Abstract constructs
The book explains that certain ideas are derived from animal nature and others are derived from commonly shared beliefs, typically available through language. The question of gender is complex, because there is an animal component, biological sex, and there is a social component, gender role. The book's first task is to explain what a social construct is, so that the reader will understand female oppression with the correct imagery in mind; it is not in our nature to oppress women, but rather, it is a real historical problem derived from social constructs shared through time.
Power systems
Through concrete explanation, the abstract imagery of power becomes more specific and concrete. Supposing women are less qualified for leadership roles, Butler explains that this would only be because of patterns of behavior among the powerful. Men typically educate other men about power, and boys grow up seeing men in power, understanding as children that they can aim their lives at becoming powerful. Women are educated differently in their places of work and school, and their examples for womanhood are typically not examples of power. Through the imagery of real life, we understand ourselves, so the change must be demonstrated to young people.
Education
The imagery of education extends past what people learn in a classroom. This book explains that education is happening anytime a child learns about its cultural environment from an adult. If the government only has men in it, a child might learn that only men are eligible for government. Or else, why would there only be men in government? This imagery is important for Butler's argument, because understanding social education is a critical step in fixing the miseducation about gender.
Gender and role
Butler explains what gender role is in this book, showing that in each person's mind, there is an imagery associated with men and an imagery associated with women. Because of these imageries, we must work diligently to correct our mental understandings about gender. If too many people believe the same thing at the same time, it can become indoctrinated in the cultural education of children, and then it becomes difficult to detangle the truth. The imagery of gender role is primarily constructed, meaning that through language and culture, these beliefs were built through time and can therefore be changed.
