Week 5 photo by Yovanny Garcia

Closet Boundaries

ygarc107 — 2025-08-26 20:10:13 UTC

This photo of my closet where you see a clear division in clothing by gender. I chose specifically this area of my closet where you have the female section of the clothes in the drawer and the masculine section hanging outside. You also see towers that can have different gender meanings by the color they are; for example, the pink tower belongs to my mom, while the dark gray one is one used by my father. Judith Lorber explains in The Social Construction of Gender how these differences are not natural, but are instead created by society. Not just what you wear but what you use signals to everyone how I am "doing gender'' in everyday life.

Walking the Gender Line

ygarc107 — 2025-08-26 20:29:19 UTC

This photo illustrates how even something as simple as the shoes we wear every day can be a form of "doing gender." Candace West and Don Zimmerman argue in Doing Gender that gender is what actions we perform throughout the day. The Doc Martens. For example are often associated with masculinity, the Jordan 4s are often associated with masculinity. Social expectations maintain these ideas and are confined to society's gender norms.

Performing Beauty

ygarc107 — 2025-08-26 20:38:02 UTC

Makeup and accessories are another example of how gender is something we perform. Judith Butler explains in Gender Trouble that gender is “performative,” which means that it is created and enforced by repeated actions. Putting on perfume or lipstick signals femininity, while cologne or no accessories signals masculinity. These small items have gained much cultural meaning as they often show how others interpret gender identity.

Shopping in Boxes

ygarc107 — 2025-08-26 20:50:24 UTC

This photo shows the "women's section in my clothing store. As seen in the photo, it shows how stores enforce gender binary spaces. Michael Warner, in Fear of a Queer Planet, explains how heteronormativity shapes life by assuming people fit into one of the two genders. Clothing stores like this one fit in the example, as you see the women's section is separated from the men's. This separation sends a message about what the norm is and where you are supposed to belong according to society.

Layers of Identity

ygarc107 — 2025-08-26 21:09:02 UTC

This is a photo my my own personal outfit, and it reflects how personal style is shaped by more than just gender. Kimberlé Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality shows us that gender is experienced with other factors like race and culture. My outfit is not only inspired by my race, but also by my background and environment. Clothing is an object that can show how I want to be seen and show who I am as a person. I can see that my identity can not be reduced to a single category.