We are all T r a n s s e x u a l s Now

It is i n t e r e s t i n g to track t h e c h a n g e s in t h e sexed b o d y , e x p o s e d as it is t o d a y to a
k i n d of artificial fate. A n d t h a t artificial fate is transsexuality. An artificial fate n o t in
t h e sense of a d e v i a t i o n from t h e n a t u r a l o r d e r , b u t insofar as it is t h e p r o d u c t of a
c h a n g e i n t h e s y m b o l i c o r d e r o f sexual difference. A n d transsexual n o t (just) i n t h e
sense o f a n a t o m i c a l sexual t r a n s f o r m a t i o n , b u t i n t h e w i d e r sense o f transvestism
o f p l a y i n g o n i n t e r c h a n g e a b l e signs o f sex, a n d , b y c o n t r a s t w i t h t h e p r e v i o u s play
on sexual difference, of playing on sexual indifference.
Indifference in t w o senses: t h e transsexual is b o t h a play on n o n - d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n (of
t h e t w o poles of sexuality) a n d a f o r m of indifference to puissance, to sex as puissance.
T h e sexual has puissance as its focus (jouissance is t h e l e i t m o t i f of sexual l i b e r a t i o n ) ,
w h e r e a s t h e transsexual t e n d s t o w a r d s artifice - b o t h t h e a n a t o m i c a l artifice o f
c h a n g i n g sex a n d t h e play o n v e s t i m e n t a r y , m o r p h o l o g i c a l a n d gestural signs c h a r acteristic of cross-dressers. In b o t h cases - surgical or s e m i u r g i c a l o p e r a t i o n , sign or
o r g a n - w h a t is i n v o l v e d is p r o s t h e t i c s a n d today, w h e n it is t h e b o d y ' s d e s t i n y to
b e c o m e a prosthesis, i t i s logical t h a t t h e m o d e l o f sexuality s h o u l d b e c o m e t r a n s sexuality a n d t h a t transsexuality s h o u l d e v e r y w h e r e b e c o m e t h e site o f s e d u c t i o n .

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We are all transsexuals. Just as we are all p o t e n t i a l b i o l o g i c a l m u t a n t s , so we are

all also p o t e n t i a l transsexuals. A n d this is n o t e v e n a m a t t e r of biology. We are all
symbolically

transsexuals.

Take La Cicciolina.

I s t h e r e a n y m o r e w o n d e r f u l e m b o d i m e n t o f sex, o f t h e

p o r n o g r a p h i c i n n o c e n c e o f sex? S h e has b e e n c o n t r a s t e d w i t h M a d o n n a , t h e v i r g i n
p r o d u c t of a e r o b i c s a n d a glacial a e s t h e t i c , d e v o i d of all c h a r m a n d sensuality, a
m u s c l e d a n d r o i d , r i p e for precisely t h a t r e a s o n for c o n v e r s i o n i n t o a c o m p u t e r g e n e r a t e d i d o l o n a c c o u n t o f t h e s t r a n g e d e t e r r e n c e she g e n e r a t e s . B u t , i f w e t h i n k
a b o u t it, is n o t La C i c c i o l i n a also a transsexual? H e r l o n g , p l a t i n u m - b l o n d e hair, h e r
a m p l e , p n e u m a t i c breasts, h e r ideal b l o w - u p - d o l l f o r m s , h e r l y o p h i l i z e d - c a r t o o n o r
s c i e n c e - f i c t i o n e r o t i c i s m a n d , a b o v e all, t h e e x a g g e r a t i o n o f t h e sexual d i s c o u r s e
( n e v e r p e r v e r s e , n e v e r l i b e r t i n e ) , total t r a n s g r e s s i o n o n a plate; t h e ideal t e l e p h o n e
c h a t - l i n e w o m a n , plus a c a r n i v o r o u s erotic i d e o l o g y w h i c h n o w o m a n t o d a y w o u l d
sign up to e x c e p t , precisely, a transsexual, a transvestite: t h e y a l o n e , as we k n o w ,
live b y t h e e x a g g e r a t e d , c a r n i v o r o u s signs o f sexuality. H e r e , t h a t f l e s h l y e c t o p l a s m
L a C i c c i o l i n a m e e t s t h e artificial n i t r o g l y c e r i n e o f M a d o n n a o r t h e a n d r o g y n o u s ,
F r a n k e n s t i n i a n c h a r m o f M i c h a e l J a c k s o n . T h e y are all m u t a n t s , transvestites, g e n e t ically b a r o q u e b e i n g s , w h o s e e r o t i c ' l o o k ' c o n c e a l s t h e i r g e n d e r i n d e t e r m i n a c y .
T h e y are all ' g e n d e r - b e n d e r s ' , as t h e y say in t h e U S A .
In reality, t h e m y t h of sexual l i b e r a t i o n is still alive in m a n y f o r m s , b u t , in t h e
i m a g i n a r y register, t h e transsexual m y t h w i t h its a n d r o g y n o u s , h e r m a p h r o d i t i c
variants is d o m i n a n t . After t h e orgy, desire a n d sexual difference, we have h e r e t h e
flourishing of e r o t i c simulacra of all k i n d s a n d transsexual k i t s c h in all its glory.
P o s t m o d e r n p o r n o g r a p h y , s o t o speak, i n w h i c h sexuality gets lost i n t h e t h e a t r i c a l

