Wittig Passage: "One Is Not Born a Woman"

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From page 158, first column:

"What a materialist analysis does by reasoning, a lesbian society accomplishes practically: not only is there no natural group 'women'...but as individuals as well we question 'woman,' which for us, as Simone de Beauvior, is only a myth.  She said: 'One is not born, but becomes a woman. No biological, psychological, or economic fate determines the figure that the human female presents in society: it is civilization as a whole that produces this creature, intermediate between male and eunuch, which is described as feminine.'" 

1.  Context

This passage comes in the beginning of Wittig's essay to provide an overview of her argument to the reader. Even though she uses a quote to do so, this paragraph gives important information to the reader regarding the rest of the article.  

2.  Meaning

Definitions: eunuch - a man who has been castrated

                 materialist: one who believes that physical matter is the only reality 

This passage goes to show that there are many ways to become a woman, and that there are multiple definitions that lead to the creation of unjust structures. 

3. Significance

This passage is important to the essay as a whole because it outlines all the significant points that Wittig will reiterate throughout the text.