Happy Birthday!, Cixous

When reading this piece by Cixous and Butler, I found it to be very challenging for me to grasp the certain themes she was describing. I realized they were talking about women men, opposites in gende, and the double standards against each, but, I was still struggling. I read a few of my classmates blogs and I began to gain a better more solid view of what these two theorists were trying to get across. The first quote that stood out to me and made an automatic connection in my brain was when Cixous states, “through dual, hierarchial oppositions. Superior/ Inferior”. I immediately started remembering our class discussion on Derrida and his notion of alterity. Derrida claims that language is composed of difference, and there are lots of different ways to define things. Derrida states, “Every concept is necessarily and essentially inscribed in a chain or a system, within which it refers to another and to other concepts, by the systematic play of difference. This is where Derrida introduces his notion of “alterity” and how every language group privelages certain parts of concepts over another…we now de-construct language, which directly correlates with Cixous is saying.

Another interesting quote that I found to be controversial was when Cixous states, "every woman has known the torture of beginning to speak aloud ... because for women speaking - even just opening her mouth - in public is something rash, a transgression.” I personally would have to disagree with this quote. At times I have felt that when I stand up to talk I get nervous and then feel silly for talking aloud, but I have never been ashamed to stand up and talk in front of any type crowd whether it be all male, all female, or both…especially because I am a female. My gender has never once made me feel lesser to a male except when it comes to sports and being athletic, because most of my male friends are very athletic and like to “show me up”. Athough, I can understand how some females would feel intimidated in talking in front of a bunch of males. Some people are different than others, and I think it depends on the person.

Even though i was thoroughly confused at the beginning of this reading, I feel that I have come full circle not only after reading some of my fellow colleagues blogs, but after writing my own and getting my ideas out there and making some connections. I'm interested in learning more on Tuesday to see what else these theorists are bringing to the table.