Gender Bender: How Limitations and Fluctuations of the Doctor's Performance in "Doctor Who" Create a Liminal Space of Gender

Authors

Arianna Navarro, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Major/Program

English

First Advisor's Name

Jason Pearl

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Vanessa Sohan

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Anne Castro

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

gender, liminal spaces, multigendered, Doctor Who, identity, science fiction, masculinity, femininity, gender identity

Date of Defense

2022

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to explore how the concept of gender travels between traditional masculine and feminine norms in the science fiction TV series “Doctor Who.” This analysis examines the regeneration episodes in the re-booted series, as each plays an intricate role in how the Doctor’s new identity will be performed throughout their reign.

The first female lead in the traditionally male role has circumvented gender binaries by allowing the female Doctor to perform under an umbrella of masculinity and femininity, making her performance not binary, but multigendered. This paper examines how gender signifiers fluctuate and shift based on a specific stage of performance, which contributes to the repetition needed within society to change views on traditional gender norms. This research suggests that humans continuously embody both “masculine” and “feminine” gender traits and operate in a liminal space of societal gender structures, promoting a new cultural norm.

Identifier

FIDC010945

Recommended Citation

Navarro, Arianna, "Gender Bender: How Limitations and Fluctuations of the Doctor's Performance in "Doctor Who" Create a Liminal Space of Gender" (2022). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5171.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/5171