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casparb's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 I had high expectations for this one and was still impressed. JB delivers.
Particularly loved sections 1 and 3 - 'Subjects of Sex/Gender/Desire' and 'Subversive Bodily Acts'. The first section is actually more wholly philosophico-political than one might expect from the reputation of this book. There's a fantastic note on pragmatic coalitionism, which I think just about everybody ought to read in order to defuse the tedious arguments we see so often.
'Subversive Bodily Acts' seemed the most accurate to the book's reputation. This is where Butler becomes more confident, prescriptive, and begins to open up the fields of feminist critique and gender studies on an almost uniquely radical level. Lovely to see her appreciation of Foucault here too. :)
A note on style - I see loads of people complain about Butler's writing as obscurantist. I think I mentioned this when I read Precarious Lives. Gender Trouble is not especially difficult on a conceptual level. I think a lot of people stumble at the style because it is very academic. But it's no huge barrier to reading. I'll read this again some day, mostly for the sake of memory - a good sign, from a text so full as this.
Particularly loved sections 1 and 3 - 'Subjects of Sex/Gender/Desire' and 'Subversive Bodily Acts'. The first section is actually more wholly philosophico-political than one might expect from the reputation of this book. There's a fantastic note on pragmatic coalitionism, which I think just about everybody ought to read in order to defuse the tedious arguments we see so often.
'Subversive Bodily Acts' seemed the most accurate to the book's reputation. This is where Butler becomes more confident, prescriptive, and begins to open up the fields of feminist critique and gender studies on an almost uniquely radical level. Lovely to see her appreciation of Foucault here too. :)
A note on style - I see loads of people complain about Butler's writing as obscurantist. I think I mentioned this when I read Precarious Lives. Gender Trouble is not especially difficult on a conceptual level. I think a lot of people stumble at the style because it is very academic. But it's no huge barrier to reading. I'll read this again some day, mostly for the sake of memory - a good sign, from a text so full as this.
lulu_readsalot's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
It is a comprehensive book, but a little too theoretical for me. It was hard to keep up.
It proposes a lot of background for its various propositions, and a very convincing logic.
I enjoyed the different angles from which it tackles the various questions and aspects of gender.
Definitely a must if you are on a learning path about gender and its effects on society and the individual.
It proposes a lot of background for its various propositions, and a very convincing logic.
I enjoyed the different angles from which it tackles the various questions and aspects of gender.
Definitely a must if you are on a learning path about gender and its effects on society and the individual.
friendofmarlowe's review against another edition
5.0
“Hence, within the inherited discourse of the metaphysics of substance, gender proves to be performative—that is, constituting the identity it is purported to be. In this sense, gender is always a doing, though not a doing by a subject who might be said to preexist the deed.”
i am sooo excited that i’ve read all of this. i love butler. now, did i understand 100% of this? no. though i am proud of how much i was able to engage with. when i did get it, and that was more often when butler was laying out their own thoughts and concepts of gender, rather than engaging with other philosophers who i haven’t read or don’t understand, it was a thrilling read with interesting things to say about gender and political action.
i am sooo excited that i’ve read all of this. i love butler. now, did i understand 100% of this? no. though i am proud of how much i was able to engage with. when i did get it, and that was more often when butler was laying out their own thoughts and concepts of gender, rather than engaging with other philosophers who i haven’t read or don’t understand, it was a thrilling read with interesting things to say about gender and political action.