Judith Butler

Judith Butler is a philosopher and gender theorist whose work has influenced political philosophy, ethics, and the fields of third-wave feminism, queer theory, and literary theory. She is best known for her book “Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. ”   In this book she explores and challenges the existing “feminist model” and how it has defined the female gender. Butler says that historically we have viewed gender in a binary fashion. Meaning that men and women are divided into distinct categories that are fixed and cannot be changed. She argues against this and says that “gender should be seen as a human attribute that shifts and changes”. She believes that by categorising ourselves in this way limits our ability to choose our own identities. Her views are complimentary to modern identities such as non-binary (you don’t identify yourself as neither male or female) and gender fluid (you change your identity to either male or female but it is not fixed) and states that gender is a “performative social construct.” She believes that gender categorises ourselves to a stereotype which can have negative connotations, limiting our own unique identity where we feel more insecure about the characteristics of our personality. She also expresses the idea that gender identity is changeable and fluid a we ‘perform’ and display different elements of our gender identity at different times, in differing situations and around different people. Her theories also link to David Gauntlet’s theory about identities who says that we construct our own identities by being influenced by different people/experiences/interests which may not be the “traditional cultural norm.” Butler mentions that by believing gender is binary promotes patriarchy and the negative dominant ideology of women by separating them into distinct categories and constantly comparing them to each other, continuing with this old fashioned “gender battle.” Contrasting to common knowledge, it limits both genders and forces a toxic stereotype of what masculine and feminine means and what being a man or a woman means.

Harry Styles and his Brand ‘Pleasing’

Pop sensation Harry Styles has set up his own brand called ‘Pleasing’ which concludes of a range of beauty products including nail polish and other cosmetics. With him being an influential opinion leader, his counteracting opinions of masculinity and femininity helps people to become confident about who they are and what they like. He is representing masculinity in a radical way as he shows himself as a feminine man whilst also identifying himself as heterosexual. This also supports Butlers theory of gender being performative. Styles claims that he aims to “blur the boundaries” of the gender binary and show that regardless of what you identify yourself as, beauty cosmetics is for everyone, not just women.