This roundtable discussion on "Trans*historicities" through film and art will begin with a screening of Maya Mikdashi and Carlos Motta's 33-minute film, Deseos / رغبات ("Desires," 2015). This film exposes the ways in which medicine, law, religion, and cultural tradition shaped dominant discourses of the gendered and sexual body through the narration of two parallel stories: that of Martina, who lived in Colombia during the late colonial period of the early 19th century and that of Nour, who lived in Beirut during the late Ottoman Empire. Part documentary and part fiction, the film presents an imaginary correspondence between these women. Separated by geography, culture, and religion they both faced the consequences of engaging in same sex relations and defying gender norms.
This will be followed by a showing of Gabriel Garcia Roman's series titled "Queer Icons" (2015), which reimagines traditional Catholic iconography to depict LGBTQ people of color as saints. In these images, a queer Latina fighting for immigration rights or a non-binary disabled Trans Filipino activist become iconic heroes in their own right.
We will then hold a roundtable with Maya Mikdashi, Carlos Motta, and "Queer Icons" creators and participants on "trans*historicities" and queer temporality. The roundtable will be moderated by Leah DeVun (Rutgers University, History) and Zeb Tortorici (NYU, Spanish & Portuguese), to be followed by a reception from 5-6pm. The event will be held at the Fales Library & Special Collections and is open to the public.
Trans*historicities: A Roundtable on Queer and Trans Temporality
