“An individual’s gender and sexuality can be shaped by the urban environment and its myriad interactions.”
Urban gender encompasses a wide spectrum of experiences. It includes women who feel pressured to present themselves differently than they desire due to the high incidence of street harassment. In contrast, it also features women who adopt a more masculine queer identity as a statement against the societal belief that only heterosexual individuals can occupy public spaces. Additionally, there are women who are redefining their gender as they transition into new sexual orientations.
Let’s dive into the details of street harassment, a topic that has gained renewed attention thanks to a recent video by Hollaback, showcasing a woman facing harassment 100 times in a single day. Dr. Sarah Mitchell, a PhD candidate at the CUNY Graduate Center, has explored the countless strategies women employ to safeguard themselves when walking through bustling cities. These strategies include donning sunglasses or earbuds, fiddling with their phones, hiding behind their hair, texting friends at each corner, and even opting out of makeup, long hair, or heels. The list goes on!
According to Dr. Mitchell, this constant barrage of harassment, especially in walkable cities like New York, can radically alter a woman’s understanding of her own gender and sexuality. Women may create a new urban gender identity as they embrace a queer persona. “Women adjust their clothing, makeup, and posture to feel safer, and these adaptations inevitably influence how they interact with men they genuinely like, whether at bars or through online dating. Women often become more cautious, sometimes even turned off by men altogether, affecting both their love lives and relationships,” she explains.
This notion of “urban sexuality” often arises from trauma: “I’m not suggesting that being harassed leads directly to someone becoming a lesbian, as some stereotypes imply—but it’s far more complex than that. Exploring sexual identity can be a response to the cumulative trauma of street harassment and sexual violence encountered in various settings. Women might conclude, ‘I feel safer with other women.’ This ties into body image significantly, as queer women tend to view women’s bodies more positively compared to many men. They feel empowered and attractive, and this positive identity can be a form of healing from past trauma.”
In essence, Dr. Mitchell posits that one’s gender can be influenced by geographical context. A woman residing in New York may experience a different sexual identity compared to someone in a rural area: “Social sciences acknowledge that gender is constructed through clothing, presentation, behavior, and societal expectations, but there’s also a crucial spatial aspect where one’s gender and sexuality evolve through the urban landscape and its interactions.”
For additional insights into navigating the complex world of gender and sexuality, check out our other blog post here.
In summary, street harassment profoundly influences how women perceive and express their gender and sexuality, often leading to a redefined urban identity that reflects both personal safety and social dynamics.