Creating, maintaining and questioning (hetero)relational normality in narratives about vaginal reconstruction

Abstract

Analysing ten interviews with women diagnosed with and treated for congenital absence of the vagina, this article theorises the notion of ideal (hetero) relational normality. It explores how women in my case study negotiate, relate to and challenge this notion and examines the normative and bodily work for which it calls. The article specifically underscores the corporeal dimension of (hetero) relational normality. I argue that this notion of normality shapes the bodies of the women through medical interventions, while concurrently being reinforced through the corporeal shapings that the women undergo. These corporeal shapings consolidate enacted norms concerning heterosexuality and form understandings of female and male bodies. The analysis also reveals how these women nevertheless find ways to re-negotiate and question the notion of ideal (hetero) relational normality and its intertwinement with medical practice. The article contributes both to the critical examination of genital surgery and to feminist discussions of how to critically examine heterosexuality without rejecting it. Furthermore, it provides a deeper understanding of how medical interventions designed to create a vagina, or dilate a vagina considered too small, are made meaningful by the women affected

Experiences of people living with disorders of sex development and sex reassignment: Meta‐ethnography of qualitative studies

“…This was described by women as maintaining normalcy and their strong desire for a perfect female body (Boyle et al., ):

“I totally do not mind being different in some way, but I do want it all to work as normally as possible” (Guntram, , p. 109).

“… because then I felt, kind of, that something had to happen. Because it's really not possible to have a boyfriend in the long run without, like, having sex at all” (Guntram, , p. 111).

…”

“…“I totally do not mind being different in some way, but I do want it all to work as normally as possible” (Guntram, , p. 109).…”

“…Yeah, in the beginning it was really tough, I remember. And I was really upset and cried because… yeah, because it hurt and it was hard …” (Guntram, , p. 112).…”

“…Some participants use penile–vaginal intercourse as an alternative means to maintain vaginal size. Many women say that doctors tell them to use penile–vaginal sex as a means of maintenance (Alderson et al., ; Guntram, ):

“If you meet a man, you don't have to use dilators” (Guntram, , p. 112).

…”

‘You have all those emotions inside that you cannot show because of what they will cause’: Disclosing the absence of one's uterus and vagina

“…"You have all those emotions inside that you cannot show because of what they will cause": Disclosing the absence of one's uterus and vagina. Social Science & Medicine 167, 63-70. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2016 6 with a condition categorized as DSD or intersex, as well as lived experiences of individuals with such conditions, and have critically examined the disciplining effects of medical treatment (Guntram, 2013a;Holmes, 2008;Karkazis, 2008;Kessler, 1998;Roen, 2008;Zeiler and Wickström 2009).…”