Three of the most influential ideas in feminist thought emerged in the mid to late 20th century, and continue to hold great significance today. All are founded upon theories of inclusivity and justice for minority groups. This paper will define, describe, and illustrate the significance of intersectionality, feminist standpoint theory, and progressive definitions of gender. The idea of gender as a theory rather than a biological fact can be traced back at least to Simone de Beauvoir’s famous assertion in The Second Sex that “one is not born but rather becomes a woman.” In more contemporary discourse, the idea of woman grows more foggy. Gender is a social construct. This means that the idea of gender depends on the society in which one exists,
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She says specifically that “gender… is an identity tenuously constituted in time— an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts… The body becomes its gender through a series of acts which are renewed, revised, and consolidated through time.” Gender is not something you are— it’s something you do. She argues that we make the conscious choice to enact gender daily, but enacting a gender different than your biological sex can, in this society, result in violence. For Butler, the question of gender can be asked and answered infinitely, and the answer comes down to that day’s performance …show more content…
In her essay, “Defining Black Feminist Thought,” she write that “factors such as ethnicity, region of the country, urbanization, and age combine to produce a web of experiences shaping diversity among african american women… it is more accurate to discuss a black women’s standpoint than… woman’s.” Collins focuses specifically on the ways in which black women experience society, and stresses the importance of recognizing the heterogeneous nature of women’s experiences. She argues that everybody has a partial view of reality, and that no one group is able to clearly see the full effects of the dominant group’s power. Collins suggests thinking of power and privilege as a matrix into which we all fit. Men have a harder time seeing women’s standpoints, white women have a harder time seeing black women’s standpoints, and on into
She says specifically that “gender… is an identity tenuously constituted in time— an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts… The body becomes its gender through a series of acts which are renewed, revised, and consolidated through time.” Gender is not something you are— it’s something you do. She argues that we make the conscious choice to enact gender daily, but enacting a gender different than your biological sex can, in this society, result in violence. For Butler, the question of gender can be asked and answered infinitely, and the answer comes down to that day’s performance …show more content…
In her essay, “Defining Black Feminist Thought,” she write that “factors such as ethnicity, region of the country, urbanization, and age combine to produce a web of experiences shaping diversity among african american women… it is more accurate to discuss a black women’s standpoint than… woman’s.” Collins focuses specifically on the ways in which black women experience society, and stresses the importance of recognizing the heterogeneous nature of women’s experiences. She argues that everybody has a partial view of reality, and that no one group is able to clearly see the full effects of the dominant group’s power. Collins suggests thinking of power and privilege as a matrix into which we all fit. Men have a harder time seeing women’s standpoints, white women have a harder time seeing black women’s standpoints, and on into