Playing with Gender

The first essay was very difficult both to read and analyze in itself, so I'm going to stick with critiquing the two essays separately, though I can see links between them. In Judith Butler's essay "Imitation and Gender Insubordination," she intensely discusses the issue of identity as a sexual, private, and public paradigm. I thought she brought up two particularly fascinating points that I had never considered before: one, that by assigning a specific identity (sexual or otherwise) we must therefore also exclude a host of other identities; and two, that all gender roles are a result of "compulsory performance." Her discussion of identity and the "I" was confusing at first, but the more critically I read it, I began to better understand the point she was making. I believe Butler is saying that whenever we decide on a particular identity, we also temporarily exclude a large number of other possibilities in order to make their claim. This happens because the act of defining makes us subconsciously decide becomes included and what becomes excluded. Thus, she is saying that at the same time, disclosure reveals and also conceals. Butler's second hypothesis is that, if all sexual identity is merely a performance based on societal dictates, homosexuality is a "copy," as is any other sexuality. She delves deeper in this hypothesis and acknowledges that this is a complex subject, because by saying that all sexuality is a "copy," there has to be an original form (NOT heterosexuality) that existed and was the basis of all sexual preferences/gender.

The next essay, "Uncle" by Winston James, reminded me of the term "voyeurism" that we discussed in class. Although that is definitely not the only point referenced in this essay, I though it was relevant because of Jake's pleasure from viewing other male genitalia. However, this possible voyeurism is different because it is not necessarily driven by sexual desire. Like Mandi stated in her blog, I believe that Jake's yearning for physical closeness to his uncle and his enjoyment of his brother's actions stem from a deeper desire for love and attachment towards two male figures that he looks up to. However, whether this desire is sexual or not, Jake is frightened of it because of the beliefs subconsciously instilled in him by his mother, associating anything "wrong" with Satan. It doesn't matter whether Jake will grow to sexually desire men or not; what matters is that he instinctively seems to know that homosexuality is wrong without ever being explicitly told so.