Judith Pamela Butler, born on February 24, 1956, is a distinguished American philosopher and gender studies scholar. Butler's groundbreaking work has profoundly influenced fields including political philosophy, ethics, third-wave feminism, queer theory, and literary theory. Since 1993, Butler has been a pivotal figure at the University of California, Berkeley, serving as the Maxine Elliot Professor in the Department of Comparative Literature and the Program of Critical Theory. Additionally, Butler holds the position of Hannah Arendt Chair at the European Graduate School (EGS).

Butler is renowned for their seminal works, Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (1990) and Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of Sex (1993), where they challenge the conventional, heteronormative notions of gender and introduce the revolutionary concept of gender performativity. This theory has become a cornerstone in feminist and queer scholarship, and Butler's contributions are often a subject of debate and study in gender studies and performativity courses.

In addition to their academic endeavors, Butler is a vocal advocate for LGBT rights and has addressed numerous contemporary political issues, including Israeli politics and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Butler's commitment to social justice is further exemplified through their involvement with Jewish Voice for Peace and the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York.