6.1 Butler's theory of performativity

Judith Butler's theory of performativity challenges traditional views of gender. It suggests gender isn't innate, but constructed through repeated acts that cite social norms. This idea revolutionized queer theory by exposing gender's artificial nature.

Butler's work explores how gender is performed and reinforced in society. She argues that subversive acts can disrupt gender norms, revealing their constructed nature. This concept has been influential in understanding gender identity and expression.

Gender as Performance

Repetitive Acts and Citationality

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Top images from around the web for Repetitive Acts and Citationality

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  Drag queen - Wikipedia View original

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• Gender is constituted through repetitive acts that cite pre-existing norms and conventions
• These acts are not freely chosen but are compelled by social norms and expectations
• Citationality refers to the way in which gender performances reference and reinforce existing gender norms (drag performances)
• Repetition of acts over time creates the appearance of a stable and natural gender identity

Performativity and Subversion

• Performativity is the process by which gender is constituted through repetitive acts
• Gender is not a pre-existing identity but is produced through the very expressions that are said to be its results
• Subversion involves disrupting and challenging dominant gender norms through non-normative gender performances (gender-bending, androgyny)
• Subversive acts can expose the constructed nature of gender and destabilize binary gender categories

Social Construction of Gender

Gender as a Social Construct

• Gender is not a natural or innate characteristic but is socially constructed through discursive practices
• Social norms, expectations, and power relations shape our understanding and experience of gender
• Gender is produced through the repetition of acts that conform to dominant gender norms (gender roles, stereotypes)
• The social construction of gender varies across cultures and historical periods (third gender categories, shifting gender roles)

Discursive Production and Regulatory Norms

• Gender is produced through discursive practices, such as language, media representations, and institutional policies
• Discursive production involves the creation and circulation of gender norms and ideals
• Regulatory norms are the social expectations and rules that govern gender expression and behavior
• These norms are enforced through social sanctions, such as stigma, discrimination, and violence (gender policing, homophobia)
• The heterosexual matrix is the normative framework that assumes a binary gender system and heterosexuality as the default

Challenging Gender Norms

Gender Trouble and Subversion

• Gender trouble involves disrupting and challenging dominant gender norms and categories
• Subversion can take many forms, such as gender non-conformity, gender fluidity, and queer identities
• Subversive acts can expose the constructed nature of gender and destabilize binary gender categories (drag performances, gender-neutral pronouns)
• Gender trouble can also involve resisting and challenging the regulatory norms that enforce gender conformity

Heterosexual Matrix and Regulatory Norms

• The heterosexual matrix is the normative framework that assumes a binary gender system and heterosexuality as the default
• This matrix shapes our understanding of gender and sexuality and marginalizes non-normative identities and practices
• Regulatory norms are the social expectations and rules that govern gender expression and behavior within the heterosexual matrix
• These norms are enforced through social sanctions, such as stigma, discrimination, and violence (homophobia, transphobia)
• Challenging the heterosexual matrix involves recognizing and valuing the diversity of gender and sexual identities and practices (LGBTQ+ activism, queer theory)