Queer Theory Straight UpA TYPE OF LITERARY CRITICISM

By: Mustafa EL-Jnainati

DefinitionQueer theory is an approach to literary and cultural study that rejects traditional categories of gender and sexuality.

What is it?

It Challenges the generally held presumptions that there is a double separation between being gay and straight

It Investigates and challenges the route in which heterosexuality is developed as would be expected

Also, the path in which the media has restricted the representations of gay men and ladies.

History of the Queer Theory

The term "gay" normalized homosexuality for men while the term “lesbian” normalized homosexuality for women.

Strange hypothesis is grounded in sex and sexuality. Because of this affiliation, a verbal confrontation rises regarding whether sexual introduction is characteristic or vital to the individual.

Some feminists believed that genders "have an essential nature (e.g. nurturing and caring versus being aggressive and selfish), as opposed to differing by a variety of accidental or contingent features brought about by social forces“ as Simon Blackburn says.

Judith Butler (1999)

Says that gender is not the result of nature, but is socially constructed

Male and female behaviours are not the aftereffect of science, but rather are built and fortified by society through media and society.

She contends that there are various representations of manliness and womanliness which cause “gender troubles.“ in our society

Queer theory suggests there are different ways of interpreting contemporary media texts.

In a cartoon named Recess, which had a runtime on TV from 1997-2001, this particular scene of what the school teacher says, almost seems relevant to the society we live in today.

History Of Homosexuals in Canada

1950s Canada and U.S. – police actively enforced laws that prohibited sexual activities between men.

Homosexuality was categorized as sexually ‘abnormal’ and ‘deviant’.

July 20, 2005 - Canada became the fourth country in the world, and the first country outside Europe, to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide (Legal since June 10, 2003 in Ontario)

Present – No country in Asia allows same-sex marriage.

20 Countries approve same-sex marriage world-wide

Map Where same-sex marriage is legal (2015)

Lesbianism

Definition - A lesbian is a female homosexual: a female who experiences romantic love or sexual attraction to other females.

Never made illegal

Media representation is far less frequent

Often seen as “not as big of a deal” as male homosexuality

Captain Jack Sparrow-Pirates of the Caribbean

Creates an ironic and over the top performance

Overly elaborate costume and eye make-up

Uses feminine and camp gestures

Not what we would consider “macho”.

Captain Jack Sparrow

In Conclusion

‘Gender trouble’ is evident everywhere in mainstream media.

Queer theorists suggest this is evidence of a move towards increasing tolerance of sexual diversity.

Others argue that these representations simply present alternatives to the ‘norm’ of heterosexuality.

I think that if it makes them happy then people should not judge them. it is a perfectly natural thing, because there are even animals in nature who are homosexual.

References Used

http://www.critical-theory.com/20-must-read-queer-theory-books/

http://www.critical-theory.com/what-the-fuck-is-queer-theory/

http://www.shmoop.com/queer-theory/

http://amygoodloe.com/papers/lesbian-feminism-and-queer-theory-another-battle-of-the-sexes/

http://www.slideshare.net/kksmedia/queer-theory-15305722

http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-que1.htm

http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/harris/Eng101_QueerDef.pdf

http://changingminds.org/explanations/identity/queer_theory.htm