How do we truly express ourselves?
(Collage made by myself)
Should clothes/fashion have a gender? Should self expression be demonstrated further in society without gender specification? And should architects specify their designs towards specific genders?
In my opinion. No.
It's fascinating to percieve how various generations percieve the roles of gender self expression and identity and how that has changed in society throughout the years.
" When I was your age there were few men willing to walk around in dresses and corsets."
Whilst I can perceive as to why this happened during the 1970s etc I'm glad that society has become more open about what people can where and that it's starting to become irrelevant as self expression is the most important thing in my opinion.
But how does this relate architecturally?
Well, throughout history, women have been associated with working within the Kitchen:
'The Kitchen is the key to Victory. Eat less bread' blatently demonstrating this aspect during Britain 1917.
Whilst Offices have been associated with men. (Drawing by me)
Although we have improved this with many men favouring the Kitchen and cooking, with even men being famous for this such as Gordon Ramsey (and vice versa with women). The Gender pay gap still continues with women earning 7.9% less than men ("Gender pay gap in the UK - Office for National Statistics", 2022) and, on rare occasions people still have the thought process In their minds on how a woman should act within society (not do any heavy lifting etc...).
Toilets are also split and formed specifically towards each gender with few gender neutral toilets. Nowadays we are beginning to improve upon this with many companies, schools etc within the UK having this other option (such as Portsmouth College).
But I still strongly believe that more needs to be done about gender neutral toilets (alongside gender specific) as people are becoming more flexible in their view of gender. Even cis gender people could use the toilet if they choose to.
Also as someone who has friends that don't associate with any specific gender I want them to know that they are appreciated within society so need things just as easily accessable as people who are cisgender. Instead of having to pick or choose which can even can trigger or cause a form of gender dysphoria.
I also believe that this could be an opportunity
to assist fortunate countries such as Madagascar Architecturally because by raising money to fund toilets for anyone beacuse not only would you be assisting all gendes but you would be helping the country as a whole because they generally have a lack of toilets.
Before covid I was in a society that began raising money towards this however before we could barely begin we couldn't even socialise with peers let alone run bake sales or speak in person within the society.
Bibliography:
Gender pay gap in the UK - Office for National Statistics. Ons.gov.uk. (2022). Retrieved 25 March 2022, from https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/genderpaygapintheuk/2021#:~:text=Among%20all%20employees%2C%20the%20gender,down%20from%2017.4%25%20in%202019.
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