GENDER, PROJECTED 

Ana

 

Date: 12/13/15

 

What pronouns do you use?

She/her

 

Where are you from? Where do you live now? Have you ever lived anywhere else?  
I’m from Guatemala, and now I live in New Haven.

 

How old are you?

13

 

How do you generally present?

I just wear stuff thats comfortable and if it happens to be masculine or feminine, that’s cool.

 

How would you identify your gender?

Female

 

Did you tell anyone you were participating and if so what was their response? Will you tell anyone? What do you expect their response to be?

I told my parents - they were very supportive and thought it was interesting. I’ll tell my friends at school because it was fun and interesting and it will push them to try it.

 

In your life, was there another time you explored/experimented with gender identity/expression? If so, what type of experience was it?

I’ve always felt very comfortable and I’ve always been happy with who I am so I’ve never felt the need to experiment.

 

What keeps you from presenting the way you feel most comfortable if anything?

I have very supportive parents and family. I just always want to be comfortable no matter what.

 

What language do you feel comfortable hearing? Uncomfortable?

Spanish and English. I don’t like hearing people when they’re judging. Racist or sexist comments are just not okay.

 

Where/when is a time in your life you have felt uncomfortable for some aspect of your identity? Why?

When I was little because people pushed gender norms on me, but I never wanted to go with that. When people told me, “ You can’t do that because you’re a girl,” I always said, “I am who I am and I can do what I want.”

 

What words do you feel represent your identity? 

Female, Latin American, Guatemalan

 

What do people assume about you? How is that reflected or not reflected in the project?

Loud because I’m Latin American but I’m actually quiet.  I feel like this project shows that I am my own person.

 

What presentation made you feel least like yourself? Why?

The one where I was wearing leggings or shorts because I usually like to wear comfy clothes versus showy clothes.

 

What presentation would you be afraid to wear on the street where you live now (if any?) Why?

The shorts. People may wonder, “Why is she wearing that?” Also people make assumptions based on how you dress. That outfit didn’t necessarily reflect who I am.

 

Did you gain any perspective on gender identity/expression in yourself during the project?

Maybe that I feel more comfortable wearing masculine versus feminine clothes.

 

Did you gain any perspective on gender identity/expression in other people during the project?

You shouldn’t make assumptions based on what someone wears.

 

Are there things you would be more willing to do now after modeling for the project that you wouldn’t have done before?

I usually just wear what I’m comfortable in so it just made it more clear to keep doing that.

 

After seeing the photographs of yourself, how did you feel? Do they look how you expected? Different than you expected?

I thought it was interesting because I’m still the same person, I just look different.