Feminist Perspectives on Gender: Theoretical Debates and Transformative Approaches

Abstract

This paper examines the theoretical foundations and critical debates surrounding gender within feminist thought, with particular attention to its dual role as both an analytic category and a political tool. Beginning with foundational perspectives, such as Simone de Beauvoir’s claim that one becomes a woman and Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, the discussion traces how feminist scholarship has challenged essentialist accounts and revealed the socially constructed nature of gender. Central debates, including the normativity problem and the commonality problem, illustrate the tensions between the need for political unity and the risk of exclusionary practices within feminist theorising. By engaging these debates, the paper underscores the importance of reflexivity and intersectionality in feminist analysis. Further, it highlights the normative orientation of feminist theory, not merely to describe structures of oppression but to actively contribute to their dismantling. The concluding discussion turns to contemporary gender-transformative approaches, demonstrating how theory and praxis converge in the pursuit of justice and social transformation.