Looking Back (To)wards the Body: Medicalization and the GRA

One of four commentaries in a debate on the 2004 Gender Recognition Act (GRA), which allows adult transsexuals in the UK diagnosed with gender dysphoria to obtain a gender recognition certificate granting them legal status as their reassigned gender, & thus, to marry. Though the act can truly be...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social & legal studies 2009-06, Vol.18 (2), p.247-252
Main Author: Cowan, Sharon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Body
Civil rights
Equality
Gender
Homosexuality
Legislation
Marriage
Medical sociology
Psychiatry
Rights
Sex Role Identity
Sociocultural Factors
Surgery
Transgender persons
Transsexuality
United Kingdom
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:One of four commentaries in a debate on the 2004 Gender Recognition Act (GRA), which allows adult transsexuals in the UK diagnosed with gender dysphoria to obtain a gender recognition certificate granting them legal status as their reassigned gender, & thus, to marry. Though the act can truly be considered groundbreaking in advancing the rights of certain transsexuals, it is argued that its continued reliance on medical & psychiatric understandings of transsexuality is actually a step backwards. The GRA reinforces the medico-legal model & heteronormative assumptions while ignoring sociopolitical & cultural factors that contribute to gender/sexual identity. K. Hyatt Stewart
ISSN:0964-6639
1461-7390
DOI:10.1177/0964663909103627