A performance that serves up a critical take on gender reveal rituals. Slicing through a curated menu of symbolic and edible cakes, it exposes the ties between gender construction and capitalism, and the consequent violence against trans* individuals and those who do not conform to the binary.
Layered Constructions & Digital Delicacies
Just like a carefully constructed cake, gender reveal parties layer on traditions that reinforce the binary. Our performance slices through these layers, exposing the rigid foundations beneath.
The 'CONSTRUCTED CAKE' is our first course, a creation that materially represents the unyielding gender binary within Western culture. This piece invites you to reflect on how these hard-set norms are baked into our societal fabric, resisting change even as the world around them evolves. It’s a stark reminder of the inflexibility of these outdated views, served with a side of critical thought.
Next, you'll be served 'FEED ME, LIKE ME,' a confection that questions the digital footprint of the unborn. This virtual cake explores how "sharenting"—the practice of parents sharing their child's life online—extends the binary gender narrative into the digital world, assigning identities even before a child takes their first breath. Here, you are invited to consider the aftertaste of these online overshares and their role in shaping future identity.
Chef's Kiss
As the performance progresses, you'll sample the 'ULTRASOUND JELLO,' an edible treat with a kick of alcohol that stirs up the medicalized approach to gender. It’s a wobbly, jiggly exploration of how medical practices set the stage for binary thinking, often without questioning the ingredients.
Finally, we’ll present the 'CIS-TEMIC BABYCAKE,' a rich collaboration with the Cakethingzzz collective. This sculptural dessert is a biting critique of the systemic violence that categorizes and marginalizes gender expressions that are not fitting neatly into the binary. It’s a course that asks you to chew on the connections between gender, power, and capitalism—revealing the bitter layers that lie beneath the sweet surface.
