Categorizing Silence

         During our discussion of Silence, I came across a major issue when we were discussing the characteristics of Silence. The question of Silence’s gender identity came up, and people went back and forth debating whether or not Silence was transgender, agender, or gender fluid. I joined in on this argument, because at first, I found it to be interesting. However, the more I thought about it, the more it really bothered me. I think that when we are discussing Silence, or any character from the middle ages, it is important that we do not try and force our 21^st century nomenclature and thought processes on the character. Silence was not thinking that perhaps she was transgender, instead she was concerned that despite being female, she had played the role of a male for so long that she was beginning to become more comfortable in this role. I understand the desire that we, as 21^st century students, have to try and bring everything into this century, but it simply isn’t realistic, and we lose sight of the actual issue being told in the story.

            A more appropriate comparison to make would be to Julia Serano’s essay in Gender Outlaws, where she argues that gender is an act that helps us categorize in society. Despite being female, Silence was forced into the role of a male, due to inheritance laws. After lots of internal struggle, she finally comes to the decision that this is not the role that she fits into, and begins to play her “natural” role, which is that of a female.

            My statement is not meant to say that there are not people from the middle ages, who if we brought into today’s society, would be regarded as transgender, it just isn’t applicable to Silence.

            To compare it to something more modern, within the community of Drag Queens, there are queens who become lost in the role that they play when they paint their face. Their true selves become lost inside the outgoing personality that is their stage persona. It leads to the same type of internal struggle we see with Silence, where they attempt to sort between this fake personality that has taken over their lives, and their true selves. Eventually, they tend to find their way, just like Silence, back into their natural roles. They are not transgender, simply lost in the roles that they are forced to put on.