“Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex” by Judith Butler: Summary and Critique

Introduction: “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex“ by Judith Butler

“Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex” by Judith Butler first appeared in 1986 as part of the collection Differences: The Feminist Perspective. This piece has been instrumental in shaping contemporary feminist thought, offering a groundbreaking analysis of gender as a social construct rather than a biological given. Butler’s exploration of how gender is performatively constituted has had a profound impact on literary theory, particularly in its challenge to traditional notions of identity and its implications for understanding gender expression in literature and culture.

Summary of “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex” by Judith Butler

1. Distinction Between Sex and Gender: Simone de Beauvoir’s assertion, “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman,” forms the foundation for distinguishing sex from gender. Sex is viewed as the biological and anatomical aspects of the female body, while gender is understood as the cultural meaning and identity that is acquired over time. This distinction challenges the notion that biological anatomy dictates social roles and behaviors, emphasizing that all gendered behavior is culturally constructed and not a natural consequence of being a particular sex.
2. Gender as a Cultural Interpretation: Gender is portrayed as a continuous process of cultural interpretation and embodiment. To be a gender, whether male, female, or otherwise, is to engage in an ongoing cultural interpretation of one’s body. Beauvoir’s use of “become” suggests that gender is not a static state, but an active and dynamic process of appropriating and reinterpreting cultural possibilities.
3. Existential Choice and Gender: Beauvoir incorporates existential philosophy into her discussion of gender, arguing that becoming a gender is both a choice and a result of cultural acculturation. This perspective challenges the binary opposition between choice and social construction, proposing that gender is a project of both receiving and innovating cultural norms. The notion of prereflective choice plays a crucial role in this process, where gender is assumed through tac it and spontaneous actions that are only later recognized consciously.
4. Critique of the Cartesian Dualism: Judith Butler critiques the Cartesian notion of a disembodied self that chooses its gender from a detached position. Beauvoir’s theory suggests that gender is not something chosen from outside of one’s embodied existence, but rather an inherent part of living within cultural and bodily constraints. The body is not a passive entity but an active participant in the process of becoming one’s gender.
5. The Body as a Cultural Situation: The concept of the body as a “situation” is central to Beauvoir’s understanding of gender. The body is seen as a field of cultural interpretations, where gender norms are both received and reinterpreted. This understanding challenges traditional notions of a natural body, suggesting that the body is always already culturally constructed and that gender is a way of existing one’s body within a specific cultural context.
6. Gender Transformation and Autonomy:Beauvoir’s view of gender as a dialectic of recovery and invention opens up possibilities for autonomy within corporeal life. Gender transformation is not confined to those who are philosophically inclined but is accessible through the daily rituals of bodily life. The process of becoming a gender is both a submission to cultural norms and an opportunity to create new cultural possibilities.
7. The Political Implications of Gender: The final sections of Butler’s analysis explore the political implications of Beauvoir’s theory, particularly in relation to the binary gender system. The demarcation of gender is shown to be a cultural act laden with normative assumptions, and Beauvoir’s work lays the groundwork for later theorists like Monique Wittig and Michel Foucault, who further challenge the naturalization of sex and gender.
8. Concluding Thoughts on Gender as Cultural Invention: Butler concludes that Beauvoir’s radical vision of the body as a field of cultural possibilities offers a profound understanding of gender. By revealing the body as already clothed in cultural meaning, Beauvoir provides a framework for understanding the body as a site of both cultural constraint and creative potential.

