Abstract
As it stands, transgender stories are often framed through the cisgender gaze and by the pain transgender people experience from societal expectations. Being Transgender is not about and should not be equated to the pain and dysphoria that one may experience. Being transgender is about the joy of discovering yourself and beginning to feel comfortable within your own body. This paper reviews Queer theory and its gaps when it comes to transgender identity; as well as transgender studies and the reframing of transgender identity. This paper also reviews literature that focus on transgender joy and reframing transgender identity within a transgender gaze focusing on happiness and euphoria. I am a Queer and transgender man and this paper is about making the stories of my community heard - this is also my story. This paper is dedicated to all of my transgender siblings - things will get better, I promise.
Recommended Citation
Melo, L. H. (2023). Decentering Pain & Centering Joy: Adding Transgender Stories to the Academy. The Vermont Connection, 44(1). https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/tvc/vol44/iss1/22