SPRING 2022
ISSUE 100
THERE’S NO ONE WAY TO BE femininE FEMININITY
Reflector Editor-in-Chief Lauren Sabia Creative Director/ Editor-in-Chief Kayla Hill Photographers Kyle Jenkins Tamara Tanksley Lauren Sabia Page Designer Kayla Hill
Models Kayla Hill Alexis Hampton Lauren Sabia Jessica Baytea Isabella Kicklighter Kennedy Williams Megan Spears Jade Scott Marlon Woodmore Amaya Austin Tama-Re Jordan Faith Johnson Contributors Visage Fashion Company
CONTE 04 LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS
Lauren Sabia and Kayla Hill share their experiences with the creation of this magazine.
08 JESSICA BAYTEA
See into the mind of a Georgia Southern fashion designer and where she gets her inspiration from, “The Wizard of Oz”.
12 KAZ THOMAS DEFINING NON-BINARY
This student has struggled with their own gender expression, but with that comes their helpful advice on embracing who you are, pronouns and all.
14 THE FEMALE GAZE
We all know what the male gaze is, so reporter McKenzie Kerrigan dove into the opposite, bringing us a better understanding of what the female gaze is instead.
TENTS 16 100TH EDITION PHOTOSHOOT
100 issues of the Reflector Magazine, a glamorized celebration.
22 MEN EMBRACE FEMININITY
Join John Caesar as he reports that femininity is not just for women, and acting feminine should not result in preconceived stereotypes to be placed on a person.
26 ODE TO NAIL POLISH
Colors, designs and finishes, oh my! Honor nail polish as a creative outlet with us.
28 THE POWER IN EXPRESSING FEMININITY
What does being feminine mean to you? It manifests differently from person to person, and expressing your own femininity can be so empowering. Read along to hear some different perspectives on it.
FROM THE EDITOR
Lauren Sabia
I cannot be more thrilled to share the 100th issue of the Reflector Magazine with you all. This edition is all about celebrating femininity and gender expression, something we are all impacted by and can take part in. Hopefully flipping through these pages will allow your creativity to spark and make you reflect on your own sense of self. I would like to thank all of the people involved in creating this magazine, your hard work does not go unnoticed and we would not be here without you. This issue has been so much fun to create, and I would not want to spend my last semester in college any other way. The Reflector has such a special place in my heart, and it has been such an honor to contribute to the Georgia Southern community through our work. Happy reading and Hail Southern!
W A t e w t I le
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FROM THE EDITOR
Kayla Hill
Where do I start. This is my second time designing and directing the magazine and it still hasn’t gotten old. As I’m graduating, I’m going to miss connecting with members of the Georgia Southern community to put this all together. This magazine could never happen without all the people that give their support, time and energy to collaborate on this project. When I designed the fall magazine, my one goal was to change the way we do things to showcase a more creative and diverse community. I think this magazine now brings light to the many faces we have here in Statesboro and the creativity we have from the George-Anne staff. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Reflector but I know, with this amazing staff, it wont be anything less than great.
PHOTOS Lauren Sabia
JESSICA PHOTO Kayla Hill
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BAYTEA
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PHOTO P HOTO Lauren Sabia
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Jessica Baytea, a senior fashion merchandising major with an emphasis in apparel design, has always loved art and discovered costume design at a young age after her parents encouraged her to take sewing classes. Her abilities to design costumes are evident in this collection, which took inspiration from the “Wizard of Oz” and the 1978 film, “the Wiz”. Baytea wanted to add a modern twist to the ruby slippers, and Glinda the witch, from the original film and the adaptation. When asked what creative expression in fashion means to her, Baytea answered, “It doesn’t matter what gender you are, you can wear whatever you want. Like clothes or clothes and it’s used to make you express yourself in a way that you see fit, not what other people think.”
