L'aurora delle trans cattive

L’aurora delle trans cattive is a book written by Porpora Marcasciano, published by éditions Alegre in February 2018. The book features a preface by Stefania Voli, researcher at University of Milan-Bicocca, and published by Amnesty International. It is also used as a textbook in the University of Turin course on the History of Homosexuality.

L’aurora delle trans cattive

Cover of L’aurora delle trans cattive
Author	Porpora Marcasciano
Language	Italian
Genre	Non-fiction
Publisher	éditions Alegre
Publication date	February 2018
Publication place	Italy

Content Overview

In this work, Marcasciano reflects on a journey of approximately 40 years, recounting her own experiences and those of other transgender individuals. She highlights the immense strength required to navigate a world that often denies them recognition and rights, forcing many to live in an almost parallel existence.

The title's use of the word “cattive” (“evil”) reflects societal perceptions of transgender people, who have historically been viewed as criminals merely for existing. In a presentation at Teatro di Roma, Marcasciano stated that even the act of existing as a transgender person was once criminalized by society and justice.

As noted by the publisher, this book articulates the evolution of language surrounding transgender identities: “this journey has fostered the ability to speak about oneself in a time when the only derogatory term available was ‘travestito’ (cross-dresser), and when the vocabulary lacked terms like ‘transgender’ or ‘gender variant.’” Through a blend of anecdotes, myths, and “scandalous” stories, Marcasciano intertwines reflections on collective awareness, the birth of the Movimento Identità Trans, and the struggle for legal recognition, culminating in Law 164 of 1982.

Excerpts and Themes

Marcasciano expresses a critical view of societal expectations, stating:

“If you are baptized as dysphoric, it is clear that you will build yourself dysphorically; if you are defined as pathological, you will move as a patient; if you are considered a criminal, depraved, degenerate, you could not be saints, much less become them.”

She further critiques the notion of normalcy among her peers: “Although today among many of my sisters, the most widespread aspiration seems to have become that of being or feeling normal. ‘I am a normal person,’ is emphasized, repeated breathlessly to a world whose only monolithic normality remains exclusively its own...”