Who is associated with the concept of gender performativity?

Judith Butler is the scholar most closely associated with the concept of gender performativity. This concept, introduced in Butler's influential work "Gender Trouble," suggests that gender is not an inherent or stable identity, but rather is constituted through repeated performances of gendered behaviors and acts. Butler argues that these performances create and reinforce societal norms about gender, suggesting that the notion of gender is fluid and dynamic rather than fixed.

This idea challenges traditional understandings of gender as biologically determined and highlights how social and cultural contexts shape our understanding of what it means to be male or female. By framing gender as performative, Butler opens avenues for questioning and resisting rigid gender norms and promotes the understanding that individuals can subvert and reshape these norms through their actions and choices. This theoretical framework has significantly influenced feminist theory, queer theory, and discussions around identity politics.