Assembling the Chimeric Sex Offender

Abstract

Across societies labels rarely are met with the degree of contempt and hatred that has become inherent in the label of “sex offender,” applied to those who offend the morals, ethics, and values of citizens because of the actions (or sexual affinities) in which they are believed to have engaged. In the current article, we examine the diverse ways the sex offender is assembled, drawing on assemblage theory. We examine the signifiers attached to bodies suspected, accused, and convicted of sex offenses and the material connections that come together as part of the chimeric sex offender assemblage. We demonstrate that the arrangement of signifiers and materiality reflects the complex landscape that is expressed in the image of the monstrous sex offender. Our contribution to the literature on sex offenders lies in demonstrating the chimeric nature of the sex offender.