Binary opposition

reading anything cannot be called a reading at all as it merely tries to find what we expected or in other words, our expectations are likely to be confirmed. Bhabha argues that critique, critical thinking, tends to dissolve certain commonplace oppositions, which in the case of colonialism are inherited from the colonial discourse under consideration. He writes against the dialectical form of argument. The concept ‗deferral‘ is central to Bhabha‘s understanding of dialectical thinking. From…

a) people find them imitable and b) they are impressed by this set of qualities. If we take a look at the distinction between orient and oxidant, it is only this set of traits which is uncommon between the two binaries. This should be noted that the set of traits assigned to each binary is biased because it has been done by the people in power i.e. the oxidants. Orientalism, as defined by Edward Said is a construct of the Oxidant, put in place to assert the White supremacy over…

different. As if our reproductive organs and sexual characteristics made us different species entirely. Another author Judith Lorber thought our social construction began at birth. She also believed that gender was not only thought to be innate, but it was also status symbol. “As a social institution, gender is a process of creating distinguishable social statuses for the assignment of rights and responsibilities,” (Lorber 1993). To Lorber, by the time we had been wrapped in blue or pink our…

this idea in her structural gender analysis of cultural female devaluation. Additionally, she uses this article as a platform to suggest political change which would enhance equality between women and men. This structuralist perspective of binary opposition was first formulated drawing on Levi-Strauss and de Beauvoir, but has since been criticized for being simplistic and ethnocentric. I will delineate Ortner’s argument and…

this goal by pointing out “…the ways in which literature (and other cultural productions) reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of women,” (Tyson 81) and by encouraging the dissolution of male and female binary gender roles, the achievement of gender equality through a fusion of feminine language with patriarchal signifiers, and .…

understanding of their identity sheds light on the dualistic nature of Western thought. Until the idea of ‘homosexual’ and ‘heterosexual’ became widespread in the United States and Europe, bisexuality could not even be considered. Even still, the binary way Western Culture perceives most things is incongruous with…

is not pronounced upon by a deity. Gender is a man-made construct that is prejudiced by an assortment of cultural bases as opposed to biological ones. Masculinity and femininity are very often referred to when discussing gender and these present binary opposites of domination and subordination, respectively. This paper will show how gender forms perpetuate the stereotype that the existence of women is legitimised by men, and this leads to hierarchy which inevitably undermines the feminist…

The evolution of gender roles allows for the perception of both male and female to be reevaluated throughout time, allowing for further understanding in the importance of equality. Gender roles socialize boys and girls to mimic the precedent of gender-specific functions deliberated by society. Yolen’s short story, “The Lost Girls”, critiques the socialization of children, to adapt to stereotyped gender-specific roles within society, forcing them to attune to the power struggle of the genders,…

Especially, as emphasised by both the CBS News article (28 June 2016) and The Wall Street Journal article (Gay 2016), when analysing this delicate issue, it is fundamental to think about the fears that non-binary people have to face on a daily basis, such as possible verbal and physical harassment. In addition, the analysis of the two chosen articles highlights that although those who are not in favour of the unisex toilets around New York come from a minority…

years the queer fans have managed to gain ground, one recent example being Star Trek Beyond and their inclusion of their first portrayal of a gay character in the series, Hikaru Sulu. But by granting a side character this sexual identity outside the binary does not offer much for the queer audiences, as their identities still do not get to take a prominent role in big productions. This demonstrates the constant negotiation between dominant ideology and the periphery cultures – the dominant…