Queer Theory Project Outline
**This is soley for my group members who may want to peak at my outline for our chapter! :)
Theorists were beginning to question individual identities within the LGBT community due to the Aids epidemic.
People who did not adhere to the social norm of their identity were seen as abnormal.
Gender is a cultural fiction and it makes some identities invisible. Judith Butler suggested that deconstructing normative models of gender would benefit the gay and lesbian people, and would allow them to gain more legitimacy among society.
Sex and gender systems invented heterosexuality by the repetitive gender identity norms we follow, and heterosexuality is an option within sex/gender.
David Halperin suggests that all gender identities are far too narrow and limiting, and that we organize people according to their biology. Parents began dressing their infant in accordance to their gender. There was an insufficiency of gender identities, which led to the queer theory.
The term queer suggests a new form of self-identification for gender and sexuality all at once. The term itself contradicts the external world’s view of one’s characteristics and self-definition. It creates the idea that people can fit into a narrow category.
The term queer can refer to the rejection of the notion that heteronormativity is normal or natural. It can also be used as a political synonym for anything that is non-heterosexual, and as a term meaning to “merge” (become less singular)
Queer is used to identify people who are against the concept of being a “normal” gender or sexual identity. Some people of color use the term to describe their status of citizenship or language they speak.
Queer theory implies that gender’s meaning can change. Our society creates norms for certain genders and if enough people follow suit of these norms, then society just believes that these are the natural ways certain genders should act.
Queer theory supports the idea that bodies don’t have to be divided into two types. Consequently, there is little science suggesting that we can count beyond two sexes.
Science alone cannot create the proper gender and sex categories we need to include everyone in society.
Queer used to be a term used to describe men who were attracted to each other who didn’t carry a flamboyant demeanor, and was later used as a derogatory term used to describe people who were anti-heteronormative.
The queer movement was sparked by a concern for universal terminology for people attracted to their own gender.
People began to attach themselves to the term queer during the gay and lesbian movement because a lot of the times individuals would find these terms limiting.
Humans are often times restricted when it comes to thinking freely because of the identities society prescribes for us.
Early queer thinkers focused on difference and uniqueness of one’s self.
Some people refuse to use the term queer because of it’s derogatory usage in the past, but others believe it is a powerful way to devalue homophobia.
There are people who misunderstand the term queer, and because they believe it to be an umbrella term (including all non-heterosexual things), these individuals fear it may include things like pedophilia.
Some people’s gender expression does not fully conform to a specific archetype and this leaves these individuals out. Specifically the people who consider “man” or “woman” to be an incomplete description of how they interact with the world.
There is a fear of the term queer devaluing masculinity and femininity among the people who identify very strongly within their identities. For example, a masculine transgender man being able to appear queer enough by having to present himself in a gender-ambiguous way.
Gay and lesbian people are very proud of their history and have a fear of being marginalized by the term queer.
Queer theory takes a unique stance in rejecting the notion of sexuality’s automatic relationship with gender.
Some people may attach themselves to a label simply because they fit in or agree with the politics behind the term (i.e. asexual identifying as queer)
Terminology and labels are sensitive to culture and time.
There is fear of the ambiguity of the term queer and how it might push certain people to be seen as something negative. For example, heterosexual and masculine men are all misogynists.
Due to queer theory being less of a political term, gay and lesbian people often fear that it could damage the collective political force and recognition that gay and lesbian people have acquired.
Despite all of the fears around the queer movement, one of the main purposes of the movement was to include people who were marginalized by other active groups.
The queer movement’s purpose is to eliminate sexual norms and also to get rid of heteronormativity.
Even with the queer movement there are still people who do not conform to any gender norm.
Some people are constantly changing the way they dress according to the way they wish to express their gender at a given time.
Queer people support the process of coming out but worry about the context of the results. When people come out they latch on to an identity, potentially leaving behind communities of people.
Just like there are heterosexual, gay, and lesbian people who do not identify as queer but agree with a lot the ideas, there are transgender people who do not fall under this category.
