Another post about gender

So, in Chile, gender norms are much more strongly defended and maintained. For example, I have gotten in trouble for using the men´s bathroom in a Starbucks, even though the women´s was out of order, because it was too extremely out of bounds. I have bought men´s socks and athletic shoes, and been warned not to every time by Chileans who were shocked that I would even consider it, even though my feet are size 40-41, and women´s sizes only go to 40 in Chile. This is something I´ve done countless times in the states, with no one blinking an eye.

A lot of the time, to (especially older) Chileans, it is inconceiveable that anyone would go outside the unwritten boundaries gender gives us.

Which is why I appreciated the fact that, when I went to buy hiking boots, the assistants in the store asked what size I was, and whether I had wide feet, and immediately recommended buying a men´s boot, not a narrow women´s boot. Score one for comfort and sense and gender neutrality!

I could write a book on how gender roles and gender norms and sexism in Chile drive me nuts and negatively affect how nearly every interaction I have goes, but here was a bright point, sad that it takes so little to give me hope!

To add to that, I now have boots to wear while hiking Torres del Paine with Joan!