Analysis Of Gender Trouble: Feminism And The Subversion Of Identity, By Judith Butler

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines intersexuality as “the condition of having both male and female gonadal tissue in one individual or of having gonads of one sex and external genitalia that is of the other sex or is ambiguous”. Intersexuality, gender, and sex are three things that typically would be associated with each other. However, in order to get a completely objective and realistic understanding of intersexuality, several terms that society has accepted to be true have to be put into question. By examining two written texts and one documentary, intersexuality can be defined and outlined more effectively than a simple dictionary definition.

To begin the discussion about intersexuality, Judith Butler’s work served as a nice basis for deconstructing how society views gender and sex. Throughout Gender trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, Butler argues several points that support the idea that gender and sex are distinctly separate from each other and that they each might have a basis in cultural construction. To begin her argument, she says that women

First being that I had a preconceived notion that intersex people did not feel themselves to be a man or a woman. Really, these individuals are normal people and have a slight difference in genitalia than those who are male or female. Another idea that hit home with me from Joannides writing was that it is ultimately better for the child if the parent does not choose to have reconstructive surgery to assign a distinct sex. I can clearly see how the parents would think they are doing their child a favor in trying to provide them with normalcy and to fit a certain sex. However, after reading this chapter it is evident that children are almost always harmed by this decision that they had no choice in making. Ultimately, I have learned that it is important to recognize that everyone is born differently and their genitalia do not define them as a