Who's Afraid of Gender? is a 2024 non-fiction book by Judith Butler discussing gender politics.
 Cover of the US first edition | |
| Author | Judith Butler |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
| Publication date | March 19, 2024 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | 978-0374608224 |
| OCLC | 1375546953 |
Butler was inspired to write this book after being attacked in 2017 in Brazil while speaking, at least one of whom shouted at Butler, saying "Take your ideology to hell!"[1] Butler is interested in the literal demonization of gender by analyzing the historical context of the anti-gender movement.[2] The title is a reference to the Edward Albee play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
Content
editIn this book, Butler explores the roots of current anti-trans rhetoric, which they define as a "phantasm" that aligns itself with emerging authoritarian movements.[3][4] The book discusses the conservative movement against transgender rights, abortion, and feminism, which is coalesced under the "anti-gender movement". Butler covers examples from Pope Francis's comments comparing transgender people to nuclear weapons and Vladimir Putin calling Europe 'Gayropa' and saying gender is a Western construct that will destroy the family. Butler argues that the moment calls for solidarity between persecuted groups and a coalition of resistance.[5][6][7]
Reception
editThe book has been described as "the most accessible of their books so far, an intervention meant for a wide audience".[8] Neel Kit of the Iowa State Daily said that it handles its subject matter "in a way that can be difficult for readers without a background in theory to follow", but also said that "[a]nyone trying to make sense of the latest round of 'gender panic,' from school curriculum bans to anti-trans legislation, will find Butler’s book clarifying."[4]
In the review for The Economist, the book is said to be the most accessible of Butler's works, however the writing is "served up with a large portion of post-modern word salad".[9]
Naomi Klein said the book is "a profoundly urgent intervention".[10]
References
edit- ↑ Halberstam, Jack (May 16, 2014). "An audio overview of queer theory in English and Turkish by Jack Halberstam". Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ↑ "Judith Butler, European Graduate School". Retrieved July 14, 2015.
- ↑ Rottenberg, Catherine (August 27, 2003). "Judith Butler". The Literary Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
- 1 2 Neel, Kit. "Book review: "Who's Afraid of Gender?" by Judith Butler". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
- ↑ Mackay, Finn (March 13, 2024). "Who's Afraid of Gender? by Judith Butler review – the gender theorist goes mainstream". The Guardian. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ↑ Cosic, Miriam (April 5, 2024). "Who's Afraid of Gender by Judith Butler is a powerful argument for transgender rights". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ↑ Leonard, Sarah (April 9, 2024). "Judith Butler's Reckoning With The Right". The New Republic. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ↑ Mackay, Finn (March 13, 2024). "Who's Afraid of Gender? by Judith Butler review – the gender theorist goes mainstream". The Guardian. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ↑ "Who's afraid of Judith Butler, the "godmother of queer theory"?". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on December 1, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
- ↑ Hutchinson, Robert. "Celebrity queer philosopher Judith Butler fights to vindicate her life's work". Mercator. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
External links
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