The essay discusses the conceptualizations of distinctiveness between the relations of gender and sexuality so as to acquire a better understanding of how these personalities refer to the connections between sex and their non-normative sexuality. This relationship bases on some components which include queer theory, heterosexuality, homosexuality, gender, and feminist theory. Whereby gender refers to socio-cultural portent or biological sex of a person, such as one's femininity or masculinity while sexuality implies the interest or concern in sexual potency and attraction. This approach, therefore, brings about solutions to the issues associated with the understanding that sexuality is connected to gender.
The relation gendered-sexuality is based on queer theory and performance discussion that brings an understanding relating to sexuality, gender, and performance. Whereby the word queer in the United States would be used at times to refer to gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, sexual perverts and transgender. However in the urban sexual cultures in the United States, the word queer has been connected to sexual activities and identities. In New York, the male activists who called themselves queer always referred to the “men that had sexual desires and interests with their fellow men” (Chauncey 376). According to Butler, the heterosexual matrix has been identified to be the notions of sexual disparities for example between male and female (173).
When it comes to performativity and gendered sexuality, it's noted that queer and modern philosophies agree that when gender is used as a way to organize society,” it becomes the usual style of a body and, a set of day to day activities within a regulation frame that coagulate as time goes by to give out the appearance of a natural existence” (Butler 43-44). Performativity is used because when connected with queer theory, its scrutiny undermines the supposed relations among heterosexuality, gender and sex (Taylor, Shapiro and Rupp 185). Linking it to performativity according to Butler, performance acts are kinds of commanding speech where most performances are words when spoken, also, give some types of actions and implement a coercive power (17). Hence, it’s acknowledged that speech is power and as a structure, it enables the stationary categories of distinctiveness to become destabilized.
Therefore, the people shared experiences about their gendered-sexuality expectations and by performing masculinity or femininity, there were prospects whereby certain roles, behaviors and performances were expected to follow. Hence, by queering these ideologies of identity, it signifies the usefulness of actions comprising the ones that are performative and not the individuals. Analysis has revealed that individuals’ performativity and identity can only be able to an extent it is recognized and can only be accepted “to the degree it pulls on and shields over the agreements which are mobilized” (Butler 19). Meaning these identities discussed are just comprehensible through social categories.
It is important to note over the past years to date queer theory focuses on mismatches between sexes and gender mostly bisexuality lesbianism and gay. Even though in recent times society has become more accepting of this gender-based sexual orientations there is still stigmatization and discrimination of the same. Even though others argue that it is not gender based but social (Harper 57). Sex is commonly assumed to apply only to women especially when it comes to sexuality yet in New York City while the years the 1910s and 1920s queer was used to characterize men that that had sexual interests in other men (Chauncey 376) it was insulting and stigmatizing. To date queers is a term that is used to refer to those who different sex orientation like lesbians transgender and heterosexuals.
Gendered norms around sexuality affect how sexual issues are handled for example violence. Men are considered strong enough to handle sexual relationships compared to men. There is little research when it comes to men's experiences in sex-related violence also among the lesbians, transgenders and heterosexual. Just like how Butler relied on documentaries and performance we note that performances and movies have often been used to explain some of the gender-based sexual acts like homosexuality transgender and crossdressers they also depict how society treats this person, for example, bullying of gay persons in schools.
Works Cited.
Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York. Routledge.1999
Chausey, George. Gay New York. New York. Flamingo publishers. 1995.
Harper, Sarah. Ageing Societies. New York. Routledge.1997
Rupp, Leila, Taylor, Verter, Shapiro, Eve. Drag Queens and Drag Kings. University of Chicago Press. Chicago.2010.
