Butler's latest work brilliantly analyzes how gender has become a central site of political struggle in contemporary right-wing movements. Building on their decades of groundbreaking work on gender theory, Butler reveals how moral panics about "gender ideology" serve to defend traditional hierarchies and oppose movements for social transformation.
This work powerfully demonstrates why defending gender freedom and opposing authoritarian politics are necessarily connected struggles. Butler shows how creating a more just world requires challenging both simplified biological determinism and the political movements that weaponize it against vulnerable people.

fantastic as always! judith butler never disappoints, and i'm constantly looking forward to their next work. not only is their writing so important for scholarship (including my own), but also for the development and betterment of our society.

If you have been wondering WTF is happening in regards to the backlash against feminism, gender, and transgender rights, this is the book for you. Butler stays true to her brand in being a bit dense - you may need to read a few paragraphs a few times to really get the gist, but it is worth it. You will have a better sense of how we got here and, more importantly, where things are headed.

Butler explores current conversations (and manufactured outrage) on gender in an era of rising authoritarianism. As always, Butler navigates this topic with care and insight, highlighting the impact this "anti-gender" movement plays on solidarity work and linked fights for justice.

When Judith Butler was contemplating writing a book on gender for a general audience, she posed the question, "Who's Afraid of Gender?" Her editor exclaimed, "Everyone! Everyone is afraid of Gender!" Thus begins Butler's foray into explaining gender studies to a general audience. In plain language, she describes the current threats by the contemporary Right as they seek a return to a patriarchal norm where nothing is ever questioned, even though this kind of society never existed.

She describes the creation of a phantasm—the idea that the LGBTQ community will bring about the collapse of civilization. In reality, this community only wishes to pursue a livable life—one where they can live the same life as any human being on this Earth can expect from birth. Unfortunately, dark forces are using this group to galvanize their supporters and not only take away this group's rights but everyone's rights.

Ultimately, her conclusion is that you can't stop the tide of history, and those on the Right best start mourning their loss productively. We work better as a united, not divided, society.

Favorite Passages:

“When “gender” absorbs an array of fears and becomes a catchall phantasm for the contemporary Right, the various conditions that actually give rise to those fears lose their names. “Gender” both collects and incites those fears, keeping us from thinking more clearly about what there is to fear, and how the currently imperiled sense of the world came about in the first place.”

“For in the end, defeating this phantasm is a matter of affirming how one loves, how one lives in one’s body, the right to exist in the world without fear of violence or discrimination, to breathe, to move, to live. Why wouldn’t we want all people to have those fundamental freedoms?”

“Although interpreted as a backlash against progressive movements, anti-gender ideology is driven by a stronger wish, namely the restoration of a patriarchal dream-order where a father is a father; a sexed identity never changes; women, conceived as “born female at birth,” resume their natural and “moral” positions within the household; and white people hold uncontested racial supremacy. The project is fragile, however, since the patriarchal order it seeks to restore never quite existed in the form they seek to actualize in the present. “Gender” here is a psychosocial scene, a public way of dreaming, for the past anti-gender proponents seek to restore is a dream, a wish, even a fantasy that will reinstate order grounded in patriarchal authority. Recruitment into the anti-gender ideology movement is an invitation to join a collective dream, perhaps a psychosis, that will put an end to the implacable anxiety and fear that afflict so many people experiencing climate destruction firsthand, or ubiquitous violence and brutal war, expanding police powers, or intensifying economic precarity.”

“Their anti-intellectualism, their distrust of the academy, is at the same time a refusal to enter into public debate. What is dismissed as “academic” procedure is actually required for informed public deliberations in democracies. Informed public debate becomes impossible when some parties refuse to read the material under dispute. Reading is not just a pastime or a luxury, but a precondition of democratic life, one of the practices that keeps debate and disagreement grounded, focused, and productive.”

“Consider, however, that sex assignment is not simply an announcement of the sex that an infant is perceived to be, but also communicates a set of adult desires and expectations. The infant’s future is often being imagined or desired through the act of sex assignment, so sex assignment is not a simple description of anatomical facts, but a way of imagining what they will mean, or should mean. That imagining comes from elsewhere, and it does not exactly stop after sex has been legally or medically determined at birth. The girl continues to be girled; the boy continues to be boyed; and these practices of girling and boying are repeated not just by parents but by a range of institutions that greet the child with boxes to be checked and norms to be embodied. In a sense, sex assignment does not happen just once. It is an iterative process, repeated by different actors and institutions, and depending on where one lives, it can be reiterated in ways that are not always in conformity with one another.”

