From: Adam
In my photo, I decided to take a
very literal approach towards defining what it means to be socialized with your
specific gender. My entire life I have felt trapped in chains of society,
constantly conforming to what others wanted me to be, regardless of my wishes.
I wanted to portray a personal struggle of mine while still staying true to the
topic at hand. I wanted to display the shackles of societal norms that we are
expected to fit into. My photo consists of a few creative techniques, most
importantly symbolism, difference, space, and color. For symbolism, I used a
chain to bound the hands together to symbolize the toxic chains of society that
confines us to the gender norms that we are taught from a very young age. The
chains symbolize societal norms or society as a whole. Gender schemas are also
a huge factor in the coding of gender and how they segregate us at a very early
age. The use of the chains leads me to my next creative technique, which is
color and difference I wanted it to be a bit tongue and cheek by only painting
both of my middle fingers. The reason being I wanted to reject the stereotypes
that were forced upon me by everyone in my life since I was a young boy.
I wanted to use difference and color to
paint one of my nails sparkly and pink, the other is dull and grey, which is
used to display the two different categories that you’re meant to be in if
you’re either male or female. The sparkly pink nail is meant to show a
hyperfeminine quality that is forced on young girls and the grey nail is to
display the lack of color on the other side. Boys are taught to be serious,
without any whimsicality or color whatsoever. Any color that could potentially
display anything, but masculinity is frowned upon, only perpetuating the same
hyperfeminine qualities and colors that are sold to young girls. If you look at
toys that are sold to young girls, they’re all pink, purple, and sparkly. If we
look at toys that are sold to young boys, they’re dull, lifeless and usually a
“tough color” to avoid any feminine qualities. “Reactions to novel toys confirm
that children do not merely learn by rote which toys are for girls and which
are for boys but extract general qualities that distinguish masculine from
feminine.” (Rudman, 2) The last technique I wanted to use was space to display
the middle, blank, colorless space between both arms. I wanted to symbolize
that children are neither one of these hyperfeminine or hypermasculine
stereotypes until we, as a society, teach them that they need to choose.
Children do not suddenly just wake up and decide that they want to be one or
the other. We, as a society, choose for them.
Works Cited
Rudman, Laurie A., et al. "The Two
Cultures of Childhood." The Social Psychology of Gender: How Power and
Intimacy Shape Gender Relations. The Guilford Press, 2015, 59-63.
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2 comments:
From: Heather
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I love the fact that you choose this certain topic about gender scheme. One thing that I believe that would have made this photo even stronger than what it is, is if you added your self in it. but facing the wall with your hand up high so the people who are viewing this photo can see your nail polish. This suggestion would be for the technique of 5 senses. If you had put your self in the picture you would have been able to connect to the reading The Social Psychology of Gender: How Power and Intimacy Shape Gender Relations. By using the 5 senses in this photo with your back turned and you are body facing the wall but with your hands up. The 5 senses technique could have been viewed as you struggling to find yourself and what you want to be instead of what other people want you to be. Also, another technique that I believe that would have made this photo stronger would be using the background technique. Since your connecting your personal life and your struggles with gender schemes. You could have been a little bit more creative and tried to find a fence surrounding you so it could be viewed as being trapped in today's society gender norms. Also, you could have used the fence as a symbolism too. It could have been connecting to the reading of The Social Psychology of Gender: How Power and Intimacy Shape Gender Relation as being trapped in a prison cell and you struggling to get out to show your true gender. Instead of hiding behind lies of what makes you happy and not worried or trying to keep others happy. Finally, overall this picture shows what your topic is going to be talked about and the creative techniques also show how you demonstrate through photography and how it connects to the readings that you have chosen. VP
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