GENUS PRAEIUDICATUM

GENDER BIAS

Plant ideology helps us reject social hierarchies, as the natural world does not adhere to the binaries or rules of things like gender bias. Most plants are hermaphrodites, meaning they are non-binary, or genderless. Gender is a western social construct where expectations are placed on males or females to exhibit masculine or feminine behaviour traits For example, “Males [are] more assertive and have slightly higher self-esteem than females. Females were higher than males in extraversion, anxiety, trust, and, especially, tender-mindedness”. The plant world does not adhere to these binaries, stereotypes or superficial social demands, it only cares about survival. Plants have specific needs; light, air, water, nutrients, space and correct temperature, nothing more - and without these they may die.

SOCIOTAR DESCRIPTION...

Reproductive organs are illustrated in white to represent the pure, unbiased state. Surrounded by a slightly transparent sphere made of large leaves. The sphere shape represents the fluid nature of gender. The leaves will start as transparent white and then change to yellow - orange - brown as it is exposed to more bias. The plant is growing from a pair of hands to represent human interaction with gender bias.

The noise in the background when the gender bias gets worse will be whispering - frustrated whispering that sounds like gossip. This will get louder or quieter depending on the level of bias and the colour of the plant will show this e.g. very loud whispering and the plant will be brown. The background will be ambient green - this is because it represents the neutral colour, it represents nature which is gender neutral and it is also the colour for women’s rights.

Hermaphroditic plants are a form of elevation into the beyond - where gender becomes insignificant, and importance manifests in the self-sustaining nature of the individual in its environment. Plant ideology therefore translates to a safer form of living-in-the-world for the often ostracised social-groups subjected to misogyny: women and non-binary, genderless, or transgender individuals. All plants are beautiful, valid, and serve a planetary purpose, the same should apply to humans. Gender equality and transcendence should be reflected in social undertakings, and the genderless/hermaphroditic sociotar is the embodiment of this speculative, plant-ideological, socio-digital future.