Final answer:
Norah Vincent's 'Self-Made Man' reveals that gender powerfully shapes everyday interactions, highlighting the flexibility and fluidity of gender identity and its impact on how individuals are treated. The book shows how gender roles are performed and recognized beyond just physical appearance.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Norah Vincent's Self-Made Man: One Woman's Year Disguised as a Man, which documents her experiences living as a man for a year, she found that gender is powerful in shaping even the most ordinary encounters (Option E). The book delivers insightful observations into how gender roles and identity influence social interactions and personal experiences.
The narrative thoroughly contradicts the notion that biological females cannot convincingly "do masculinity" (Option A) and demonstrates the extent to which gender is a performance that can be convincingly adopted across societal lines, influencing how one is treated and perceived in daily life.
Gender identity is recognized as a person's deeply held internal perception of one's gender, which may not necessarily align with the sex assigned at birth. Studies by cultural anthropologists, such as Daniel Jordan Smith, show that gender is viewed as a lifelong project, challenging the idea that gender identity is limited only to physical appearance (Option D).
Moreover, gender identity and expression are seen as fluid and continually evolving, with each individual carving out their authentic self amidst a mixture of stereotypes and cultural expectations. Norah Vincent's work and the experiences of others highlight the deep interconnectivity between gender expression, societal treatment, and personal identity.