Judith Butler argues that __ developed an account of patriarchal culture that assumed that masculine and feminine genders were inevitable. Select one: a. functionalism b. feminism c. post-structuralism d. symbolic interactionism
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: a. functionalism
Judith Butler argues that functionalism developed an account of patriarchal culture that assumed masculine and feminine genders were inevitable. Functionalism, a dominant sociological theory in the mid-twentieth century, viewed society as a system composed of interdependent parts working together to maintain social stability. In this view, gender roles were seen as natural and necessary components of a well-functioning society. The theory suggested that men and women had distinct roles based on biological differences, with men suited to leadership and public life, and women more suited to caregiving and domestic roles.
Butler critiques this approach because it treats gender roles as biologically determined and socially necessary, reinforcing the notion that masculinity and femininity are fixed and universal. She argues instead that gender is performative, meaning it is constructed through repeated social behaviors, norms, and discourses rather than being an inevitable result of biology. According to her, individuals enact their gender identities through societal expectations and practices, and this performativity gives the illusion of stable gender categories.
In contrast to functionalism, Butler draws on post-structuralist thought, especially the ideas of Michel Foucault, to challenge traditional understandings of identity. She emphasizes that power structures shape how gender is understood and performed, and these structures can be resisted and subverted.
Functionalism, by assuming fixed gender roles, fails to recognize the variability and fluidity of gender across cultures and historical periods. Butler’s critique highlights how this theoretical framework upholds patriarchal norms by legitimizing the division of labor and power between men and women as both natural and necessary. Her work has been foundational in queer theory and gender studies, as it challenges the essentialist views that underlie traditional sociological perspectives like functionalism.