Pulling the Thread of Decertification: What Challenges are Raised by the Proposal to Reform Legal Gender Status? Article Swipe
Davina Cooper
,
Robyn Emerton
·
YOU?
·
· 2020
· Open Access
·
· DOI: https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938
YOU?
·
· 2020
· Open Access
·
· DOI: https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938
In decertification, the state withdraws from registering, assigning, or guaranteeing a person’s sex and gender, giving one shape to the growing momentum towards their informalisation. This article explores decertification as a speculative reform, now emerging onto the political and legal agenda, in two primary ways. First, it asks what contribution, if any, might decertification make to a feminist politics intent on undoing gender-based hierarchies. Second, as a methodological thread, what concerns, issues, and hopes does decertification bring with it? In addressing these questions, the article considers different versions of decertification alongside an alternative reform strategy of legally recognising multiple gender identities. It explores the feminist benefits of decertification; the concerns and criticisms expressed; and strategies for responding to feminist worries. Here, the article turns to possible and already in-place governmental strategies to manage the informalisation of sex/ gender, alongside criticisms that can and have been made of these strategies. It then considers decertification’s relationship to other strategies that foreground purpose, specificity, connection, and context, within a politics intent on questioning and unsettling existing orderings. Finally, the article considers the risks of androcentrism and gender-neutral law; and argues for the need to embed decertification within a wider multiplex progressive agenda.
Related Topics
Concepts
Metadata
- Type
- article
- Language
- en
- Landing Page
- https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938
- OA Status
- green
- Cited By
- 9
- Related Works
- 20
- OpenAlex ID
- https://openalex.org/W3128539362
All OpenAlex metadata
Raw OpenAlex JSON
- OpenAlex ID
-
https://openalex.org/W3128539362Canonical identifier for this work in OpenAlex
- DOI
-
https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938Digital Object Identifier
- Title
-
Pulling the Thread of Decertification: What Challenges are Raised by the Proposal to Reform Legal Gender Status?Work title
- Type
-
articleOpenAlex work type
- Language
-
enPrimary language
- Publication year
-
2020Year of publication
- Publication date
-
2020-11-08Full publication date if available
- Authors
-
Davina Cooper, Robyn EmertonList of authors in order
- Landing page
-
https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938Publisher landing page
- Open access
-
YesWhether a free full text is available
- OA status
-
greenOpen access status per OpenAlex
- OA URL
-
https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938Direct OA link when available
- Concepts
-
Undoing, Politics, Sociology, Feminism, Gender studies, Law, Political science, Law and economics, Psychology, PsychotherapistTop concepts (fields/topics) attached by OpenAlex
- Cited by
-
9Total citation count in OpenAlex
- Citations by year (recent)
-
2025: 2, 2023: 4, 2021: 3Per-year citation counts (last 5 years)
- Related works (count)
-
20Other works algorithmically related by OpenAlex
Full payload
| id | https://openalex.org/W3128539362 |
|---|---|
| doi | https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938 |
| ids.doi | https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938 |
| ids.mag | 3128539362 |
| ids.openalex | https://openalex.org/W3128539362 |
| fwci | 2.24575119 |
| type | article |
| title | Pulling the Thread of Decertification: What Challenges are Raised by the Proposal to Reform Legal Gender Status? |
| biblio.issue | 2 |
| biblio.volume | 10 |
| biblio.last_page | 36 |
| biblio.first_page | 1 |
| topics[0].id | https://openalex.org/T11432 |
| topics[0].field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/33 |
| topics[0].field.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[0].score | 0.9426000118255615 |
| topics[0].domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| topics[0].domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[0].subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/3318 |
| topics[0].subfield.display_name | Gender Studies |
| topics[0].display_name | Gender Politics and Representation |
| topics[1].id | https://openalex.org/T13926 |
| topics[1].field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/33 |
