Queer theory in the story may I cut in by J.T
The gay and lesbian criticism is an approach to literature that focuses on how homosexuals are represented in literature, how they read literature, and whether sexuality, as well as gender, is culturally constructed or innate
The entry of the word queer into the English language is itself a study in the queer ways of words. Chambers dictionary defines the adjective as follows: odd, singular, quaint: open to suspicion: counterfeit: slightly mad: having a sensation of coming sickness: sick, ill, (dialect): homosexual (slang). What’s queer about this synonmatic definition is the same word clustering around ideas of strangeness, sickness and homosexuality. The first entry for, queer, in the OED comes
He said: I was hungry and she was eager so it was a perfect match from the moment she took me into her arms and my lips found her soft, warm breast. Mothers fall in love with their babies. This baby fell in love with its mother and never quite got over it. Also, this situation describes one of the most important theme which was finding love and Building a life with a guy partner. Also, there is another situation when the boy describes his cousin, Sarah, He was a Catholic priest when Sarah first saw him at communion. She laughed when she told me how she moved her head forward so her lips touched his fingertips when he offered the
It suggests that it is meaningless to talk in general about 'women' or any other group, as identities consist of so many elements that to assume that people can be seen collectively on the basis of one shared characteristic is wrong. Indeed, it proposes that we deliberately challenge all notions of fixed identity, in varied and non-predictable ways. Moreover, Queer theory is a rapidly growing field in the critical theory tradition. Often examining the intersection of capitalism, gender, heterosexism and the state, queer theory is constantly seeking to break down norms and question the status quo. It is in the realm of male homoeroticism that we may see the potentially reactionary and/or misogynist implications of queer texts and queer reception: non-straightness does not necessarily embrace liberation. Perhaps the most prominent examples of this are the straight male-oriented genres such as gangster films, the Western, action films, and buddy films, which position male homoeroticism as a means to create and defend a “world of men” and buttress “hard” masculinity against the softening effects of domesticity and heterosexual commitment. There may be readers, including those who have not encountered such ideas before, who are dismayed to find in the pages of a socialist publication a word which they had previously taken to be a gross homophobic insult. For most,
Society has grown to accept and be more opened to a variety of new or previously shunned cultural repulsions. Lesbians, transgenders, and gays for example were recognized as shameful mistakes in society. In the story Giovanni 's Room, the author James Baldwin explores the hardships of gays in the 1960. The book provides reasons why it is difficult for men to identify themselves as homosexuals. This is shown through the internalized voice of authority, the lack of assigned roles for homosexuals in society and the consequences entailed for the opposite gender.
The critical approach to institutional contexts and social structures is one that aims to analyze them carefully and shrewdly, taking into consideration for example, how they exist in relation to and as agents of oppression, as well as examining the ways in which these institutions and social structures inherently propagate the oppression of marginalized peoples. As well as that, the critical approach intends to judiciously evaluate the function of these institutions and social structures in regards to the power relationship within them with an end goal of alleviating the struggle of those marginalized, exploited, and oppressed. Specifically, the critical approaches taken by bell hooks in “Feminism: A Movement to End Sexist Oppression” and Michael Kimmel in “Masculinity as Homophobia: Fear, Shame, and Silence in the Construction of Gender Identity” do not present the ideas of feminism and masculinity as just catch-all terms, but rather emphasize the complexities and intricacies of these concepts as they occur in the world. These texts also include varied perspectives on feminism and masculinity and analyze how they come together to create a thorough and comprehensive analysis of these concepts.
According to Kerry Mallan, a major feature of queer literature is the “narrative processes that draw readers’ attention to the incoherencies of
Gay begins her article by first mentioning how her parents took her on an unexpected trip which educated her for the future. Since Gay was a child when she witnessed all the poverty and uncleanliness of the
The topic of homosexuality has always been one approached with caution due to its taboo nature derived from its deviation from the heterosexual norm. Traditionally, and across several cultures, homosexuality has been successfully discussed through normalizing the behaviour through heterosexual representation. Gender reversal or amplification of feminine qualities of male characters have often been means by which authors are able to subtly introduce the foreign idea of homosexuality and equate it to its more formal and accepted counterpart, heterosexuality. The works of Shakespeare and Li Yu have assisted in exposing homosexual relationships while still maintaining them under the heterosexual norm, whether it be through direct or metaphorical representations.
... The mother's approach is a source of terror for the child, written as if it is a horror movie, suspense created with the footsteps, the physical embodiment of fear, the doorknob turns. His terror as he tries to run, but her large hands hold him fast, is indicative of his powerless plight. The phrase, 'She loves him.' reiterates that this act signifies entrapment as there is no reciprocation of the ‘love’.