“What kind of phantasm has gender become, and what anxieties, fears, and hatreds does it collect and mobilize? ”

“The ancient debates about free will and determinism take shape within gender theory as well. Yet here a distinction should be made between whether or not gender or sexuality are chosen and whether people should be free to live according to the gender and sexuality that they are. For instance, a trans person can claim that their gendered truth is internal, even God-given, while another may regard themselves as formed by culture or even freely chosen. All of them deserve rights to live freely, which means that their demand for political freedom does not necessarily presuppose that gender or sexuality is chosen. When people claim a gender or, indeed, a sex for themselves that was not the one originally assigned at birth, they exercise human powers of self-definition at the expense of a natural sex divinely created or established in a Christian version of nature. According to the Pope, they are acting as if they have divine powers, flagrantly disputing the power of divinity to establish their sex for all time. At some moments, the Pope has declared that gender advocates seek to steal the powers of God, thus confirming that they work from the devil. “For the devil always disguises himself in a mesmerizing appearance. If “gender” is such a devil, or the devil himself, then to argue with him is to fall inside his trap. To argue with the devil would be to accept the false appearance as a plausible interlocutor. Devils and demons can only be expelled or banished, burned in effigy, which is why censorship, bullying, and pathologization become the key strategies for the anti-gender movement.”

“The harm that these laws do relies upon the conceit that they are warding off harm. This is a moral alibi, an inversion, the kind that lets moral sadism flourish. The harm is done through cultivating an imagination of where harm is happening and who is making it happen. That phantasmatic scene effects a displacement from actual harm done, both continuing and justifying that harm, for if the source of that harm has been effectively externalized, then destroying that externalized form keeps the destructive action alive—and intensifies it. ”


“A serious harm is done to children who are denied education and care. That kind of deprivation produces psychic damage, producing a situation in which life itself becomes a form of damage from which they must escape. If a queer or trans kid seeks to live, if a girl assigned female at birth seeks to change the gender expectations made of her, if a boy assigned female at birth is seeking to affirm his life, and there is no language or community in which these lives can be affirmed, they become the waste expelled from the human community, and their sexuality and their gender become the unspeakable. Heteronormativity becomes mandatory, backed by law or doctrine, forming the horizon of the thinkable, the limits of the imaginable-and the livable. And so, the task becomes how to affirm life with others in ways that give value and support to all those who seek to breathe, love, and move without fear of violence. Where, by the way, is “pro-life” in this scene?”

“How does “morality” serve the purposes of political sadism, muffling and subordinating those who are seeking to emerge into voice, equality, and freedom? If “love” has been reduced to compulsory heterosexuality and hatred has propagated distortions of its own making to justify incendiary attacks on critical thinking, social movements for freedom and justice, gender and race studies, and academic freedom, then it is all those who seek to live and breathe in freedom and equality who suffer most by being transfigured into demonic and dangerous forces. It is not only that the principles of freedom and equality are under attack, but all those who require them to live.18”


“The freedom to determine a reproductive future is one being explicitly and partially denied by the revocation of Roe v. Wade. It is important during these times to see how many freedom struggles are being demeaned and destroyed by those who would augment state powers, aided and abetted by the allegation that collective freedoms that seek to more radically actualize democracy are a danger to society and whose freedom or “liberty” must be curtailed by increasingly authoritarian measures. Why is freedom so frightening? Is that even the question? Or is it rather: how has freedom been made to seem so frightening that people find themselves longing for authoritarian rule?”

“In the context of trans people, TERFs oppose basic claims of self-determination, freedom and autonomy, rights to be protected from violence, and rights of access to public space and to health care without discrimination, all of which are rights that they, as feminists, fight for and depend on otherwise. No wonder those who confront this attempted existential nullification are sometimes screaming. It does not help that “gender-critical” feminists describe their opponents as stupid, suffering from false consciousness, fad-driven, doctrinaire, even totalitarian, allying with the rhetorical aims of the Christian Right. Precisely because they are not thinking about coalitions, and not concerned with the best way to fight the rise of the Right, they retreat into identitarian claims and proliferate baseless fears, contributing to the anti-gender phantasm.”

“To refuse to recognize trans women as women because one is afraid that they are really men and, hence, potentially rapists, is to let the traumatic scenario loose on one’s description of reality, to flood an undeserving group of people with one’s unbridled terror and fear, and to fail to grasp social reality in its complexity, while also failing to identify the truer source of harm, an insight that could very well participate an alliance in the place of paranoid division. ”

“Working together with race, class, disability, personal and national histories, gender saturates how we see, feel, and sense ourselves in the world. It is decidedly not a timeless reality. This structure that saturates the world goes largely unexamined unless we explore its pervasive operation in presenting the way things are. Gender affects the way we understand the profession of medicine, the vocation of science, economics, especially the delimitation of the public and private domains, the organization of labor, the distribution of poverty, structural inequalities, the modalities of violence and war. But it can also name one of the most intimate and abiding senses of who we are in relation to others, to history, and to language. If it did not raise this intimate question of who we are and how we relate to others, of permeability and survival, we would not be having any of these arguments, and they would not be as urgent as they clearly are.”

