KEY IDEAS

• Judith Butler is an ‘influential philosopher’ born in 1956, best known for her 1990 novel ‘Gender Trouble’ which looks at feminism and “gender as performance”. She describes gender as “an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts.”

• Butler believes that gender is fluid, meaning that things should not be categorised, we should be able to choose our gender based on how we choose to express ourselves

• This juxtaposes the fluidity of gender expression in the human nature. She also expresses the idea that gender identity is volatile and changeable: we ‘perform’ and display different elements of our gender identity at different times, in differing situations and around different people. We also react to how other people express their own gender identity, making us feel more comfortable or less comfortable to express traits that contrast our ‘labelled gender’.

• Butler’s theories link to David Gauntlet and his ideologies on identity.

• According to Butler, the archaic, binary categories of gender (male and female) counteracts feminism and only promotes patriarchy because these movements completely separate these distinctions and put them up against each other, which does not do anything for the progression gender equality. Stereotypical representation of gender and sexuality for example, expression of femininity in men automatically equates to being homosexual.
• Counteracts Sigmund Freud’s ideas that “same-sex affection” is a “form of melancholia”.

QUOTES

”Gender does not exist inside the body” – Sex is biological whereas gender is a form of identity and self expression. The definitions of the both have been blurred through societies expectations.

“Our gender identities are not a fixed object” – Gender is fluid, almost a spectrum. Our gender identity can change how ever often we want it too. Different elements of our personality relate to different gender even though we may identify ourselves as one.

“Media presentations of homosexuality often use exaggerate masculine or feminine behaviours in a comedic way” – Linking to Maybelline advert, Manny’s homosexuality is stereotyped and majorly over-exaggerated, this could be the brand’s way of making this representation outwardly known.

“Constructed through repeated actions” – Stereotypical gender traits constructed such as connected the clothes we wear to the binary: male or female, creates the impression that we should have a “seamless and permanent” gender identity. These “rituals” linked to different gender’s display our identity to ourselves and society.

“Non-heterosexual identities are socially suppressed in favour of heteronormativity” – Non-straight identities or couples are seldom displayed in the media, especially unless it is in connection with a pride campaign, for example. This is due to the fact that society assumes that people are automatically straight and have the ability to choose their sexuality from birth, whereas this is clearly not the case.

HARRY STYLES ARTICLE (GUARDIAN MAG):

• Harry Styles has recently set up a ‘life brand’ called ‘Pleasing’. He has released a range of beauty products including nail polishes. With him being a influential opinion leader, him counteracting gender normality allows people to see themselves represented and allows them to validate their own expression of gender, sexuality and personality as a whole.

• “There is a sense that this brand is about celebrating what is already there and encouraging customers to be themselves.”

• Styles echoes Butler’s theories that we can celebrate the differing elements of our gender identity regardless of societies expectations.

• Through Styles’ “unique aesthetic” he aims to “blur the boundaries” of the traditional gender binary and project the idea that anyone, regardless of their gender, can wear beauty products, can dress how they choose to and can act how they want to.

• The article also makes reference to money, which could be interpreted as Styles going against the male stereotype and using this ‘alternative’, unique gender expression as a way of regaining fame and making money. “In July, the global beauty industry was valued at $511bn”

EXAM STYLE PARAGRAPHS:

SCORE:

The male character is at a higher physical position to the female characters looking up at him. This could connote to the patriarchal, superior, dominating and more powerful position he holds, reflecting the views that men were of a higher position, men were meant to be earning money whilst their wife would stay at home, during the late 1960’s. The female characters are over-sexualised through their clothing and body language/position. This reflects the gender stereotype that women were objects of male pleasure linking to Laura Mulvey and The Male Gaze. Butler’s theories suggest that this representation of contrast between gender expression only promoted patriarchy and women being used only for sexualisation. This representation of over-emphasised femininity is unnecessary and has no link to the product being advertised. This also links to the theory of voyeurism – “One of the most obvious persuaders in advertising is sex”

MAYBELLINE:

This production is a counter-typical representation of gender and truly encapsulates Judith Butler’s ideas that gender is fluid, it is not fixed and set in place. Gender is changeable and can be expressed differently during different situations. The Maybelline advertisement also has links to sexuality and how sexuality is often attached to stereotypes as well as gender. Manny (MUA), featured in the video advert, is a gay male and the first male make up artist to be the face of the brand and be featured in a advert. Immediately, he creates a new representation of what ‘being a man’ looks like. His portrayal completely de-constructs the traditional binary that suggests that men should be overly masculine, heterosexual and should only be interested in playing sports, for example. His representation is quite feminine and the fact that he wears makeup and is connected to a makeup brand juxtaposes the archaic idea that only girls can use makeup.

JUDITH BUTLER:

Judith Butler’s ideas counteract Laura Mulvey’s ideas that gender is fixed as male and female which are seen as completely separate and different from each other. Her views complement modern identities such as non-binary and gender fluid, where people don’t feel represented as one, set gender, they see themselves as having elements of different genders and don’t stay in line with the ‘traditional’ binary. Butler says that gender is a social construct which categorises everyone into a stereotype. She emphasises the difference between sex and gender. Sex being the biological category assigned at birth (male or female), whereas gender being a social construct which encapsulates the idea that almost everything, from careers and clothing fit into a feminine or masculine category, either (boy or girl).