A historian of ideas referenced for his critique of power dynamics and the repressive hypothesis, offering a perspective on the pervasive influence of power in societal structures.

A French feminist whose ideas, particularly the notion of becoming a woman, serve as a foundational element for Butler's exploration of gender performance.

A psychoanalyst whose revisions of Freudian theories, particularly regarding language and the Symbolic order, are critiqued by Butler as she examines pre-Symbolic maternal connections.

A feminist writer cited for her ideas on the heterosexual contract and the role of language in redefining gender, offering subversive possibilities that resonate with Butler.

A feminist theoretician known for her concept of the semiotic, which Butler critiques for its failure to subvert dominant gender norms while analyzing its cultural implications.

An anthropologist whose concepts of kinship and symbolic exchanges between genders are used by Butler to critique and deconstruct societal gender binaries.

A founding figure of psychoanalysis whose theories on identity formation and repression are reinterpreted by Butler to challenge assumptions regarding gender and sexuality.

A feminist and linguist whose critiques of essentialist gender identities contribute to Butler's argument against the notion of a singular feminine essence.