1. T h e H u n g a r i a n - b o r n p o r n star Ilona Staller, w h o w e n t on to b e c o m e an Italian m e m b e r of

parliament on an anti-nuclear, pro-sexual freedom platform.

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excess o f its a m b i g u i t y a n d indifference. T h i n g s have c e r t a i n l y c h a n g e d since sex

a n d politics w e r e p a r t o f t h e s a m e subversive project: i f L a C i c c i o l i n a can b e e l e c t e d
t o t h e Italian P a r l i a m e n t n o w , t h a t i s precisely b e c a u s e t h e t r a n s s e x u a l a n d t h e
t r a n s p o l i t i c a l m e e t i n t h e s a m e i r o n i c i n d i f f e r e n c e . T h i s p a r t i c u l a r feat, w h i c h
w o u l d h a v e b e e n u n t h i n k a b l e j u s t a few years ago, b u t w h i c h t o d a y m e e t s w i t h
w a r m g e n e r a l approval, attests t o t h e fact t h a t i t i s n o t j u s t sexual c u l t u r e , b u t t h e
w h o l e o f t h e political c u l t u r e t h a t has g o n e o v e r t o transvestism.
T h e strategy o f e x o r c i z i n g t h e s e x u a l b o d y b y w i l d l y e x a g g e r a t i n g t h e signs o f
sex, of e x o r c i z i n g desire by its secret d e p o l a r i z a t i o n a n d t h e e x a g g e r a t i o n of its mise
en scene, is m u c h m o r e effective t h a n t h a t of g o o d old repression, w h i c h , by contrast,
u s e d p r o h i b i t i o n to create difference. Yet it is n o t clear w h o benefits f r o m this strategy, as e v e r y o n e suffers it w i t h o u t d i s t i n c t i o n . T h i s travestied r e g i m e - in t h e
b r o a d e s t sense has b e c o m e t h e v e r y basis o f o u r i n s t i t u t i o n s . Y o u find i t e v e r y w h e r e i n politics, a r c h i t e c t u r e , t h e o r y , i d e o l o g y a n d e v e n i n s c i e n c e .
Y o u e v e n f i n d i t i n o u r d e s p e r a t e q u e s t for i d e n t i t y a n d difference. W e n o l o n g e r
h a v e t h e t i m e t o seek o u t a n i d e n t i t y i n t h e h i s t o r i c a l r e c o r d , i n m e m o r y , i n a past,
n o r i n d e e d i n a p r o j e c t o r a future. W e have t o h a v e a n i n s t a n t m e m o r y w h i c h w e
c a n p l u g i n t o i m m e d i a t e l y - a k i n d o f p r o m o t i o n a l i d e n t i t y w h i c h c a n b e verified
a t e v e r y m o m e n t . W h a t w e l o o k for today, w h e r e t h e b o d y i s c o n c e r n e d , i s n o t s o
m u c h h e a l t h , w h i c h i s a state o f o r g a n i c e q u i l i b r i u m , b u t fitness, w h i c h i s a n
ephemeral, hygienic, promotional radiance of the b o d y - m u c h m o r e a perf o r m a n c e t h a n a n ideal state w h i c h t u r n s sickness i n t o failure. I n t e r m s o f fashion
a n d a p p e a r a n c e , w e n o l o n g e r p u r s u e b e a u t y o r seductiveness, b u t t h e ' l o o k ' .
E v e r y o n e i s after t h e i r ' l o o k ' . S i n c e y o u c a n n o l o n g e r set a n y store b y y o u r o w n
e x i s t e n c e (we no l o n g e r l o o k at e a c h o t h e r - a n d s e d u c t i o n is at an e n d ! ) , all t h a t
r e m a i n s is to p e r f o r m an appearing act, w i t h o u t b o t h e r i n g to be, or e v e n to be seen.
It is n o t : 'I exist, I ' m h e r e ' , b u t ' I ' m visible, I ' m i m a g e l o o k , l o o k ! ' T h i s is n o t

