ABSTRACT
Although I was diagnosed female at birth, my desire to be recognized as a gay boy motivated my mid-life gender transition. I now find that those who might fulfill my fantasies are reluctant to engage me out of fear of being labeled a “tranny chaser.” In this chapter, I explore the intersection between gender and desire and argue for a more nuanced understanding of objectification. I also question the political and material consequences of my valorization of pleasure for those who are the most marginalized among us. The often contradictory connections between pleasure, privilege, gender, sex, and desire provoke important questions that I argue deserve attention.
