Gender Identity and Literature: Him, Her, Us

Gender is infinitely more intricate than the biological question of sex. Uncover the cultural, social and political implications of gender identity in three powerful works. Kiss of the Spider Woman, by Argentine writer Manuel Puig, delves into themes of sexuality, morality, constructs of beauty and escapism while readers follow the discussions and discoveries between a Marxist revolutionary and a homosexual window-dresser as they share a prison cell for six months. Discover the gender-bending, century-crossing Orlando, by Virginia Woolf, and navigate the age-old question as to whether gender identity is innate or created and the consequences of conformity. And explore issues of masculinity, sexuality, desire, concealment versus truth, and familial and societal expectations in Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.