Imagine a woman. What is she wearing? Is she wearing makeup? What is her genre of attire? If you imagined a woman wearing a dress, with a bold lipstick color, in high heels, looking casual and playful, you are not alone. Now image a man. What is he wearing? Is he wearing makeup? What is his genre of attire? In this mental picture, you might have imagined a man wearing a t-shirt or button down shirt, most likely not wearing makeup, in flat-bottomed shoes, possibility looking serious yet still smiling. Why, when we are asked to imagine a group of people so diverse and unique, do we only picture one stereotypical person? Why do we universalize specific characteristics that most likely only apply to a small portion of the group? The answer to
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However, there are a few premises to her theory that should be noted. The first is how Butler argues gender is separate from sex and sexuality. In fact, Butler goes as far as to say “gender is the cultural meaning that the sexed body assumes” (Butler, Gender, pg. 6). In other words, Butler is arguing gender exists because society has placed one’s biological sex on a pedestal of importance. A second premise to Butler’s gender performativity theory is that sex is a strict and rigid binary system. This system gives rise to, and empowers, a heterosexual and sexed hierarchy of power. Thirdly, Butler argues there is no true gender for any individual, claiming that when gender and sex are decoupled, “gender itself becomes a free-floating artifice” (Butler, Gender, pg. 6). This is the start of Butler’s gender performativity theory. At the nuts and bolts of her theory, Butler argues gender is constructed through a “stylized repetition of acts” (Butler, Gender, pg. 140). The argument is if one is born male, then he will be given toy trucks, he will be taught how to play football or soccer, he will be expected to hide his emotions, and so on and so forth. These actions are not male by nature, but male by culture and society. Thus, within Butler’s argument, lies the subtle facet that sex is gendered, and therefore creates the lineage that if one is born male then he will become masculine, and if one …show more content…
The baby boy was gifted colors associated with masculinity, such as blue and grey, while the girl was given colors typically associated with femininity, such as pinks and purples and corals (Kross, n.d.; Wolchover, 2012). The assignment of colors to a specific sex is arbitrary yet they possess a powerful influence when it comes to how socially enforced gender norms. Through the examination of this twin scenario, it is clear how Butler’s gender performativity theory is apparent. Those around the babies are assuming that because each twin was born with their respective sex, then they will repeat the typical gendered actions that is associated with their sex based on the heterosexual
However, there are a few premises to her theory that should be noted. The first is how Butler argues gender is separate from sex and sexuality. In fact, Butler goes as far as to say “gender is the cultural meaning that the sexed body assumes” (Butler, Gender, pg. 6). In other words, Butler is arguing gender exists because society has placed one’s biological sex on a pedestal of importance. A second premise to Butler’s gender performativity theory is that sex is a strict and rigid binary system. This system gives rise to, and empowers, a heterosexual and sexed hierarchy of power. Thirdly, Butler argues there is no true gender for any individual, claiming that when gender and sex are decoupled, “gender itself becomes a free-floating artifice” (Butler, Gender, pg. 6). This is the start of Butler’s gender performativity theory. At the nuts and bolts of her theory, Butler argues gender is constructed through a “stylized repetition of acts” (Butler, Gender, pg. 140). The argument is if one is born male, then he will be given toy trucks, he will be taught how to play football or soccer, he will be expected to hide his emotions, and so on and so forth. These actions are not male by nature, but male by culture and society. Thus, within Butler’s argument, lies the subtle facet that sex is gendered, and therefore creates the lineage that if one is born male then he will become masculine, and if one …show more content…
The baby boy was gifted colors associated with masculinity, such as blue and grey, while the girl was given colors typically associated with femininity, such as pinks and purples and corals (Kross, n.d.; Wolchover, 2012). The assignment of colors to a specific sex is arbitrary yet they possess a powerful influence when it comes to how socially enforced gender norms. Through the examination of this twin scenario, it is clear how Butler’s gender performativity theory is apparent. Those around the babies are assuming that because each twin was born with their respective sex, then they will repeat the typical gendered actions that is associated with their sex based on the heterosexual