Reflective Essay About Gender

Due to the fast-paced society that we live in, often times we tend to forget just how gendered our daily routines and activities are; we tend to accept our social norms and expectations as fact without digging a bit deeper and asking ourselves: why do we do what we do when we do what we do? Had I not asked myself that very question, I would still probably be under the impression that I have complete control over the choices I make. This is not to say that personal autonomy doesn’t exist because it most certainly does. However, after applying that question to my daily morning routine, I am shocked as to how much I’ve allowed gender shape my life. After thoroughly analyzing my morning routine, I was able to break it down into three parts: showering, getting ready, and driving to school. For the first part, or “showering” part, of my routine, it usually begins with me waking up and, almost robotically, grabbing my towel and razor and rushing to the shower. While many would argue that the razor is gender neutral, as both men and women use it, the fact that I shave, even when I know I won’t be showing skin, says a lot about the expectations that society has on women. As was explained in the documentary Miss Representation, being a woman

After shaving, I proceed to washing my hair with Head & Shoulders and washing my body with Dove and