Literary Terms/Concepts in “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex” by Judith Butler

Term/Concept	Definition	Explanation/Example
Sex	Biological and anatomical characteristics that define humans as male or female.	Butler discusses how Beauvoir distinguishes sex as a natural and invariant category (e.g., chromosomal, anatomical traits), but highlights how this concept is challenged by the continuum of biological variations.
Gender	The cultural and social meanings attributed to the body; a social construct acquired through experience.	Gender, according to Beauvoir (and Butler), is not a natural result of sex but a variable cultural interpretation of it. For example, femininity is imposed upon women as a societal expectation.
Becoming	The idea that one is not born with a gender, but rather becomes gendered through cultural and social processes.	Beauvoir’s famous statement, “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” emphasizes that gender is not innate but is constructed through life experiences and social conditioning.
Existentialism	A philosophical theory that emphasizes individual freedom, choice, and existence as central to human experience.	Beauvoir, influenced by Sartre’s existentialism, sees gender as a project or series of actions one takes on, not a preordained state. Gender is actively chosen and performed rather than passively inherited.
Oppression	A condition in which individuals or groups are disadvantaged by societal structures, especially in relation to gender.	Beauvoir critiques how women have historically been oppressed through the identification with their bodies and relegation to the role of “Other,” while men are free to transcend the body and assert autonomy.
Otherness	The condition of being different from the normative or dominant group, often leading to marginalization.	Beauvoir argues that women are treated as “Other” in contrast to men, who are positioned as the normative subject. Women are thus alienated from their own identities, which are socially constructed in relation to men.
Agency	The capacity of individuals to act independently and make their own choices.	Butler examines Beauvoir’s view that, while gender is socially constructed, individuals still possess agency to challenge and reinterpret these norms through personal actions and choices.
Sartrean Freedom	The concept of radical freedom proposed by Jean-Paul Sartre, where individuals are free to define themselves despite external constraints.	Beauvoir’s view of gender as a project is informed by Sartre’s idea of freedom. Even though cultural norms shape gender, individuals are free to redefine and reinterpret those norms, achieving a degree of autonomy.
Cultural Norms	The accepted behaviors, beliefs, and values that are expected within a particular society.	Butler critiques the cultural norms that dictate fixed gender roles and explores how these norms can be reinterpreted and subverted. Gender roles are not fixed and can be challenged through individual expression.
Transcendence	The idea of moving beyond one’s immediate experience or physical body to engage in higher forms of existence or freedom.	Beauvoir criticizes how men are allowed to transcend their physical bodies to achieve autonomy, whereas women are confined to their bodies and their roles as “Other.” Transcendence is often associated with masculine freedom.
Cartesian Dualism	The philosophical concept, from René Descartes, that separates the mind and body into distinct entities.	Butler addresses how Beauvoir grapples with Cartesian dualism, particularly in how men are historically associated with mind (transcendence) and women with body (immanence).
Immanence	The state of being confined to the physical body and immediate existence, as opposed to transcendence.	Beauvoir discusses how women are historically relegated to immanence, or being bound to their bodies and domestic roles, while men are associated with transcendence and freedom.
Social Construction	The theory that many aspects of human experience, including gender, are not naturally occurring but are created and maintained by society and culture.	Butler, through Beauvoir, suggests that gender is not biologically determined but is constructed through social and cultural expectations. Gender norms are perpetuated through socialization, not through nature.
Performativity	The concept that gender is not a fixed identity but is something performed and constituted through repeated actions.	Although Butler’s own theory of gender performativity developed later, she hints at it in this essay by showing how Beauvoir describes gender as a series of acts and behaviors that are performed and learned, rather than inherent qualities.
Embodiment	The way individuals experience and inhabit their physical bodies, often influenced by cultural meanings.	Beauvoir argues that women experience their bodies not as natural but as shaped by societal expectations. Women’s bodies are imbued with cultural meanings that dictate their roles and identities.
Subjectivity	The state of being a conscious individual with personal experiences and agency, contrasted with being objectified by external forces.	Beauvoir examines how women are denied full subjectivity because they are treated as the “Other” and reduced to their biological roles. Butler emphasizes the importance of reclaiming subjectivity by resisting these imposed roles.
Binary Gender System	A system that divides gender into two opposite categories, male and female, based on biological sex.	Butler discusses how Beauvoir’s work opens up the possibility for questioning the binary gender system, suggesting that gender is not necessarily tied to biological sex and can be more fluid.
Historical Construct	The idea that gender and sex are not natural, but products of historical and cultural forces.	Beauvoir asserts that womanhood is a historical construct and that cultural norms around gender have evolved over time, shaped by power structures. This concept aligns with Butler’s later work on the historicity of gender.

