Sensing Gender

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http://house-of-larva.com/
Our senses are not infallible. They make mistakes all the time. What we see or hear or smell can be distorted or misinterpreted. We are gullible, believing almost anything if our senses tell us it is true. Often we are completely unaware of the mistakes they make.

Drag is about illusion. It creates a space to explore and celebrate gender and sexuality in new and exciting ways. Many assume that the illusion is as simple as men dressed as women. They see humor in the “mistake” their senses make when they see someone in drag. However, there is an honesty in drag. Our senses are not making a mistake. In fact, drag may be the only way that we can authentically see gender for what it is: an illusion.

Performance is always a part of gender. We are constantly putting on a show, expressing our gender in everything from how we talk to how we walk to how we dress and beyond. When we perceive another human being’s gender, we can only sense this performance. Our senses do nothing to reveal truth about gender. It is up to individuals to perform the gender they want others to see.

By amplifying this performance aspect, perhaps drag is the one time our senses are being honest about gender. It forces us to admit that what we see of gender is a show. In House of Larva: Lowlands, gender is intentionally obscured. Characters dance between genders, shifting and changing. Bright colors, loud music, images, and other aspects all indulge our senses and create an immersive experience. Our senses are conveying so much conflicting gendered information that our minds become confused, until eventually they give up. Drag is used to show us that it is ok if our senses are not telling us what we are used to being told. For once we stop pretending that what we see is the truth, because what we can sense is only one aspect what is really there.

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