Irigaray remarks in such a vein that "the masquerade... is what women do... in order to participate in man's desire, but at the cost of giving up their own".
In Judith Butler's "Gender Trouble," the concept of masquerade reflects the ways women adapt to societal expectations and male desires. Irigaray notes that women often adopt a performative role to engage with and be accepted by a patriarchal culture, which ultimately requires them to suppress their authentic selves. This dynamic reveals the tensions between individual identity and societal roles prescribed by gender norms.
Butler's analysis emphasizes the complicated relationship between gender identity and performance. By conforming to a masquerade, women may gain access to spaces dominated by men, yet they simultaneously sacrifice their genuine identity. This critique opens up discussions about the nature of desire, agency, and the need for a more nuanced understanding of gender beyond traditional binaries.
