A2 fem gen from Kathryn Peers
Judith Butler - ‘Gender Trouble’ In her most influential book, Gender Trouble (1990), Butler argued that feminism had made a mistake by trying to assert that 'women' were a group with common characteristics and interests That approach, Butler said, performed 'an unwitting regulation and reification of gender relations' - reinforcing a binary view of gender relations (men and women) She argued that, rather than opening up possibilities for a person to form and choose their own individual identity, feminism had closed the options down. “ There is no gender identity behind the expressions of gender; ... identity is performatively constituted by the very 'expressions' that are said to be its results.” (Butler) In other words, gender is a performance; it's what you do at particular times, rather than who you are.
Angela McRobbie points out that the magazines are not only read, but also written and edited, by young women who want to have exciting and interesting lives, and who should have no desire to perpetuate patriarchy. Although it is regrettable that lesbian sexuality is not routinely included within the magazines' celebration of sexuality – which could cause misery and even psychological trauma to young women trying to come to terms with their excluded desires – McRobbie notes that the magazines show the clear impact of feminism in their coverage of (heterosexual) sex:
'The idea that sexual pleasure is learnt, not automatically discovered with the right partner, the importance of being able to identify and articulate what you want sexually and what you do not want'
Judith Butler - ‘Gender Trouble’ In her most influential book, Gender Trouble (1990), Butler argued that feminism had made a mistake by trying to assert that 'women' were a group with common characteristics and interests That approach, Butler said, performed 'an unwitting regulation and reification of gender relations' - reinforcing a binary view of gender relations (men and women) She argued that, rather than opening up possibilities for a person to form and choose their own individual identity, feminism had closed the options down. “ There is no gender identity behind the expressions of gender; ... identity is performatively constituted by the very 'expressions' that are said to be its results.” (Butler) In other words, gender is a performance; it's what you do at particular times, rather than who you are.
Angela McRobbie points out that the magazines are not only read, but also written and edited, by young women who want to have exciting and interesting lives, and who should have no desire to perpetuate patriarchy. Although it is regrettable that lesbian sexuality is not routinely included within the magazines' celebration of sexuality – which could cause misery and even psychological trauma to young women trying to come to terms with their excluded desires – McRobbie notes that the magazines show the clear impact of feminism in their coverage of (heterosexual) sex:
'The idea that sexual pleasure is learnt, not automatically discovered with the right partner, the importance of being able to identify and articulate what you want sexually and what you do not want'
