Butler begins her essay by admitting that she does not advocate for theories centralized around lesbians or gays. This is because she believes the act of theories puts a box on the concept of lesbian or gay, which can go against its purpose and become oppressing. She continues this skepticism with the labels 'lesbian' or 'gay,' because the labels set up expectations and limits on what the person can be. This is further complicated when those labels create a negative stereotype or the idea that a gay person is a lesser imitation version of a heterosexual person. The concepts surrounding these terms set up limiting expectations.
Butler's ideas of discourse regarding queer theory is very similar to those of Wallace and Alexander who also think the way we talk about the subject needs to be greatly reworked. Our current discourse sets up too many expectations. However, I think she differs from them and would like to lessen the use of the terms in general. That said, they all seem to have the same end goal in abolishing the current negative stereotypes. Butler certainly does not fit well with any of the structuralist theorists, as they consider putting a word in definite terms quite important, while she believes the opposite is true. Thus, she draws inspiration from post-structuralists. She mentions Foucault in suggesting that claiming the term 'homosexuality' as a means of discourse can be both limiting and empowering.
While I am straight and haven't had the struggle of Butler's in being put into a box and misunderstood because of one of her, presumably many, descriptors, I can try to relate. By using a loaded term such as lesbian to describe an individual, we negate all of their other attributes. This happens in another part of our culture that I do identify with. I am happy to classify myself as a gamer. So, I tell others that I am a gamer, yet when this information is relayed, I am called a 'gamer-girl.' It is not enough for me to exist with the rest of gamers, as a girl we must have our category because we are such a rare breed (as others may say). However, the term gamer-girl comes with certain negative stereotypes. I am assumed to be less knowledgable and not as skilled as someone who is just a gamer. Both of these examples show the danger of labels. It's natural for us to use them, but we need to consider the point at which they are oppressing instead of informing.
Butler's ideas of discourse regarding queer theory is very similar to those of Wallace and Alexander who also think the way we talk about the subject needs to be greatly reworked. Our current discourse sets up too many expectations. However, I think she differs from them and would like to lessen the use of the terms in general. That said, they all seem to have the same end goal in abolishing the current negative stereotypes. Butler certainly does not fit well with any of the structuralist theorists, as they consider putting a word in definite terms quite important, while she believes the opposite is true. Thus, she draws inspiration from post-structuralists. She mentions Foucault in suggesting that claiming the term 'homosexuality' as a means of discourse can be both limiting and empowering.
While I am straight and haven't had the struggle of Butler's in being put into a box and misunderstood because of one of her, presumably many, descriptors, I can try to relate. By using a loaded term such as lesbian to describe an individual, we negate all of their other attributes. This happens in another part of our culture that I do identify with. I am happy to classify myself as a gamer. So, I tell others that I am a gamer, yet when this information is relayed, I am called a 'gamer-girl.' It is not enough for me to exist with the rest of gamers, as a girl we must have our category because we are such a rare breed (as others may say). However, the term gamer-girl comes with certain negative stereotypes. I am assumed to be less knowledgable and not as skilled as someone who is just a gamer. Both of these examples show the danger of labels. It's natural for us to use them, but we need to consider the point at which they are oppressing instead of informing.
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