As You Wear: Cross-Dressing and Identity Politics in Jackie Kay's Trumpet

Abstract

This paper explores the theories and practices of cross-dressing through the lens of Jackie Kay’s novel, Trumpet (1998). In the course of Trumpet, Kay explores the life of a fictional protagonist, ‘Joss Moody,’ who was born a woman but lived as a man. With close reference to recent critiques of cross-dressing, this paper conducts a detailed analysis of identity, gender, and personal autonomy as they are constructed within the terms of Kay’s text. Furthermore, it works to illustrate the complex ways in which gender and individuality intersect in contemporary cultures, while exposing the logic of gender binarism to intense critical scrutiny.

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