Representation: Gender As A Perfomance - Judith Butler

Question 1

Butlers gender revolution

Answer 1

• Male and female identities are not naturally configured
• Gender does not exist inside the body
• Gender is not solely determined by primary experiences during childhood

Question 2

Butlers alternative gender model
An alternative view of gendered identities

Answer 2

• Our genders are culturally rather than naturally formed
• Our genders are not stable but are constructed through repeated actions

Question 3

Media processes that commonly marginalise female power and non-heteronormativity

Answer 3

• Absent representations
• Abjected representations - ‘deviants’
• Parodic representations

Question 4

Abjection

Answer 4

The process of constructing an object or person as repulsive. Abjection is used, Butler infers, to suggest that non-heteronormative identities are unnatural

Question 5

Compulsory heterosexuality

Answer 5

A phrase used by butler to describe the deeply entrenched social expectation that we assume male/female identities and that we engage in heterosexual relationships

Question 6

Gender/sex

Answer 6

Butler differentiates between gender and sex. Gender, she argues, is the socially constructed identity that we assume, whilst sex refers to the body we are born with

Question 7

Gender trouble

Answer 7

A representation or identity that falls outside of heteronormativity. Gender trouble might be inferred through; homosexuality etc.

Butler suggests that performance of gender trouble us a difficult and sometimes painful process

Question 8

Gender performance

Answer 8

The repeating acts or rituals that continuously define our gender. Butler agues that our gender is not innate but constructed through the continuous repetitions of micro-rituals

Question 9

Gender subversion

Answer 9

A represational process that undermines heteronormativity

Question 10

Heteronormativity

Answer 10

The dominance of heterosexuality as a normal or preferred identity - usually accompanied by a view that gender is binary (either male or female)

Question 11

Parodic representation

Answer 11

An initiative gender representation usually constructed using exaggeration or dissonance. Used to subjugate marginalised identities, but they also simultaneously sketch the performative nature of gender for all of us and are the fore subtly subversive

Question 12

David Gauntlett hypothetical criticism evaluated

Answer 12

Acknowledges much of their work, but would suggest that contemporary media practices mean that heteronormativity does not completely dominate and that the media allows for diverse or fluid identity construction. He suggests that society has adopted a much more view of gender subversion than is presented by Butler.

C: Only 8.8 per cent of American prime time television shows regularly broadcast non-heterosexual characters

One of the media processes which marginalise non-heteronormativity = Absent representations

Question 13

Van Zoonen hypothetical argument evaluated

Answer 13

Would agree with Butlers assesment that gender is a social construct but would suggest that the media reinforces male power as a result of women internalising male power and assuming the same passivity that on screen depictions of femininity construct

C: This aligns with Butlers belief that Gender, like ‘femininity’ is a socially constructed identity which we assume, while sex refers to the body we are born with.

CC: Arguably, both are Gender and our sex is subjected to social construction. Men are portrayed as physically stronger in media, and women as the antithesis of that - our sex is directly linked to our gender and how we perceive it.

Basically arguing the same thing