What's In ur Pants?

“What's In Ur Pants?” is a commentary on gender essentialism and the perceived connections between genitalia and gender display within our society. The question referenced in the title is a personal and private one, often asked by those who conflate gender and sex as static, binary systems. Yet, both sex and gender are socially constructed and fluid. Influenced by the documentary “Call Her Ganda,” this piece title references the “fear of deception” heterosexual men feel in response to a woman whose genitalia may not match their gender performance. This incongruency between gender and sex is threatening to hegemonic masculinity, as both being deceived and sleeping with an MTF (Male-To-Female Transgender) are threatening to this idealized status. In addition, I chose to portray a transgender WOC in reference to the disproportionate amount of violence they receive as both a result of their racial and gender status. Finally, I chose to cover up the woman’s genitalia to reify the idea that what's in your pants shouldn’t matter for others in determining your gender. You don’t need to know what’s in someone's pants in order to respond to an already obvious and, often, verbalized gender display.