Gender

‘Sex’ refers to a biological distinction in bodies. ‘Gender’ is the cultural meaning of these physical differences. ‘Gender’ is in practice a spectrum with many intermediate forms. It is the degree to which someone feels like a man, a woman, both or neither. Think of it as a script, with roles and rules that vary between cultures. In this file you will find projects and artists that examine, question, and criticize the relationships between gender and society. Check also the files on feminism and identity.

Since the feminist movement gained momentum in the 1960s, artists challenge traditional roles of women, addressing topics such as women in domestic and public spheres, and the conventional standards of beauty. Artists also address masculinity, investigating how societal pressures and mass media inform and shape our expectations of men. In both the art world and the culture at large, the spotlight has recently turned away from sexual orientation and desire to focus more on gender identity and fluidity. Overturning the presumption that everyone is straight was already something in the art world; but it is far more important to question the principle that we are all located on one side or the other of the male-female divide (think for example transgender and gender fluid).