Abstract
Gender, like any other construct of social demarcation, embodies and perpetuates political systems of oppression. Feminist theory reminds us of the ways that artificial divisions into dichotomies of male and female serve to benefit groups in power. Critical theory implores us to recognize the intersections across gender, ethnicity/race, class, religious affiliation, sexual orientation and more. The underlying issues here concern systems of power, operating through the language and structure of development to bolster prominent institutions and to constrain potential for resistance. Recognizing the connections across various dimensions that mark privilege and oppression, here I focus on gender as one illustration of this larger dynamic.