| topics[1].field.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[1].score | 0.9179999828338623 |
| topics[1].domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| topics[1].domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[1].subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/3318 |
| topics[1].subfield.display_name | Gender Studies |
| topics[1].display_name | Feminism, Gender, and Sexuality Studies |
| topics[2].id | https://openalex.org/T13035 |
| topics[2].field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/33 |
| topics[2].field.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[2].score | 0.9052000045776367 |
| topics[2].domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| topics[2].domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| topics[2].subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/3312 |
| topics[2].subfield.display_name | Sociology and Political Science |
| topics[2].display_name | Human Rights and Development |
| is_xpac | False |
| apc_list | |
| apc_paid | |
| concepts[0].id | https://openalex.org/C2780492140 |
| concepts[0].level | 2 |
| concepts[0].score | 0.8940392732620239 |
| concepts[0].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4066779 |
| concepts[0].display_name | Undoing |
| concepts[1].id | https://openalex.org/C94625758 |
| concepts[1].level | 2 |
| concepts[1].score | 0.6939817070960999 |
| concepts[1].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7163 |
| concepts[1].display_name | Politics |
| concepts[2].id | https://openalex.org/C144024400 |
| concepts[2].level | 0 |
| concepts[2].score | 0.5213164687156677 |
| concepts[2].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201 |
| concepts[2].display_name | Sociology |
| concepts[3].id | https://openalex.org/C2777688943 |
| concepts[3].level | 2 |
| concepts[3].score | 0.4597359895706177 |
| concepts[3].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3092681 |
| concepts[3].display_name | Feminism |
| concepts[4].id | https://openalex.org/C107993555 |
| concepts[4].level | 1 |
| concepts[4].score | 0.4125913977622986 |
| concepts[4].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1662673 |
| concepts[4].display_name | Gender studies |
| concepts[5].id | https://openalex.org/C199539241 |
| concepts[5].level | 1 |
| concepts[5].score | 0.4122200310230255 |
| concepts[5].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7748 |
| concepts[5].display_name | Law |
| concepts[6].id | https://openalex.org/C17744445 |
| concepts[6].level | 0 |
| concepts[6].score | 0.40113669633865356 |
| concepts[6].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36442 |
| concepts[6].display_name | Political science |
| concepts[7].id | https://openalex.org/C190253527 |
| concepts[7].level | 1 |
| concepts[7].score | 0.36382919549942017 |
| concepts[7].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295354 |
| concepts[7].display_name | Law and economics |
| concepts[8].id | https://openalex.org/C15744967 |
| concepts[8].level | 0 |
| concepts[8].score | 0.10861006379127502 |
| concepts[8].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418 |
| concepts[8].display_name | Psychology |
| concepts[9].id | https://openalex.org/C542102704 |
| concepts[9].level | 1 |
| concepts[9].score | 0.0 |
| concepts[9].wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q183257 |
| concepts[9].display_name | Psychotherapist |
| keywords[0].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/undoing |
| keywords[0].score | 0.8940392732620239 |
| keywords[0].display_name | Undoing |
| keywords[1].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/politics |
| keywords[1].score | 0.6939817070960999 |
| keywords[1].display_name | Politics |
| keywords[2].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/sociology |
| keywords[2].score | 0.5213164687156677 |
| keywords[2].display_name | Sociology |
| keywords[3].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/feminism |
| keywords[3].score | 0.4597359895706177 |
| keywords[3].display_name | Feminism |
| keywords[4].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/gender-studies |
| keywords[4].score | 0.4125913977622986 |
| keywords[4].display_name | Gender studies |
| keywords[5].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/law |
| keywords[5].score | 0.4122200310230255 |
| keywords[5].display_name | Law |
| keywords[6].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/political-science |
| keywords[6].score | 0.40113669633865356 |
| keywords[6].display_name | Political science |
