| Room 518 | Gender Identity Wednesday, July 13, 2005 Time: 8:30 AM-10:30 AM |
Systemic handlings of guilt and shame linked to issues of gender and sexual orientation.
Esben , Esther *,1, Almaas , Elsa Mari *,2,3, 1 Agder University College/Grimstad MPAT-Inst, Grimstad, Norway2 Grimstad MPAT-Institute, Gimstad, Norway3 Agder University College, Kristiansand, Norway
ABSTRACT- In our cultural context it has been good business for a couple of thousand years to hand out guilt an shame with one hand, and offer remission of sins with the other. The basis for the latter being confession and repentance. As repentants all people of gender variance and/or unusual sexual orientations are welcome in most religious congregations. This well functioning ′′economical concept′′ is not only linked to religious contexts. Scientific systems of medicine, psychology and sexology have supported the systems of ′′guilt handing′′ and offer of remission of ′′sins′′, or rather offers of cure. In their special ways different ideologies like for instance feminism has thoroughly described the right ways to perform femaleness and maleness. This objectivation of gender performance has added to the production of guilt and shame in non-conforming individuals In all instances of culture, religion and scientific/therapeutic systems, the authorities have been the gatekeepers of right or wrong. ′′Objectivity′′ though descriptions and diagnoses have been the tools of shame and guilt , these emotions do in their term offer jobs to priests, political leaders and therapists. They all become bureaucrats of right and wrong, yes or no. The perhaps most sorrowful issue is that shame and guilt in this context is handed out on basis of inborn qualities and qualabilities like gender identity, sexual orientation and sexual turn on patterns. It is time to take a closer look on the mechanisms involved and move from an objective to a subjective perspective, where the individual′s own narrative must be the force of guidance towards remission of sins, proper behaviour and/or presence of happiness in the individual′s own right. The alternative is business as usual.
Key words: Guilt and shame, Cultural systems, Subjective narratives