bashoGWSS1

Performance: the manner in which or the efficiency with which something reacts or fulfills its intended purpose. There are many other definitions of performance, but this one fits our gender performance perfectly. Gender, to me, is an extension of one's personality. You are told that you are male or female, so therefore you act masculine or feminine. There are some women that act more masculine than others, but in most cases when it comes down to it they do something in order for us to know they are still female. We perform gender on a daily basis to fulfill our societies need to label and catergorize us. We perform so that we aren't so different from everyone else after all. Another part of performance means that it can be learned and changed, which is exactly how gender is. We learn how to act somewhat like a girl or a boy from the way society sees us, and we change accordingly in certain situations.
As far as gender be inauthentic, I don't completely agree. For some gender might be a complete fake, but for others it might be how they truely feel and what completes them and makes them who they are. Since gender is a "performance" it is constructed, which means that it is quite fake though. Gender, like i said, is how we catergorize and label people though, so it is what makes life "real." Without gender it would be a lot harder to know how to approach and sometimes treat people. It also gives people something to use to identify themselves, and for some its the only way they identify themselves.
The way we present ourselves definitely impacts the way others treat us, our social conditions, and the knowledge we have about gender. Depending on the way a people dress, effects how a guy or girl will think of and treat them. If a girl dresses more provocatively guys may think they are "easy" or "ditzy" and girls might think they same. On the other side of things, if a girl dresses more manly people may think she is a lesbian. Also, if a girl acts really athletic they may think she is a lesbian when she might just be a tom boy, or even just really athletic. Aside from the how we act and dress effecting the way we are treated by society in general, some people change their gender performance daily, depending on the people they are around. This is to make people like them more or to get what they want more easily. If there weren't restrictions, limitations, and judgements on "doing gender," our social structure could be totally different. The way we view men and women in the job market, family life, and power in general could be totally opposite. Lastly, if people weren't so afraid to be different and judged people could have more knowledge about genders in general. Most guys probably don't know a lot about girls because most girls are afraid to be themselves and do certain things that aren't considered feminine or okay for girls, around them, and vice versa.