As I sat down to a tasty burger at Burger Fuel on Victoria Street I noticed I was sitting next two three males assumedly in their late 20s. I will draw on feminist perspective in deconstructing the gender relations through the body (male) and space (Burger Fuel).
Sitting on the sidewalk I observed the men next to me portraying very strongly, masculine identities. I found that in the main street of Hamilton uneven power relations exist whereby the experiences of men and women differ. In this public space women can be subject to notions of sexism as I witness the men next to me make subject the female passers-by. The men gaze at the female bodies with a sort of lust, turning to ‘check out’ their backsides as they move past. This scenario reminded me of a cockfight whereby the male species compete for the ultimate masculine title. As women move past the men sit up slightly more and their voices gain extra volume as if to prove something.
I wonder whether their behaviour was motivated from the fact that they were a three-some of male consumers out to dinner together and felt they needed to make their sexual identity known to be straight. This observation leads me to question whether if the roles were reversed the same behaviour would emerge or whether on the main streets of Hamilton one can begin to witness contemporary forms of patriarchy.
Coments welcome.
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