Abstract:

The term, gender (toplumsal cinsiyet) is encountered as a new distinction argued within the feminist theory of the 1970’s beyond the sex (cinsiyet) distinction based on the physiology and the anatomy between men and women. By the nature of that definition, “sex” is addressed as a social and cultural category in the perception of identity regarding the subjects of men and women. The term of gender is used to define the disparities between men and women which arise not only from the sex merely in a biological matter, but also a number of gender roles regarded as social and cultural. Along with the acceptance of such distinction within the feminist theory, a range of scholars have also pointed out the nonfunctionality of that distinction in the shape of “sex/gender” after 1980’s. According to these theorists –for instance Iris Marion Young, Judith Butler–, approaches, which defend the gender identity on behalf of women, leads to gender essentialism by forming a general “woman” category. For instance, they regard the fertility, which emerges from the motherhood identity, as a basic difference for all women. This study criticizes the placing of a singular category, such as “motherhood”, to the process of the gender development for the all women, based upon the accountability of the thesis defined above.

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