Representation of transgender characters in Brazilian literary narratives: a gender trouble

Abstract

Starting from the idea of trans-body as a metaphor to understand the various possibilities of transgenderism, this paper aims to explore how the transgender character has been represented in Brazilian literary narratives. Therefore, it is necessary to compare the representational model of cisgender authors with the representation undertaken by transgender authors. In this endeavor, it is important to read the texts of trans authorship from a transfeminist point of view, that is, from a theoretical scope created by, and intended to the trans people themselves. In this context, this article seeks to answer questions such as: where are the transgender characters created by trans authorship? What representational patterns are observed in the construction of such characters in cis and trans authorship? Why is it that we seldom talk about trans authorship even when it comes to the representation of transgender characters? The suggested answers indicate an erasure of trans authorship as a consequence of the cisheteronormativity that influences the editorial and academic literary field.

Keywords

• personagens transgêneras
• narrativas brasileiras
• corpo-trans
• transfeminismo