MASC OR MASK?

They say that change is the only constant thing in this world. This proverb manifests in people’s identities since how we think, act, and behave at present differs from how we do in the past and the future. To jumpstart the interviewees’ self-introspection, they were asked about the way they currently present themselves on online dating applications.

THIS IS ME..?

“If I remember yung mga profile pictures ko dun [online dating apps] ‘di naman siya parang laging galit, laging fierce. More on welcoming, inviting, more on the smiles. Though, di pa naman kasi ako masyado nag-eexplore sa aking feminine gender expression. I tend to go on the softer side of things na happy, warm, and lax.”

Kurt Liam Dones

The interviewees’ gender expressions have a wide range: from looking polished, to having a friendly aura, to being provocative, to exhibiting the duality of being masculine and feminine. Some of the factors that influence how they decide to present themselves are their personalities, the nature of the dating apps, and the desire to be as authentic as possible.