| keywords[7].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/law-and-economics |
| keywords[7].score | 0.36382919549942017 |
| keywords[7].display_name | Law and economics |
| keywords[8].id | https://openalex.org/keywords/psychology |
| keywords[8].score | 0.10861006379127502 |
| keywords[8].display_name | Psychology |
| language | en |
| locations[0].id | doi:10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938 |
| locations[0].is_oa | True |
| locations[0].source.id | https://openalex.org/S7407050762 |
| locations[0].source.type | repository |
| locations[0].source.is_oa | False |
| locations[0].source.issn_l | |
| locations[0].source.is_core | False |
| locations[0].source.is_in_doaj | False |
| locations[0].source.display_name | University of Kent |
| locations[0].source.host_organization | |
| locations[0].source.host_organization_name | |
| locations[0].source.host_organization_lineage | |
| locations[0].license | |
| locations[0].pdf_url | |
| locations[0].version | |
| locations[0].raw_type | article-journal |
| locations[0].license_id | |
| locations[0].is_accepted | False |
| locations[0].is_published | |
| locations[0].raw_source_name | |
| locations[0].landing_page_url | https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938 |
| locations[1].id | mag:3128539362 |
| locations[1].is_oa | True |
| locations[1].source.id | https://openalex.org/S4306510406 |
| locations[1].source.issn | 2046-9551 |
| locations[1].source.type | journal |
| locations[1].source.is_oa | True |
| locations[1].source.issn_l | 2046-9551 |
| locations[1].source.is_core | True |
| locations[1].source.is_in_doaj | True |
| locations[1].source.display_name | feminists@law |
| locations[1].source.host_organization | https://openalex.org/P4310311797 |
| locations[1].source.host_organization_name | University of Kent |
| locations[1].source.host_organization_lineage | https://openalex.org/P4310311797 |
| locations[1].license | cc-by |
| locations[1].pdf_url | |
| locations[1].version | |
| locations[1].raw_type | |
| locations[1].license_id | https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by |
| locations[1].is_accepted | False |
| locations[1].is_published | |
| locations[1].raw_source_name | feminists@law |
| locations[1].landing_page_url | https://journals.kent.ac.uk/index.php/feministsatlaw/article/download/938/1799 |
| indexed_in | datacite |
| authorships[0].author.id | https://openalex.org/A5016775692 |
| authorships[0].author.orcid | https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1175-433X |
| authorships[0].author.display_name | Davina Cooper |
| authorships[0].affiliations[0].raw_affiliation_string | Laws |
| authorships[0].author_position | first |
| authorships[0].raw_author_name | Davina Cooper |
| authorships[0].is_corresponding | False |
| authorships[0].raw_affiliation_strings | Laws |
| authorships[1].author.id | https://openalex.org/A5059694866 |
| authorships[1].author.orcid | https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2026-6610 |
| authorships[1].author.display_name | Robyn Emerton |
| authorships[1].author_position | last |
| authorships[1].raw_author_name | Robyn Emerton |
| authorships[1].is_corresponding | False |
| has_content.pdf | False |
| has_content.grobid_xml | False |
| is_paratext | False |
| open_access.is_oa | True |
| open_access.oa_url | https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938 |
| open_access.oa_status | green |
| open_access.any_repository_has_fulltext | False |
| created_date | 2025-10-10T00:00:00 |
| display_name | Pulling the Thread of Decertification: What Challenges are Raised by the Proposal to Reform Legal Gender Status? |
| has_fulltext | False |
| is_retracted | False |
| updated_date | 2025-11-06T06:51:31.235846 |
| primary_topic.id | https://openalex.org/T11432 |
| primary_topic.field.id | https://openalex.org/fields/33 |
| primary_topic.field.display_name | Social Sciences |
| primary_topic.score | 0.9426000118255615 |
| primary_topic.domain.id | https://openalex.org/domains/2 |
| primary_topic.domain.display_name | Social Sciences |
| primary_topic.subfield.id | https://openalex.org/subfields/3318 |
| primary_topic.subfield.display_name | Gender Studies |
| primary_topic.display_name | Gender Politics and Representation |
