Week 5, Barker, Chapter 10 (Sex, Subjectively, and Representation)

The previous chapter discussed that our identity is founded upon a few variables: race, ethnicity, and nation. According to Barker and many other femininities and masculinities as discussed in the text expresses that identity can also be founded upon sex and gender (female and male). It may be suggested these are based on social and cultural constructions and in an ever-changing culture, we must be aware of the dynamics of each of these variables because each variable has significant meaning to humanity. We have seen movements throughout history of males and females standing up for strong issues in an attempt to culturally represent his or her "gender" well. Further, Foucault suggests gender is historically and culturally specific, subject to radical discontinuities over time and across space. And so when we move forward into cultural studies, we need to understand key characteristics of masculinity and femininity because it could look vastly different depending on the culture you live in.