ART420 - Sexuality and Auto-Ethnography

Through many pages of quick written thoughts in response to the question “What is a woman”, I’ve landed on this phrase.

“Welcome to womanhood!

Where you’re too young and too old already”

Growing up a girl is to learn from women. Societal stereotypes promote innocence, acceptance, beauty and manners. Being too young to know about ‘that’.

Becoming a woman is to be a girl who’s had practice. Someone who knows everything and nothing at once. 

Existing and accepting this old, man made world.

The use of auto-ethnography allowed me to use my background knowledge, focusing on my feelings on sexuality as a woman. I found this process to be quite confrontational, the idea of sharing personal feelings on this topic added pressure to the outcome. I used many drafts of writing to explore my thoughts, beginning quite vague and filtered, with concern for the audience. The more I focused on the concept of self understanding, I was able to open up more.