Derrida and gender: the other sexual difference

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511483134.006

Chapter 3 - Derrida and gender: the other sexual difference

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2009

Peggy Kamuf

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Tom Cohen

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Tom Cohen: Affiliation:
State University of New York, Albany

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Summary

What will the index be? On which words will it rely? Only on names? And on which syntax, visible or invisible? Briefly, by which signs will you recognize his speaking or remaining silent about what you nonchalantly call sexual difference? What is it you are thinking beneath those words or through them?

– Derrida, “Geschlecht: Sexual Difference, Ontological Difference”

The expectation for this chapter is that it talk about gender in the company of Derrida's thought. The point would be to see how such a companion or accompaniment might influence the direction taken by talk when it turns to the subject of gender. Naturally, one should try to meet this expectation as far as possible. To do so, of course, one will need to write in some particular language, preferably a language in which talk about gender can be understood, in which the word “gender” is in common use. Even if the choice of language for this chapter were not already limited by other conditions, this expectation to talk about gender would limit the choice to English. One can write “gender” only in English.

Such a limitation is only reasonable. It does, however, complicate the task we are expected to accomplish here. Because Derrida does not write in English, he does not write in the language to which the word “gender” belongs.

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Type: Chapter
Information: Jacques Derrida and the Humanities
A Critical Reader
, pp. 82 - 107

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511483134.006 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2002

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