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Blog Assignment:
Week Two

This past week, we took a closer look at some of the approaches to understanding gender that Richardson identified in our first reading. In particular, we read a few excerpts from popular gender studies scholar, Judith Butler. In these, Butler talks about gender being a type of cultural performance with material consequences. This is interesting, for it suggests that while gender is inauthentic, it also produces the very real social conditions we live in. It becomes even more interesting when we think about what this might mean in terms of our ability to act upon/change the realities that surround us- Could the very way we think about ourselves impact the way we think about gender?

In a 250-300 word blog entry, please discuss the following:

• In your own words, elaborate upon the idea that gender is a “performance�- What does gender “perform�;
• Then, talk through the idea that “while gender is inauthentic, it also produces the very real social conditions we live in�- If it’s constructed, how does gender make life “real�?
• Then, seriously think about how gender performance connects to social action- Do the ways in which we present ourselves impact the way we are treated by others? Could changing the way we “do� gender change our social conditions and the knowledge we have about gender?

While you do not have to answer each question in the series that follow each bulleted point, please be sure to address each bullet point in your blog entry. This does not have to be a cohesive narrative and can answer each bullet point independently.