Abstract
In the first months of the Trump administration, word and image have been used to conjure an alternative U.S. narrative, divorced from the recent past. On close inspection, however, we may catch a glimpse of the narrative unraveling. In this study, we examine contemporary U.S. signs and signifiers, through two case studies. Case 1: In early February, Time Magazine, which had named Trump its 2024 “Person of the Year,” featured Elon Musk on its cover. Notably, Musk, who has been allowed to make extraordinary changes to US government agencies since Trump’s inauguration, was seated behind the Resolute Desk: the President’s desk, in the Oval Office. We contrast this image with the imagery of a press conference a few days later, in the same space, with Musk standing beside the desk and Trump behind it. Case 2: By executive order in January, all mentions of transgender identity were removed from the documents and websites of federal agencies, including those of the Stonewall National Monument, which commemorates one of the most important sites and events in LGBTQ history. Stonewall sans the “T” effectively erases the sizable contributions transwomen made during the 1969 riots for liberation. Yet, photographs on the monument website offer an intervention.
Presenters
Melissa BenderContinuing Lecturer, University Writing Program, University of California, Davis, California, United States Karma Waltonen
Senior Lecturer, Writing Center, University of California, Davis, California, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Transgender, Stonewall National Monument, Trump, Musk, Oval Office, Photography