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e v e n narcissism. It's a depthless e x t r a v e r s i o n , a k i n d of p r o m o t i o n a l i n g e n u o u s n e s s

in w h i c h everyone becomes the impresario of his/her o w n appearance.
T h e ' l o o k ' i s a k i n d o f m i n i m a l , l o w - d e f i n i t i o n i m a g e , like t h e v i d e o i m a g e or,
a s M c L u h a n w o u l d say, a tactile i m a g e , w h i c h p r o v o k e s n e i t h e r a t t e n t i o n n o r a d m i r a t i o n , as fashion still d o e s , b u t is a p u r e special effect w i t h o u t a n y p a r t i c u l a r
m e a n i n g . T h e l o o k i s n o t e x a c t l y fashion a n y m o r e ; i t i s a f o r m o f fashion w h i c h
has passed b e y o n d . It no l o n g e r s u b s c r i b e s to a l o g i c of d i s t i n c t i o n a n d it is no
l o n g e r a play of difference; it plays at difference w i t h o u t b e l i e v i n g in it. It is indifference. B e i n g o n e s e l f b e c o m e s a n e p h e m e r a l p e r f o r m a n c e , w i t h n o lasting effects,
a disenchanted m a n n e r i s m in a w o r l d w i t h o u t m a n n e r s .
R e t r o s p e c t i v e l y , this t r i u m p h of t h e transsexual a n d t h e travestied casts a s t r a n g e
light o n t h e sexual l i b e r a t i o n o f earlier g e n e r a t i o n s . T h a t l i b e r a t i o n , far f r o m b e i n g ,
as in its o w n self-image, t h e i r r u p t i o n of a m a x i m u m e r o t i c value of t h e b o d y
w i t h a n e l e v a t i o n o f t h e f e m i n i n e a n d jouissance ( t h e m a s c u l i n e h a v i n g r a t h e r
r e s e r v e d for itself u p t o t h a t p o i n t t h e f i e l d o f p o w e r ) - will p e r h a p s m e r e l y h a v e
b e e n a n i n t e r m e d i a t e phase o n t h e p a t h t o g e n d e r c o n f u s i o n . T h e sexual r e v o l u t i o n
will p e r h a p s m e r e l y h a v e b e e n a decisive stage i n t h e j o u r n e y t o w a r d s t r a n s s e x u a l ity. T h i s is, ultimately, t h e p r o b l e m a t i c fate of e v e r y r e v o l u t i o n . By releasing all t h e
p o t e n t i a l i t i e s o f desire, t h e s e x u a l r e v o l u t i o n leads t o t h e basic q u e s t i o n : a m I m a n
or w o m a n ? (psychoanalysis has at least played a p a r t in g e n e r a t i n g this sexual u n c e r tainty p r i n c i p l e ) . As for t h e political a n d social r e v o l u t i o n - t h e p r o t o t y p e for all t h e
o t h e r s - b y g i v i n g h u m a n b e i n g s t h e use o f t h e i r f r e e d o m a n d t h e i r o w n free will,
i t w i l l h a v e l e d t h e m , i n a n i m p l a c a b l y logical process, t o w o n d e r w h e r e t h e i r free
will lies, w h a t t h e y u l t i m a t e l y w a n t a n d w h a t t h e y are e n t i t l e d t o e x p e c t o f t h e m selves - a p r o b l e m p r e v i o u s l y q u i t e u n k n o w n . T h i s is t h e p a r a d o x i c a l o u t c o m e of
every r e v o l u t i o n . W i t h r e v o l u t i o n b e g i n s i n d e t e r m i n a c y , a n x i e t y a n d c o n f u s i o n , b u t
m a n y o t h e r pleasures t o o : c h o i c e , p l u r a l i s m , d e m o c r a c y .

