if you missed taking a quiz in the past, you can do an alternative assignment to replace the zero. it will be good for 15 points each (instead of 25 for the quiz, since the quiz is based on the class participation part of your overall grade).
post a blog related to personal experiences involving your gender being viewed. specifically, write at least a paragraph related to your observations of how your gender was observed by others. what was the result? how did it make you feel? did it change your actions? did it change your perspective? in order for the blog entry to be valid, it needs to be a current or recent situation and not one from the past.
examples include: putting yourself in a place where your normally do not go. for some of you this may mean spending time within Victoria Secret, for others it may be Home Depot. Some of you may decide to swap the mens room for the ladies room. you may decide to switch gender online, or some of you may decide to dress differently within your current gender, or try a bit of drag altogether.
to submit your post, click on 'Post a Comment' below.
4/22/12
ReplyDeleteTrip to Victoria's secret
As a drag queen, I often need to visit female apparel stores, as ordering online can be a very difficult task in order to purchase the correct bra size. I never really paid attention to how I was perceived in these kinds of stores before until this assignment. By entering into Victorias secret as a man, I was immediatly look at by tons of mothers and girls. All other customers that walked in were usually girls and were immediately asked if they needed assistance. for my case, i had to physically tap an employee on the shoulder and request help. She didn't take me seriously at first and seemed very tiresome while being in presence. Finally after the customer service was done I noticed her frown turn right back up to a smile for the next customer and she was peppy as can be. It made me feel very alone in the store. Like I was an outcast.
4/26/12
ReplyDeleteTrip to Lowes
During this time I had taken a trip to Lowes home improvement just outside of Seattle to acquire some paint. As a gay man, it can be awkward at times to visit hardware stores because the sterotype of a gay man is that they don't have strength which is bullshit to me personally as i workout religiously and take pride in my body. During my visit the employee helping me would continuously say "Oh, I got it." when getting paint jugs. Though it may just be good service, it almost feels that he doesn't think i can lift the jugs of paint with ease. I was even offered an escort to help me to the bus stop for just two paint cans. It makes me feel like people perceive me to be a lot more feminine than I actually am. And a lot more weak than I actually am.
4/31/12
ReplyDeleteI had some guest over at my house during this evening and one of the stereotypes between men and women is that men can't cook but women can. Even though the kitchen industry is somewhat male dominant. So some of my guests were teasing me saying that I can't cook and that it will taste like crap. I felt a little offended at the remark considering that I have been cooking for a good portion of my life from my mom teaching me the art. I feel like there this prejudice that still exists pretty prominently that only women are allowed in the kitchen and it disgusts me at times but to prove people wrong, I can serve a very good meal whenever I please and how I please.
3/22/12
ReplyDeleteThis was the day before the drag show. This was the day i had to dress up in full drag and attend school in this appearance in order to promote the drag show ticket sales. At an art school, yo don't expect to see a lot of head turns. Everyday life, right? Not so much. If I'm not on a stage in drag, I get a lot of head turns, pointed fingers, and occasionally even insults. I've found that there is a lot of predjudice right here at Cornish which saddens me deeply. thankfully though there is a great deal of support to balance it out. By being in drag, it changes my behavior a great deal. i ham up the gay level, if you will. I make my humor more dark and sassy to cut others down for a good laugh. I make sex jokes way more than normal and I walk with a fierce attitude. It makes me feel free and in charge of who i am as both a person and a a theatrical artist.