Paired Double Consciousness: A Du Boisian Approach to Gender and Transnational Double Consciousness in Thai Kathoey Self-Formation. (12th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lynne, Alyssa
• Is Part Of: Social problems. Volume 68:Number 2(2021)
• Page Start: 250
• Page End: 266
• Publication Date: 2021-04-12
• Subjects: Thailand -- double consciousness -- gender -- self-formation -- postcolonial feminist theory; Social problems -- Periodicals; 301
• DOI: 10.1093/socpro/spaa073
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0037-7791

Abstract

Abstract: Sociologists have not adequately explored how Du Bois' concept of double consciousness could be used to study the role of cisnormative oppression in self-formation or how it could enrich studies of self-formation beyond the Atlantic world. This article addresses these gaps by merging postcolonial feminist theory and the concept of double consciousness to analyze kathoey self-formation . Kathoey are gender nonconforming (GNC) individuals in Thailand who are assigned male at birth and live as women. Drawing upon participant observation, in-depth interviews, and content analysis, I propose an extension to double consciousness called "paired double consciousness." This framework explains how cisnormative and neocolonial oppression lead kathoey to experience two veils. The first veil divides self-formation between kathoey and dominant cisgender worlds within Thai society, which produces "gender double consciousness." The second veil divides self-formation between kathoey and dominant transgender worlds within a global community, which creates "transnational double consciousness."