Throughout the shorts tory ” Whose Heart I wish to Stop with the Click of a Revolver”, Solomon uses a character’s transgressions to either redefine or identify them within a predominating social structure, or to indicate some other character trait. Specifically, Solomon uses transgressions of gender and sexuality— which are normally polarizing and isolating— to liken the contentious relationship between Jo and Luciana. In societally accepted family structures, the confrontation of one’s gender identity or sexual identity is often a point of discontent, or at least a potential source of conflict when hidden. In Solomon’s story, however, the story is jumpstarted with this confrontation as the second sentence includes reflection on Luz’s hormone therapy (spironolactone is used to reduce the hormone aldosterone, which leads to minimizing fluid retention and feminization of hormonally-affected characteristics). By the second paragraph, Luciana has already told Jo (over a phone call) “‘Also, I’m trans. The name you gave me is dead and incinerated and I spread its ashes over the Hudson.'”. While this could be a point of conflict, it’s a point of similarity. Both Jo and Luz have chosen their new names from books— they both have had internal drive to reinvent themselves. So what would, generally be considered transgressive, is now redefined as a source of relief. This is again referenced on page 281, when Jo reflects on Luz saying, “‘She’s cute in a kind of dykey way, and I wonder if she’s gay like me. At least I passed down that gift.'”. While this could be initially identified as a hint of sarcasm— often having a transgressive sexual orientation can lead to feeling societally unaccepted, outcast, or the victim of ignorance— I believe Jo meant that this was a gift. As Jo has been abused and disenfranchised by Mr.Wheelock, her idea of men is defined by his treatment of her. And specifically, her idea of heterosexual intimate relationships. Thus, if Luz was gay, she would avoid being victimized by the same kind of relationship that her mother had to endure. In this sense, if Luz’s sexuality was “inherited”, Jo had prescribed her some sort of protection, via what would normally be identified as transgression.