PHOTO Lauren Sabia
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TAKE ME PHOTOS Lauren Sabia
ME TO OZ
Exploring your own gender or sexuality comes with growing older, but this can be hard to navigate alone. Kaz Thomas, a student at Georgia Southern, is still navigating their path. They do preface that they are not perfect, nor is everyone’s story the same, but here is their story on identifying as non-binary.
don t be afraid to figure out who you are
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PHOTOS Kyle Jenkins
Kaz Thomas
All About kaz PHOTOS Kyle Jenkins
WHAT NON-BINARY MEANS TO THEM Non-binary is an umbrella term for gender identities that are not specifcally male nor female, identifying outside the gender binary. Thomas defined non-binary as,“Fitting in the middle of the gender spectrum, or adrongnous.” Finding a new identity can be hard and for Thomas, it started in college. They began to feel “different”. While this may not be how everyone feels, they are still facing this challenge. “Gender is a spectrum and everyone fits into that differently,” they said. “I’ve been happier ever since I figured out that little piece of the puzzle about myself and I don’t think it affects how people interact with me in everyday life.” When they first began opening up to people about their identity, they said many people had a hard time using their new pronouns (they/
them). However, Thomas says many people do put forward the effort to try. While Thomas does express their pronouns, they do understand that not all people may grasp or use them correctly. They mentioned this can be saddening, but stated,“It is not a big deal, especially to people I am not out to yet. I do understand I was born female, it’s just when people make an effort to [not use correct pronouns], I simply do not interact with them.” They recommend to those ready to come out, to do what feels best. They are aware that some people have certain living situations that may affect their safety, so it is best to “feel out the vibe” on others’ stances. Before all else, they say to make sure you are safe and to tell the people you are closest with.
By, McKenzie Kerrigan
“Embrace it, don’t be afraid of it, and don’t be afraid to figure out who you are and I say take it day-byday,” said Thomas to those that are still finding themselves. “Every day you find out something new about yourself and who you are.” Backlash is something a lot of people face when expressing new identities, opinions or genders. “It can be really hard, and really heavy to face that, especially with people who you may have grown up with, people who you trust and I know it’s hard,” Thomas said when asked about overcoming these difficult situations. “Do not give up, do not put yourself back in a place where you can’t be who you are. Because you are amazing and whoever you turn out to be, that person is gonna be amazing too. Keep living that journey.”
PHOTOS Lauren Sabia
PHOTOS Lauren Sabia
T
he female gaze is a perception created by women, contradicting the more common male gaze. Women perceive the world through eyes of beauty, style and color. They also see how a body of any shape is perfect, not because of its sexualization, but because of its existence. The female gaze was created to oppose the sexualization of women. It was created to see the beauty and effort in everything. The female gaze is an ever changing perception that varies woman to woman. It was created in a time of inequality in the movie industry. Filmmaker and theorist, Laura Mulvey, introduced a perception in film that showed the uniquely different side of how women view the world. Alexis Hampton, the previous Editor-inChief for the Reflector, when asked to explain the female gaze and what it means to her, responded with, “I think it’s so funny that the female gaze has nothing to do with sexualizing males; like seeing a man in a suit is the female gaze, smelling their cologne is the female gaze, whereas the male gaze is completely about sexualization.” The female gaze is not limited to women. Men can alter their perception to a more feminine gaze as well if they are interested. Duncan Sligh, the Editor-in-Chief for the Inkwell, explained his perception of the female gaze. “I love it when men make an effort, like a welltrimmed beard, good-fitting clothes,” Sligh said. “I also love it when men take risks in their style and buck convention. For me, it’s taking notes like ‘it’s working for him, I should try that too and see if it works on me.’ On the other end of that, I totally judge men who don’t care how they present themselves and have no problem just being gross.” The female gaze is present in everyone regardless of gender. Everyone has a feminine side. For some it may be less or more, but it is always present. The gaze is a way of looking upon others, disregarding their sexual being. It’s looking deeper into the person; the small details, the way they carry themselves, the way someone is uniquely them.
By, McKenzie Kerrigan
100
th 90’s photoshoots
The George-Anne Reflector Magazine has been a part of the Georgia Southern community since 1989, with 100 issues of lifestyle and feature content being released over the past few decades. It originated as the university’s yearbook in 1926, but as student interests began to change, so did the Reflector. PHOTO Tamara Tanksley
The biannual magazine was born, and has had many different missions over the years. From being focused on entertainment, to features, to general college lifestyle and now an editorial publication surrounding a specific theme, the Reflector gives GS a better understanding of the world around them.
