Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity

Sexuality and gender continue to be a focus of modern discourse on sociology, philosophy and psychology. In Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, Judith Butler makes some feminist theory claims about sexuality and gender that shows their connection to power in society. Butler makes two primary claims about sexuality and gender. She argues that sex is not located within the body in a way that cannot be changed or altered in any way. She also argues that sexual desire and sexual orientation are also not innate, but are created as social constructions. In this sense, categories like "male" or "female" or "homosexual" or "heterosexual" are not innate qualities of human beings but categories created by culture to lend notions to gender behavior. This analysis will discuss the feminist theories offered by Butler in Gender Trouble, showing how the author believes constructs of gender and sexual orientation are largely fabrications related to social forces. A conclusion will address the implications of Butler's feminist perspective of gender and sexuality.

One of the main points made by Butler is that desire is not a given in culture. Instead, the author argues that sexual desire is produced by culture, whose laws and taboos help to produce sexual desire through categorization of the spectra of human sexuality. In essence, Butler attempts to argue that sexuality and gender are social constructions and can, therefore, be deconstr

Related Essays

Judith Butler .... Butler was most influential in her book Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity , in which she argued that feminism took the wrong approach by .... (757 3 )

Judith Butler & Feminist Theory .... Butler was most influential in her book Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity , in which she argued that feminism took the wrong approach by .... (757 3 )

Cindy Sherman: Sex Pictures, a Post-Structuralist Feminist .... Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge, 1990. Cruz, Amada, Elizabeth AT Smith, Amelia Jones. .... (980 4 )

Category: Science - G