A book by the philosopher Judith Butler, Gender Trouble is an influential work in feminism and gay/lesbian studies.
Butler at first describes that both "women" and "woman" are used interchangeably, but mean different things - sort of. "Women" is used particularly when a man is describing the negatives of a class of women, based on their financial status and sexuality. There is no other way to describe a female that woman, but it has gained a sort of derogatory meaning.
Subsequently, Butler introduces the idea of a new form of feminism that erases the need for stereotyping, and in which gender can be used freely without anyone being offended. She claims that both sex and gender are things that were created by mankind - in nature there exists no two real genders.
Butler describes what she believes is the relationship between gender and power in society. She says that the economy is driven by men in a way that doesn't allow women to enter, because much of the language used is used only by men, and women grow up without using or understanding it.
Then, Butler continues to discuss how patriarchies have existed through much of civilized history, but, in nature, they are practically non-existent. Before the human became what we consider to be civilized, women played an equal role in supporting the family. However, because of the physical strength of men, men naturally dominated all fields, and this legacy has remained until the modern day, in which women are "naturally" excluded from powerful positions.
Judith Butler's book was published in 1990, and with the ever-changing rate of equality seen throughout the world, many of her ideas have become reality. Many people have considered Butler's work to be extremist, but many of the facts she presents have a provable basis.
