Keeley c. sent in this comic strip:
Keeley writes:
I think this strip is an amazing commentary on the fluidity of gender and especially gender identity, and how unrelated it can be to one’s outward biology. I also love how it’s unclear whether the speaker’s ability to shift from man to woman is their own perception of themselves or the way they believe others perceive them when they don’t conform to the norm of thier biological gender. There’s a lot of layers piled into the very simple text.
Thanks!
Comments 3
Vee — May 20, 2008
The next step would ideally be to expand our concept of "fluidity" and think outside of the man-woman binary entirely, instead of just jumping around within its boundaries.
Vee — May 20, 2008
Wow, that was hyper-critical, sorry... ;) Immediate reaction. I do like the strip and agree with Keeley's comments. I guess I just get frustrated when a thing will only go so far--why? To stay safe? To stay within some framework of the dominant ideology? Is this a conscious effort to appeal to those still stick in the dominant ideology or just not wanting/being able to go outside of it more?
Keeley — May 22, 2008
I totally agree with you vee; I think that's why I prefer the interpretation of the binary shift as the way others perceive the speaker in the strip. In that scenario, they're just a person who operates independently of gender roles and normality, and is therefore perceived as shifting back and forth.