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While I recognize the importance of this text on the shaping of current queer theory and agree with Butler that we need to rethink our understanding of sexual orientation and gender dichotomies, I am nevertheless bothered by the absence of economic and racial issues in her work. Indeed, her dry, tedious, at times inaccessible writing style reeks of classism. This is a shame because I do believe that many of her ideas could truly benefit people living outside of white, ruling-class academia. After all, the destabilization of the gender binary is a liberating notion for everyone, regardless of one's economic position. However, by not de-centering whiteness and addressing class, Butler's work, like most postmodernist theory, does not go far enough in challenging the social order. Queer capitalism is after all still capitalism. Needless to say, how one writes is in itself a political act. Had Bultler been truly interested in emancipating large numbers of people oppressed by the patriarchy it seems to me that she would have written the book in a more approachable manner. Of course, by calling this book elitist, I do not wish to reinforce the condescending notion that poor people are stupid. To the contrary, I believe that people oppressed by poverty and racism have much that they could teach to white, ruling-class intellectuals like Judith Butler. Interestingly, Butler's title for this book was inspired by the highly offensive John Waters movie, "Female Trouble", a depraved movie that brutally ridicules women of size, poor women, and transgendered women. Though Butler no doubt thinks that the title of her book is clever and witty, I find it a disturbing indication of Butler's indifference to real human suffering. Instead of wasting your money on this pretentious book, why not donate that money instead to your local battered women's shelter or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community center?