Trans*Time in (TV) Series: (Inter)national Projections
Trans*Time in TV Series
The conference takes place January 30-31 2020 at the Margarete-Bieber-Saal of the JLU Gießen.
Trans* visibility in the media, which is widely viewed as an indispensable step in societal acceptance of this facet of LGBTQI* communities, has peaked in the last decades. The media monitoring organization GLAAD welcomes the growing presence of trans* characters in television series as this presence allows for more nuanced and intersectional approaches to identity (Crenshaw 1989). Two prominent, but diverse examples of this trans* visibility include Sophia Burset played by Laverne Cox in “Orange is the New Black” and Maura Pfefferman played by Jeffrey Tambor in “Transparent.” We can expand our gaze outside of the United States to see that this is not just a U.S. phenomenon. There has also been an increase in trans* characters in television series around the world. This new visibility and inclusion of trans* characters, sometimes played by trans* actors, signifies the beginning of - what will be called here - a Trans*Time, in which depictions of trans* characters get (inter)nationally projected through the global circulation of “traditional” television series and online streaming platforms.
In light of these international phenomena, a comparative approach to examining how trans* people are depicted in television series (inter)nationally seems methodically sensible and socially relevant. Based on the premise that television series generate, mediate and illustrate models of identification and models of society, this conference examines the multi-semiotic depiction of trans* characters in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German and U.S. shows during the past decades.

Program
Conference Trans*Time in TV Series: (Inter)National Projections
Margarete-Bieber-Saal (Ludwigstraße 34, 35390 Gießen)
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30.01.2020 |
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15:00 |
Registration
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15:30-15:45 |
Greetings by Vice-President of the JLU Prof. Dr. Verena Dolle (Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen)
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15:45-16:00 |
Introduction: Dr. Danae Gallo González (Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen)
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Panel 1: Chair: Oliver Klaassen (Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen)
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16:00-16:30 |
Trans* Time in French Series Dr. Karine Espineira (Université Paris-8)
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16:30-17:00 |
Trans* Time in Portuguese Series Alice Azevedo (Universidade de Lisboa)
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17:00-17:30 |
Q&R
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17:30-18:00 |
Snacks and Drinks
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Keynote Lecture: Chair: Dr. Danae Gallo González (Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen)
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18:00-19:30 |
“Trigger Warning: Piercing Stigmata and the Violence of Visual Markers for Contemporary Televisual Trans Characters,”
Dr. Eliza Steinbock (University of Leiden)
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31.01.2020 |
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Panel 2: Chair: Johanna Fernández Castro (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz)
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9:00-9:30 |
Trans*Time in German Series Dr. Persson Perry Baumgartinger (Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg)
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9:30-10:00 |
Trans*Time in Italian Series Luca Malici, M.A. (University of Sheffield)
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10:00-10:30 |
Q&R
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10:30-11:00 |
Pause
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Round Table Moderator: Prof. Dr. Greta Olson (Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen)
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11:00-11:15 |
Chairs‘ Reports
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11:15-13:15 |
Round Table Dr. Danae Gallo González, Dr. Karine Espineira, Dr. Eliza Steinbock, Alice Azevedo, Luca Malici, M.A., Dr. Persson Perry Baumgartinger
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13:15-13:30 |
Final Report by the Moderator
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13:30 |
Lunchbreak
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15:00- Open End |
Public Viewing (ZMI) Introduction by Dr. Danae Gallo González |
Directions
- How to find us
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Conference Venue
Margarete-Bieber-Saal
Ludwigstraße 34
35390 Giessen
By Airplane and Train:
Starting at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) you have to/need to follow the signs to “Regional trains”. You will be needing a ticket from the regional transport company called “RMV” with the destination “Giessen Bahnhof”. The current price for a regular adult ticket is € 16 (one way). Group tickets (2-5 people, 45€) are also available. You can either take a regional train (RE) or a suburban train (S-Bahn) to “Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof (“Frankfurt main station”)”. There you’ll need to change trains and enter a regional train (RB or RE) to Giessen. Please check the yellow time tables and consider the announcements on your platforms at any station.
Timetables and more informations: https://www.rmv.de/c/en/start/ or www.bahn.de/en
Starting Point: "Frankfurt (Main) Flughafen Regionalbahnhof”
Destination: "Giessen Bahnhof"
By Bus:
Next to the venue are two bus stations:
- "Universitätshauptgebäude"
- "Liebigschule"
A bit farther away (5-10 minutes on foot) is the bus station "Berliner Platz".
Contact
Dr. Danae Gallo González
Registration
- Registration
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If you wish to attend the conference, please send an email to Berit.Beckers. Please note that due to a recent cyber attack on the JLU Giessen, it might take several days until your registration is processed.
In your registration, please specify:
- your name
- your preferred pronouns
- whether you will be attending all parts of the conference