Phenomenon of transgenderism and the modern concept of androgyny: philosophical and cultural analysis

Philosophy

Abstract

The article deals with the philosophical and cultural issues of the transgenderism phenomenon as seen through the modern concept of androgyny. The 20th century became a turning point for many scientific areas, including the humanities. Due to the activity of feminist movements, there took place a drastic revision of gender-based sociocultural patterns and the ontological status of a woman was changed (starting from Simone de Beauvoir). Moreover, a woman’s intrinsic value and independence from a man were proved and postulated. A distinct concept of gender (socially constructed characteristics of men and women). In the last third of the 20th century, that led to the emergence of an independent interdisciplinary scientific area named «Gender Studies», whose field of interest included studies of social and cultural phenomena using the theory of social sex (gender). Furthermore, the issues of self-identification and gender identity began to occupy a special place. The «transgender revolution» that took place at the beginning of the 21st century mainstreamed the transgender phenomenon again. It became the most striking and widespread form of expressing «other gender». However, it should be noted that any modern variation of the «third sex» is based on the Platonic idea of androgyny, which finds its reflection in modern gender models. Therefore, it is becoming extremely important to consider transgenderism as a phenomenon that forms a separate cultural discourse in the context of the modern idea of androgyny. We make an attempt to identify common metaphysical features of both anthropological phenomena (transgender and androgyne) and to assume their «ontological affinity».