Philosopher Judith Butler discusses the current state of gender discussions, including the evangelical church's cultural war against gender and the controversy surrounding trans rights. They highlight the complex relationship between feminism, trans rights, and right-wing politics, as well as the evolution of queer theory and the challenges of policing functions within political movements. They explore different ontological perspectives, the importance of different perspectives in alliances against discrimination, and the relevance of technology and gender today.
Conservative causes in the US are using the cultural war against gender as a strategy to recruit people to reactionary or fascist candidates.
Queer politics must track and expose the strategies of anti-gender movements, forge stronger alliances, and fight for racial and sexual justice.
Deep dives
Reactions to the Cultural War Against Gender
The podcast episode highlights the cultural war against gender and how it has become a key strategy for conservative causes, particularly in the US. This movement aims to stoke passions on the right and recruit people to reactionary or fascist candidates. The episode also discusses the mockery and maligning of trans rights and the concept of gender in the UK, as well as the problematic alliance between trans exclusionary feminists and right-wing causes. The anti-gender movement is seen as predominantly reactionary and upsetting. The importance of forging alliances and tracking the strategies of these movements is emphasized.
Challenges and Opportunities for Queer Politics
In the face of the rise of essentialist ideologies, the podcast explores the challenges and opportunities for queer politics. It emphasizes the need to track the strategies employed by anti-gender movements and expose them. Creating alliances that are stronger than those of anti-gender movements is seen as crucial. The episode also discusses the historical context of queer theory as a critique of identity politics and the importance of coalitions across differences. It highlights the need to fight for racial and sexual justice, as well as against forms of power that perpetuate violence.
The Role of Intellectualism in Anti-Gender Movements
The podcast delves into the role of anti-intellectualism within anti-gender movements and its impact on politics and cultural discourse. It acknowledges the existence of both right-wing and left-wing perspectives that reject certain intellectual traditions or engage in aggressive misunderstandings. The conversation highlights the need for intellectuals to engage with the broader public, dismantle elitism, and transmit knowledge in accessible and digestible ways. The importance of expanding levels of mediation, defending open inquiry within universities, and engaging with communities and civil society is emphasized.
Understanding Gender and its Antagonism towards the Liberal Order
The podcast episode examines the antagonism towards the liberal order in relation to gender. It explores different interpretations of gender as an expression of radical personal liberty or as a socially constructed phenomenon. The discussion highlights the intersections of gender with other fundamental structures of power, such as patriarchy, white supremacy, and nationalism. It also addresses the complex challenges faced by the left when certain critiques originate from within the left itself. The importance of reconstructing freedom as collective freedom is emphasized, as well as the need to challenge traditional ontological understandings in order to envision a more just and equal world.