Trouble with Gender

Abstract

This paper is a critical engagement with some of the writings of Judith Butler who is perhaps best known for popularising the idea of gender as performative. Here we trace the origins of the notion of performatives in the work of J.L. Austin. We outline Butler's extended definition of performative gender and comment on its relationship to earlier sociological accounts. We follow her development of the idea through the later deployment of Derrida's notion of citationality. We draw attention to potential problems of this usage and to the difficulties of linking it to a psychoanalytic account of subjectivity. We consider her extended example of drag as sharing the impersonatory character of gender and as allegorizing the melancholic character of heterosexual gender identity. We comment on her interest in a theatrical politics that may make trouble for gender. Finally we consider the theoretical burden that these ideas attempt to carry.

Queer Categories: Queer(y)ing the Identification ‘Older Lesbian, Gay and/or Bisexual (LGB) Adults’ and its Implications for Organizational Research, Policy and Practice

“…This is not to say that I will not appear at political occasions under the sign of a lesbian, but I would like to have it permanently unclear what precisely that sign means. (Butler, 1991: 13-14) Butler has been criticised for ignoring materiality and employing an approach that is overly linguistic and deterministic (McNay, 2004;Benhabib, 1995;Hood-Williams and Cealey-Harrison, 1998), although this is something she has vociferously denied and sought to clarify (Butler, 1999;. However, the value of her work is, I believe, the demonstration that identities are inherently political; to elaborate on their performativity is to establish 'as political the very terms through which identity is articulated' (Butler 1990: 148).…”

Coming Out at Work: Performativity and the Recognition and Renegotiation of Identity

“…The concept of performativity, which has its historical origins in the work of the linguistic philosopher, J.L. Austin (Hood‐Williams and Harrison, 1998), takes the idea of performance, as expounded by Goffman (1969), and develops it in a linguistic sense by suggesting that much of language consists of performative utterances, ‘in saying what I do, I perform the action’ (Hood‐Williams and Harrison, 1998). Austin was able to demonstrate the considerable extent to which language is used performatively.…”

“…Austin was able to demonstrate the considerable extent to which language is used performatively. Austin also maintains that the words have to be said in the right context to become performative; for example, the priest declaiming the marriage vows is only performative during the wedding ceremony, but not outside it (Hood-Williams and Harrison, 1998). Performativity should not be understood as a singular or deliberate 'act', but rather, as a reiterative and citational practice (Butler, 1993: 2) as shown by this example as it consists of both speech and an act, which can be cited and enacted again and again.…”

Gender Performance Discourse on Tinder Profile Pictures in London, Uk – A Social Semiotics Study

“…In gender studies, Butler posits that gender identities manifests in acts being performed (2016), therefore labeled "gender performativity/ performance". Butler (2006) argues three dimensions interplaying in gender performances: "anatomical sex, gender identity, and gender performance". This may suggest that human's gender identities are conditional thus may not be linear to the biologically assigned genders.…”

“…In turn, positivist's claim where gender is biologically or environmentally conditioned is challenged. Judith Butler (2006), however, admits that humans are limited in performing gender where alignment with the norms of culture is desired by the society. It is accepted that these social standards can be what is implied by sex generalizations.…”