Performances of Pronouns: Using Feminist Post-structuralism to Explore the Social Construction of Gender

Abstract

This chapter explores how feminist poststructuralism can be used in the higher education classroom to facilitate critical and deconstructive conversations about sex and gender. First, I describe a number of important poststructural concepts that are used to deconstruct sex and gender. Next, I explain how, in my classes, I use each concept to disrupt essentialized and commonsensical understandings of sex and gender. I conclude with an exploration of how Judith Butler’s work, particularly her conceptualizations of gender performance, can be used in higher education classrooms to open up spaces of possibility and resistance.