A Look At How Sex And Gender Are Related In Travesti: Sex, Culture And Gender Among The Prostitutes Of Different Genders
In Brazil, male prostitutes’ lifestyle isn’t always ideal. Travestis are a particular group who do not enjoy their lifestyle. This group of individuals moved out of their homes and into small apartments with many other Travestis because they are transgender. Don Kulick, a transgender man from the United States, traveled to Salvador in Brazil to study Travestis. Don Kulik, Travesti: Gender, Culture, and Sex among Brazilian Transgendered Women Travestis, was able to validate the relationship between sex and sex by observing their gender and their interactions with heterosexuals.
To understand Travesti identity, it is important to know the differences between sex and sexuality. Sex is based on the genitalia you were born with: biology. A penis, for example, is a male and a vagina a female. Sexuality is the person you find attractive sexually or romantically. The tricky part is gender. It’s how you feel about yourself. Gender expression is a way to show this through the outward appearances. Travesties are identified as homosexual males (sex), but their gender is difficult to determine. They choose to use feminine pronouns and have names for them. They also present themselves as females with long hair and makeup. Travesti culture also involves injecting silicone to their bodies in order to increase breasts and butts. Kulick questioned, “Why would people do this?” (Kulick 84) All agreed they could change their bodies however they chose, and they would keep their genitals. The modification is to make the body more feminine, but it’s not to change gender. Their gender identity isn’t considered transgendered because they don’t want to change. “At a sex-change, God has created a man” (Kulick 84) says one travesti. Travestis believe that anyone who claims to be a woman and wants to get rid of their penis is “mentally deranged” (Kulick, 84).
Travestis can be classified into two different sexual orientations. One is heterosexuality which is an attraction towards the other sex. Another is homosexuality. Kulick says “This early homosexual desire is tied to the performance of effeminate and travestis invariably assumes the sexual role as the one who has been penetrated.” They continue exploring their sexual interests and desire and call themselves “viados”. They looked for older men who would penetrate them to validate their gender, and not out of desire.
They became more interested as they aged, and this led to them finding boyfriends. In order to fulfill their need to feel feminine and to maintain their male identity, they are looking for the “perfect” man. Travestis prefer men who have a masculine look. (Kulick 121). The boyfriends of these travestis are usually between 18-30 years old, heterosexual, tan and muscular, but more often than not poor. Banana said she was drawn to men with “big muscle” and attractive qualities. The travesties live with their boyfriends, and are rarely monogamous. To attract a man, travesties who make money by prostitution will give him lavish gifts. Once they have a relationship with the male, they continue giving them gifts. What is the reason for these extravagant gifts? When they meet a man who could be their boyfriend, travesties will instantly reject him as they are not interested in men like themselves. The gifts are used to keep men interested in the relationship, even if they don’t share the same sexual or romantic attraction. “Rather than seducing her man by sex attraction, a Travesti will travel down a road paved in money and material items.” (Kulick 110).
In the gender system invoked by the travesties, heterosexual men will never be attracted to another man’s penis. If boyfriends are interested in travesties’ penis, then they may become unattractive and the travesti might move on and look for another boyfriend. The boyfriends know to not touch travestis genitals at home because this could make the travestis think that they are viados. It is because they are only there as a show to validate a travesti’s gender. They want these boyfriends because they want to feel feminine. Even though travesties are aware of their masculinity and identify as such, they still desire to feel feminine. Kulick asserts that “appropriate wants” come from travesties’ practices and wants. She does not want to penetrate boyfriends, but rather to be penetrated only by males.
Sexual desire or attraction is what is missing. They are travesties because they promote the sexual behavior of men. A boyzhino, or homosexual male between the ages of 13 and 17, is someone who has a desire to “give ans” in any way. Travestis find these young boys to satisfy sexual desire. Also, when they are on the street at night to earn money, they find sexual satisfaction with their customers. Keila explains, “An adolescent travesti never gets attached to anyone, because they don’t need to be with a boy friend to get sex.”
Kulick’s information is based on the idea of validation and reassurance. It is the idea that heterosexual men should date women to feel like they are women. They inject silicone into themselves to attract men to make some money. Travestis relationships between gender and sex are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Sexuality is more linked to sex: they want penis and therefore are sexually attracted towards men. The two are not linked, but can cohabitate. A travesti whose pronouns are female and whose names are female but who does not wish to be a girl is never considered a women.
Kulick ethnography is a good example of how western cultures view of gender, sexuality, sex does not align with travestis. Kulick titled the book as a transgender, a term that was not accepted by many. Kulick did an excellent job in capturing all the details of their lives. Travestis have a life that revolves around their choice and gender. A travesti who doesn’t have boyfriend could lose their identity. If a boy even glances at the penis they are likely to drop them for someone more masculine.
Kulick paid close attention, in his ethnography to the travestis’ daily routines and their attempts to express themselves. Travestis live a life of sexual fulfillment through prostitution, boyzhinos, or silicone injections to round out their bodies like women. They are reassured by their boyfriends (if they behave as men should) if the act is kept simple and they treat them like women. Or, their attraction to the sex they want from a young child may make them realize they’re travestis. So, they leave home to find other people like themselves. The prostitution is a way to fulfill their sexuality, just as boyzhinos do who identify themselves as homosexuals. Kulick explains gender and sex by describing it through two distinct, but constant ideas. Gender Expression: Wearing makeup, long hair, using female pronouns and names, but still identifying as male. Very detailed descriptions of the boyfriends they have also validates that their gender is a woman. The sex aspect of identity remains constant since the travestis are convinced that they only look like men due to their penis. The travestis’ gender is fluid, and it is reflected in their sexual actions and the choices they make when presenting themselves to the public. They validate their sex through the way they express themselves and by paying close attention to details in heterosexual relationships.
