To what extent are our bodies natural? This is the question that begs us to consider the state of our bodies as to whether bodies are mere natural biological constructs or are canvases to be governed and regulated by our culture and society? This chapter gives an overview of the case of Thailand and its structural relations to its citizens’ bodies by inspecting closely how society theorizes and understands the bodies to be and, in the later section, how bodies are mediated by giving them or depriving them of the legal statuses. The viability or legality of the bodies, as this chapter will present, will be closely related to the contingency of socio-cultural and historical factors regarding the biological deterministic discourses on the sexes, as well as genders and sexualities. Why are our bodies designated into the either/or female or male categories? This question incites us to inquire how our cultural practices can shape the biological nature of our bodies (based on reproductive systems) into fixed and (non)viable entities. This chapter discusses issues of marriages and uniforms, for instance. Ultimately, this chapter wishes to make a case that the bodies are sites for political control and struggle, making them a central point for nature, culture, and society to collide. The chapter ends by providing a proposal and a case example on how the governing of the bodies or the way society and culture can interact with our biological natures could be most inclusive and can potentially start eliminating the way natural dimorphism affects our lives.

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The Constitutive Component of Sexes, Genders, and Sexualities: The Case of Thailand

  • Porranee Singpliam

摘要

To what extent are our bodies natural? This is the question that begs us to consider the state of our bodies as to whether bodies are mere natural biological constructs or are canvases to be governed and regulated by our culture and society? This chapter gives an overview of the case of Thailand and its structural relations to its citizens’ bodies by inspecting closely how society theorizes and understands the bodies to be and, in the later section, how bodies are mediated by giving them or depriving them of the legal statuses. The viability or legality of the bodies, as this chapter will present, will be closely related to the contingency of socio-cultural and historical factors regarding the biological deterministic discourses on the sexes, as well as genders and sexualities. Why are our bodies designated into the either/or female or male categories? This question incites us to inquire how our cultural practices can shape the biological nature of our bodies (based on reproductive systems) into fixed and (non)viable entities. This chapter discusses issues of marriages and uniforms, for instance. Ultimately, this chapter wishes to make a case that the bodies are sites for political control and struggle, making them a central point for nature, culture, and society to collide. The chapter ends by providing a proposal and a case example on how the governing of the bodies or the way society and culture can interact with our biological natures could be most inclusive and can potentially start eliminating the way natural dimorphism affects our lives.