Feminine, Like

Abstract

To help better understand the world around us, we develop shared assumptions about our experiences. These assumptions, or social constructs, are useful because they create order through the use of categorization. Categorization helps us quickly define, organize, and comprehend experiences. The effect of social constructs and their byproducts of categorization should be considered, as they often influence significant facets of our lives. Specifically, our idea and understanding of gender constructs is a fundamental concern because gender impacts many of these important facets. My multimedia thesis work examines the social construction of gender, and the coinciding expectations that are created. The work aims to question the validity of the stereotypes associated with gender in order to explore their limitations. The work utilizes self-portraiture and symbols, often pulled from popular culture, as well as performance to exemplify and exaggerate gender ideals. My recreations of social constructs examine how assumptions can limit our perceptions or potentially restrict our behavior.