In your opinion, is Lucas in “Men and Boys” by Peter Stamm a budding transgendered person, a budding non-binary person, or neither?
According to me, Lucas is presented as a budding non-binary person. A non-binary person may express both femininity as well as masculinity combined in their gender expression. The author states that Lucas felt painfully self-conscious of his body as well as small when with the other fellow. However, when alone, he would forget about his body and its features and could be anyone or even no one (Stamm 118). The statement proves and mentions that the character in question wished to express his gender as either a combination of femininity as well as masculinity or as neither of the two. Further, Lucas again goes to the women and girls' changing room and not only is that act awkward, but he also looks at his body while changing and thinks of himself of being no one or someone (Stamm 122).
The thoughts of Lucas, mostly when he alone depicts him as a budding non-binary person.
One who believes that he has no gender, or have two or more genders or overlapping between the genders or just having no gender. He also imagines being a third gender or other-gender or fluctuating between the genders when he believes he can be no one or someone. The character feels that he can fit anywhere and should not be barred by what the features of his body dictate regarding gender. He feels uncomfortable under his body when around people because he has to stand by a particular gender to be considered a human being (Lemos 357). At one point, Lucas changes in the men and boys’ changing room while at another point he finds himself in the women and girls’ changing room, which shows the fact that Lucas considers himself a non-binary, he feels he can be either a lady or even none of the two whenever he likes.
It is also noted that Lucas has developed feelings for his classmate Franziska.
Whom he always wishes to dance with but she finds excuses not to do the same with Lucas. Besides, Lucas also wants the girl could be present at the pool and observe him as he picks up the three stones at the bottom of the pool in a single dive, or when he dives from one edge to another edge several metres deep at the pool (Stamm 122). He also imagines the right time to kiss Franziska, which confirms that he deems himself as a man or boy who would like to have a girlfriend with whom he can dance and kiss. This thoughts of Lucas that are presented to us by the author confirm the fact that Lucas fluctuates from one gender to another at different times. One time he wants to hug and kiss Franziska, another time he is in the women and girl’s changing room naked and feeling shy while thinking he could be someone or no one.
Works Cited
Lemos, Manoel. "Non-Binary People Having At Most Three Non-Binary Elements". Gender And Sexuality, vol 3, no. 03, 2014, pp. 355-369. Cambridge University Press (CUP), doi:10.1017/s0963548300001255.
Stamm, Peter, and Michael Hofmann. We're Flying: Men And Boys. 2012.
