Summary:

During my one-hour grocery shopping trip at Superstore on Tuesday, October 10th, starting at 2 PM, I paid attention to spatial dynamics, particularly with regard to gender.

Conscious of my own attire and cultural norms, I noted the prevalence of women in the shopping space. I found myself observing and making assumptions about others’ shopping habits, preferring those with (what I perceived to be) healthier choices.

The physical location, located in unceded Secwepemcúlecw and being difficult to reach without a personal vehicle, perpetuates colonial structures. This setting contrasts the public, masculinized method of commerce with the provision of private, feminized goods. The ambience was characterized by skylights and upbeat music.

The majority of shoppers, predominantly women over 30, included some performing childcare. Men, mainly over 50, were an exception, along with a few student groups and young families. LGBTQ2S+ visibility elicited discreet double-takes. Workers, mainly women under 40 of various racialized ethnicities, were found in diverse roles, with white individuals occupying customer service and lottery positions.

Observations:

Interiority

    • Leaving the house, I was cognizant of the clothes I was wearing; “Should I change from my sweatpants into jeans?” → I did change, though into another set of cotton pants with pockets for functionality
    • I was aware that most of the people I would see would be people presenting as women
    • I was aware of how in the past I’ve felt about being observed by people of all genders while shopping for groceries I’ve thought about how in Canadian culture, staring is very rude, yet it is frequently done in the context of shopping
    • Writing this, I’m thinking about how much hate the euphemism ‘meat market’
    • My general sense of emotionality was aligned with the overcast sky
    • I noticed that while I was shopping I was scanning other peoples’ carts and making inferences about their lifestyles
      • I prefer strangers who have lots of vegetables, minimal packaging/brought their own bags, and little processed foods/animal products ▪ I have an impulse to say something accusatory to an older woman who was picking up a boxed chicken carcass
    • I tried very hard not to look at or think about the amount of dead flesh around me; I failed to ignore the live crabs and became sad/angry.
  • I recognized a professor but did not engage (She looked distracted and busy)
  • I noticed that I am very cognizant of where other people are and adjust my movement to be accommodating (or apologize when I haven’t noticed before the other person is required to adjust their movement

Location/Physicality

  • Unceded Secwepemcúlecw
  • Difficult to access without a personal vehicle
  • Adjacent to Sahali suburbs, TRU, and ‘uptown’ workplaces/offices
    • Entering, I immediately see clothing, flowers, and fresh fruits/vegetables If I walked from my right down all of the aisles to the left, I would have the option to fill my cart with cosmetics/toiletries, baby paraphernalia (this should be a band name), stuff to put in my home, then (if there is room) foods
      • It’s interesting how this is a public (quasi-masculinized) space dedicated to commerce of private (definitely feminized) goods

Ambience

  • Skylights, the high ceiling/shelves, and the white paint give a spacious impression and encourage browsing This strikes me as the mirror of casinos, which gives a sense of timelessness and intense focus
  • I do not have the sense that I would be attacked in this space, due to brightness and business
  • Upbeat pop music competes with the noise of conversation
    • I wear headphones

Shoppers

    • Predominantly people presenting as women Estimated 3/4 were over the age of 30
    • Estimated 1/4 were also performing childcare ▪ One person presenting as a man was performing childcare
        • People presenting as men were almost exclusively over the age of 50
        • Except for one group of three students and a few heterosexual-presenting couples The group of students did not have carts and were mainly socializing
    • The heterosexual-presenting couples were Estimated 1/2 were over the age of 50
    • Remaining was an estimated equal split between students and young families
    • One couple presented as LGBTQ2S+ and I noticed that others (including myself) performed discrete ‘double-takes’ I find it interesting how, presumably because we are sexualized and politicized, presenting as LGBTQ2S+ in public spaces which are not actively being sexualized or politicized gains this kind of attention

Workers

    • Predominantly people presenting as women
    • The few people presenting as men are stocking shelves
    • Predominantly people of various racialized ethnicities restocking the aisles, working at the till, the cellphone shop, and the haircutting salon all white people behind the customer service & lottery desk
    • Predominantly people under the age of 40 except behind the customer service & lottery desk