Transgender model Andrej Pejic has recently been signed by Jean Paul Gaultier's design house as its new face for runway and fragrance work. Pejic, who answers to both "he" and "she" claims not to have a strong gender identify saying that s/he "identify[s] as what I am." This statement brings to mind what Debra Rosenberg wrote in (Rethinking) Gender, that as transgender people become more visible we need to ask ourselves does "gender come in just two flavors?" Rosenberg explains that gender is far more complicated than "what is between our legs" adding that is also different from sexual orientation, which determines "who we are attracted to." At Smith College, traditionally a women's college, some students describe enrollment as "mostly women" because of the large number of "transmen" who become male after enrollment. In fact, Smith has removed all pronouns from the student government constitution as a gesture of support for the transgender community at school. Unfortunately, in spite of some instances of high profile acceptance transgendered people are still discriminated against and are subject to hate crimes
Yes. And yes.
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