Queer
Queer is a term used to refer to lesbian, gay, bisexual and, often also transgender, people. Some use queer as an alternative to “gay” in an effort to be more inclusive, since the term does not convey a sense of gender. Depending on the user, the term has either a derogatory or an affirming connotation, as many have sought to reclaim the term that was once widely used in a negative way. enderqueer is a term used by some individuals who identify as neither entirely male nor entirely female. Gender Non-conforming is another term for individuals whose gender expression is different from societal expectations related to gender.
Queer theory is a field of academic study that emerged in the late 20th century as a response to traditional approaches to gender and sexuality. It seeks to challenge and deconstruct norms, assumptions, and categories related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and the social construction of sexuality.
Queer theory views sexuality and gender as fluid and socially constructed rather than fixed and natural. It questions the binary understanding of gender (male/female) and sexual orientation (heterosexual/homosexual) and explores the diversity and complexity of human experiences beyond these categories. It aims to challenge heteronormativity, which is the assumption that heterosexuality is the norm and all other forms of sexuality are deviant.
One of the key concepts in queer theory is the idea of "queerness" as a political and social identity that transcends fixed categories. It emphasizes the importance of understanding sexuality and gender in relation to power dynamics, social structures, and historical contexts. Queer theorists often analyze the intersections of gender, race, class, and other social identities, recognizing that multiple forms of oppression and privilege intersect and shape individuals' experiences.
The novelist Richard Amory was particularly known for the view that Mark Twain was gay. In a 1973 article in a gay magazine, he analyzes Twain’s novels for boys with the typical themes of avoidance of girls, mothers, and females generally. “Twain probably tried to straighten himself out in later years, leaving behind him the peccadilloes of his adolescence and young manhood, but I’ll bet my bottom dollar it was a terrible strain. One knows from experience that Gayness just doesn’t die that easily, and herein lies the key to Twain’s genius. It was there, he knew it was there, and he used it as a further aid to his critical faculties. Homosexuals and other pariahs are gifted with a double vision — we see what society tells us to see and also what we know is there…”
Many queer theorists, like many queer activists and perhaps many LGBT people in general, regard religion as so inimical to their purposes and lives that it is not even worthy of critique; references to religion in queer theory, queer studies, and even LGBT studies are usually sparse, brief, and generally derogatory. Likewise, within most of the field of religious studies, queerness is rarely an issue of concern or even consciousness except in the context of organizational tensions over the proper roles of "homosexuals."
One of the principal aims of queer theory has been to challenge heteronormative constructions of sexuality and to work the hetero/homosexual structure to the point of critical collapse. Despite an epistemic location within this very structure, however, the category of bisexuality has been largely marginalized and even erased from the deconstructive field of queer theory. In overlooking the role the category of bisexuality has played in the formation of the hetero/homosexual structure, the project of queer deconstruction has in important ways fallen short of its goals.
Queer theory draws on various academic disciplines, including gender studies, feminist theory, poststructuralism, postmodernism, and critical theory. It has influenced a range of fields, including literature, sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, and psychology. Overall, queer theory seeks to challenge and disrupt conventional understandings of sexuality and gender, opening up new possibilities for understanding and accepting diverse identities and experiences.
Queer theory has dismissed the usefulness of the disciplines that were the foundation of the social movements that initiated gay and lesbian studies, such as political economy, and in doing so, it has surreptitiously mirrored the social relations of reproduction that constitute late capitalism. This mirroring has had unseen consequences for the individual in society, and with queer theory's insistence on the relativity of experience and the dismissal of identity, has set the stage for a benign reinforcement of internalized homophobia.
The emergence of queer theory represents a transformation in the approach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered peoples. It has claimed new ground for treating sexuality and gender as worthy subjects in their own rights, rather than offshoots of gay and lesbian studies or of general cultural theory. The tensions between queer and gay rights theorists, not surprisingly, have grown as queer theory has developed and matured.
Queer theory has dismissed the usefulness of the disciplines that were the foundation of the social movements that initiated gay and lesbian studies, such as political economy, and in doing so, it has surreptitiously mirrored the social relations of reproduction that constitute late capitalism. This mirroring has had unseen consequences for the individual in society, and with queer theory's insistence on the relativity of experience and the dismissal of identity, may have set the stage for a benign reinforcement of internalized homophobia.
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