Everyone's journey is different. Some people might believe they are trans born but a genetic test might show otherwise. But what difference does it make? So this is the cautionary note. It's good to strip away the bigotry but it shouldn't be replaced with more bigotry instead.
Some transgender people in the community have projected fear and worry over the research findings. Some of the younger generation of transgender people haven't known as much prejudice as others have around beliefs that trans is a lifestyle choice. But most people in the community have been welcoming of the findings. The thing is it's not a black or white thing. That's the tricky part."
According to Associate Professor Anne Mitchell, Director of Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria – an organisation that promotes the health and wellbeing of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in Victoria, Australia:
"The potential discovery of a gene that offers a biological explanation for ‘transsexualism’ is both seductive and polarising. On the one hand proof that such a gene exists provides a huge salve to our internalised transphobia, offering the opportunity to prove to the world that it’s “not our fault”. It allows us to present what many see as a wilful perversion as something akin to having blue eyes, something over which we have no control and for which we cannot be held accountable. The polarising part of such “discoveries” is more complex, drawing into it many reasons why most of us do not wish to see the matter of our gender or sexuality as purely biological because that does not match with our experience. We do not wish to embrace a single biological and genetic cause which can be labelled, investigated and ultimately excised to serve the requirements of heterosexist power. It would be hard to argue that any society is not better for meeting the social, legal and moral challenges involved in accommodating diversity of all kinds.
The problem is simply this, there is not one monolithic and uncomplicated thing we can all agree is transsexualism. There is not, and never will be, a single medical or scientific definition of this state that captures the complexity of the social identities we adopt and negotiate every day. In our recent study of transgender people, TranzNation, the identities articulated by the participants were multiple and far more complex than a simple binary framework would allow, giving us a more realistic picture of what the trans experience can be.
If we go the way of the trans gene where do we put the person who adopts a genderless identity? We would be obliged to deny the reality of at least part of their lives. I think we have too much to lose to speculate on biological determinism. Instead our efforts should go into fighting for the legitimacy of the transgender experience in any way people live it and arguing from a human rights basis for non-judgemental access to free hormone treatment and surgery for those who wish to make use of it."
Clearly diversity is something that should be celebrated, but I find it puzzling that people in the world are so wedded to a binary distinction that dictates that humans should be either male or female, either masculine or feminine, despite the incredible amount of gender and sexed diversity in the world. A few days ago I read an article in the November 2008 edition of the magazine The Atlantic on the growing number of transgender children who are now taking puberty blockers in order to grow up as their preferred gender. One of the points that I took from the article is that for some people gender identity can be fluid and change over the lifespan. Yet it remains clear that medical professionals and parents struggle to allow children to adopt identities that do not fit neatly into binary gendered categories.
Image of transgender symbol courtesy of Wikimedia and licensed through Creative Commons
