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In this image, I captured a moment of affection between my parents. They are, clearly, a heterosexual couple preparing to celebrate the union of another heterosexual couple at a wedding that evening. This image also relates to the idea of class as described by J. Katz's "The Invention of Heterosexuality" (2001). Both my mother and father grew up in very low-income families, and aspired to grow up and become the standard American, heterosexual/heteronormative, middle class people in society with children (which they have achieved). This image is related to Katz's work, as heterosexuality has become the normative standard in America, and those who do not fit into this category are subject to intense scrutiny. The term heterosexuality, as exemplified in the image, was coined in 1892, and has since been the basis for which romantic relationships in mainstream American society are shaped.

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Bejeweled, and Other Ideas on Masculinity

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In this image, I capture my partner -- a cisgender male -- and the various pieces of jewelry he often wears. Pictured are hoop earrings (visible on the right hand side), a metallic beaded necklace, rings, and various bracelets. This image can be connected to Pascoe's "Dude, You're a Fag" article (2011), which discusses the author's observations of children and adolescents. In this written work, Pascoe describes how males tend to overanalyze others and themselves in order to maintain the appearance of masculinity and not be deemed a "fag". This word often is used as an insult and derogatory term, mostly from one male to another, in order to undermine his or their sense of self, and their gender identity. However, in this image, my partner rejects those beliefs and does what feels best to him despite often receiving condescending remarks, and understands that his masculinity is not compromised by details such as jewelry.

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Myself, Makeup, and So-called "Femininity"

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In this selfie, I am applying lipstick to an already fully made-up face. According to authors West and Zimmerman in "Doing Gender" (1987), gender is something that is done, rather than a state of being. By applying makeup that is mostly marketed towards women, I am actively playing into a stereotypically gendered activity. The expectation is often that makeup is mainly marketed towards and used by cisgender women, and in this image I use it in the way that aligns with traditional narratives.

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This image captures my partner, once again. This time he is inspecting the mechanical details of his BMW, as he is very familiar with the proper terminology and functions of the items pictured. Historically, men have been expected to tend to automotive issues, and know what to do in instances where maintenance is needed. In this image, the idea of "Doing Gender" as described by Zimmerman and Katz is also pictured, as this is a gender role that my partner embraces and practices on a regular basis.

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One gendered stereotype that my partner and I actively reject is the idea that women "belong in the kitchen". Most times, he is the one that cooks for us, and I observe, eager to taste the meal he has prepared. In this photo he is preparing mini oat-flour pancakes that we will consume together. In "Doing Gender", West and Zimmerman state that the institutionalization of gender "reinforces and reproduces" gender by "promoting certain behaviors as appropriate for males and females" (1987). However, the aforementioned behaviors as well as tasks as gendered activities are challenged by the dynamic of our relationship. Cooking, historically promoted as a "woman's duty", is an activity that I more so observe, and he participates in.