Decoding the Complexities of Gender Identity

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When one thinks of the definition of gender they may think of someone being male or female. As a society, we chose to use gender as a classification that differentiates a man from a woman. Gender is instituted through the stylization of the body, and hence, must be understood as the mundane way in which bodily gestures, movements and enactments of various kinds constitute the illusion of an abiding gendered self. Though why should gender be a point of controversy at which people are then compared. Why should we just let the sex of which one is born define them? Gender can be seen throughout music and dance. It can be considered binary and non-binary.
Gender as binary is when we use the classifications of two genders which are masculine and …show more content…

For example, in the musical Rocky Horror Picture show. Richard O’Brien chose to create a character that was a man, who dressed as a woman and took on women characteristics. This movie was one of the first forms of media to portray a genderqueer role, of a man taking on the role of a transvestite. Another example of media which portrayed non- binary gender roles is in the musical Hairspray. The writers decided to have the role of Tracy Turnblad’s played by a man in drag. This made the character to seem more masculine to the audience than a typical mother would. The writers chose to create this role as a secret for the audience to know she’s a man, but the cast of charecters doesn’t know. The sight of a transvestite onstage can compel pleasure and applause when the sight of the same transvestite on the seat next to us on the bus can compel fear, range and violence. When we see a person playing a transvestite on stage to us they are just portraying an idea. Then when we see one in normal day life we are lead to feel uncomfortable because it is not considered to be a “normal” appearance, it is out of the ordinary. One may wonder how we can stop these feelings from occurring or if they will never be something that we consider to be a social

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