Lacan and Postfeminism

Author: Elizabeth Wright Wang Wenhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: What is a woman, the question will never have only one answer: Woman is not a fixed reality, the female body is the place where she continuously pursues possibilities. "To be a woman" does not mean the opposition between biological sex and gender, but lies in the way women utilize their freedom. Lacan's feminist thought is the peak of feminist thought, but it is also the end of feminism. Where is feminism heading, it seems to remain a mystery. From another perspective, Lacan's views are completely based on the patriarchal-centered society and culture. Therefore, all crises are actually the crises of the patriarchal-centered society, culture, and history. Jacques Lacan, known as the "Freud of France," is a key figure in postmodern psychoanalysis. The critical evaluation of him is highly divided, with some fiercely attacking him and others praising him immensely, calling him the most original psychoanalytic theorist after Freud. "Post-feminism" is also a controversial term, its meaning can refer to a backlash by mass media against the traditional feminist struggle for gender equality, or it can refer to a completely different kind of feminism, where feminism makes an important positioning for itself in response to persistent patriarchy and the tendency of women to be marginalized. Both Lacan and post-feminism are often misunderstood, but what else do they have in common besides this? The central issue of this question is the "identity" issue. Lacan strongly opposes the view that gender identity is determined by biological determinism, believing that gender identity has a "transaction" nature and is completely unaffected by biological nature. Therefore, the key lies in how feminism can make full use of affirmative identity. In this regard, Lacan is a crucial figure because he not only establishes an impeccable position for women, but also, while critiquing affirmative gender identity, does not completely eliminate or deconstruct affirmative gender identity itself. The author of this book, Elizabeth Wright, hopes to clearly elaborate on this process under the guidance of Lacan's thought.