Authenticity, validation and sexualisation on Grindr: an analysis of trans women’s accounts

Journal article


Lloyd, C. 2017. Authenticity, validation and sexualisation on Grindr: an analysis of trans women’s accounts. Psychology and Sexuality. Vol 8 (Issue 1-2), pp. 158-169. https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2017.1316769
AuthorsLloyd, C.
Abstract

The socio-historic sexualisation of transgender identities is reported to have disaffirming consequences for the broad trans community, and for trans women in particular. Given trans people’s increasing use of socio-sexual ‘hook-up’ apps, this paper looks at trans women’s talk of self/other identifications in relation to their regular use of Grindr. Eight semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with London-based women who identified as trans* in some way. A Foucauldian-informed discourse analysis highlights intersecting frames of trans authenticity, validation and sexualisation. Within these frames, trans women can be variously positioned in gendered and sexualised ways. Specifically, a discourse of trans authenticity is seen to involve the marking out of an identificatory truth that is situated in culturally acceptable and hence de-sexualised womanhood, while a competing discourse of trans validation involves an ambiguity and eroticism that can serve to reimagine this truth. Trans subjectivities can thus consist of a desire for authentic (gendered and non-sexualised) selfhood, on the one hand, and self-affirming ambiguity and sexualisation on the other. That trans women can construct ambivalent relationships with trans-sexualisation discourse highlights the limitation of anti-sexualisation advocacy and implications for supporting trans sexualities are considered.

Keywordsdiscourse; Grindr; sexualisation; trans sexuality; Trans women
Year2017
JournalPsychology and Sexuality
Journal citationVol 8 (Issue 1-2), pp. 158-169
PublisherTaylor & Francis
ISSN1941-9902
1941-9899
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2017.1316769
Web address (URL)https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19419899.2017.1316769
https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85017631672&origin=resultslist&sort=plf-f&src=s&sid=a2c2d9222c584c71bc7a5a7a759a086f&sot=b&sdt=b&s=TITLE-ABS-KEY%28Authenticity%2C+validation+and+sexualisation+on+Grindr%3A+an+analysis+of+trans+women%E2%80%99s+accounts%29&sl=106&sessionSearchId=a2c2d9222c584c71bc7a5a7a759a086f
Output statusPublished
Publication dates18 Apr 2017
Publication process dates
Accepted03 Apr 2017
Deposited15 Jun 2023
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https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/9z498/authenticity-validation-and-sexualisation-on-grindr-an-analysis-of-trans-women-s-accounts

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