Portrayals of Transgender in University Textbooks at the Beginning of the Millennium

Abstract

The authors present a discourse analysis of textbooks in the fields ofgender studies and human sexuality with an eye to transgenderportrayals in those textbooks. Textbooks comprise a body of knowledgethat is seen as authoritative and, consequently, may heavily influencehow transgender issues and transgender people are viewed. This analysisexamines definitions of transgender, the myth of a “true transsexual”, thecomplexity of sexual orientation applied to transgender individuals, andthe “medicalisation” of transgender. Common problems found intextbooks include the perpetuation of myths, inaccuracies, and oversimplifications.Some textbooks offer valuable insight into transgenderand suggest possible solutions to the problems found in other textbooks.Suggestions are made to promote fair and inclusive treatment oftransgender issues in textbooks addressing gender and humansexuality.