Gender Performativity in Angels in America
Theorist Judith Butler views gender as a cultural construct that is not as “seemingly fixed as sex ”. Because it alludes to the fact that one’s gender may differ from one’s biological sex, Butler’s gender theory has been widely accepted in the gay community, a people whose sexual desires and mannerisms may not conform to the heteronormative expectations of their society. Due to the increasing commonplaceness of the queer voice in popular culture as well as the adoption of queer theory into the theoretical canon, this concept is being explored more freely in the literary world. Queer playwright, Tony Kushner’s work is an example of this. Through the transitory nature of their gender performances, the male characters of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America demonstrate gender as being a social construct that is defined by the people around them.
The character of Roy Cohn, much like his real-life counterpart, is immediately established during his first appearance in the play as being both influential in his work as an attorney and very comfortable with his position as a high-ranking male in American society. His phone conversation with the wife of a judge characterizes Roy as one to frequently patronize women; he manipulates Mrs. Hollins into seeing a play of his choosing—“Cats! It’s about cats. Singing cats, you’ll love it”—while his secretary, here only known as “Baby Doll,” procures the tickets. Here, Roy is enacting a classically heterosexual male gender through his conversational dominance while subsequently calling a musical about cross-dressing “fabulous. Best thing on Broadway. Maybe ever”. This gender fluidity is explained through Roy’s perhaps futile desire to hide his more feminine characteristics behind the powerful machismo brought out in performing his profession. Knowing that his professional success would end should his sexuality be revealed to the public, Roy frequently uses his forceful personality to his advantage and occasionally even uses his power and connections as professional threats.
Most telling of Roy’s inner turmoil about the impermanence of his gender is his tense appointment with his doctor. Henry, unable to break the news to Roy without inciting indignation, watches as Roy tries to spin his AIDS as a more “heterosexual” disease:
“This is not sophistry. And this is not hypocrisy. This is reality. I have sex with men. But unlike nearly every other man of whom this is true, I bring the guy I’m screwing to the White House and President Reagan smiles at us and shakes his hand. Because what I am is defined entirely by who I am. Roy Cohn is not a homosexual. Roy Cohn is a heterosexual man, Henry, who fucks around with guys… AIDS is what homosexuals have. I have liver cancer.”
Despite the physical evidence of his homosexuality, Roy uses his enacted male gender to enforce his self-perception as a heterosexual man. He claims that his “clout,” a quality lacked by homosexuals, bears evidence of his heterosexuality that his AIDS diagnosis cannot refute. Indeed, until his illness gains enough strength to send him to the hospital, Roy’s male gender performance demonstrates his supposed heterosexuality to any potential doubters—including himself.
