In "Gender Trouble," Judith Butler presents the concept of gender as a performance rather than a fixed identity. She argues that gender is not an intrinsic or stable entity from which behaviors emanate, but rather is continuously shaped through repeated actions and expressions. This view suggests that gender identity is crafted over time and relies heavily on societal norms and expectations.

Butler further elaborates that the manifestation of gender occurs through various stylized bodily gestures and movements. These repeated performances create the illusion of a consistent gendered self, which is actually fluid and constructed. This perspective invites readers to reconsider traditional notions of gender and recognize the complexity of its formation in relation to social and cultural influences.