Kirkwallhellmouth does life

I think I like it better when, when I do observations, teachers don’t point me out and introduce me.

It cuts down on–as in, removes almost completely–students being incredulous about my gender. I wear slacks, a button-down, a sweater vest, and a blazer (today’s outfit was even actually all from the “women’s department”) when I observe. I have short hair. Other than earings, there’s nothing traditionally feminine about what I wear to observe. This is the sort of thing I will wear when I eventually get my degree and find a teaching position. Once I have the job, I may even occasionally wear a tie. Because i have some freaking glorious ties.

But anyway. I’d heard at least one incredulous in the first class the teacher I observed today introduced me in.

The last class she introduced me in, she did the very quick, very straight forward, “This is Ms. __, she’s from [uni] and she’s observing today.

From right across the room I hear an incredibly incredulous and loud enough for the rest of the class to hear (even it it may have been in a stage-whisper), ”She?!?“

Yes, she. My disinterest in and lack of adherence to traditionally feminine modes of dress does not preclude me from being female.

It hurt. And it’s part of why I wish there were more positive examples of masculine and non-traditionally feminine women in the media. Because these kids never see a woman who dresses like me with short hair and no make-up on TV. Not in a positive light, anyway.

And it makes me determined to work in a discussion of gender identity and gender presentation to my classes once I start teaching, because the fact that I don’t dress like a lot of my student’s other women teachers is probably going to be a thing, and I will do my best to address that, because my students deserve to be treated with honesty and they need to know clothes don’t determine gender.