“For Lugones, gender dimorphism based on biological assumptions works together with heterosexual patriarchy, and both are imposed by what she called the “light” side of the organization of gender within colonial modernity. In light of the anti-gender ideology movements and its links with new forms of authoritarianism, she may well consider its colonial influence to be a bit “heavier than before.”


“To argue, as many rightly have, that it is colonial power which orders gender in patriarchal and heteronormative ways implies that the resistance to colonization should be closely allied with the affirmation of queer, trans, and intersex lives.”

“And yet, the two kinds of objections become confused in the phantasm of gender circulated by the Right. Its localist appeal to anti-imperialist sentiment is an appropriation of a Left critique, but surely not one. Its appeal excites nationalist xenophobia and racism, and rallies support for politicians who would promise to more fiercely patrol the borders. This combination is not surprising. Construing “gender” as an enemy works only by bringing together opposing political trends and bundling oscillating fears without having to reconcile them logically, that is, without accountability. In this way, the phantasm functions as a counterfeit synthesis.”

“Those who should be most enraged by my argument are those who believe that the gender binary is mandated by a version of natural law referenced or occasioned by the Bible, or mandated by an Anglophone understanding of gender dimorphism crafted according to white ideals. They have a great deal to lose, and they should start that process of mourning. Let’s hope their destructive rage turns to productive grief so that they can emerge into a world committed to cohabitation and equality across difference.”

Judith Butler has incredible thoughts and definitely has one of the strongest voices of this century. It's just such a shame that the writing is so incredibly inaccessible. I did not finish it. I would say you're better of reading the summary points or listening to your lecturer.

A very clever and well researched text, Butler does an amazing job at dismantling narratives in such a skilled way that I know I will go back to reading the text in the future as a reference or I will quote passages at need.
I am beyond grateful to have been given this opportunity to experience the text beforehand and I’m certain this book is one that will stay with me for years to come.

Butler's reputation and influence in the sphere of gender and sexuality studies proceed them; it's almost impossible to go into this book without knowing at least a little of their prior works. With that comes certain expectations, even if you have never actually read Butler's previous work.
The above accurately describes my own level of knowledge coming into this book. I have certainly known of Butler's work and read others who have referenced it, but unfortunately have never been able to read their work myself. As such, I can' really compare it to said previous work.

I found this book, on its own, very well researched and compellingly argued. I hate philosophy, in general, so I wouldn't say that this was my favorite book or one that I would ever pick up to read unless I was ready to critically engage with it. With that in mind, I can say that for a general audience -- that seems to be the primary audience of the book -- this might still be a little dense. However, it's certainly more accessible than many academic text that I've read.

I think this book fills an important role in providing a guide to understanding the historical, multi-pronged development of gender and sexuality, along with race, ethnicity, and immigration status, as the boogeypeople of the current, heavily conservative (fascist) ideologies in many countries. It's not the only book that discusses this evolution, but in tackling different sections bit by bit, it manages to pack a lot while being pretty digestible.

Judith Butler is brilliant as ever. A slightly academic but fascinating book for anyone interested in social justice.

Judith Butler does a great job showing how people who are against transgender rights don't really think things through. She breaks down their arguments and shows how they're harmful and unfair. It's easy to understand and really makes you think. Definitely worth reading- even if you're usually not into reading non-fiction! Thanks Netgalley for an advanced e-reading copy!

Judith Butler returns to the field of gender theory to comment on "gender politics" of today. Butler describes gender as a phantasm--a figment--which again brings Butler to Foucault. Butler returns off and on to this phantasmagorical idea while discussing key moments in politics and pop culture that reflect our current struggles as a Western society to confront our preconceptions of gender. Who's Afraid of Gender? is certainly an academic book (we'd expect nothing less), that is enhanced by at least some basic knowledge in oft-discussed philosophies and methodologies, but this text is *fairly* accessible if you're interested in gender and want a current discussion without dipping too deeply into the canon.

Thank you FSG and NetGalley for the copy! Judith Butler continues to be a trailblazer in analyzing gender studies and paving the way for future generations to come. Who's Afraid of Gender? should be considered required reading for young adults / students knowing its adeptness and accessibility.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free review copy! I loved reading Judith Butler’s work in grad school and am grateful we can continue to think through these theories and concepts through her work in the present. Compelling and interesting overall!

