Journal article 293 views
Transgender, transhuman: technological advances offer increased choices but also create new prejudices
Shareena Hamzah 
The Conversation
Swansea University Author:
Shareena Hamzah
Abstract
In the 2019 TV series Years and Years, a young girl dissatisfied with her life reveals to her parents she is “trans”. Her parents readily express their acceptance and support for their daughter’s supposed desire to have a sex change. But then she tells them she is not “transgender” but “transhuman”,...
| Published in: | The Conversation |
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| Published: |
Online
The Conversation Trust (UK) Limited
2019
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| Online Access: |
https://theconversation.com/transgender-transhuman-technological-advances-offer-increased-choices-but-also-create-new-prejudices-121378 |
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62039 |
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| Abstract: |
In the 2019 TV series Years and Years, a young girl dissatisfied with her life reveals to her parents she is “trans”. Her parents readily express their acceptance and support for their daughter’s supposed desire to have a sex change. But then she tells them she is not “transgender” but “transhuman”, and wishes to leave her physical body behind to become data. Her parents are shocked – and then furious.As this scene shows, although technological advances may offer new ways for people to lead their lives, they can also create new prejudices. A growing awareness of trans issues – both transgender and transhuman – is stimulating general debate. But we should not assume that discussion of bodily changes necessarily means progression towards a more equal society.The human body comes in a huge variety of shapes, sizes and colours, yet people outside the perceived norm have often been seen as threatening, ridiculous or hateful. For example, the Hijra, an Indian transgender community dating back 4,000 years, may have achieved legal recognition in 2014 but faces renewed discrimination today. |
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| Item Description: |
https://theconversation.com/transgender-transhuman-technological-advances-offer-increased-choices-but-also-create-new-prejudices-121378 |
| Keywords: |
Transgender, Post-humanism, Literature, Postmodern, |
| College: |
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |