Author: Judith Butler
Reading time: 20 minutes
Synopsis
In Who’s Afraid of Gender? (2025), Judith Butler connects queer and gender theory to current cultural events. For decades, Butler has argued that gender is not a simple biological fact with only two parts. Instead, it is a wide and changing range. Butler believes that everyone should have the right to live and express their true self freely, without being controlled. This text argues that we must protect this very important human and democratic right against new, very conservative groups.
What You Will Learn: Helpful Ideas for a Social Debate About Power.
The word Gender has become a difficult topic. It is a word that can empower, but also a scary idea for some. Many years ago, Judith Butler became an important voice on gender and identity. In Who’s Afraid of Gender? Butler mainly wants to clear up misunderstandings. The gender debate does not want to deny biological differences. Instead, it wants to ask questions about power: Who decides how people can love and what rights they have? To answer this, Butler talks again about the idea of performativity. Gender is not fixed or given by God. It is something we create again and again in our daily lives. We do this through language, behaviour, and roles.
This way of thinking is meeting more and more resistance. A global anti-gender movement has made “gender” an enemy. This includes strong governments, conservative churches, Trump’s “MAGA movement”, and even some feminist groups. Many moderate people are unsure about new gender identities. And very conservative groups use these fears. They want to stop equality and diversity. Butler’s argument is: Instead of creating fear, we need education, understanding, and support. In this summary, we will explain what Butler really means. We will show why the debate is so divided. And we will look at how we can talk about it to live together more openly and respectfully.
Blink 1 – A Fighting Word: Gender
The debate around the word “gender” has become a main point of political and social arguments. Critics and opponents make the idea seem like a danger to society. They say it is a threat to children, families, and old traditions. In their view, gender diversity is not a sign of hard-won freedom. They see it as part of a dark plot. They believe it is an effort by liberal groups to force their “strange” ideas on the world, even in poorer countries.
The Vatican, for example, warns loudly about a “gender ideology.” Pope Francis even compared gender theory to a nuclear threat. He said it is a similar big risk to human life. Similar ideas come from conservative religious groups worldwide. They see gender diversity as an attack on their faith and way of life.
In the USA, the very conservative MAGA movement gives political support. Trump slowly filled the Supreme Court with conservative judges. Since then, actions like banning transgender people from the military send a clear message. They want to reduce queer rights and go back to “traditional” gender rules.
For Butler, this refusal comes from a system of control. This system wants to keep power. The strict division into “man” and “woman” is not a natural law. It is a tool. It is a tool made to keep old systems of male power, racism, and colonial control. It protects old power structures. It keeps people in roles that are easier to understand and control.
Gender diversity is a very big threat to these power structures. It questions the base of political power. It shows how gender has always been used for control and discipline. If gender suddenly becomes fluid, diverse, and self-chosen, then male-dominated society shakes. And with it, the ideas of colonial and capitalist rule. Capitalism also needs strict roles. It has shaped the working world to its needs. Women should only help in times of crisis. Otherwise, they should stay at home. This way gender is used for money. This shows that the two-part system helps power, not nature. Denying the diversity of human identity is a war against what makes us most human: our individuality. Our uniqueness and diversity.
Blink 2 – The Myth of Two Genders
The strict division of genders into “man” and “woman” is very old in Western societies. It shapes our language, our institutions, and our daily life. Researchers like Butler have said for decades that this division is too simple. And it also excludes people. It excludes all who do not fit into these groups. And so, it supports an old and unfair system.
Butler says this is clearest in the movement called “trans-exclusive radical feminists”, or TERFs. These feminists want to fight for women’s rights. But they do not include trans women. They see gender as only biological and something that cannot change. So, they ask for laws that keep trans people out of certain safe spaces and protections. They even work to undo rights that were hard-won for trans people.
For Butler, this view is wrong scientifically and humanly. It is based on an old idea of biology. This idea says gender is only two fixed groups. But research has long shown that even biological features are fluid and diverse. Biological sex is not strictly two-part. It is a complex and changing range. People who ignore this do not understand the real lives of intersex people. Their bodies do not fit into the two “man-woman” boxes. The same is true for people who identify as non-binary, gender-fluid, or “agender” (meaning no gender).
A well-known example of this conflict is J.K. Rowling. With her tweets and essays, the Harry Potter author has often shared views that are similar to TERF ideas. In short, Rowling says that more rights for trans people threaten “real women”. This upsets millions of people. They once found courage and belonging in her stories.
As said before, for Butler and many others, linking biology and gender is scientifically wrong. Butler also shows that this view depends on culture and history. The idea of two biological genders is quite new. It is linked to “Western” science and colonial rule. Many native and non-Western cultures have understood gender more widely for centuries. In these open and inclusive places, diverse ways of showing gender identity developed naturally.
At its heart, this debate is about power. Who can say what “woman” or “man” means? Who is included and who is left out? For Butler, it is clear: As long as biology is seen as destiny, people who do not fit into the strict man-woman groups will be excluded. Only when we question this two-part idea as a cultural construct can gender diversity offer its power to free people.
Blink 3 – On the Spectrum
The idea of only two genders is not a global rule. Around the world, many cultures have developed many ways to think about and show gender over centuries. In these societies, it was long seen as normal and natural. There were more than just two strictly divided gender identities.
An example of this is the Hijras in South Asia. They are usually born with male body parts. But they identify as women or as intersex. They are officially known as a “third gender” in countries like India, Bangladesh, or Pakistan. Old Hindu writings show that Hijras have been part of these cultures for hundreds of years. And they had an important social role for a long time in the region. They performed at weddings and births. They gave blessings to couples and children. Sometimes, they were seen as spiritual healers.
But this old cultural importance is changing. Western ideas are becoming more common around the world. Today, Hijras face more and more disadvantages in modern society. Many are discriminated against, excluded, or even face violence. Others can only find work in odd jobs, sex work, or begging. Authorities and the police often treat them badly instead of protecting them.
The very existence of Hijras shows that gender is not only decided by biology. Such communities show that gender is mainly shaped by society and culture. And that the Western idea of two genders is not a natural law. It is something created in history. This idea was spread around the world through colonialism and globalization. It pushed away older and more inclusive ideas.
In North America, many gender roles have existed for centuries. Many native communities have “Two-Spirit” people. These people have both male and female parts within them. They take on special spiritual or social roles in their communities. Their existence also proves that gender diversity does not have to be rare. It can be a natural part of human life and community.
These are just two examples. They show that gender identity is not a fixed biological fact. Instead, it has always been seen as a living and changing range. This is true across different times and cultures. Especially in the heated gender debate, we can learn from these examples. We can create a more diverse and inclusive idea of gender identity. This idea values individuals and community. It goes beyond a narrow two-part division. It makes space for the full range of human experience.
We have already hinted that even biology is not as fixed as conservative gender critics want us to believe. Even at a genetic and hormonal level, the lines between “male” and “female” are not fixed. They are fluid. We will look at what this means for us as a democratic society in the next section.
Blink 4 – A Question of Democracy
The daily lives of people beyond the two-part division of man and woman show how diverse, dynamic, and fluid the gender spectrum is. This is for people who identify as trans, non-binary, gender-fluid, or agender. For them, gender is not a fixed category. It is a very personal journey of self-discovery, often lasting a lifetime.
From a young age, many feel uncomfortable with the biological sex given to them at birth. Society’s expectations and demands for this assigned sex do not match their own feelings and experiences. This difference, this constant feeling of being wrong, is a great emotional and mental burden for many.
Added to this is being treated badly by others. They face rejection and unfair treatment, hostility and violence. They also lack proper medical care and face difficult rules. In many countries, transsexual and non-binary people are still made criminals or left out of society. Their daily life is a constant fight for things that should be normal: being seen, feeling safe, and having dignity.
