Hayden Panettiere looks weird. I'm sure there has to be dish on her I'm not (yet) privy to.

The issue is that if society classes you as female, you have to abandon all femininity to be andro enough. In a society where “male” is the default, there is a lot more room for masculinity displayed by androgynous people classed as “male” than for androgynous people classed as “female” and this has been my struggle. I enjoy wearing makeup, but can’t really get away with it if I wish to aspire to androgyny. As someone who is genderqueer, I have about as much desire to be overtly masculine as I do to be overtly feminine, but my simple jeans and t-shirts aren’t enough if I want to be truly androgynous. In order to be that which is genderless, I have to be more masculine. Doesn’t that sound a bit hypocritical?

When I read this, it seems to be talking about the phenomenon where women have a lot more range in how they can dress and act without betraying/straying from their gender. But men have a narrower stricture. A man can trespass into "girl territory" with one piece of clothing, but when I wear a tie and remind my mother that if I'd finished high school in Ja I'd have worn one for my last two years of school--it's much harder to find the key masculine piece of outerwear.

But the quoted complaint seems to be saying that this situation is somehow unfair to women or femininity? I'm confused--can someone walk me through it?

I think it's just unfair to androgyny, in that anything "female" makes you read female? I don't understand why jeans and a t-shirt, along with neutral styling on the rest of them, wouldn't make a person androgynous, though.

I don't know. I saw a totally androgynous person on the subway recently, and I was mostly staring because they were so beautiful, but stopped because I was afraid they would think I was staring to try to figure out their gender.

jeans and a t-shirt, along with neutral styling on the rest of them

Because women present like that all the time? And we still consider androgyny something exceptional?

I think, though, it's also that presence of breasts or hips makes any outfit look like women's clothing as well. Well, not me. But most women.Aside from wearing a tie, o one I know will think I'm dressed as a guy unless I bind my tits.

But "dressed as a guy" isn't androgyny either, is it? I think hair is a key signifier, aside from body shape.

I won favorite drink again with the sorrel (this time in a tie)

So, again? What did you win with last year??

I went to TWO recitals today. One much better than the other--my roommate takes an ice dancing class on Saturdays, and the rink had their semi-annual recital (OMG, tiny children in little skating outfits trying to remember routines!). And then this evening we went to the Pacific Northwest Ballet school recital--except while the first group was cute and like, 9-11 years old, the rest of them were very good (up through the pre-professional students, who are all going to be in ballet companies next year).

I made myself a Manhattan! At home! I feel all grown up and stuff.

I made myself a hot toddy.

Yum! I should have used less dry vermouth and more sweet, but it was still tasty

I want to go to a deviled eggs cocktails party. Preferably with Jesse as apparently she can make a mean drink.

So Franny got on a kick today that she wanted bright colored hair, so we went to pick up some Manic Panic and now she has lovely fuscia highlights, and Isaac--after throwing a fit that it was unfair for Franny to get haircolor--ended up choosing a lime green. Will take and post pics tomorrow.