Gender Expression in the Work Activity Patterns of Baristas in Coffee Shops: A Case Study of Six Baristas in Padang City

The development of the coffee shop industry in Padang City has positioned the barista profession as part of the modern service sector that emphasizes social interaction, hospitality, and professional performance in public spaces. This study aims to analyze the work activity patterns of baristas and to examine how gender expression is constructed, performed, and negotiated in everyday work practices within coffee shops in Padang City. This research employed a qualitative approach using a case study method involving six baristas working in several coffee shops in Padang City. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, and were analyzed using Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity. The findings reveal that baristas’ work activities are not limited to the technical aspects of coffee preparation, but also involve emotional management, interpersonal communication, self-presentation, and hospitality practices in interactions with customers. Gender expression is manifested through communication styles, body gestures, task distribution, and the ways baristas present their professional identities within service spaces. This study finds that coffee shops function as social arenas where masculinity and femininity are practiced, negotiated, and performatively displayed through everyday work activities. Therefore, the barista profession can be understood as a cultural practice that reflects the relationship between labor, service, and gender construction in contemporary urban society.