Sexual Identity And Gender Expression - 1399 Words

To conceptualise sexual identity and gender expression, Judith Butler (1990) proposes a poststructuralist perspective; that gendered behaviour (masculinity and femininity) is learned, a performative act, and that gender is constructed through a ‘heterosexual matrix’. She describes this as [A] hegemonic/epistemic model of gender intelligibility that assumes that for bodies to cohere and make sense there must be a stable sex expressed through a stable gender (masculine expresses discursive male, feminine expresses female) that is oppositionally and hierarchically defined through the compulsory practice of heterosexuality (Butler, 1990; 151). She proposes that one is born a particular sex, which in turn dictates one’s gender, which in turn†¦show more content†¦Reality, from the realist perspective, is seen to have a stratification of existence, which Bhaskar (date) outlines as the ‘empirical’, the ‘actual’ and the ‘real’. The empirical is the experienced, a sub-set of the actual; the things and events in their concrete historicity, and these are both a sub-set of the real; the structures, the internal relations of the actual parts. Socially, realists distinguish the ‘empirical’ reality of social life from the ‘real’ objects whose causal powers effect social change through ‘actual’ mechanisms. This ontological depth has bearing when exploring the sex-gender relationship, where there are real anatomical sex differences, and empirically real gender differences. Rather than â€Å"deterministic†, sex categories are â€Å"causa l† to result in a particular gender. One born to a particular anatomical sex tends to be a particular gender; the outcome is probable. That is because of the actual mechanisms, the cultural, religious, historical truths, that create a tendency between the ‘real’ and the ‘empirical’. This is what Butler somewhat fails to portray: the influences of race, class, and time. â€Å"Heteronormativity† is the term coined to define the systemic and pervasive belief, structurally, socially and somewhat unconsciously, that heterosexuality is the normal and inevitable sexuality, it ‘makes sense’. It is grounded in determinism; that one’s anatomical sex must compliment their partner’s ‘opposite’Show MoreRelatedSexual orientation is the preferred term used when referring to an individuals physical and or1100 Words   |  5 PagesSexual orientation is the preferred term used when referring to an individuals physical and or emotional attraction to the same and or opposite sex. Heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual and pansexual are all sexual orientations. An individuals gender identity and expression is distinct from their sexual orientation. 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The Power Of Language Is The Most Dominant Means Free Essays

In addition, ‘Worthy Sebastian’ is used which has a double meaning, it means that he is worthy enough to become king and be better than Alonso; however, it can also mean that he is valuable to Antonio right now. What this does is makes Sebastian realize that if he is getting epithets such as ‘worthy’ when he isn’t a king then imagine all the compliments he would get if he was to become king. Furthermore, Antonio uses imagery when saying â€Å"My strong imagination sees a crown dropping upon thy head. We will write a custom essay sample on The Power Of Language Is The Most Dominant Means or any similar topic only for you Order Now This makes Sebastian feel as is the crown is rightfully his, if the Duke of Milan can see the crown on Sebastian then that is reinforcement for it to happen. This is because if someone who is as high up as Antonio is giving him the go ahead to do the deed and kill the king then he would do is as he thinks it’s the right thing to do. Also, the verb ‘dropping suggests that it was sent from above e. G. God and at a time when religion was at the top of the hierarchy it would make Sebastian feel as if God has chosen IM to become king and who is he to defy God. As Sebastian is having doubts as to whether to commit regicide Antonio uses god as a persuasive technique for him to make him kill the king, its as if Antonio wants Sebastian to believe that God has told him to kill the king. Also, Antonio says that he will kill Alonso with ‘this obedient steel’ He doesn’t say sword, but uses the adjective ‘obedient’ which makes Sebastian think that the sword will do whatever it is being told which further reassures him that it is the right thing to do and that no harm will happen to him. However, Sebastian believes that Antonio is owing this to benefit Sebastian when in actual fact he is doing it so that he doesn’t have to pay money to the King of Naples, this is where manipulation comes in as Sebastian is so blinded by greed and hope to become powerful that he is oblivious to Notation’s true intentions which is why it is very easy for him to be convinced. The effect this would have is that they would despise both characters as they are thinking of committing regicide which at the time was unheard of. However, some would argue that power and greed is the most dominant means of control because it is due to these factors that Antonio is able to convince Antonio to kill the king. People argue that magic is the most dominant means of control as Prospers has many books which gives him magical powers which means that he can control almost anything including the sea thus causing the Tempest to happen, but the magic is only used through language, only Prospers uses magic which gives the impression that he is the one with the strongest language therefore is the one who has the most control over everyone and everything. Prospers has control over the spirits such as Ariel However this is counter argued by the fact that Prospers as exiled by his brother to the island which would suggest that he isn’t as powerful as he initially seems. Prospers appears to be all powerful with his magical staff at the beginning of the play, but in order to become powerful in Milan where it really matters he must give up his magic. His learning and his books led to his downfall in Milan allowing his brother to take over. This is why magic is not the most dominant means of control in the Tempest. In addition, when Prospers talks to the audience he is controlling them without them releasing, he asks the audience to ‘release me from my bands with the elf of your good hands’ he is still the dominant one and wants the audience to forgive him for all the wrong he has done by applauding him and this will ‘set me free. ‘ Prospers was powerful when he had magic, but he only got what he wanted when he got rid of his magic and used his words to become the rightful duke of Milan and to be forgiven for all the wrong doings he has done. Furthermore, knowledge can also be seen as being the most powerful means Of control. This is because when Prospers was exiled all he had were his books which kept him alive; however, whilst he had his books he was exiled ND usurped by his brother, when Prospers swears that he will ‘drown my book’ he becomes the Duke of Milan, what this tells the audience is that magic and knowledge are both vital, but without language Prospers wouldn’t have been able to fight his case and make everyone believe that he is the rightful heir to being the Duke of Milan. Also, right at the end Prospers ends the play with a soliloquy which gives him the most power out of all the characters in the play and then over the audience, he begs the audience for forgiveness by ‘help of your good hands’ which means that when the audience clap they will forgive him, this gives him rower over the audience as he is telling them what to do and they listen to him, he also asks the audience to forgive him, by making himself kick weaker than the audience he is gaining control and being more powerful as they listen to everything that he has got to say. How to cite The Power Of Language Is The Most Dominant Means, Essays