At the same time, many report a feeling of freedom when they accept their true selves. This happens when they dare to leave behind the strict limits of two genders. They express their identity as they feel it. This step brings a new feeling of self-empowerment. They feel they can truly be themselves for the first time. This makes them more confident, stronger, and more creative than ever.
This is where Butler’s ideas come in. For Butler, gender is not purely biological. Nor is it purely social. Instead, it is the result of many things working together: both biology and society. So, gender is not a fixed quality. It is something we constantly shape, or “performatively” construct. We show our gender through gestures, facial expressions, language, clothes, and our behaviour. All these actions help to shape what we as a society understand gender to be.
As said before, this view shakes the basic Western idea that our gender is natural and unchangeable. Researchers like Judith Butler see gender as a changing social idea. It is not just a biological fact, but a political issue. It is an idea defined by certain people at a certain time. Power, culture, and history influence it. It does not exist outside of humans, but because of them.
When we understand gender as something that can change, new chances appear for a fairer and more equal way of living together. Gender diversity is not a threat. It is a chance for a society where everyone’s life experiences are welcome. This is a basic democratic idea. Together, we can create a world where everyone can decide how to live and express their identity. Is it not worth defending these values against the rise of authoritarian groups that hate democracy?
Blink 5 – Authenticity as a Chance for All of Society
We have seen that gender diversity means more than just personal freedom. It is a step towards a fairer and more humane society. In a culture that accepts the full, changing range of gender identities, there is space for everyone. Every person can bring their skills, views, and experiences. It does not matter how they define or express themselves.
Let’s look at a real person as an example. Let’s call them Alex. Early in life, Alex felt uncomfortable with the gender given at birth. So, even as a child, Alex began to search for their own identity. This was beyond the man-woman division. Because of this, Alex faced problems throughout life: from family expectations, from workplace rules, from religious morals, and sometimes even from friends’ tolerance. The feeling of not being “right” was a constant, daily companion. And it was very tiring.
But one day, Alex found a community. In this group, diversity was not just allowed. It was truly celebrated. These were people who saw, heard, and supported Alex. For the first time, Alex could just be Alex. No pressure, no need to explain. No fear, no shame. Alex began to feel comfortable in their own skin. Alex felt something that was missing for a long time: inner peace. A kind of true joy in life.
Now, imagine Alex’s experience in bigger areas, like the workplace. In a place where people of every gender identity are respected, everyone can use their full potential. They don’t have to pretend or hide. They can let their creativity and ability to create run free. Wouldn’t everyone in the company benefit from such a culture? Wouldn’t society as a whole benefit from it too?
This search for living authentically does not have to be only for queer people. You can also honestly ask yourself: “Who am I if I free myself from all ready-made roles and expectations?” How do I want to express myself? And how do I want to live? There is no right or wrong identity. There is no universal law given by God about who you must be. The more open we are about ourselves, the better we can accept others in their uniqueness. This is still the best basis for living together respectfully, freely, and colourfully.
Conclusion
Sex or gender is not a fixed two-part system. It is a complex and, most importantly, a fluid range. Gender comes from biological, social, cultural, and political factors working together. It cannot be put into simple categories. Looking at history and other cultures shows that the two-part man-woman model is not a natural law. It is a construct. It is a construct that helped certain groups at a certain time to keep their status and power. Other cultures, centuries ago, naturally developed open ideas of gender and identity. They show that a truly inclusive society is possible. A way of living together where people do not have to suffer. This is because they do not fit into the two randomly made boxes of “man” and “woman”. In reality, gender diversity does not threaten our society’s unity. It is the fear of very conservative and oppressive groups. They make “gender” an enemy and a fighting word. As a society, we must think about how we want to defend democracy and freedom against such attacks.
Source: https://www.blinkist.com/https://www.blinkist.com/de/books/wer-hat-angst-vor-gender-de