What is doing gender in simple terms?

Being masculine or feminine is something people do every day, not something they are born with.

Is it the same as Butler's performativity?

They are similar, but West and Zimmerman stress interaction and accountability while Butler stresses discourse.

Doing Gender

👥 Sociology By CampusDown Wiki Editorial Team Last updated October 27, 2026

Doing gender is the view that masculinity and femininity are not fixed bodily properties but are continually accomplished in everyday interaction, with people aware of being judged by others. Candace West and Don Zimmerman proposed it in 1987.

Contents

1. Core claim
2. Accountability and inequality
3. Comparisons and critiques
4. FAQ
5. References

Core claim

West and Zimmerman (1987) separated sex, sex category and gender, arguing gender is produced through situated conduct. The view draws on symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology.

Accountability and inequality

People act knowing they may be held accountable for gender-appropriate conduct, which makes differences look natural. West and Fenstermaker (1995) extended this to race and class, linking it to intersectionality, and Ridgeway and Correll (2004) showed how gender beliefs reproduce inequality. It informs research on housework and emotional labour.

Comparisons and critiques

Butler's (1990) performativity is more philosophical, but both reject fixed essence. Deutsch (2007) argued the theory explains reproduction more than change, Risman (2004) proposed a multilevel structural theory, and Connell and Messerschmidt (2005) rethought hegemonic masculinity.

FAQ

What is doing gender in simple terms?: Being masculine or feminine is something people do every day, not something they are born with.
Is it the same as Butler's performativity?: They are similar, but West and Zimmerman stress interaction and accountability while Butler stresses discourse.

Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26

References

West, C., & Zimmerman, D. H. (1987). Doing gender. Gender & Society, 1(2), 125–151. The founding article.
West, C., & Fenstermaker, S. (1995). Doing difference. Gender & Society, 9(1), 8–37. Extends the idea to race and class.
Butler, J. (1990). Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. Routledge. Performativity theory.
Risman, B. J. (2004). Gender as a social structure: Theory wrestling with activism. Gender & Society, 18(4), 429–450. Gender as social structure.
Ridgeway, C. L., & Correll, S. J. (2004). Unpacking the gender system: A theoretical perspective on gender beliefs and social relations. Gender & Society, 18(4), 510–531. How gender beliefs shape relations.
Connell, R. W., & Messerschmidt, J. W. (2005). Hegemonic masculinity: Rethinking the concept. Gender & Society, 19(6), 829–859. Rethinking hegemonic masculinity.
Deutsch, F. M. (2007). Undoing gender. Gender & Society, 21(1), 106–127. On undoing gender.

Reports and materials that use this theory (Korean)

There are no materials dedicated to this theory yet, but you can search related reports in the CampusDown library (Korean).

Find more reports · Search '젠더 수행' on CampusDown →

Symbolic interactionismSymbolic interactionism: Blumer’s three premises, Mead’s I and Me, Cooley’s looking-glass self, the Thomas theorem, Goffman and labeling theory, compared with functionalism and conflict theory.👥 Sociology IntersectionalityWhat intersectionality is: how race, gender, class and other categories interlock to produce distinctive discrimination. Origins, key concepts, methods and critiques.👥 Sociology Social Role TheoryWhat social role theory is: sex differences and gender stereotypes arise mainly from the roles men and women occupy. Covers Eagly's claims, evidence, the biosocial model, role congruity theory and critiques.🧠 Psychology Emotional laborWhat is emotional labor? Arlie Hochschild’s 1983 book The Managed Heart, feeling rules, surface acting versus deep acting, Grandey’s 2000 emotion-regulation model, the link with burnout, and examples of legal protections against customer abuse in Korea and Japan.👥 Sociology

Latest ArticlesView all ›

New guides for college study and assignments (Korean)

This article was last updated on October 27, 2026. It is based on widely recognized original works and textbooks; when citing it in a paper, please check the original sources listed in the references.