Edition
PHOTO Lauren Sabia
PHOTOS Lauren Sabia PHOTOS Lauren Sabia
PHOTOS Lauren Sabia
PHOTO Lauren Sabia PHOTO Kyle Jenkins
It’s hard for men to act on their feminine side, especially when the very roots of our society promote the idea that men must always be emotionally guarded and assertive. In recent years however, it appears that the trend of men embracing femininity is starting to grow.
PHOTO Lauren Sabia
Why is it so hard for men to embrace their feminine side anyway? Georgia Southern assistant professor Baker Rogers, who specializes in the field of gender, sexuality and religious studies in the South, gave some insight. They explained that it is often stigmatized for men to be feminine because femininity in general is seen as less valuable, so men/male-identifying people presenting in feminine ways is seen as degrading oneself. Historically speaking, you can find many examples of this being the case. Toy marketing in the ‘80s showed
how these companies viewed how males should be versus females. Boys were targeted for toys such as Gi-Joe, while females were given the riveting adventures of the perfect accessorizable doll, Barbie. Even as a child, boys and girls are marketed to act certain ways that society deems to them as acceptable. For men, masculinity is often considered a necessity in behavior, where they associate being “real men” with the idea of ‘taking charge’, ‘being authoritative’, ‘taking risks’, etc. Rogers further explained, saying, “femininity will continue to be celebrated in women, because they are seen as the lesser gender, while it will continue to be stigmatized in men because they are seen as giving up their ‘rightful’ dominance in an unequal binary gender system.” Hoewever, according to NPD’s iGen Beauty Consumer report, nearly 40% of adults aged 18 to 22 show an interest in gender-neutral beauty products. Celebrities, like Jay-Z and Lil Uzi Vert, have also been spotted wearing skirts or blouses, embracing typically ‘feminine’ fashion. Some students at Georgia Southern have also embraced their femininity through accessories. Joshua Jones, a junior at GS, is known for wearing a
By, John Caesar
small chain of pearls around his neck and wrist everyday. “Everything I wear is something I want to wear,” Jones said.
“There are a lot of stereotypically feminine things that simply look cool, and I feel comfortable enough in my masculinity to enjoy those things, while at the same time behaving in a ‘manly’ way.” As society evolves, so does what becomes acceptable. Challenging past social norms and culture surrounding masculinity versus femininity will continue to open up needed diologue on topics such as toxic masculinity and gender inequality.
“I THINK TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO EMBRACE FEMININITY, AND AS A MAN YEAH, IT CAN BE SCARY AT TIMES, POSSIBLY A BIT DANGEROUS, BUT IT’S ALSO FREEING IN A WAY I CAN’T EXPLAIN.”
PHOTOS Lauren Sabia
MARLON WOODMORE
PHOTOS Lauren Sabia
The Power in Embracing Your Femininity PHOTO Lauren Sabia
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“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”
-Simone de Beauvoir
Femininity is a fluid and complex concept that is socially constructed, rather than a biological trait. Anyone can be feminine. Jane Rago (she/her), the co-director of the Women’s Gender and Sexuality Program at Georgia Southern, provided some insight into how femininity can manifest differently from person-to-person. Some have internalized it to feel like second nature despite how often femininity changes. Some may play with femininity the way people play with fashion. Some use it for survival and the need to conform. Some use it
to make money. Some teach their children certain ways to be feminine. The list goes on. “I think some find femininity as a source of comfort and relief, and relish in this trope, most particularly if you feel as if you were born in the wrong sex,” Rago said. “Femininity here can be a place of empowerment and affirmation.” Arya Johnson (she/her, they/ them) is a freshman at Georgia Southern and a trans-woman. She has been able to work towards finding balance between femininity and masculinity, and is less confined by the traditional standards of the gender she was
By, Lauren Sabia
born with (male). Her sense of being feminine stems from taking care of how she looks and acts. How she dresses embraces this, since taking the time to make sure she looks her best makes her feel the best. “I would say find the definition of what femininity means to you, and just follow that because to each person it means something different,” Johnson said. “I would tell them to be introspective in their actions, and not only how they affect others, but how they affect themselves, and find the best way to move forward to better yourself and others.”
PHOTOS Kyle Jenkins
