About the book
What can the killing of a transgender teen can teach us about the violence of misreading gender identity as sexual identity?
The Life and Death of Latisha King examines a single incident, the shooting of 15-year-old Latisha King by 14-year-old Brian McInerney in their junior high school classroom in Oxnard, California in 2008. The press coverage of the shooting, as well as the criminal trial that followed, referred to Latisha, assigned male at birth, as Larry. Unpacking the consequences of representing the victim as Larry, a gay boy, instead of Latisha, a trans girl, Gayle Salamon draws on the resources of feminist phenomenology to analyze what happened in the school and at the trial that followed. In building on the phenomenological concepts of anonymity and comportment, Salamon considers how gender functions in the social world and the dangers of being denied anonymity as both a particularizing and dehumanizing act.
Salamon offers close readings of the court transcript and the bodily gestures of the participants in the courtroom to illuminate the ways gender and race were both evoked in and expunged from the narrative of the killing. Across court documents and media coverage, Salamon sheds light on the relation between the speakable and unspeakable in the workings of the transphobic imaginary. Interdisciplinary in both scope and method, the book considers the violences visited upon gender-nonconforming bodies that are surveilled and othered, and the contemporary resonances of the Latisha King killing.
Editions of The Life and Death of Latisha King
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781479849215
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781479892525
Read an Excerpt
What can the killing of a transgender teen can teach us about the violence of misreading gender identity as sexual identity?
The Life and Death of Latisha King examines a single incident, the shooting of 15-year-old Latisha King by 14-year-old Brian McInerney in their junior high school classroom in Oxnard, California in 2008. The press coverage of the shooting, as well as the criminal trial that followed, referred to Latisha, assigned male at birth, as Larry. Unpacking the consequences of representing the victim as Larry, a gay boy, instead of Latisha, a trans girl, Gayle Salamon draws on the resources of feminist phenomenology to analyze what happened in the school and at the trial that followed. In building on the phenomenological concepts of anonymity and comportment, Salamon considers how gender functions in the social world and the dangers of being denied anonymity as both a particularizing and dehumanizing act.
Salamon offers close readings of the court transcript and the bodily gestures of the participants in the courtroom to illuminate the ways gender and race were both evoked in and expunged from the narrative of the killing. Across court documents and media coverage, Salamon sheds light on the relation between the speakable and unspeakable in the workings of the transphobic imaginary. Interdisciplinary in both scope and method, the book considers the violences visited upon gender-nonconforming bodies that are surveilled and othered, and the contemporary resonances of the Latisha King killing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Life and Death of Latisha King about?
What can the killing of a transgender teen can teach us about the violence of misreading gender identity as sexual identity?
The Life and Death of Latisha King examines a single incident, the shooting of 15-year-old Latisha King by 14-year-old Brian McInerney in their junior high school classroom in Oxnard, California in 2008. The press coverage of the shooting, as well as the criminal trial that followed, referred to Latisha, assigned male at birth, as Larry. Unpacking the consequences of representing the victim as Larry, a gay boy, instead of Latisha, a trans girl, Gayle Salamon draws on the resources of feminist phenomenology to analyze what happened in the school and at the trial that followed. In building on the phenomenological concepts of anonymity and comportment, Salamon considers how gender functions in the social world and the dangers of being denied anonymity as both a particularizing and dehumanizing act.
Salamon offers close readings of the court transcript and the bodily gestures of the participants in the courtroom to illuminate the ways gender and race were both evoked in and expunged from the narrative of the killing. Across court documents and media coverage, Salamon sheds light on the relation between the speakable and unspeakable in the workings of the transphobic imaginary. Interdisciplinary in both scope and method, the book considers the violences visited upon gender-nonconforming bodies that are surveilled and othered, and the contemporary resonances of the Latisha King killing.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Life and Death of Latisha King?
Law > Jurisprudence and general issues > Law and society, sociology of law > Law and society, gender issues
Where can I read a sample of The Life and Death of Latisha King?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781479849215
How long is The Life and Death of Latisha King and how many pages does it have?
The Life and Death of Latisha King has 192 page(s)
Is The Life and Death of Latisha King part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Sexual Cultures
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Life and Death of Latisha King?
Gayle Salamon
Who is the Publisher of the book The Life and Death of Latisha King?
NYU Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Life and Death of Latisha King is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781479849215) and paperback(ISBN 9781479892525)
Where can I buy The Life and Death of Latisha King online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy The Life and Death of Latisha King?