Contribution of “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex” by Judith Butler to Literary Theory/Theories

1. Introduction of the Sex/Gender Distinction in Feminist Theory: Judith Butler’s article, “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex,” makes a significant contribution to feminist literary theory by articulating the crucial distinction between sex and gender. This distinction has been foundational in feminist theory, allowing scholars to argue that gender is not an inherent or natural consequence of biological sex but rather a cultural and social construct. Butler states, “The distinction between sex and gender has been crucial to the long-standing feminist effort to debunk the claim that anatomy is destiny” (Butler, p. 36). This theoretical framework challenges the deterministic view that biological differences dictate social roles and behaviors, opening up a space for critical analysis of how gender is culturally produced and maintained.
2. Gender as a Performed Identity: Butler’s interpretation of Beauvoir’s work also contributes to the development of the concept of gender performativity, a central idea in queer theory and literary theory. She interprets Beauvoir’s famous assertion, “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman,” as an indication that gender is something one actively performs rather than a static identity one is born with. Butler writes, “To be a gender, whether man, woman, or otherwise, is to be engaged in an ongoing cultural interpretation of bodies” (Butler, p. 37). This notion of gender as a performative act rather than a fixed state has profoundly influenced literary and cultural theories, especially in analyzing how identities are constructed and represented in texts.
3. Critique of Essentialism: Butler’s analysis challenges essentialist notions within literary theory that posit fixed identities based on biology. By emphasizing the cultural construction of gender, Butler questions the idea that there are inherent, unchangeable characteristics that define what it means to be a man or a woman. She argues, “The body is not a static phenomenon, but a mode of intentionality, a directional force and mode of desire” (Butler, p. 38). This view disrupts essentialist readings of literature and culture that assume stable, natural categories of identity, instead proposing that identities are fluid and context-dependent.
4. Influence on Poststructuralist Theories: Butler’s reading of Beauvoir’s work also aligns with and influences poststructuralist theories, particularly those that critique the binary oppositions inherent in traditional Western thought. By problematizing the binary of sex and gender, Butler’s work encourages a rethinking of other binaries, such as male/female, nature/culture, and mind/body, that have historically structured literary and philosophical discourses. Butler’s statement, “The movement from sex to gender is internal to embodied life, i.e., a move from one kind of embodiment to another” (Butler, p. 39), reflects a poststructuralist concern with the instability and fluidity of identity categories.
5. The Concept of the Body as a Cultural Text: Butler further contributes to literary theory by proposing that the body itself can be read as a text, inscribed with cultural meanings and open to interpretation. This idea aligns with theories of the body in literary studies, where the body is seen not as a natural given but as a site of cultural inscription and power relations. Butler notes, “The body is a field of interpretive possibilities, the locus of a dialectical process of interpreting anew a historical set of interpretations which have become imprinted in the flesh” (Butler, p. 45). This concept has been influential in fields such as cultural studies, gender studies, and literary criticism, where the body is analyzed as a space where power, culture, and identity intersect.
6. Impact on Queer Theory: Butler’s work has been foundational in the development of queer theory, particularly through her exploration of the ways in which normative gender identities are constructed and policed. By arguing that gender is a cultural construct rather than a natural given, Butler opens up the possibility for a wider range of gender identities and expressions. Her discussion of how “gender norms function under the aegis of social constraints” (Butler, p. 45) directly contributes to queer theory’s critique of the normative assumptions about gender and sexuality that are often embedded in literary and cultural texts.

