This term paper deals with disparate notions of gender in Stephan Elliott’s 1994 movie “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert” within the frame of a course on “Australian Identity in Literature and Film”.
The movie presents a variety of ways of “doing gender”: Its is primarily concerned with conceptions of gender deviating from the usual male-female-dichotomy, i.e. the ones of two cross-dressing homosexual men and a male-to-female-transsexual as contrasted to stereotypical notions of masculinity and femininity. Those have to be taken into account as the entirety of gender identities really is a web of the utmost complexity with notions of male and female forming a centre around which the other conceptions of identity are grouped and on which they depend. Changes in the understanding of masculinity and/or femininity then are likely to disrupt the entire system and cause deviant sexual identities to change with them. My primary aim in this term paper then will be to compare the western/mainstream-Australian attitude towards diverging sexual identities such as transsexuality, homosexuality and transvestitism to the one of indigenous people such as the Aborigines and to explain why their attitudes towards it are so different.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Biological and psychological fundamentals of the conception of gender
3. The genesis of sexual deviation
4. Sexual deviation in indigenous populations such as the Aborigines
5. Sexual deviation in intercultural encounter in “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”
6. Cross-dressing in the western tradition
7. Mythological roots of western homo- and transphobia
8. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the differing cultural perceptions of gender identities, contrasting Western mainstream attitudes towards sexual deviation with those of indigenous populations, specifically using Stephan Elliott's film "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" as a primary case study.
- Biological and psychological foundations of gender identity development.
- The role of shamanism and mythology in indigenous views on sexual variance.
- Comparison of Western homophobia with the more inclusive or ritualized indigenous perspectives.
- Analysis of gender performance and the "male-female-dichotomy" in the context of the film.
- The impact of Western religious and mythological structures on current attitudes towards non-heterosexual identities.
Excerpt from the Book
4. Sexual deviation in indigenous populations such as the Aborigines
After examining sexual identity in western societies such as Australia I now would like to look at the attitude towards deviating sexual identities in indigenous populations such as the Aborigines. To achieve this aim, I intend to look at Aboriginal mythology and society and to scrutinize the function and representation of homosexuality, transvestitism and transsexuality in it. These, regarded from the western point of view, deviating sexual identities play a major role in the system of practices of beliefs called shamanism. Whether Aboriginal practices can be subsumed under shamanism is matter of debate but in accordance with anthropologist A. P. Elkin and his findings presented in his book „Aboriginal Men of High Degree: Initiation and Sorcery in the World's Oldest Tradition“ aboriginal societies know individuals termed karadji or clever men, i.e. elders who serve as messengers between the dreaming and their communities. They are believed to have magical powers, to be able to heal, to make rain and to foretell future events.
Shamanism then is not a system of belief in its own right but consists of a set of cross-cultural practices and religious perceptions such as the ones described above. It is usually embedded in a larger system of belief such as the ones of the Aborigines centred around “The Dreaming”, “Dreamtime” or “The Law”. The term itself originates from the word “šaman” which, in the language of the Evenks, an indigenous population of the Russian north, means sage or wise man. The Evenkian term is, by some scholars, affiliated to a Sanskrit root. The phenomenon can be found in areas as far from each other as the Amazon, the arctic and Borneo. The regional varieties are subject to variation but most often shamanism is regarded as a mode of healing but usually its practices are also centred around hunting and maintaining a balance endangered by the taking of lives (of animals) necessary to the survival of the group. One further constituent of shamanistic practice is its special kind of cosmology in which the world is perceived as consisting of many layers beyond ordinary everyday reality.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the paper's focus on the conflicting gender notions in the film "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" and introduces the comparison between Western and Aboriginal perspectives.
2. Biological and psychological fundamentals of the conception of gender: An examination of biological sex determination (XX/XY system) and how social environments and parental perceptions contribute to the formation of gender identity.
3. The genesis of sexual deviation: This chapter explores how childhood identification processes and the separation from the mother figure influence the development of sexual identity and the roots of homophobia in Western society.
4. Sexual deviation in indigenous populations such as the Aborigines: An analysis of the role of "clever men" (karadji) and shamanism in Aboriginal culture, where gender variance is often integrated into religious and social belief systems.
5. Sexual deviation in intercultural encounter in “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”: A detailed scene analysis from the film, contrasting the hostile reaction of a mining town with the enthusiastic reception of the drag performance by a group of Aborigines.
6. Cross-dressing in the western tradition: A brief overview of the historical and mythological role of cross-dressing in Western traditions, ranging from ancient myth to carnival customs.
7. Mythological roots of western homo- and transphobia: This chapter examines biblical passages and the historical survival conditions of the Middle East to explain the origins of anti-homosexual sentiments in Western religion.
8. Bibliography: A comprehensive list of the primary and secondary sources used to support the research arguments.
Keywords
Gender Identity, Sexual Deviation, Aborigines, Shamanism, The Dreaming, Homosexuality, Transsexuality, Transvestitism, Western Tradition, Masculinity, Femininity, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Homophobia, Mythological Roots, Cultural Comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the divergent perceptions of gender identity and sexual deviation by comparing Western social and religious attitudes with those of indigenous Australian populations.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The text covers the biological foundations of gender, the development of psychological identity, the role of shamanism, the impact of religious doctrine on homophobia, and cultural analysis through film studies.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to explain why Western societies tend to view sexual deviation as pathological, while indigenous populations often integrate it into their spiritual and cultural systems.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a comparative cultural analysis and literary/film interpretation, drawing on psychological theories and anthropological findings.
What content is covered in the main body of the paper?
The body analyzes the "male-female-dichotomy," the role of shamanism in Aboriginal mythology, and contrasts specific scenes from "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" to illustrate intercultural reactions to drag and queer identity.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Gender Identity, Shamanism, The Dreaming, Western Homophobia, Cultural Comparison, and Queer Performance.
How does the film "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" illustrate the author's argument?
The film serves as a vehicle to compare the violent reaction of a Western "hypermasculine" miner with the inclusive, culturally grounded reception of the protagonists by Aboriginal people in the desert.
What significance does the "Rainbow Serpent" have in this analysis?
The author views the Rainbow Serpent as a hybrid mythological figure that encompasses both male and female elements, serving as a moral guide that promotes unity and healing.
How does the Bible influence Western views on sexual identity, according to the text?
The text argues that biblical passages, such as those found in Leviticus, established a moral foundation that equates non-heterosexual behavior with abomination, rooted in the survival needs of ancient societies.
What role does the mother-child relationship play in the author's theory of sexual deviation?
Drawing on psychoanalytic perspectives, the author suggests that failures in the separation process between mother and son can lead to a "permeation" of female traits, which in Western society is often mistakenly linked to the genesis of homosexual or transgender identity.
- Quote paper
- Stefan Löchle (Author), 2008, Crossing Boundaries in Stephan Elliott’s “Priscilla – Queen of the Desert": Transsexuality and Transvestitism in Intercultural Encounters, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/139314