Queer theory also has to be taken into consideration when discussing the need for a safe space within the film. While safe spaces are important for women in general, they are also needed for gay identifying women as they often face multiple forms of oppression. Lesbians face not only the discrimination of being female, but also from being non-heterosexual. This includes violence, abuse and the small privilege women have is also now removed due to it being granted by male relationships which lesbians reject. (Lesbians in Revolt, no
The film Pride recollects a true story that happened in London during the 19th century. The story unravels the LGSM group, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, that collects money to help the miners on strikes. Just like the film’s title, Pride, it tells the story of homosexual people coming out of their shells to embrace and be proud of their real identities and their achievements. The article, Celebration and Suppression, written by Mary Bernstein (1997) who argues that the meaning of “identity” has been obscured by its casual interpretation (p. 537). Bernstein (1997) discusses identity from three different aspects: identity for empowerment, identity as a goal, and identity as strategy (p. 537). The film supports the use of identity as a
Over the course of history, the definition of manhood has changed and morphed according to society’s rules. In his essay “Masculinity as Homophobia,” number four in The Matrix Reader, Michael Kimmel tackles the truth about what manhood has become and how society has challenged the meaning of homophobia. He begins with an analysis of history, and then proceeds to relate masculinity and homophobia to power, women, and violence.
The issue with criticizing queer readings of older literature as far fetched is that homosexuality was taboo throughout much of history. Consequently, it is absurd to demand a plethora of explicit, undeniable evidence that characters in literature were intended to be queer. It demonstrates ignorance of the oppression LGBT people faced. What caused me to become aware of queer culture being hidden in plain sight was discovering the Johnlock Conspiracy. It is basically a loosely associated group of people online who theorized that the BBC adaptation of Sherlock was rife with queer undertones pointing to a romantic relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. My interest piqued, I read through the original stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as literary analyses of it, and began to wonder if they were right. Months later, I read The Great Gatsby, where it is practically impossible to ignore Nick Carraway’s interest in men. It made me more aware of the tragedy of all these creative individuals, who were not permitted to freely express themselves. Who, in spite of being constricted by society, made unforgettable works of literature. Regardless of how often queer interpretations of media are mocked, it can’t be denied is that queer people have found solace in identifying with characters similar to
In the 1970s, an increase of writing about the male role, clearly critised role norms as the source of oppressive behaviour by men. Critical role theory provided the main theoretical basis for the early antisexist men’s movement (Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005). A sophisticated analysis of the oppression of men by men included power and difference as a core concept of the gay liberation movement, which some theorists see as an assault on gender stereotypes (Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005).
Integrating scripting theory with the compulsory heterosexuality theory, a heteronormative, dominant sexual script was explicated, the Heterosexual Script (Sorsoli; Collins; Zylbergold; Schooler & Tolman 2007 p. 145-157). Traditionally, societies have encouraged both men and women to obey different sexual scripts (Laws and Schwartz 1977). This heterosexual scripts has been commented to be extremely gendered as well as breeding gender inequality (Pascoe 2007) and this essay aims to depict the means in which it is gendered along with its influences towards men and women in Western’s
Prior to the 1970s when the theme of gender issues was still quite foreign, the societal norm forced female conformity to male determined standards because “this is a man’s world” (Kerr 406). The patriarchal society painted the image of both men and women accordingly to man’s approach of societal standards that include the defining features of manhood that consist of “gentil...
She notes it is important in order to make queer really work, it must challenge heteronormative oppression through many intersections including sexuality, race, gender, and economic class. Cohen discusses one of the reasons why queer theory has been unable to effectively challenge heteronormativity, stating that queer politics has often been built around a dichotomy between those who are queer and those who are straight. She states, "Very near the surface in queer political action is an uncomplicated understanding of power as it is encoded in sexual categories: all heterosexuals are represented as dominant and controlling and all queers are understood as marginalized and invisible...some queer activists have begun to prioritize sexuality as the primary frame through which they pursue their politics" (Cohen, 440). While acknowledging that certain parts of our identity may be highlighted to call attention to a certain situation, she warns against activating only one characteristic of an identity or a single perspective of consciousness when organizing politics (Cohen, 440). Cohen advises against activating solely one characteristic of an identity or a single perspective of consciousness when organizing
In the face of a homophobic society we need creative and critical processes that draw out the complexity of lesbian lives and same sex choices, not a retreat into the comforting myths of heroines and unfractured, impeachable identities