Gendered Landscape

 Gendered Landscape

Different genders can view or create a landscape differently. If a landscape is not made for the general public, but for a specific audience that will show within the landscape. It may favor one gender, pushing another gender out of the landscape, highlighting the other. An area may be created specifically for a woman to feel comfortable pushing men out. Landscapes can become gendered for a number of reasons, including social constructs or religious reasons. In many religions women can not be indecent in front of a man, so there is one reason a gendered landscape would be created for them.

One example of a gendered landscape would be a beauty salon. Beauty salons were designed for women to get their hair and nails done, along with their makeup. It is usually a very feminine place meant for those looking for a feminine haircut. If we look at a specific example, like the Sapphire Salon and Spa, in my hometown, we can look more closely at a gendered landscape. This landscape uses feminine colors like purple to add to their atmosphere. Along with this there are photos of women covering the walls, advertising products for makeup and hair products. They offer many treatments usually geared toward women, such as certain types of haircuts, nails, makeup, and waxing. Most of these treatments would not be offered at a barbershop. Along with this if we look at the employees, we can see some gender bias there too. Along the many women who work there, I have only seen one male stylist. This might be caused by the type of hair that stylists like to do, sticking to their own gender. It might also be preferred by clients to have someone with similar experiences to be styling their hair. The Sapphire Salon is located in an outlet mall with several clothing stores around it. If you were to go to most beauty salons they are mostly placed in malls or are surrounded by stores. This is because beauty salons are geared towards women, and one gender standard is that women love to shop. Since this is a gender norm, most beauty salons will place their business around malls or clothing stores to attract business from these women.

If we were to compare a beauty shop to a barber shop, we can see differences in the audience they are catering too. Barber Shops are typically more for men, and create an environment that is more male friendly. If we look at another example from my hometown, “Sports Page Haircuts for Men and Boys”, we can already see a gender bias in the name. The first part of the name, Sports Page, caters to the male audience, assuming that sports are masculine and will draw masculine clients. The second part of the name, “for Men and Boys”, shows that their audience and clientele is specifically men and boys, not women. The name itself shows who the business was created for and who it had in mind. The few times I have been to this barber shop with my dad I could tell it was not a place for me to get my haircut. Instead of women advertising makeup products, pictures of men lined the wall advertising hair gel and razors for shaving. On the tv they had whatever sports game was on, along with sports magazines, and superhero toys for children. Nothing in this shop could be considered feminine, even the employees were all men along with the clients. 

Gender landscapes can have an effect on how we view a landscape, based on how it is created and who it is created for. I believe it is important to attempt to break the bias and make things like this more gender neutral. I can understand a medical center or religious community needing to have a place designated for a gender, but most places should be seen as gender neutral and not what we see here.