Gender Quote by Philomena Essed
““Gender and sexual behaviour [are] things that are neither individually intended nor biologically determined, but culturally embedded; pressured […] before birth, a child is already treated as gendered […]. If gender is performed and imposed by reiteration – “citationality” – the imposition is violent, precisely because no “natural” reality or truth supports it.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Gender Trouble in Society, 2015
Gender identities are socially constructed, imposed repeatedly, and can be violent when they deny natural diversity.
In simple terms: Gender is culturally built and can be oppressive.
Recognize and challenge imposed gender norms.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- education
- policy making
- family dynamics
- media representation
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do cultural narratives shape gender expectations?
- What actions can reduce gender‑based violence?
Changing deep‑rooted cultural expectations is a slow, contested process.