Main features of "gender trouble" phenomenon in the egalitarian culture (by the analysis of a Japanese novel Torikaebaya Monogatari)

American post-structuralist philosopher Judith Butler introduced the term "gender trouble" into scientific circulation. This is a situation in which the subject is confronted with a mismatch of the male or female categories with those genders produce (i.e. a situation in which gender and sexual identity do not match). The study of situations which generate gender trouble (on European material) gave the ground for debunking phallogocentric heterosexist matrix of European patriarchal culture. But the capacity of the given method is not fully disclosed, because it, like a litmus paper, is capable to uncover mechanisms of gender performativity in different cultures, in different time periods. A range of different cultures implies no rigid division into three or more genders, which are not corresponding to the binary pair of male-female. Through the mechanisms of initiation a biological woman can become a gendered male and a biological man can become a gendered female. Analysis of the phenomenon of gender trouble in an egalitarian culture has a special relevance to the contemporary political and social debate in the field of marriage, family and homosexuality. After all, the historical experience of the gender-egalitarian society's existence can show real examples of gender-equal society functioning. Japanese aristocratic culture of the Heian period is a prime example of gender egalitarian society which existed in real-life history. The situation in "Torikaebaya Monogatari, or Confusion" reflects gender trouble which happened on the basis of the gender identity shift between brother and sister. The story describes Heian rules of femininity and masculinity which are very close to each other. Socially approved virtues of men and women are generally the same. We can also observe reactions of others on the gender confusion (heroes themselves, their parents and surrounding people). In particular, parents resign themselves to the situation, suggesting that this state of affairs is predetermined by karma. The novella shows that the man performing the woman's gender role and the woman performing the male role both can be successful and achieve a lot in gender egalitarian society. But over time the nature and social norms take their course: the heroes again change their gender identity, and again easily fit into the hierarchy of society. The portrait of the heroine largely corresponds to the heroine of a short story "The Princess Who Loved Insects" from the anthology Tsutsumi Chu-nagon Monogatari, which suggests an existence of a prototype - a woman who really violated many conventions of the Heian society in one way or another. It should be noted that Heian literature has lack of conviction motives. Heroes do not lose their social significance because of gender and sex mismatch. This is a direct effect of the inexistence of the "truth of sex" and flexibility of regulatory practices.

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