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B u t t h e r e s i m p l y i s n o d e m o c r a t i c p r i n c i p l e o f sexuality. S e x i s n o t p a r t o f
h u m a n r i g h t s a n d t h e r e i s n o p r i n c i p l e o f t h e e m a n c i p a t i o n o f sexuality. O n c e t h e
o r g y was over, sexual l i b e r a t i o n c o u l d b e s e e n t o h a v e h a d t h e effect o f l e a v i n g
e v e r y o n e s e a r c h i n g for t h e i r g e n d e r , t h e i r sexual a n d g e n d e r identity, w i t h f e w e r
a n d f e w e r possible answers, g i v e n t h e c i r c u l a t i o n o f signs a n d t h e m u l t i p l i c i t y o f
pleasures. T h i s i s h o w w e subtly b e c a m e transsexuals, j u s t a s w e secretly b e c a m e
transpolitical t h a t is to say, politically indifferent a n d u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d b e i n g s ,
politically a n d r o g y n o u s a n d h e r m a p h r o d i t i c . H a v i n g s u b s c r i b e d t o , d i g e s t e d a n d
rejected the m o s t contradictory ideologies, we n o w merely wear the masks and
have b e c o m e i n o u r m i n d s , p e r h a p s u n w i t t i n g l y , political cross-dressers.
W h a t o t h e r t h i n g s d o w e see s i m u l t a n e o u s l y g a i n i n g t h e u p p e r h a n d ? T e r r o r i s m
a s (transpolitical) political f o r m , A I D S a n d c a n c e r a s p a t h o l o g i c a l f o r m , t h e t r a n s sexual a n d t h e travestied a s sexual a n d a e s t h e t i c f o r m i n g e n e r a l . O n l y t h e s e f o r m s
p r o v i d e any g e n u i n e m e n t a l fascination today. N e i t h e r t h e sexual r e v o l u t i o n n o r t h e
political d e b a t e , n e i t h e r cardiovascular disease n o r a c c i d e n t s a t w o r k , n o r e v e n
c o n v e n t i o n a l warfare, interest a n y o n e collectively any m o r e (this is a g o o d t h i n g
w h e r e w a r i s c o n c e r n e d ; w e shall h a v e b e e n s p a r e d m a n y w a r s b e c a u s e t h e y w o u l d
have b e e n o f n o i n t e r e s t t o a n y o n e ) . T h e t r u e p h a n t a s m s lie e l s e w h e r e . T h e y lie i n
t h e s e t h r e e f o r m s , all o f t h e m p r o d u c t s o f t h e d i s t u r b a n c e o f a p r i n c i p l e o f f u n c t i o n i n g a n d t h e r e s u l t a n t c o n f u s i o n o f effects, a n d e a c h o f t h e m ( t e r r o r i s m ,
transvestism, A I D S ) c o r r e s p o n d i n g t o a n e x a c e r b a t i o n o f t h e political, sexual o r
g e n e t i c g a m e , as w e l l as to a defectiveness a n d collapse of t h e respective c o d e s of t h e
political a n d sexual s p h e r e s .
T h e y are all viral, fascinating, indifferent f o r m s , f o r m s m u l t i p l i e d b y t h e v i r u l e n c e o f i m a g e s , since all t h e m o d e r n m e d i a - t h e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n s
systems - h a v e t h e m s e l v e s a viral p o w e r a n d t h e i r v i r u l e n c e is c o n t a g i o u s . We are
i n a c u l t u r e w h e r e b o d i e s a n d m i n d s are i r r a d i a t e d b y signals a n d i m a g e s a n d ,

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t h o u g h t h a t c u l t u r e p r o d u c e s t h e finest effects, it c o m e s as no s u r p r i s e t h a t it also

p r o d u c e s t h e m o s t lethal viruses. T h e n u c l e a r i z a t i o n o f b o d i e s b e g a n a t H i r o s h i m a ,
b u t i t c o n t i n u e s e n d e m i c a l l y , incessantly, i n i r r a d i a t i o n b y t h e m e d i a , b y i m a g e s ,
signs, p r o g r a m m e s a n d n e t w o r k s .
14 October

14

1987