Preforming and Constructing Alone: Gender Performance and Identity in the Isolation of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Document Type
Panel Presentation
Keywords
Gender, Performance, Covid-19
Biography
I am a sociology major, and women's studies minor here at Marshall University. My academic interests tend to involve, gender, race, deviance, social stratification, symbolic interactionism, and feminist theory. I plan to obtain my masters and PhD in Women and Gender studies and eventually go on to teach within this field while I continue my research.
Major
Sociology
Advisor for this project
Kristi Fondren, Robin Riner, Richard Garnett, Boniface Noyongoyo
Abstract
In Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble, she asserts that, “there is no gender identity behind the expressions of gender; that identity is performatively constituted by the very ‘expressions’ that are said to be its results.” (Butler, 25). She is essentially saying that our gender identity is a performance that we put on for others that is constituted by those very gendered expressions we perform for said others. The overarching goal of this study is to investigate whether gender performance and the construction of our gendered identities has changed or remained the same throughout the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also examining the factors that lead to change or the lack thereof. This project will be taking a closer look in how some have been given the opportunity to take a break from the constant performance of gender and have been given a chance to explore, discover, define, or redefine one’s gender identity in this break from performance. There are two types of data collection activities, semi structured in-depth interviews, and a survey. The information to be collected will consist of age, gender, current occupation, and educational attainment. Other interview questions will cover topics such as general information on gendered behaviors, physical presentation, gender identity and experiences with isolation. The same types of questions will also appear on the anonymous survey instrument.
Preforming and Constructing Alone: Gender Performance and Identity in the Isolation of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
In Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble, she asserts that, “there is no gender identity behind the expressions of gender; that identity is performatively constituted by the very ‘expressions’ that are said to be its results.” (Butler, 25). She is essentially saying that our gender identity is a performance that we put on for others that is constituted by those very gendered expressions we perform for said others. The overarching goal of this study is to investigate whether gender performance and the construction of our gendered identities has changed or remained the same throughout the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also examining the factors that lead to change or the lack thereof. This project will be taking a closer look in how some have been given the opportunity to take a break from the constant performance of gender and have been given a chance to explore, discover, define, or redefine one’s gender identity in this break from performance. There are two types of data collection activities, semi structured in-depth interviews, and a survey. The information to be collected will consist of age, gender, current occupation, and educational attainment. Other interview questions will cover topics such as general information on gendered behaviors, physical presentation, gender identity and experiences with isolation. The same types of questions will also appear on the anonymous survey instrument.
