The Woman Behind The Glass: Representation of Prehistoric Women and Gender in Museum Exhibits
Author
Rodriguez, Megan Rose
0000-0003-3214-7237
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This thesis investigates and analyzes the ways in which Texas museums represent women and gender in prehistoric human exhibits and how this relates to the manner in which modern women view their own past. This study aims to assess human evolution exhibits and their depictions of gender in prehistoric populations, especially images and portrayals of social groups and gender roles. This was done through in-person assessment of the ways in which humans were depicted in exhibits by means of photographing the exhibits and observing the physical appearance and activity of the humans depicted. The study found that Texas museums present prehistoric humans with unequal numbers of
men and women and with significant gender role division. This inequality in representation indicates an inaccurate portrayal of prehistoric humans as adhering to the same gender ideology and gender roles of modern Western society. This inequality in representation indicates and perpetuates an unsupported portrayal of prehistoric humans as adhering to the same gender ideology and gender roles of modern Western society.