Response 10: "Feminism and Deconstruction"

“deconstruction provides the tools for exposing the fact that the opposition between the ‘sexes’, like the definitions of ‘women’ and ‘men’ is a social construction, not a reflection or articulation of biological fact…deconstruction sets up the possibility that the supposedly fixed opposition of masculine/feminine might lose its social prominence because we could begin to recognize that there is no necessary connection between anatomical sexuality and gender stereotypes or roles…(boys might be allowed to be more nurturing, for example)” (113). This statement also reminds of some instances where a gender didn’t follow an expected behavior associated with that gender; for example, the fierce and very female Amazon warriors. It is also true that there has been such an increase in certain traits being associated with or against either gender. For example, guys can’t be publicly emotional/sensitive, females can’t be bragging about their conquests without facing some sort of backlash. Even from a young age, children pick up on these cues and expectations. One blogger mom wrote about how her son wanted to take glitter pens to kindergarten but was hesitant to ask her to buy them for him because even by then he already understood that may be not be accepted by others. Once I volunteered to pack lunches for those that might not have enough to eat at home, and the organization also brought in some kids (around 6-10 year olds) to perhaps teach them certain values while they were still young. Each child had to get a bag, and put one of each item in the bag (1 jar of peanut butter, 1 box of cereal, 1 can of beans, 1 can of soup etcetera). By the time, the kids were halfway through the line, the bags got so heavy that they started dragging the bags behind them. The girls were more willing to accept help from an adult. There was one younger boy who let an adult volunteer help him carry his bag, but as soon as he realized that all of the other boys were doing it by themselves, he insisted that the didn’t need help while packing the next bag. In situations like this, deconstructing the constructed oppositions between genders would be quite liberating. Perhaps this deconstruction of expected gender traits and behavior will also decrease the stigma that gay and trans communities face.  

I appreciate deconstruction because it is wary of the concept of one universal truth/ center because it leads us to re-examine and questions certain hierarchies or paradigms that are in place. For this reason, I disagree with Poovey’s statement/prediction towards the bottom of page 114 that deconstruction will be rewritten/left behind. While I do agree that not every text would be best analyzed through a deconstructive approach, it is an undoubtedly helpful tool in re-examining familiar texts and being able to see them in a new way.