#3 IntStudio: Gender- Visual Dialogue

“Playful Envelope – About Gender” created by Lizzy G and Gwendolyn Z is a letter style collage that contains several individual pieces inside the envelope. Audience can either flip over the pieces inside the envelope or open and close the little pieces.

In this project, we hand painted and collected images from magazine,newspaper and postcard to reflect our topic – how gender and mainstream/public interact with each other. And also, through the project,we advocate all gender should be equal and public standard should’t prevent any individual from doing his/her rights.

Rough Draft and story board

 

 

Gender interview with Lizzy-

You are from Chicago and raised there, a very diverse city of United States of America, and now you are study in New York city as an art student, how do you define yourself through your experiences in these open-minded metropolitans?

Honestly I had never considered this question before you asked. Well, You can see I am a woman from physical aspect. But I don’t clearly define myself as a 100% female. You know, every one has a gradient between male and female. People define gender for classify the job/responsibility and things that should be done by different character. Something I really learned from my experiences was I should do what I think is right instead of concerning the public eyes.

 

So As you previous said, physically you are defined as a female, How do you feel about being this character?

I remembered when I was a kid, people always told boys not to cry and be a man, but no one told me to stop crying and be a woman. I guess it’s easier for woman to release her emotion and people will always accept her emotion.

 

So can we consider it’s a good thing about female because she does not have to hole herself in a unnatural way? But what do you think as the limitation/disadvantage of being in this character?

Well…I hate saying that and I don’t know how to explain, but I do sometimes feel that, generally, when trying to show strength/ intellectual, female is weaker.

 

We know there are a lot of stereotype about two different genders, when the time you grew up, do you remember or know any stereotype about female that you dislike the most?

Yes, definitely. Stereotypes are filled in our society, sometimes it’s very frustrated to see those things but sometimes those stereotype might actually reflect some truth. Even though Olympic games required both genders join the competition(laugh..) but in our real life situation, girls playing sports is still not as common as boys playing sports. Even sometimes when girls play sports, they might be judged by others as lesbian/butch. People are rude…and it’s ridiculous.

 

It seems like you have very strong sense of genders and social issues. So is there any amount of time you don’t like the gender of female?

Well, for most, female characters care too much about their appearance and how to attract guys. I think it’s very superficial. And I really don’t like how female character tried so hard to show their beauties and stuff…Female should care more about other things, it’s such an amazing world isn’t it? ( laugh) Beauties are so insignificant.

 

Thats really true, but fashion today, might not just for women, men cares a lot about their appearance also but probably less then women, generally speaking. However, I feel it’s kind related to our society, so what do you think is one of most non–negligible element about social standard of gender?

It’s really funny to say, but I think people are lazy. They want others to play the roles, follow the mainstream because it’s easy for them to understand. They don’t like to spend time thinking about the motivation and reason of why others did some “strange thing” (well, it might not be real strange, its just they don’t understand). They just simply judge.

 

It’s really interesting to hear you saying that, and I think it’s really sarcastic but real.Do you want to talk a little bit about the opposite gender?What do you like about it?

Guys are really different from girls especially in some specific domain. ( I am saying this considering the general) Like I previously mentioned, girls care way too much about their appearances, but guys are more acceptable and chill about these sort of physical facts. And…it’s something I really don’t want to admit, but since you asked, I am telling then. (laugh) More masculine characters control the top of business, politics… then feminine. Feel like it’s easier for them to stand up and present themselves. When a girl do something, people might say “wow,she’s brave ”, but when a guy do something people might just be like this guys is smart. Because it’s not that common for public to see girls stand up as men do.

 

Is there something you dislike about this opposite gender?

Since most of them think that females are weaker, some uneducated people might even think women are just reproduction tool… they disrespect and they don’t believe in us.

 

If you had an option to choose your gender before you were born. After your almost two decades life, would you still like to be a female or you would love to be born in a male body?

Even though there are a lot of inequalities between two sexes, but both of them have their advantage and shortage. I believe I would have so much fun even if I were born in an opposite gender. But there are thousands of good things about being a female too. People should love themselves. It’s about who they are then physical facts.