Learning, Past and Future

Three years ago, I had a basic understanding of what Forensic Anthropology was. Of course, I'd seen shows like "Bones" which centers around an anthropologist who works with the FBI (and writes novels on the side), and although I know that shows often exaggerate and sensationalize the work of forensics, the basics of the profession are there. So I knew that things like biological sex and ancestry could be determined through the examination of certain bones. Then I took an introductory course on Forensic Anthropology at GCC that showed me there is so much more information contained within our bones.

The story of our life can be found in our bones. In addition to age, biological sex, ancestry, and height, they can offer clues to our hobbies and occupations as areas of bone build up or wear away from repeated movements, our past and present illnesses, our childhood circumstances if we grow up without a healthy diet, and potentially how we die. I found that incredibly fascinating and it made me want to pursue a path in Forensic Anthropology.

Over the next three years, I hope to learn a great many things, but one specific thing I want to learn about is how Forensic Anthropology can be used to identify transgender individuals who have been victims of crime. Because biological sex and gender don't necessarily correspond to each other, identification can be difficult. During the class at GCC, there were two particular case studies that sparked my curiosity on the subject. In one case, the bones of an individual had been found at a building site and the skull showed traits consistent with male sex determination, such as a pronounced brow bone and square jawline. However, the body was identified to be that of an elderly woman. The more pronounced features of her skull were the result of age-related masculinization. In the second case, a body had been found where the clothing, including undergarments, indicating a male individual, however, the pelvis was determined to be female. The clothing suggested to me that the person may have identified and/or presented as the male gender, but was assigned female at birth. To my recollection, the body had not been identified beyond the sex determination.

These cases made me wonder if changes in hormones, such as with hormone replacement therapy, have a significant effect on the formation of bones in ways that could affect biological sex determination, and how that could be applied to transgender individuals. This information could help provide peace and justice for a marginalized group in our society who are often victims of crime. I'm hoping to be able to do research on the topic for my honors thesis next year.