Andrej Pejic – 18th Top Male Model

Ok, some may or may not agree with a binary gender world, but most understand and live by the binary concept and most of the world is set up to work within this framework.  To illustrate this, recently in a big high street store I was ushered to the gents changing room to try on the arm full of ladies clothes! Me! Surely not! What, didn’t they realise I was Transgender?  Surely a person wearing women’s jeans, womens trainers, women’s top and a bandanna would automatically be ushered to the ladies changing? Couldn’t they tell I have more congruence with the ‘pink’ side of life?  Could they not see the years of pain and heartache I have been through, was this not etched across my face, was it not obvious ( said in a very Thespian melodramatic tone).  Of course I say this tongue in cheek, because I do more or less understand why I was ushered to the gents, personally I would have asked politely which changing facilities I would be more comfortable in etc – but as I stated the default position is people use binary gender stereotypes.  I looked more male and was ushered to the gents, I didn’t question this, although I did feel uncomfortable to say the least, all that said it did make me think how people decide what gender you fit in to at a glance.

After contacting the stores head office a few days later I eventually received a call from the manager. The dialogue was interesting, apologetic and helpful, she exclaimed how sorry she was and how could she help in the future.  She was actually quite suprised becasue we have quite a few trans customers, “I know because my brother sells wigs to people at Funny Girls and some of them come in for handbags”   I smiled wriley to myself as she spoke, I knew she was genuinely trying to be helpful.  In the end I explained it would be a better option to provide changing rooms that are for anyone, no gender etc etc.  She exclaimed that “it is hard for shops to accommodate all needs when it comes to changing rooms, for instance the Muslim community complained that is wasn’t private enough, and we’ve had to move the seats outside the changing rooms to near the children’s area to accommodate their wishes”   I thought, isn’t religion a lifestyle choice?  Anyway she eventually offered me the disabled changing rooms in the end and I said thank you but I’m not disabled, and surely after seeing the Paralympics aren’t people with disabilities people too.  In my mind the people who make a lifestyle choice that requires increased privacy should be the ones offered a changing room away from the rest of the regular shoppers, men, women, children, transgender people etc etc..

But once again I digress.  The purpose of this post is to pose this question – if you see someone at a glance, what is the single most important feature that describes a persons gender?