Concepts in “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex” by Judith Butler

Term/Concept	Definition
Sex	Biological facts of the body, such as female or male anatomy.
Gender	Cultural interpretation of biological sex, including social roles, expectations, and behaviors.
The “becoming” of woman	Beauvoir’s idea that gender is not innate but acquired through socialization and cultural interpretation.
Gender as performance	Butler’s concept that gender is actively constructed through our actions, appearance, and behaviors.
Voluntarism vs. Construction	The tension between individual agency and social constraints in shaping gender.
The “Other”	The concept of women being defined in relation to men, as the non-essential and dependent being.
Cartesianism	A philosophical view that emphasizes the mind-body dualism.
Sartre’s Existentialism	Philosophical ideas about freedom, choice, and the individual’s responsibility for their actions.
Patriarchy	A social system that privileges men and masculinity.

Examples of Critiques Through “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex” by Judith Butler

Literary Work	Author	Critique through “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex”
The Awakening	Kate Chopin	Through the lens of Beauvoir’s sex/gender distinction, Edna Pontellier’s struggle in The Awakening can be understood as a battle between her biological role as a woman (sex) and the societal expectations (gender) imposed on her. Judith Butler would critique the way Edna attempts to “become” a woman by rejecting societal norms, questioning if her desire for autonomy is a rejection of gender roles or an attempt to redefine them.
Madame Bovary	Gustave Flaubert	Emma Bovary’s desire to escape her domestic role can be analyzed as a critique of the imposition of the feminine gender. From a Beauvoirian perspective, Emma’s dissatisfaction with her role as a wife and mother reveals the constraining gender norms imposed on women. Butler would further argue that Emma’s tragic end illustrates how society punishes women who deviate from their prescribed gender roles and seek personal freedom.
A Room of One’s Own	Virginia Woolf	Woolf’s emphasis on women needing financial independence and space to create could be critiqued through Beauvoir’s existential feminism. Butler might argue that Woolf acknowledges the cultural construction of gender by showing how women’s creative potential is suppressed by societal structures. Woolf’s essay supports the notion that gender roles, not biology, restrict women’s intellectual freedom and expression.
The Bell Jar	Sylvia Plath	Esther Greenwood’s mental breakdown in The Bell Jar can be critiqued as a response to the pressures of conforming to societal gender roles. Butler, through Beauvoir’s framework, would highlight that Esther’s struggles reflect the dissonance between her biological sex and the culturally constructed expectations of womanhood, as she is unable to reconcile her identity with the limitations imposed on her by patriarchal norms.

Criticism Against “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex” by Judith Butler

1. Essentialism: Some critics argue that Butler’s theory, despite its emphasis on social construction, still retains elements of essentialism, particularly in its reliance on the concept of the “natural” body.
2. Overemphasis on Language: Critics contend that Butler’s focus on language and performativity underestimates the material and institutional factors that shape gender.
3. Ahistorical Approach: Some argue that Butler’s theory is too abstract and doesn’t adequately account for the historical and cultural specificities of gender formation.
4. Neglect of Materiality: Critics point out that Butler’s emphasis on performativity can downplay the role of material factors, such as economic inequality and social structures, in shaping gender.
5. Universalism: Butler’s theory has been criticized for being too universal and not adequately addressing the experiences of women from diverse racial, ethnic, and class backgrounds.
6. Oversimplification of Gender: Critics argue that Butler’s theory oversimplifies the complexity of gender and fails to capture the nuances of gender identity and expression.
7. Lack of Practical Implications: Some critics question the practical implications of Butler’s theory, arguing that it doesn’t provide concrete strategies for challenging gender inequality.
8. Reinforcement of Binary: Critics contend that Butler’s focus on the performativity of gender can inadvertently reinforce the binary categories of male and female.
9. Neglect of Intersectionality: Some argue that Butler’s theory doesn’t adequately address the intersection of gender with other social categories, such as race, class, and sexuality.
10. Overemphasis on Agency: Critics contend that Butler’s emphasis on individual agency can downplay the constraints imposed by social structures and power relations.

Suggested Readings: “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex” by Judith Butler

Books:

• Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Routledge, 1990. https://www.routledge.com/Gender-Trouble-Feminism-and-the-Subversion-of-Identity/Butler/p/book/9780415389556
• Butler, Judith. The Psychic Life of Power: Theories in Psychoanalysis, Gender, and Politics. Columbia University Press, 1997. https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=819&bottom_ref=recommended
• de Beauvoir, Simone. The Second Sex. Vintage Books, 1973. https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/the-second-sex/author/simone-de-beauvoir/first-edition/
• Wittig, Monique. One Is Not Born a Woman. Feminist Press, 1987. http://www.micheleleigh.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Wittig.pdf

Academic Articles:

• Butler, Judith. “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex.” Yale French Studies, no. 72, 1986, pp. 35-49.
• Nicholson, Linda. “Introduction: Gender Performativity and the Politics of Resistance.” In The Politics of the Body: A Reader in Feminist Theory, edited by Linda Nicholson, pp. 1-26. Pantheon Books, 1994. https://www.routledge.com/Body-Politics/Brown-Gershon/p/book/9781032089331
• Stryker, Susan, and Stephen Whittle, eds. The Transgender Studies Reader. Routledge, 2006. https://www.routledge.com/The-Transgender-Studies-Reader-Remix/Stryker-McCarthyBlackston/p/book/9781032062471

Websites:

• Feminist Theory Gateway: https://opentext.wsu.edu/theoreticalmodelsforteachingandresearch/chapter/feminist-theory/
• The Feminist Press: https://www.feministpress.org/submissions
• JSTOR: https://www.jstor.org/

Representative Quotations from “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex”  by Judith Butler with Explanation

Quotation	Explanation
“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.”	This is Beauvoir’s famous assertion that Butler discusses, emphasizing that gender is not innate but a cultural construction acquired over time through socialization.
“The distinction between sex and gender has been crucial to the long-standing feminist effort to debunk the claim that anatomy is destiny.”	Butler highlights the importance of differentiating between biological sex and socially constructed gender, which challenges deterministic views that biology dictates social roles and identities.
“Gender is a cultural interpretation of sex, and it lacks the fixity and closure characteristic of simple identity.”	Gender is fluid and subject to cultural interpretations, unlike biological sex, which is often mistakenly perceived as fixed. Butler uses this to argue against essentialist views of identity.
“To be a gender is to be engaged in an ongoing cultural interpretation of bodies.”	Butler argues that gender is not a static state but an active, continuous process of interpreting and reinterpreting the body within cultural norms.
“The body is not a static phenomenon, but a mode of intentionality, a directional force and mode of desire.”	This quotation challenges the idea of the body as a passive entity, emphasizing its active role in shaping and being shaped by cultural meanings, particularly in the context of gender identity.
“If gender is the variable cultural interpretation of sex, then it lacks the fixity and closure characteristic of simple identity.”	Butler emphasizes that gender identity is not a fixed or natural state but is subject to change and interpretation based on cultural contexts, thereby destabilizing traditional notions of identity.
“The body is a field of interpretive possibilities, the locus of a dialectical process of interpreting anew a historical set of interpretations which have become imprinted in the flesh.”	Butler views the body as a cultural text, continuously being reinterpreted, which underscores the fluidity of identity and challenges the notion of a “natural” body or sex.
“Gender is a tacit project to renew one’s cultural history in one’s own terms.”	Butler discusses the idea that gender is an ongoing project where individuals actively reinterpret and redefine cultural norms in relation to their bodies and identities.
“The concept of the body as non-natural not only asserts the absolute difference between sex and gender, but implicitly questions whether gender ought to be linked with sex at all.”	Butler suggests that the traditional linkage between sex and gender is culturally constructed rather than natural, opening up the possibility of thinking about gender independently of biological sex.
“Through the purposeful embodiment of ambiguity, binary oppositions lose clarity and force, and ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ as descriptive terms lose their usefulness.”	Butler argues that by embodying gender ambiguity, individuals can challenge and destabilize rigid gender binaries, leading to a more fluid understanding of gender identities.