Transitions and Transformations: Extracts from a Duoethnographic Exploration of Gender Identities in Canada and China

Abstract

Employing the research method of duoethnography, two researchers participate in a co-learning journey, making meaning of their personal stories through writing, critical reflections and theoretical discussions about gender identities. By sharing narratives concerning their significant lived experiences, the researchers compare and contrast major cultural and economic influences on themselves and their families. The authors demonstrate in vivid ways how their perceptions of their identities as girls, women, and mothers have changed over time. Through this process, they create a platform to discuss ways in which their identities and life experiences have been and continue to be influenced by societal and institutional expectations. Keywords: Gender identities, participatory inquiry, extended epistemology, duoethnography