Introduction Of Women s Studies 101.1002 Essay - 1320 Words

Anthony Statton Introduction to Women’s Studies 101.1002 Jackson November 7. 2016 Blurring the Lines Realness defined by the dictionary definition is existing or occurring as fact; actual rather than imaginary, ideal, or fictitious but taking it a step further and defining it in the drag world, realness commonly refers to the ability to â€Å"blend† or â€Å"pass† as the opposite sex. The entirety of Janet Mock s Redefining Realness is exactly that, to take her own definition of the word and use it as a non-conformative mean to achieve self-actualization, to instead be real to herself rather than for anyone else s sake. Mock, through the struggle told in her own written story redefines a word with a variance of definitions in multiple communities, to not define her but be defined by her, so that rather than blend or pass she instead becomes the black woman she had truly been. Although her story stands to show her fight for the belief one is not born, but rather becomes a woman (171) the book itself acts as a beacon to all whom can sympathize or identify with her strugg le, she takes her characterization of what it means to be real and shares it with both the readers who share her aspects and those looking to understand them. In the reading, Judith Lorber discusses the social construction of gender. She talks about â€Å"performing gender† as a way to fit into society and describes how gender construction begins at birth and has to be either reaffirmed or redefined. Mock