When I first opened Seeing and Writing, I stumbled upon a picture, a picture of bare-shouldered woman. At first glance, I was sure that it was a picture of a woman, but after I read the subtitle, I realized that it is the self-portrait of Robert Mapplethorpe. Robert Mapplethorpe was a famous American photographer whose work had been critically acclaimed despite accusations of pornographic content in some of his photographs. I found that there were two pictures; both are the self-portrait of Robert Mapplethorpe but in different gender roles. Based on Merriam Webster Dictionary, gender is: the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex. The first portrait pictures him as a man, while in the second portrait he is pictured as a woman. I was surprised when I looked at both of these pictures, and I asked myself a question: what was his intention when he was making these pictures? There was no easy answer for it. But by comparing and contrasting the two portraits, I was sure that Mapplethorpe was trying to present to the viewers that the difference in clothing is such a clear communicator of gender identity.
             In the first portrait, Robert Mapplethorpe is pictured as a male icon of masculinity. He wears a leather jacket with its buttons opened, showing that he is a bad boy or a biker. His eyes are focused, staring directly at the audiences with striking and sharp look. Mapplethorpes' hairstyle is similar to that of James Dean's, who is a legendary American movie star. There is also a cigarette dangling from his lips, stressing that Mapplethorpe is a tough guy. We can also find many details in the picture which tell us about this masculine appearance, such as his squinted eyebrows. The lightning in this portrait is also set to show his masculine side. The light comes from right front area and is not too bright, emphasizing a mysterious look.
             The second portrait portrays Mapplethorpe as a...