16
2013Beyond Gender
Most people agree that there is male and there is female, and with the exception of a precious few folks on this planet, everyone is either one gender or the other.
Then came Andrej Pejic, called by New York Magazine “The Prettiest Boy in the World. (http://nymag.com/fashion/11/fall/andrej-pejic/ )” His androgyny is well-known, being that he models high fashion for both genders, but what’s more interesting is that he says that his gender is entirely a matter of perception and, that professionally, he has left his gender open to artistic interpretation.
“It’s not like, ‘Okay, today I want to look like a man, or today I want to look like a woman,’ ” he says. “I want to look like me. It just so happens that some of the things I like are feminine.”
You will find a much more scientific, if less captivating argument on the point in an article called “Billions of Sexes.” (http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/5434 ). And, an interesting discussion in an article called Andrej Pejic – Androgynous Model – heralding a post-gender future? (http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/pellissier20120601 )
These articles are consistent with what I have been thinking lately about myself.
Rather than say that I am a man or I am a woman, or I am both a man and a woman or partly one and the other, why not this: I am a person who can be more or less masculine and more or less feminine as my mood and circumstances dictate.
I think that is true of everyone, but some people have a greater range than others.
More on this next time.
shannon
I think those with that “greater range” are the only ones who can pull this concept off successfully. Those like Andrej…and you. Face it, unless told otherwise people seeing his pictures will naturally take him as female. You too. For most of us, that ain’t happening. We get “read” very quickly. From that point on, the interaction is based on the viewer’s critique and judgment of that gender incongruence……and let’s face it, most of our world still judges that very negatively. If it didn’t, so many of us wouldn’t go to such great lengths to “protect” our gender secret.
Those of you who can walk down the street and not draw a second look, a negative critical second look, are so wonderfully blessed.
Janie
Shan, I wonder if it is true – that part about our gender secret. I mean, is that secret necessarily related to our gender incongruence? Are you suggesting that being able to pass means one doesn’t have to protect that secret?
I am thinking that we protect our secret because of the incongruence between our feminine lifestyle and the expectations of those we know as males. Seems unrelated to me. Am I missing something?
shannon
Agreed. We’re saying the same thing…poor explanation on my part.
I meant the incongruence on their part when what they see does not match their expectations of how a man should look and dress. If those two match….she “passes”… then, yes, it is easier for her to protect her gender secret.
Is that any better?
Janie
Umm… I think so… lol
Gosia
I worked with Andrej a couple of years back, when he was at the beginning of his wonderful career. I knew right then, that man was desitned to make it big. Talking form my perspective, who spent a whole day interacting with him and observing him I admit he cannot be categorised. The way you see him on the catwalk or in the magazines – is the way he really is.
The day I met him was unforgettable.
You can see the images from that shoot on my website at http://www.gotogosia.com
Janie
Great stuff, Gosia. You do lovely work. And, thanks for the insight.