Gender and its meaning are often discussed by anthropologists, feminists, and other researchers. However, the way that each defines the word gender is very different and there seems to be no fixed definition as to when one identifies as man or woman. This problematic, that there are so many different definitions for gender, Judith Butler takes as the center of her work, and tries to explain what they understand behind the notions of sex and gender.
I will therefore base my analysis on Judith Butler’s "Gender Trouble", published in 1990. Butler’s approach is very interesting, as it brings in the notion of culture as well. And because Butler brings in culture, and culture is the subject of anthropological research, I will take some ideas of Lila Abu Lughod’s "Writing Against Culture", published in Recapturing anthropology: working in the present. The anthropological approach will only lead to a better understand of how culture
and gender are so similar, as they are both not innate. The fact that gender is not innate and has to be learned, or as Judith says performed, will be the key idea that I will represent in this paper.
The idea that gender is performed and is a social construction, is clearly represented in Walt Disney’s "Mulan". I will, therefore, use this movie to prove the point that I am aiming to elaborate. My point is that any individual can perform different gender identities and that individuals are able to change their gender. So, gender is not related to the sexual organs or chromosomes one has, but gender is simply a behavior that adapts to its environment and is fluid.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Judith Butler’s Notion of Gender Performativity
3. Gender Performativity in Disney’s Mulan
i. Bring honor to us all
ii. Reflection
iii. I’ll make a man out of you
4. The ‘reality of gender’
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the social construction of gender through the lens of Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, utilizing the film Disney’s Mulan as a primary case study to illustrate how gender roles are learned, performed, and fluid rather than biologically determined.
- Judith Butler’s concept of gender performativity and its academic origins.
- The distinction between innate biological sex and socially constructed gender.
- Analysis of performative gender norms in Disney's Mulan through song lyrics.
- The societal pressures and expectations associated with masculine and feminine roles.
Excerpt from the Book
The ‘reality of gender’
At this point, Disney’s movie Mulan has successfully expressed what Judith Butler meant to say with their queer theory on gender performativity. This is the reason as to why I chose this movie, to get a good understanding of the theory and realize what is really meant when saying that gender is a social construction.
Butler states that “If one thinks that one sees a man dressed as a woman or a woman dressed as a man, then one takes the first term of each of those perceptions as the “reality” of gender: the gender that is introduced through the simile lacks “reality,” and is taken to constitute an illusory appearance.” So if I say that I see a man wearing women’s clothes, I am assuming that the “man” I am seeing, is the ‘real’ gender, and that the women’s clothes are the secondary appearance of the gender. The secondary appearance, in my mind, only constitutes an artifice and is meant to represent some sort of act/play, Butler would say. This specific way of thinking is something that sort of happens automatically in our minds. Now the reason why this is like that, is because in society we often try to create a stable gender identity. Society and our cultural development make us think that males necessarily must be masculine and do man-ness, and the same goes for women being feminine. We do not distinguish between the terms sex and gender.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The author introduces the central problem regarding the lack of a fixed definition for gender and outlines the intent to use Butler’s theory to analyze gender as a performance in Disney’s Mulan.
2. Judith Butler’s Notion of Gender Performativity: This chapter reviews various feminist and sociological approaches to defining gender, establishing the theoretical framework that gender is a learned, fluid behavior rather than an innate biological trait.
3. Gender Performativity in Disney’s Mulan: Using three specific songs from the film, the author provides a close reading of how Mulan attempts to perform both traditional feminine and masculine roles, demonstrating the constructed nature of these identities.
4. The ‘reality of gender’: This chapter bridges the film analysis with Butler’s philosophical insights, arguing that society’s tendency to label one gender as 'real' over another is a social artifice that ignores the fluid reality of performance.
5. Conclusion: The author summarizes the findings, reiterating that sex and gender are separate notions and that individuals have the power to choose and adapt to the gender identities they align with.
Key Words
Gender Performativity, Judith Butler, Social Construction, Mulan, Disney, Feminism, Sex, Culture, Gender Identity, Man-ness, Woman-ness, Queer Theory, Gender Roles, Masculinity, Femininity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on applying Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity to analyze how gender is portrayed as a socially constructed and fluid behavior in the film Disney's Mulan.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The main themes include the distinction between sex and gender, the influence of culture on gender development, and the performance of societal norms through the character of Mulan.
What is the core objective of the work?
The primary goal is to prove that gender is not an innate identity based on biological traits, but rather a performance that individuals learn and adapt based on their environment.
Which theoretical framework does the author utilize?
The author uses Judith Butler’s queer theory, specifically her work "Gender Trouble," to define gender as an act that is performed rather than a biological certainty.
How is the main part of the paper structured?
The main body analyzes the film Mulan through the examination of three specific songs—"Bring honor to us all," "Reflection," and "I’ll make a man out of you"—to track the character's transition between gender performances.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include gender performativity, Judith Butler, social construction, gender roles, and fluid identity.
How does the author define the distinction between sex and gender?
The author defines sex as an innate biological factor related to hormones and chromosomes, while gender is defined as a learned, socio-cultural construction that varies by society.
Why did the author choose the movie Mulan for this analysis?
The movie provides a clear narrative demonstration of an individual having to adopt and perform both traditionally feminine and masculine traits, which serves as a perfect visual tool to illustrate Butler's theoretical points.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Sabrina Fiel Abade (Autor:in), 2021, Gender Performativity in Disney’s "Mulan", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1183095
