Transgender Literature

Transgender literature has had a significant impact on how we talk about transness (and gender) and the kinds of trans stories we are able to tell. Although trans identities may find expression in texts as early as The Metamorphosis (Ovid), this course will look at literature from the 20th and 21st centuries. Considering a wide range of genres—novels, poetry, short stories, memoir, and YA literature—we will think about how writers talk about their bodies, their transitions, and their histories. Drawing upon fields such as history, medicine, and social science, this course will look at trans literature as both a product of these histories and as a powerful tool for critical liberation.