Abstract

SANTILLAN., Sofía Luciana. Towards an inclusive city? The effects of aesthetic-corporeal changes among transmasculine men. Íconos [online]. 2022, n.74, pp.119-138. ISSN 1390-8065.  https://doi.org/10.17141/iconos.74.2022.5219.

The objective of the current article is to analyze the effects in the perception, access, and enjoyment of the city derived from aesthetic-corporal transformations by transmasculine men. In particular, it focuses on the case of members of the Transmasculine Fraternity Ecuador (FTM), an organization located in Quito. In the first section, the aesthetic-corporeal changes among members of the Fraternity are identified that are related to processes linked to the struggle for recognition of the masculine identity in public space. Such changes are the result of procedures of hormone therapy, through the periodic administration of testosterone, and the adjustment of particular practices associated with masculinity. In the second section, the transmasculine population that belongs to the FTM is characterized in context in order to then analyze the influence of the masculine aesthetic in perceptions of public space. A qualitative methodology was used based on participant observation, in-depth interviews, and the technique of life histories. The results reflect how aesthetic-corporeal transformations, which lead to the masculinization of bodies, change the perceptions of those who participated in the study regarding public space and mediate various forms of inhabiting the city. It is concluded, according to the interview participants, that this space is experienced as less violent and more friendly with bodies that represent masculinity, including during the nighttime.

Keywords : city; public space; Transmasculine Fraternity Ecuador; hormone therapy; aesthetic-corporeal transformations; trans-masculinity..

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )