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Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate interviews Judith Butler

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Judith Butler is a preeminent gender theorist and has played an extraordinarily influential role in shaping modern feminism. They’ve written extensively on gender, and her concept of gender performativity is a central theme of both modern feminism and gender theory. Butler’s essays and books include Performative Acts and Gender Constitution (1988), Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (1990), Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of “Sex” (1993) and Undoing Gender (2004). However, the concept of gender performativity has been used – and some would assert – abused to support a number of positions that misconstrue Butler’s work. Therefore, I wanted to ask Butler what they really think about gender and the trans experience. Along the way, Butler specifically addresses TERFs and the work of Sheila Jeffreys and Janice Raymond. Cristan Williams: You spoke about the surgical intervention many trans people undergo as a “very brave transformation.” Can

The Source Summary reproduces the first 150 words of the source article unless a Collective editor has explicitly locked a replacement.

Interpretive context

Why this article may matter

Community significance

“Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate interviews Judith Butler” may matter to community readers because it preserves a first-person or testimonial account connected to feminism and gender politics, while also engaging transgender identity and history. Such accounts can document how an issue was understood and experienced from within the period or community being discussed.

Historical significance

As a publication record from 2014 at Transadvocate.com, “Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate interviews Judith Butler” provides dated evidence of how feminism and gender politics was being argued in relation to transgender identity and history. Comparing it with earlier and later records can reveal changes in vocabulary, evidence, and emphasis.

Policy significance

The article’s strongest policy connection is criminal justice and public safety. It links that institutional frame to feminism and gender politics and transgender identity and history, making it potentially useful for tracing how an argument moves from description or history into law, regulation, administration, or public practice.

Content analysis

Ranked themes and framings

Rank 1 is the dominant inferred theme or framing. Parent labels identify broader theme families; the relationship key beneath the diagram explains the line styles used for hierarchy, same-family relationships, overlap, and separate-but-related themes.

Themes

  1. 1
    Feminism and gender politicsTheme family: Power, ideology, and social conflict
    100%
  2. 2
    Transgender identity and historyTheme family: Identity, culture, and community
    73%
  3. 3
    Healthcare and medicineTheme family: Institutions, law, and public life
    40%
  4. 4
    Media, rhetoric, and discourseTheme family: Knowledge, history, and communication
    31%
  5. 5
    Law and civil rightsTheme family: Institutions, law, and public life
    29%
  6. 6
    Religion and moralityTheme family: Power, ideology, and social conflict
    29%

Editorial function

Relationship among the ranked article themes The central circle is the primary theme. Line styles are defined in the relationship key below the diagram. Feminism and gender politics to Transgender identity and history: Overlapping theme
Transgender identity and history
Feminism and gender politics to Healthcare and medicine: Separate but related
Healthcare and medicine
Feminism and gender politics to Media, rhetoric, and discourse: Separate but related
Media, rhetoric, and discourse
Feminism and gender politics to Law and civil rights: Separate but related
Law and civil rights
Feminism and gender politics to Religion and morality: Related theme in the same family
Religion and morality
Feminism and gender politicsRank 1
Relationship key
  • Overlapping themes
  • Separate but related themes
  • Related theme in the same family
The diagram distinguishes hierarchy, same-family relationships, overlap, and separate-but-related themes inferred within this article. It does not assert that all themes are mutually exclusive.

These classifications are inferred from article text and source metadata and remain directly editable. Relationship labels express corpus-analysis judgments, not immutable facts.

This article appeared 1 year(s) after the theme’s highest annual presence in the registered corpus in 2013.

Relative presence by year

Peak year indexed to 100

Values measure relative presence in the registered Collective corpus, not public search interest or public opinion.

Inbound-link and citation evidence

Documented circulation and reception

45 source-held references record early links or citations; the documented sources span 43 distinct domains. The dated evidence currently spans 2014–2017. These observations describe circulation and reuse; they do not assign cultural worth or evaluate the communities, arguments, or people discussed.

46distinct source records documented
43distinct referring domains
0best available scholarly cited-by count
0books or volumes documented
45references retained by the source publication
2014–2017observed years in dated evidence

Evidence by channel

Independent counts; bars are not additive

Coverage of the evidence search

Shows what has actually been checked
Publisher-held referencesChecked · August 31, 2026
45
Scholarly indexesChecked · August 31, 2026
0
Book and volume searchNotchecked
0
Public-web searchNotconfigured
0
Collective corpus linksIndexed · August 31, 2026
1

Documented references over time

Dated source evidence currently stored by the Collective
Collective linkCollective corpusDirectly verified

Submission Guidelines

Cristan Williams · collective-demo.transhouston.com · August 20, 2015

Specifically, the TransAdvocate focuses on watchdogging anti-transgender media tropes and misinformation that gains social currency. We’re willing to do what it takes to expose hate — especially when hate is being peddled as reason, faith, or journalism. We here at the TrasnAdvocate generally won’t pull our punches and we are…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

What Does Trans Love Look Like? - Aperture Foundation NY

What Does Trans Love Look Like? - Aperture Foundation NY · dev-aperture.omgwebdev.com · June 2, 2017

[…] around that. Even Judith Butler, the influential philosopher and gender theorist, for instance, was recently asked to grapple with the latent transphobia of her movement-creating, but often misunderstood, theories […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

“Whipping Girl,” Julia Serano – Transmutations

“Whipping Girl,” Julia Serano – Transmutations · travelstogethen.wordpress.com · May 8, 2017

[…] believe that sex or gender have a biological component, which isn’t quite accurate (especially given clarifications Judith Butler has made since Gender Trouble). But Serano herself has since clarified that her intent wasn’t to deny aspects of gender are […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Who Decides your Gender? — Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies

Who Decides your Gender? — Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies · sds.utoronto.ca · October 27, 2016

[…] need to take my word for it.  You can read this excellent commentary from Julia Serano or hear it from Butler directly.  For some folks, gender has nothing to do with presentation and exists purely as an internal […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

1 year, 3 days | Transitional Seasons: My FTM experiences

1 year, 3 days | Transitional Seasons: My FTM experiences · transauthentic.wordpress.com · October 25, 2016

[…] no need for validation from that kind of masculine performance.  (Here is also an article by the TransAdvocate interviewing Butler and how her work has been misconstrued to support anti-trans theories and […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

What Does Trans Love Look Like? – Kelly C. Allen

What Does Trans Love Look Like? – Kelly C. Allen · kellyallenc.wordpress.com · June 24, 2016

[…] around that. Even Judith Butler, the influential philosopher and gender theorist, for instance, was recently asked to grapple with the latent transphobia of her movement-creating, but often misunderstood, theories […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

The Poverty of Gender ‘Critical’ Feminism | Inherently Human

The Poverty of Gender ‘Critical’ Feminism | Inherently Human · inherentlyhuman.wordpress.com · May 17, 2016

[…] [12] Interview in TransAdvocate, 1 May 2014 http://www.transadvocate.com/gender-performance-the-transadvocate-interviews-judith-butler_n_13652.h… […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Siggy

Siggy · atrivialknot.wordpress.com · March 7, 2016

One model of gender is that you are the gender that you identify as. This is a great model because everyone gets to be the gender that they want to be. It is, by definition, desirable for people to get what they want.1 Many people…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Muireann O'Dwyer

Muireann O'Dwyer · genderandpoliticsucd.wordpress.com · February 5, 2016

Germaine Greer’s Essentialist Transphobia – A Blog by Rosa Torr (rosa.torr@ucdconnect.ie) It came about last month that Germaine Greer, second-wave feminist and author of the feminist handbook ‘The Female Eunuch’, had a petition created by Cardiff University’s Women’s Officer against her doing a speech there…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Gender Performance: An interview with Judith Butler | A Conversation:

Gender Performance: An interview with Judith Butler | A Conversation: · radfem.transadvocate.com · November 29, 2015

Gender theorist Judith Butler is interviewed and her concept of gender perfomativity is compared and contrasted to a sex essentialist ideologies. Specifically, Butler addresses the work of Sheila Jeffreys and Janice Raymond. Additionally, Butler comments on the work of Gloria Steinem, Milton Diamond as well as a number…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

STEPHEN BURT

STEPHEN BURT · chronoto.pe · November 20, 2015

The “Jem and the Holograms” comic books have a lot to say about power, what it means to be girly, and what comics can do. Credit Image courtesy IDW Publishing Barrier Status: ‘none’ If you want to see an exuberantly colorful all-ages tribute to girl…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Lyndsay Mann – The Extended Voice | Excessive research

Lyndsay Mann – The Extended Voice | Excessive research · transmedialeblog.wordpress.com · September 27, 2015

Lyndsay Mann – The Extended Voice

Show 34 additional documented sources
Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Contributor

Contributor · activehistory.ca · September 25, 2015

By Mark Abraham Swift accepts her Video of the Year award during the 2015 MVAs. TaylorSwift.com Accepting her Video of the Year award at the 2015 VMAs, pop singer Taylor Swift, surrounded by the women who appear as weapon-toting warriors in her victorious video “Bad…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

hjhornbeck

hjhornbeck · sinmantyx.wordpress.com · September 2, 2015

Nothing to Lose 02 Wednesday Sep 2015 Posted by hjhornbeck in Bigotry, Civil liberty, Civil rights, Feminism, Gender, Politics, Semantics ≈ Leave a comment TagsOphelia Benson, TERFs On FreethoughtBlogs, Ophelia Benson shared a platform with a decent number of LGBT allies and people, who were…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Judith Butler zu Transsexualität und sozialer Konstruktion der Geschlechter | Alles Evolution

Judith Butler zu Transsexualität und sozialer Konstruktion der Geschlechter | Alles Evolution · allesevolution.wordpress.com · August 29, 2015

In einer Diskussion mit Sanczny wurde ich auf dieses Interview mit Judith Butler verwiesen, dass sehr interessant ist, weil sie da um Transfeindlichkeit zu vermeiden, ziemlich um einige wesentliche Konzepte herumeiert. Sie wird mit einer Ansicht einer Feministin konfrontiert, die darauf abstellt, dass eine Geschlechtsanpassung…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Cheryl

Cheryl · cheryl-morgan.com · August 19, 2015

One of the things that really annoys me about the way that trans women are treated is the way that we are constantly called out for “reinforcing the binary”. I think we can all agree that having rigid gender stereotypes that force everyone into strict…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

renzotaddei

renzotaddei · umaincertaantropologia.org · July 21, 2015

JULY 17, 2015 / GUEST AUTHORS Bringing to a close our symposium on Bodies of Violence is Lauren’s rejoinder to all our contributors, Kevin McSorley, Ali Howell, Pablo and Antoine. First, a huge thank you to the (Dis)order of Things and especially Antoine for organizing this forum and to each of the contributors. It’s been a…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Gender Identity, Religious Identity and Performance. |

Gender Identity, Religious Identity and Performance. | · feminismandreligion.com · June 14, 2015

[…] as it relates to transgendered individuals. Butler has spoken to this specific criticism saying on transadvocate.com that, “…others have a strong sense of self bound up with their genders, so to get rid of gender […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

“Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate Interviews Judith Butler” | IJFAB Blog

“Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate Interviews Judith Butler” | IJFAB Blog · ijfab.org · May 29, 2015

[…] the full interview along with a short video clip at The TransAdvocate. Butler clarifies her conception of “gender perfomativity” and […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

UNM’s Feminist Alliance has Something for Everyone | sophieinterviews

UNM’s Feminist Alliance has Something for Everyone | sophieinterviews · sophieinterviews.wordpress.com · March 27, 2015

[…] in developing the modern feminism we know today, spoke out against trans-exclusive feminism. In an interview with the Transadvocate, Butler stated that “we all have to defend those necessities  that allow us to live and breathe […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Bechdel or Feminism in Public Perception | Turning Pages, Turning Tricks

Bechdel or Feminism in Public Perception | Turning Pages, Turning Tricks · turningpagesturningtricks.wordpress.com · January 20, 2015

[…] both in terms of sexual attitudes and categorizations. Modern feminism, for instance, breeds respect for people who are trans or intersex, becoming as much a campaign for attitudinal change, as for […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

The Eroticisation of Gender | Anti-Imperialism.com

The Eroticisation of Gender | Anti-Imperialism.com · anti-imperialism.com · December 20, 2014

[…] Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate interviews Judith Butler ↩ […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Gender Critical Feminism, the roots of Radical Feminism and Trans oppression | The TransAdvocate

Gender Critical Feminism, the roots of Radical Feminism and Trans oppression | The TransAdvocate · transadvocate.com · December 8, 2014

[…] of trans lives and trans choices.” About Jeffreys’ “social construction” talking points, Butler said, “If she makes use of social construction as a theory to support her view, she very badly […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Linkspam 2 | tschellufjek

Linkspam 2 | tschellufjek · tschellufjek.wordpress.com · November 6, 2014

[…] sehr interessantes Interview mit Judith Butler über gender and trans […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Ehipassiko | “Gender Critical Feminism” = Heteronormative Sex Essentialism

Ehipassiko | “Gender Critical Feminism” = Heteronormative Sex Essentialism · cristanwilliams.com · October 14, 2014

[…] of trans lives and trans choices.” About Jeffreys’ “social construction” talking points, Butler said, “If she makes use of social construction as a theory to support her view, she very badly […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Akntiendz | Judith Butler, entrevista en “Transadvocate” 2014! ♥️♥️

Akntiendz | Judith Butler, entrevista en “Transadvocate” 2014! ♥️♥️ · akntiendz.com · September 9, 2014

[…] realizada a Judith Butler por Cristan Williams para “Transadvocate” publicada el 1 de mayo de 2014. […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

The Feminist Reading List: A Starter Kit | The Ladies Finger

The Feminist Reading List: A Starter Kit | The Ladies Finger · theladiesfinger.com · September 1, 2014

[…] Judith Butler’s 1991 book Gender Trouble sent the academic world into a complete tailspin. Most radically, she flung a series of searching questions at the feminist universe. By arguing that gender was not simply innate or biological, Butler spotlighted our daily performance of gender…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate interviews Judith Butler | Epenthesis

Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate interviews Judith Butler | Epenthesis · epentesi.wordpress.com · August 15, 2014

[…] Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate interviews Judith Butler | The TransAdvocate. […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

the perpetual present vs the feminist future | A FreudianNightmare

the perpetual present vs the feminist future | A FreudianNightmare · afreudiannightmare.wordpress.com · July 3, 2014

[…] was reading this interview with feminist and queer theorist Judith Butler, and it struck me that there is an issue of […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

La Performatividad del Género | Mi Novio Trans

La Performatividad del Género | Mi Novio Trans · minoviotrans.com · June 24, 2014

[…] Original en inglés: Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate interviews Judith Butler […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

That’s Not What I Meant | nataliexou

That’s Not What I Meant | nataliexou · nataliexou.wordpress.com · June 2, 2014

[…] read an interview with feminist extraordinaire Judith Butler recently. I was impressed with a lot of things in this […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

http://www.transadvocate.com/gender-performance-the-transadvocate-interviews-judith-butler_n_13652.htm | Inspirational Trans Videos

http://www.transadvocate.com/gender-performance-the-transadvocate-interviews-judith-butler_n_13652.htm | Inspirational Trans Videos · havifrommojavi.wordpress.com · May 11, 2014

[…] http://www.transadvocate.com/gender-performance-the-transadvocate-interviews-judith-butler_n_13652.h… […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

OUR SUNDAY LINKS - GUTS Canadian Feminist Magazine : GUTS Canadian Feminist Magazine

OUR SUNDAY LINKS - GUTS Canadian Feminist Magazine : GUTS Canadian Feminist Magazine · gutsmagazine.ca · May 11, 2014

[…] a recent interview with TransAdvocate, Judith Butler discusses the ways in which conceptual misinterpretations of gender performativity […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

XXXVIII | Socialism From Below - Aphorisms and Parables

XXXVIII | Socialism From Below - Aphorisms and Parables · belowsocialism.wordpress.com · May 7, 2014

[…] an interview with Judith […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

What We’re Reading 5/7/14 | Disrupting Dinner Parties

What We’re Reading 5/7/14 | Disrupting Dinner Parties · disruptingdinnerparties.com · May 7, 2014

[…] Gender Performance: The TransAdvocate interviews Judith Butler […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

The Round-Up: May 6, 2014 | Gender Focus

The Round-Up: May 6, 2014 | Gender Focus · gender-focus.com · May 6, 2014

[…] Judith Butler is interviewed at The Trans Advocate and specifically addresses how some of her theories have been used to support TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) arguments. […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Butler Does It Right | Princess Buttered on Both Sides

Butler Does It Right | Princess Buttered on Both Sides · princessbutteredonbothsides.wordpress.com · May 5, 2014

[…] understand gender, sex, the body, and sexuality, Judith Butler, has come out with an interview with Transadvocate, where she admits the mistakes that she made with the initial ideas/words in her most famous work, […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

05.05.14 | Caitlin Snark

05.05.14 | Caitlin Snark · caitlinsnark.wordpress.com · May 5, 2014

[…] Butler, one of my favourite thinkers, has given an extremely interesting interview with Transadvocate about her work on gender performativity and how it relates (and hasn’t in the past) to trans […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

TransAdvocate Interview with Judith Butler on Gender Identity | Feminist Philosophers

TransAdvocate Interview with Judith Butler on Gender Identity | Feminist Philosophers · feministphilosophers.wordpress.com · May 3, 2014

[…] TransAdvocate recently posted an interview with Judith Butler on gender and gender identity, specifically surrounding trans* issues. There are a lot of quotable […]

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Daily Feminist Cheat Sheet

Daily Feminist Cheat Sheet · feministing.com · May 2, 2014

[…] Cristan Williams at TransAdvocate has a fantastic interview with Judith Butler, in which Judy B clarifies her position that  everyone’s ability to determine their own sense of self is paramount, and that she firmly opposes theory being used to police and judge trans people’s…

Reference retained by the source publicationSource-publication recordProvider-confirmed

Thank You, Judith Butler | Cheryl's Mewsings

Thank You, Judith Butler | Cheryl's Mewsings · cheryl-morgan.com · May 2, 2014

[…] of Butler’s work on gender is very densely-written and difficult to follow. This, however, is a very clear statement of support for trans people, and a denunciation of the mis-use […]

Counts describe documented circulation and reception in the sources currently available to the Collective. They are not a score of quality, merit, popularity, or social value, and provider totals can overlap.

Article authors

Author profiles and related researchers

Related authors in the Collective corpus

Cristan Williams

143 publications · 714 inbound sources/citations

Connected through 2 citation links between registered publications. Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Guest

57 publications · 87 inbound sources/citations

Connected through 1 citation link between registered publications. Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Rani Baker

5 publications · 6 inbound sources/citations

Connected through 1 citation link between registered publications. Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Kelley Winters

3 publications · 2 inbound sources/citations

Connected through 1 citation link between registered publications. Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Admin

98 publications · 0 inbound sources/citations

Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Marian

7 publications · 12 inbound sources/citations

Shares registered themes including Transgender identity and history, Community and organizing, Education and youth.

Related authors are calculated from co-authorship, shared themes and framings, and citation relationships in the registered corpus. This does not imply a personal or institutional association.

Contextual research path

Continue through the Collective

Policy implications

Judith Butler addresses TERFs and the work of Sheila Jeffreys and Janice Raymond

Examines legal, institutional, or policy consequences connected to the shared theme.

Judith Butler is a preeminent gender theorist and has played an extraordinarily influential role in shaping modern feminism. She’s written extensively on gender and her concept of gender…

The TERFsCAN-0000-0174-C286
Counterpoint

Hypocrisy, Hate and Harm #no2h8splc

Offers a critical, contrasting, or corrective interpretation of the shared issue.

The above is a picture of militant lesbians and gays protesting against a movie that promoted false gay stereotypes. March 18, 1970 Ladies’ Home Journal Sit-In Above is…

The TERFsCAN-0000-0248-F209
Counterpoint

Balance of exposing male violence vs. transgender agenda

Offers a critical, contrasting, or corrective interpretation of the shared issue.

TRIGGER WARNING for violence and transphobia! The TERFS have a fairly full agenda when it comes to their feminism. It does deal with violence (male violence while ignoring…

The TERFsCAN-0000-0271-C73A
Case Study

Tere Fredrickson Interview

Provides a contextually related perspective from elsewhere in the Collective.

For those of you who are not very familiar with Tere Fredrickson, she was a significant part of a linguistic tipping point which occurred in the late 80s/early…

Cristan’s ResearchCAN-0000-0137-7254