Gender Performativity

Paper Summary:

This paper argues that the way that people act out their gender is not a natural, inherent extension of their biological sex, but in accordance with the expectations imposed on them by the heterosexual model of society. The paper describes Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity and then analyses two social experiments, implementing the use of participant research observation in leisure activities in order to support its claims.

From the Paper:

"The research conducted therefore concludes that men and women are not naturally gendered beings, but are yet constrained into playacting the normative conceptions of femininity and masculinity imposed on them by the hegemonic masculinity of society (Butler 2002:49). Gender performances can be observed in leisure activities (Wearing 1996:169). Both experiments found that most people accord to gender stereotypes, due to fear of not being a real man or women, because those who contest it fear becoming ostracised from society (Butler 2002:49). These experiments led to the conclusion that gender is not an inherent part of our identity, but yet based on performances (Chinn 1997:306). This was most exemplified in the way the shop assistant changed her performance towards the baby once she was informed the baby was really a he. This supports Butler's argument of gender performativity, thus further legitimising her claims (Chinn 1997:294)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bryman, A. 2004 'Social research Methods' (2nd ed.) Oxford University Press, Oxford.
• Butler, J. 2002 'Performative Subversions', in S. Jackson and S. Scott (eds), Gender: A Sociological Reader, Routledge, London, pp. 48-50.
• Butler, J. 1993 'Imitation and Gender Subordination', in H. Abelove (ed), The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, Routledge, New York, pp. 307-320.
• Chinn, S 1997, 'Gender Performativity', in A. Medhurst & S. Munt (eds), Lesbian and Gay Studies: A Critical Introduction, Cassell, London, pp. 294-308.
• Martino, W. and Pallotta-Chiarolli, M. 2001 'Gender Performativity and Normalising Practices', in F. Haynes and T. McKenna (eds), Unseen Genders: Beyond the Binaries, New York, pp. 87-119.

More papers on Gender Performativity:

• Analytical Essay # 130634 : "Judith Butler's Perspective of Gender as Performance"
• Article Review # 100398 : "Gender as Performance"
• Book Review # 113331 : "Gender Performance and Masculinity and the 'Other'"

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