The legend themself, Judith Butler, is out with a new book combating the gender binary. They reinforce that the gender binary is a social construct, that it reinforces totalitarianism, capitalism, consumerism, destroys spirituality, and a tool of colonialism. While I agree with all of these sentiments, it does feel like Butler is preaching to the choir. This is a summary of the contemporary discourse on gender, which feels unnecessary for a brown queer nonbinary femme. This book is definitely made for a white audience.

thank you netgalley and fsg for the digital arc!

judith butler has written a crucial addition to the modern discourse on gender theory (as expected lol). in who’s afraid of gender, they expertly analyze the numerous right-wing anti-gender arguments that plague society and swiftly highlight their failings and logical missteps.

i don’t think this book is meant to change anyone’s mind. rather, this book is meant for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of gender theory and the current barriers to expanding the modern conception of gender. butler really hones in on the intersectionality at play and how it can be nefariously exploited by terfs, fascists, and the like.

it’s so funny to me that the concept of gender studies has become a punching bag for the alt-right, demeaning those who study it and the entire subject itself. meanwhile, this is one of the most enlightening books i’ve ever read and would have loved to have an entire college course dedicated to dissecting it kore thoroughly.

i am really grateful to judith butler for their work in this field and for giving me their words. <3

This was actually my introduction to Butler’s work; based on other reviews and feedback, I’ve concluded that maybe this isn’t the best place to start…
I enjoyed reading their takes and there’s a lot of potential for me to really enjoy some of Butler’s older books. This one revolves around gender theory, which is what they’re known for, but this one felt less philosophical and more like infodumping. I feel like anyone reading Butler’s work already agrees with their opinions, as they’ve been using non-binary pronouns for quite some time. The takes on gender here are obviously modern but the ideas aren’t really anything special or groundbreaking, and we don’t really get any exploration on the opposing sides of Butler’s very liberal stances.
I’ve heard from others that this is a more watered down version of Butler, perhaps on autopilot, but this made me very curious to check out their iconic previous works.

Resolves a lot of the misconceptions about gender identity that TERFs like to use to scare people from supporting transgender folks.

Judith Butler is known for their work in gender theory, criticism, and activism. They have long established their ethos, and this book is in some ways a much-needed departure into the accessible and mass market - this is a supremely well-researched, argued, and written book on the current state of gender and anti-gender philosophy in contemporary politics. This is a masterful work of rhetoric and should be heralded as such.

I have found that this is an incredibly difficult book to review, partially because it was an incredibly difficult book to read. This is definitely not for the casual reader and requires a lot of thinking, pausing, and rereading. This isn't my first time reading Butler, and I can say this is always my experience reading their writing. I can't imagine going into this book without any background in feminist theory and being able to take anything away from it. It is difficult and academic, sometimes overly so.

That said, this book is so important, especially given the anti-gender climate today. Butler ties this issue to a plethora of historic and contemporary social issues in an interesting, powerful way, showing how hypocritical certain things are and how interconnected different forms of oppression are. Some of these connections didn't hit the mark for me, but overall, it was an intricate, interesting web that I am glad I fought my way through.

Who’s Afraid of Gender is a truly fantastic book. It closely examines the various (often interconnected) groups of individuals who oppose gender freedom & rights — those of women & transgender individuals alike. Whether it’s for religious, political, or simply “radical” feminist reasoning, Butler dedicates a lot of study to these ideologies of hatred.

To be clear: this is not a guidebook for how to combat the lies and harms done by these individuals. (Butler’s only real advice seems to be that we must rally together against everyone’s oppression; a sentiment that is already very familiar amongst leftist circles.) Rather, the focus is on diving deep into these ideologies — including the way that hypocritical and contradicting arguments are used as a tactic to further confuse and scare large groups of people.

I think many folks (myself included) often hope that there is some magical set of words that we could say to stop the escalating hatred towards the trans community. If we could explain the science in the right way, or if we could tell a story that engages with a person’s empathy for other humans… we could change minds. But Butler challenges this notion, pointing out the larger systems that have been using fear as a way to protect patriarchy and capitalism for years. This goes SO much deeper than the recent onslaught of bills against reproductive rights and LGBTQIA+ communities that we’ve seen in the last few years. And this is happening nearly worldwide.

My only complaint about this book is that (like much academic theory) it is very inaccessible. As someone with two bachelor degrees, who reads upwards of 100 books per year (many on sexuality & gender) and even facilitates “Transgender 101” trainings for groups of professionals… Who’s Afraid of Gender was a struggle. I was familiar with all the terms. I understood all the concepts. But still, the writing forcefully demanded all of my attention. Perhaps this is because I have never read anything else by Judith Butler — or any other career philosopher. But I believe that the “average” individual would be in the same position that I was while trying to claw my way through this work.

If you are already familiar with 101-level gender theory and are looking for a challenge, I cannot recommend this book enough. But don’t feel bad if you need (or even just prefer) something a bit less dry.