Knowing the unknown: Therapeutic Issues in working with queer identities

1. Knowing the unknown: Therapeutic Issues in working with queer identities Alex Drummond Psychotherapist, Academic, Author, Artist, Artisan & Social Activist Research & Clinical interests in Transgender and Adult ADHD

2. “We are social individuals, driven by the need for relationship” [David Brooks -The Social animal]

3. Common Mental Health Sequalae Depression Anxiety & Social Phobia Relationship difficulties Low self-esteem/internalised shame Self harm Suicidal Ideation/Parasuicide Issues around loss Intriguingly, we are also noting a co-incidence of ASD; Aspergers; & ADHD in the transgender community in particular

4. “I know I am a boy or a girl because someone told me I am. Dunno how they knew.”

5. Epistemology What do we think we know? How do we come to know stuff

6. Hard Science: Queer Science Postivisitic approaches in C20th science lead to a priori (heteronormative) assumption and the formulation of the transvestite versus transsexual paradigm. Go to appendices

7. Heteronormativity & DSM “Ten years ago transsexualism supported the gender binary by dividing gender dysphoric individuals into transvestite who were ‘sick’ or transsexual who were unfortunates- women trapped in men’s bodies”. p482 Bolin 1994 in Drummond 2008

8. Positivistic Science – seeking simple cause/effect answers Patient A, a retired ex-marine in his 50’s, previously married and a father, attempted to become a young woman in her mid-thirties initially by cross-dressing and later by hormonal and surgical intervention. Like many trans-sexuals, for Patient A, his trans-sexuality seemed to be a defence against the ageing process and the switch to another gender would enable a new lease of life, either physically or psychologically for that individual” Hakeem, A (2007) in Ruszczynski, S. & Morgan, D ‘Lectures on Violence, Perversion and Delinquency. Karnac

9. Gender Rigidity & Stereotypes “Since being widowed in his 60’s Ben/Dierdre is Ben outside his home and Dierdre inside it……Dierdre has her own personality, and ‘femme’ style quite separate from Ben. She is she explains ‘a much nicer person than Ben, more tolerant, more forgiving. Dierdre enjoys sewing and homemaking; Ben enjoys cars…As Dierdre potters around the house doing the housework she finds herself thinking –I must wash Ben’s socks”Ekins(1997:p19)

10. Genital Centrality & the Claudia Schiffer pill “I know I’m a woman and I want to be treated like a woman. Can you write a letter for my GP saying I need surgery” “obviously, I played with dolls when I was younger …….”

11. Why Male and Female Are Not Enough Extract From Anne Fausto-Sterling The Sciences March/April 1993, p. 20-24 http://frank.mtsu.edu/~phollowa/5sexes.html

12. Breaking the binaries of gender and sexuality A model for fourth order feminism: Does gender blending offer a vision of full equality?

13. Maslow’s Hierarchy -

14. Transgender awareness “When it comes to transgender..most people still don’t have an idea. They think of us as crazy people with some kind of mental defect.” - Chaz Bono From: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/08/24/interview-chaz-bono-on-the-journey-to-be-himself/

15. The Medicalisation of Queer Identities In the middle of the 20th century, scientists strived hard to understand the causes, and develop cures for homosexuality, because society was intolerant of an identity that sat beyond the convention of heterosexuality. We now accept is was society that needed to change. “A new ethic of medical treatment would arise, one that would permit ambiguity in a culture that had overcome sexual division.”– Anne Fausto-Sterling

16. Transgender: Limitations of the medical solution. Medical model historically sought to fix the problem by creating ‘proper’ males and females. Link to facial feminisation video Passing and passability The issue of visibility and invisibility The politics of label identities Video: Trans-politics

17. Photograph by Alex Drummond & Michal Iwanowski – www.michaliwanowski.com Watch Cardiff Streets video

18. Communicating femaleness on a male frame

19. A client comes to therapy… Exploring the key challenges for the therapeutic community

23. “It is my strong belief that all of us in the trans community, who can, need to move beyond our own problems as adults and direct our focus towards trans kids and schools. That is where the future lies and where the whole culture of our society can be changed for the better” Sarah Lake – Trans Activist @sarahtmw

24. A New Generation….. ….transgender in the 21st Century Chris Crocker video

25. Alex Drummond Psychotherapist, Academic, Author, Artist, Artisan & Social Activist Available on Amazon www.talkmebetter.com www.grrlAlex.com www.flikr.com/photos/designandmake www.twitter.com/@grrlAlex

26. Deconstructing “Transvestic Fetish” Tension/Excitement Dopamine/adrenaline release Contact: in-vivo experiencing of the fantasy Use of masturbation to discharge emotional energy/tension Action Phase – Enactment of desire Denoument Cycle of needs model Shame/confusion Stasis/Rest Mobilisation/strategy Remorse/disgust Wrestle of internal guilt/shame over internal permission giving Repression of need Stimulation/Trigger