Author: Judith Butler
Synopsis
Butler challenges the idea that gender is simply a stable identity arising naturally from biological sex. She develops the influential concept of gender performativity, emphasizing how repeated social practices help produce the appearance of stable gender categories.
Why It Matters to Sociology
The book profoundly influenced gender studies, sociology, philosophy, and queer theory. It reshaped debates about identity, social norms, sexuality, and the ways categories are created and maintained through social practices.