Overview

Current debates about gender identity are fraught with contradictions. Even as we increasingly recognize gender as an assigned category or social convention, we still see it as inherent to who we are, fundamental to our sense of self. But the quest to find one's true self is unfulfillable. How can we find alternatives to the focus on getting our identity ""right""? This book offers a cultural critique of gender narratives, spanning traditional conformity to gender roles, the modern quest for individual authenticity beyond gender, and the recent social media-fueled concern with curating gendered profiles. Hans-Georg Moeller puts Daoist philosophy into conversation with present-day thinkers, showing why it helps us rethink common notions about identity. Discussing a wide range of cases, from Chinese foot binding to the politics around transgender issues today, he argues that we can defuse our anxieties by recognizing that gender-like all identities-is social, not individual, and changes at different times and in different places. Accessibly written and empathetic, The Enigma of Gender calls on us to be at ease with whoever we happen to be.

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9780231221283

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Reviews

An original and contemplative exploration, this book invites readers into a deeper attunement with the subtle rhythms of gender. Through luminous insight and powerful clarity, Moeller opens a new horizon—gender ease—a Daoist way of being that flows beyond fixed categories and hardened identities. -- Robin R. Wang, author of <i>Yinyang: The Way of Heaven and Earth in Chinese Thought and Culture</i> Moeller’s idea that gender is neither individual nor essential is intriguing and thought-provoking. His Daoist approach enriches contemporary debates regarding narratives about gender, taking inspiration from the fact that yin and yang, which represent feminine and masculine principles in Daoism, are fluid energies not fixed to gender (or identity). -- Ellen Zhang, professor of comparative philosophy, University of Macau In this timely book, Hans-Georg Moeller provides new approaches to gender informed by subjects ranging from East Asian cultures and Daoism to the increasing reliance on profiles, which has changed our conceptions of and relationships to gender. The philosophical perspectives, cultural observations, and writing style make this work both thought-provoking and enjoyable. -- Paul J. D'Ambrosio, professor of Chinese philosophy, East China Normal University

Through luminous insight and powerful clarity, Moeller opens a new horizon—gender ease, a Daoist way of being that flows beyond fixed categories and hardened identities. -- Robin R. Wang, author of <i>Yinyang: The Way of Heaven and Earth in Chinese Thought and Culture</i> Moeller’s idea that gender is neither individual nor essential is intriguing and thought-provoking. His Daoist approach enriches contemporary debates regarding narratives about gender, taking inspiration from the fact that yin and yang, which represent feminine and masculine principles in Daoism, are fluid energies not fixed to gender (or identity). -- Ellen Zhang, professor of comparative philosophy, University of Macau In this timely book, Hans-Georg Moeller provides new approaches to gender informed by subjects ranging from East Asian cultures and Daoism to the increasing reliance on profiles, which has changed our conceptions of and relationships to gender. The philosophical perspectives, cultural observations, and writing style make this work both thought-provoking and enjoyable. -- Paul J. D'Ambrosio, professor of Chinese philosophy, East China Normal University

Author Information

Hans-Georg Moeller is professor of philosophy at the University of Macau. His Columbia University Press books include You and Your Profile: Identity After Authenticity (2021) and Genuine Pretending: On the Philosophy of the Zhuangzi (2017), both with Paul J. D’Ambrosio.

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