Judith Butler: Who's Afraid of Gender?

Judith Butler, the ground-breaking philosopher whose work has redefined how we think about gender and sexuality, confronts the attacks on gender that have become central to right-wing movements today.

Inflamed by the rhetoric of public figures, this movement has sought to abolish reproductive justice, undermine protections against violence, and strip trans and queer people of their rights.

But what, exactly, is so disturbing about gender? In their latest vital, courageous book – Who's Afraid of Gender? (2024) – Butler imagines new possibilities for both freedom and solidarity, and offers us an essentially hopeful work that is both timely and timeless.

Judith Butler is a philosopher and Distinguished Professor in the Graduate School at the University of California, Berkeley. Their books, including Gender Trouble (1990) and Bodies That Matter (1993), have been translated into more than 25 languages. Joining them at this enthralling conversation at the Royal Festival Hall is writer, lecturer, journalist and political commentator Ash Sarkar.