| related_works | https://openalex.org/W3127830848, https://openalex.org/W3134714758, https://openalex.org/W3096917154, https://openalex.org/W3041784483, https://openalex.org/W2618201455, https://openalex.org/W2760825099, https://openalex.org/W1523543931, https://openalex.org/W3121222483, https://openalex.org/W3190383888, https://openalex.org/W2792404437, https://openalex.org/W2531296797, https://openalex.org/W2995943213, https://openalex.org/W2946356975, https://openalex.org/W2155430077, https://openalex.org/W2052457227, https://openalex.org/W2125917111, https://openalex.org/W2127496475, https://openalex.org/W2797767443, https://openalex.org/W127701086, https://openalex.org/W2758843182 |
| cited_by_count | 9 |
| counts_by_year[0].year | 2025 |
| counts_by_year[0].cited_by_count | 2 |
| counts_by_year[1].year | 2023 |
| counts_by_year[1].cited_by_count | 4 |
| counts_by_year[2].year | 2021 |
| counts_by_year[2].cited_by_count | 3 |
| locations_count | 2 |
| best_oa_location.id | doi:10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938 |
| best_oa_location.is_oa | True |
| best_oa_location.source.id | https://openalex.org/S7407050762 |
| best_oa_location.source.type | repository |
| best_oa_location.source.is_oa | False |
| best_oa_location.source.issn_l | |
| best_oa_location.source.is_core | False |
| best_oa_location.source.is_in_doaj | False |
| best_oa_location.source.display_name | University of Kent |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization | |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization_name | |
| best_oa_location.source.host_organization_lineage | |
| best_oa_location.license | |
| best_oa_location.pdf_url | |
| best_oa_location.version | |
| best_oa_location.raw_type | article-journal |
| best_oa_location.license_id | |
| best_oa_location.is_accepted | False |
| best_oa_location.is_published | False |
| best_oa_location.raw_source_name | |
| best_oa_location.landing_page_url | https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938 |
| primary_location.id | doi:10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938 |
| primary_location.is_oa | True |
| primary_location.source.id | https://openalex.org/S7407050762 |
| primary_location.source.type | repository |
| primary_location.source.is_oa | False |
| primary_location.source.issn_l | |
| primary_location.source.is_core | False |
| primary_location.source.is_in_doaj | False |
| primary_location.source.display_name | University of Kent |
| primary_location.source.host_organization | |
| primary_location.source.host_organization_name | |
| primary_location.source.host_organization_lineage | |
| primary_location.license | |
| primary_location.pdf_url | |
| primary_location.version | |
| primary_location.raw_type | article-journal |
| primary_location.license_id | |
| primary_location.is_accepted | False |
| primary_location.is_published | False |
| primary_location.raw_source_name | |
| primary_location.landing_page_url | https://doi.org/10.22024/unikent/03/fal.938 |
| publication_date | 2020-11-08 |
| publication_year | 2020 |
| referenced_works_count | 0 |
| abstract_inverted_index.a | 10, 30, 56, 66, 165, 194 |
| abstract_inverted_index.In | 0, 79 |
| abstract_inverted_index.It | 101, 149 |
| abstract_inverted_index.an | 91 |
| abstract_inverted_index.as | 29, 65 |
| abstract_inverted_index.if | 50 |
| abstract_inverted_index.in | 41 |
| abstract_inverted_index.it | 46 |
| abstract_inverted_index.of | 88, 95, 106, 135, 146, 180 |
| abstract_inverted_index.on | 60, 168 |
| abstract_inverted_index.or | 8 |
| abstract_inverted_index.to | 18, 55, 117, 124, 131, 154, 190 |
| abstract_inverted_index.and | 13, 38, 72, 110, 113, 126, 142, 162, 170, 182, 185 |
| abstract_inverted_index.can | 141 |
| abstract_inverted_index.for | 115, 187 |
| abstract_inverted_index.it? | 78 |
| abstract_inverted_index.now | 33 |
| abstract_inverted_index.one | 16 |
| abstract_inverted_index.sex | 12 |
| abstract_inverted_index.the | 2, 19, 36, 83, 103, 108, 121, 133, 175, 178, 188 |
| abstract_inverted_index.two | 42 |
| abstract_inverted_index.This | 25 |
| abstract_inverted_index.any, | 51 |
| abstract_inverted_index.asks | 47 |
| abstract_inverted_index.been | 144 |
| abstract_inverted_index.does | 74 |
| abstract_inverted_index.from | 5 |
| abstract_inverted_index.have | 143 |
| abstract_inverted_index.law; | 184 |
| abstract_inverted_index.made | 145 |
| abstract_inverted_index.make | 54 |
| abstract_inverted_index.need | 189 |
| abstract_inverted_index.onto | 35 |
| abstract_inverted_index.sex/ | 136 |
| abstract_inverted_index.that | 140, 157 |
| abstract_inverted_index.then | 150 |
| abstract_inverted_index.what | 48, 69 |
| abstract_inverted_index.with | 77 |
| abstract_inverted_index.Here, | 120 |
| abstract_inverted_index.bring | 76 |
| abstract_inverted_index.embed | 191 |
| abstract_inverted_index.hopes | 73 |
| abstract_inverted_index.legal | 39 |
| abstract_inverted_index.might | 52 |
| abstract_inverted_index.other | 155 |
| abstract_inverted_index.risks | 179 |
| abstract_inverted_index.shape | 17 |
| abstract_inverted_index.state | 3 |
| abstract_inverted_index.their | 23 |
| abstract_inverted_index.these | 81, 147 |
| abstract_inverted_index.turns | 123 |
| abstract_inverted_index.ways. | 44 |
| abstract_inverted_index.wider | 195 |
| abstract_inverted_index.First, | 45 |
| abstract_inverted_index.argues | 186 |
| abstract_inverted_index.gender | 99 |
| abstract_inverted_index.giving | 15 |
| abstract_inverted_index.intent | 59, 167 |
| abstract_inverted_index.manage | 132 |
| abstract_inverted_index.reform | 93 |
| abstract_inverted_index.within | 164, 193 |
| abstract_inverted_index.Second, | 64 |
| abstract_inverted_index.agenda, | 40 |
| abstract_inverted_index.agenda. | 198 |
| abstract_inverted_index.already | 127 |
| abstract_inverted_index.article | 26, 84, 122, 176 |
| abstract_inverted_index.gender, | 14, 137 |
| abstract_inverted_index.growing | 20 |
| abstract_inverted_index.issues, | 71 |
| abstract_inverted_index.legally | 96 |
| abstract_inverted_index.primary | 43 |
| abstract_inverted_index.reform, | 32 |
| abstract_inverted_index.thread, | 68 |
| abstract_inverted_index.towards | 22 |
| abstract_inverted_index.undoing | 61 |
| abstract_inverted_index.Finally, | 174 |
| abstract_inverted_index.benefits | 105 |
| abstract_inverted_index.concerns | 109 |
| abstract_inverted_index.context, | 163 |
| abstract_inverted_index.emerging | 34 |
| abstract_inverted_index.existing | 172 |
| abstract_inverted_index.explores | 27, 102 |
| abstract_inverted_index.feminist | 57, 104, 118 |
| abstract_inverted_index.in-place | 128 |
| abstract_inverted_index.momentum | 21 |
| abstract_inverted_index.multiple | 98 |
| abstract_inverted_index.politics | 58, 166 |
| abstract_inverted_index.possible | 125 |
| abstract_inverted_index.purpose, | 159 |
| abstract_inverted_index.strategy | 94 |
| abstract_inverted_index.versions | 87 |
| abstract_inverted_index.worries. | 119 |
| abstract_inverted_index.alongside | 90, 138 |
| abstract_inverted_index.concerns, | 70 |
| abstract_inverted_index.considers | 85, 151, 177 |
| abstract_inverted_index.different | 86 |
| abstract_inverted_index.multiplex | 196 |
| abstract_inverted_index.political | 37 |
| abstract_inverted_index.withdraws | 4 |
| abstract_inverted_index.addressing | 80 |
| abstract_inverted_index.assigning, | 7 |
| abstract_inverted_index.criticisms | 111, 139 |
| abstract_inverted_index.expressed; | 112 |
| abstract_inverted_index.foreground | 158 |
| abstract_inverted_index.orderings. | 173 |
| abstract_inverted_index.person’s | 11 |
| abstract_inverted_index.questions, | 82 |
| abstract_inverted_index.responding | 116 |
| abstract_inverted_index.strategies | 114, 130, 156 |
| abstract_inverted_index.unsettling | 171 |
| abstract_inverted_index.alternative | 92 |
| abstract_inverted_index.connection, | 161 |
| abstract_inverted_index.identities. | 100 |
| abstract_inverted_index.progressive | 197 |
| abstract_inverted_index.questioning | 169 |
| abstract_inverted_index.recognising | 97 |
| abstract_inverted_index.speculative | 31 |
| abstract_inverted_index.strategies. | 148 |
| abstract_inverted_index.gender-based | 62 |
| abstract_inverted_index.governmental | 129 |
| abstract_inverted_index.guaranteeing | 9 |
| abstract_inverted_index.hierarchies. | 63 |
| abstract_inverted_index.registering, | 6 |
| abstract_inverted_index.relationship | 153 |
| abstract_inverted_index.specificity, | 160 |
| abstract_inverted_index.androcentrism | 181 |
| abstract_inverted_index.contribution, | 49 |
| abstract_inverted_index.gender-neutral | 183 |
| abstract_inverted_index.methodological | 67 |
| abstract_inverted_index.decertification | 28, 53, 75, 89, 192 |
| abstract_inverted_index.informalisation | 134 |
| abstract_inverted_index.decertification, | 1 |
| abstract_inverted_index.decertification; | 107 |
| abstract_inverted_index.informalisation. | 24 |
| abstract_inverted_index.decertification’s | 152 |
| cited_by_percentile_year.max | 97 |
| cited_by_percentile_year.min | 95 |
| countries_distinct_count | 0 |
| institutions_distinct_count | 2 |
| sustainable_development_goals[0].id | https://metadata.un.org/sdg/5 |
| sustainable_development_goals[0].score | 0.7300000190734863 |
| sustainable_development_goals[0].display_name | Gender equality |
| citation_normalized_percentile.value | 0.87488345 |
| citation_normalized_percentile.is_in_top_1_percent | False |
| citation_normalized_percentile.is_in_top_10_percent | False |