Bridging The Gap Between Gender and Trauma

In this episode, I chat with psychoanalysts Avgi Saketopoulou and Ann Pellegrini about their new book, Gender Without Identity. We dig into how gender isn’t some fixed core identity but something shaped by cultural interactions, and yeah, sometimes trauma. Avgi and Ann take apart the mainstream ideas of gender, questioning the whole "core identity" thing, and instead offer a way more nuanced take that dives into the messy complexities of gender in psychoanalysis. We also take a hard look at the bullshit legislative attacks on trans people and how transness gets framed as a problem by those in power. This is a deep dive into gender theory and trauma that anyone interested in real, meaningful inclusivity needs to hear. You can follow Ann and Avgi on their websites Ann Pellegrini’s Websitehttps://annpellegrini.com Avgi Saketopoulou’s Websitehttps://avgisaketopoulou.com Unconscious in Translation:https://www.uitbooks.com/shop/gender-without-identity  Little District Books:https://www.littledistrictbooks.com/products/gender-without-identity My thoughts on the bookThis book challenges the idea that gender is fixed or inherent, instead showing how it’s shaped by trauma and cultural experiences. It’s dense and complex, but it dives into important questions we need to be asking about how gender forms. Saketopoulou and Pellegrini do an excellent job of pushing beyond conventional thinking. It’s not a light read, but for those who care about really understanding the intersection of gender and trauma, it’s well worth the effort. The psychoanalytic approach might sometimes feel heavy, but the depth they go into pays off. If you’re looking for a book that challenges the mainstream understanding of gender identity and forces you to confront the uncomfortable realities of how we construct gender, Gender Without Identity is one to pick up. It’s thought-provoking and timely for anyone who’s serious about moving these conversations forward. Check out my linktreehttps://linktr.ee/Skepticalleftist If you enjoyed the show, consider supporting us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/skepticalleftist  to help keep the content coming. You can also subscribe to my Substack https://theskepticalleftist.substack.com/  for updates and extra content or get bonus episodes through Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/skepticalleftist/subscribe . Every bit makes a difference! If that’s not your thing, sharing the episode with friends or on social media goes a long way too. Thanks for listening and for your support! And you can get a copy of Gender Without Identity from these sitesAnd please, if you can, support the Cathedral Community Fridge https://www.cathedralcommunityfridge.com/  or your local community fridge. Mutual aid matters—let’s help each other thrive!