Reading Response #22 (Alexander)

Summary: 

In his article "Transgender Rhetorics:...," Jonathon Alexander promotes transgender and feminist studies, saying that they are necessary to understand gender as a whole. 

Synthesis: 

Once again, we are reading about identity in the writing community. However, this article also relates back to the Smitherman article in that it discusses a group that is regarded as a minority, and could be considered oppressed.

AEI

3. I believe this article has an impact on students because, as I stated before, most trans people are a minority, and reading this article gives people a new perspective, much as reading about blacks or other minorities. It also gives students another viewpoint on gender as a whole.

4. Alexander believes that gender is a construct because, much like a construct, gender puts certain restrictions on people, even though it is a very personal thing. Gender needs to be discussed in classrooms to promote tolerance.

Personal Response:

I enjoyed reading this article. Being in an LGBT-friendly group at school, I've had a lot of exposure to the term "gender-fluid." The whole "fluid gender" idea has always been a bit confusing to me, but this article helped explain it a little more.