Gender Stereotypes and learned fear

[Lorileah]

Somewhere along the lines, my idea of SOCIALLY gender nuetrul got turned into forcing everyone into the same clothes!!!

yeah...but threads do that a lot here. Not that I have ever done it myself

I saw no way to interpret your statement about stereotypical feminine presentation as meaning anything but the rather hyper femme way some of us present as being a throwback to the bad old days of repression of women.

I think people in "our" situation do tend to see that type of question in that manner Paula. We have had to "live" through being in the public eye and we get hit from all sides. The CD's don't usually say anything to me about how I dress (except to compliment) but other TSs seem to think I should be them...wear what they wear and this same critique comes from the GG side on occasion. Typically

You really should wear jeans (slacks) instead of dresses and skirts. You will fit in better

or

you know your skirts are too short, no woman your age (my age? like I really CARE how old I am?) would ever wear that.

and similar veins even having GGs offer to show me how to dress "appropriately". And I am conservative usually, it is just that I prefer dresses and skirts when the weather allows it.

But like you I read the question in how I view CDs on occasion and how "I" think they are doing a disservice to the T community and the GG community with the exaggerated looks. I often don't like the look but I realize that from a different angle I will get the same from other people (see above). I went through the overly sexual look in my path. I have done that looking for something I "thought" I was supposed to have or how I was "supposed" to be (we all know that Tgs are just looking for sex right?). So I am not surprised that those who have been in the public eye read that as overly exaggerated dressing.

I think Greenie has cleared up her meaning though

[Greenie]

http://www.takepart.com/photos/unnec...-ptnr-upworthy

And just a funny somehow this popped up on my facebook feed today. it gave me a giggle of some of the products that have been gendered for no reasons. I just feel like it kind of went a little bit with what we were talking about. my favorite is the idea of brogurt, yogurt specifically for men.

[ReineD]

http://www.takepart.com/photos/unnec...-ptnr-upworthy

LOL.

On a more serious note, I very much like the last image above that links to this series of 6 images where a young artist has replaced women's tears, cuts, bruises, etc with glitter to make a point:
http://www.takepart.com/photos/glitt...ns/why-glitter

In the same spirit, I don't know if anyone saw the debate that went viral in the last few weeks about whether the dress was blue/black or white/gold. So the Salvation Army rolled out an ad that attempted to refocus on more serious issues.

[kimdl93]

What a great point. To be honest, when I first went to the link, I saw a pretty girl in the infamous white and gold dress...and had to really look to see the bruises and cuts.

In a world...to borrow that hackneyed phrase from movie promos...where so many seriously bad things happen on a day to day basis it's sadly amusing (talking oxymorons now) that we fret about how words and meanings are parsed.

I can't say that being transgendered has made me more sympathetic or aware that women have been and are still exploited and objectified. I can say I have experienced being judged for how I look and feeling the sting of rejection. And I sincerely hope that my sweet little grand daughter, who is, by the way, the most beautiful and delightful creature ever to inhabit the planet...will not have to feel what I have felt, nor deal with the stereotypes and presumptions that I have felt, her mother or grandmothers have dealt with. And yet I know she will to some degree.

[AnotherCuteTGirl]

That second one! I can honestly say whenever I go out at night dressed like for a walk or maybe throw out the trash (I do this really late at night when everyone is asleep) I have noticed the guys who are out at that time (Creepier because of how late it is) do tend to be a bit pushy. I have had one experience where a van kept calling me as I was going to cross the street, he couldn't stop so I turned and he did a U-Turn to come back for me so of course my instincts kicked in and I hurried home. As a guy I never feel any of this it's like I can see a group of guys heading my way I wouldn't mind but when you're dressed you feel like you can become a victim by the way they look at your or call you. Guess its my personal opinion from bad or unpleasant experiences but I understand when a girl says they don't feel safe out at night.

[ReineD]

A girl out alone at night in an area where there are lots of creepy guys risks rape. A CDer out in the same environment risks getting a severe beating. Don't go to those places when you are out alone. Stick to well-lit places with lots of people.