Queer Theory and Intersectionality Theory - Essay Example

QUEER THEORY AND INTERSECTIONALITY THEORY by QUEER THEORY AND INTERSECTIONALITY THEORY Although the term queer often refers to a negative description of abnormal things, some part of the LGBT community commenced to use queer to refer to both a politic and identity. Infact, the term queer was used to insult people who attempted to challenge the major and traditional societal concepts of gender and heterosexual norms. This definition of the term has transformed significantly and is seen as divisive by some quarters while others view it as a unifying term. According to Jagose, (1996) the Teresa de lauretis coined the concept of queer theory in 1990 at a vital conference. However, the concepts and elements currently grouped under queer theory were undoubtedly influenced by activist groups and activism in general. For example, queer activism came to light in the 1990s era characterised by post aids. From the start, queer theory was aimed at challenging and questioning identity organisations in lesbian or gay movements. On the contrary, queer activism is focussed on objecting the domination of heterosexuality. Just like feminist activism, queer theory analyses people’s personal experiences. The evaluation of queer concepts highlights or show cases the different ways institutions employ programs or policies to influence family, sex and gender units. Queer politics and activism came into existence almost simultaneously with queer theory (Aimone & MacGillivray, 2000). In most cases or instances, queer theory has been extensively expressed in theoretical language. Queer theory draws its ideas from feminism post structuralist theories and post modern theory to critique ideas which are often taken for granted concerning what is normal. According to smith (2010), queer as a word tries to define itself against what is considered normal. Thus, queer theory challenges the race blind, patriarchal and heterosexual assumptions which are ingrained into sociological concepts (Seidman, 1995). Queer theory in its systems analysis investigates how power necessitates privilege, requires or creates normalcy which goes and extends beyond gender and sexuality categorisation. Also, a focus on systematic issues is vital for those individuals and persons who have a feeling that they are marginalised by the traditional identity based politics. A lot of scholars have found a link between intersectionality with queer theory. As such, queer theory showcases heterogeneity which is found in identity based communities or associations which are in most instances included in intersectionalty. For instance, religious or church people are often taken to be anti gay naturally. However, intersectionality implies that individuals can be both religious and queer. Thus, queer theory is mainly focussed on achieving one objective; challenge commonly accepted ideas concerning what is normal (Halperin, 2003). It therefore challenges the ideas of sexual acts, beliefs and normal relationships. Queer theorists acknowledge that sexuality gives them an opportunity to analyse what it really feels like to care for other people in our environment. The term environment in this case refers to the familial and social contexts which exists outside or are not part of the institutionally controlled units. Political activism has been claimed to inform queer theory. This can be succinctly seen in the significant critiques of identity politics that normally characterize traditional social movements that lean on the left. In the beginning, gender was first challenged by feminists who were uncomfortable with the way women were subject to men. As such, they strongly resisted the notion of gender taking it to be a cultural construction rather than nature’s state. Thus, queer theory tries to change the public’s perception and views in relation to sexuality, gender or sex in the public’s environment. This in turn influences people’s understanding and view of sexual and gender identities. In light of this, queer theory and intersectionality theory deconstructs the societal categorisation of of gender which traditionally focuses on heteronormativity. Heteronormativity can be described as the process of aligning cultural norms with gender roles (Sumara & Davis, 1999). In this scenario, gender is grouped into either male or female contexts and heterosexual is considered normal. The queer theory therefore encourages for a broader view of gender, sexuality and sex which goes beyond the traditional view. Identity based on the traditional view of all male and all female categories becomes meaningless. Although queer theory has faced a lot of criticisms, it advocates for a queer society where differences and queer discussions can be embraced by the public. Society’s early classification or identity of sex was solely based or determined by the general assumption that a person is born either a male or a female. Therefore, sex or gender was a natural occurrence and not a societal construct. For a man, it was assumed that he was born as a result of the xy chromosomes while xx chromosomes were found in a female body only. These determined a person’s gender and identity. Before the emergence of queer theory, this traditional view had been challenged by the scientific community which implied that both the female and male sexes are made up of both female and male hormones. Hence, a man can have female hormones while a woman can also contain male hormones. This claim deconstructed or shattered the gender issue. Nevertheless, it had little impact on the concept of sexuality. In his argument, Foucault stated that the notion of sexuality is socially constructed (Gamson, 2000). Hence, sexual and gender identities cannot be defined by a clear set boundary since change is inevitable. Further, Foucault argued that these actions to set a clear boundary between genders is a social construct aimed controlling gender and sexual identity practices so as to maintain the concept of heteronormativity (Spargo, 1999). On the other hand, butler stated that identity is reinforced and maintained via the process of performativity whereby similar repetitive actions over a period of time lead to the formation of an identity. However, this identity is only an illusion with no concrete inner core. Nonetheless, since two acts can not be similar in most instances, a single view and perception can not refer to and define the identity of all people but it advances the same regulatory norms that characterise institutions. Thus, identities are not static fixed forms, but are open and in constant change. In regard to both Butler and Foucault’s theories concerning the creation of an individual’s identity, queer theory represents a modern way of thinking that challenges the identity discourse. As a result, queer theory rejects clear and well defined categorisation of people into man / woman, male/ female and homosexual/heterosexual categories (Sullivan, 2003). This heteronormative discourse dictates and gives a rigid and un fluid description of male and female identities. Queer theory was not only aimed at challenging the rigid boundaries affecting the gay population, but also it included lesbians, transsexuals, bisexuals and even heterosexuals. The transgender prostitutes found in Brazil represent a clear example of a deviation from a normal gender expectations and categorisation (Kulick, 1998). In fact, in the present day world, the categories of bisexuality, heterosexuality and homosexuality stop to exist simply because the boundaries set or characteristics which define a man from a woman are non existent. As such, the difference between homosexuality and hetero sexuality ceases to exist. According to Sullivan (2003) queer politics tries to deconstruct heteronormativity views into pragmatic and real steps so as to influence and alter society’s traditional perceptions of sociality, gender, sexuality and sex. Although there are many ways of achieving this, the surest way is by queering popular culture. Though this, queer theory transforms the general public’s comprehension and beliefs of gender and sexuality via the manipulation of traditional cultural performances. Queer theory aims to establish and create a queer public made up of open minded progressive people who are accommodating to different sexualities and identities (Turner, 2000). Since queer theory is based on challenging the notion of identity, it fails to take into consideration the effect of the community thereby assuming that the community has no impact on the formation of identities. On the contrary, identity is mostly created via the influences off the community. For queer identities to be acknowledged and accepted, they must first be socially recognised. For example, a woman or female can not view herself as a lesbian if the society at first does not acknowledge the notion of homosexuality. Queer theory has in its course received criticisms from different quarters since its seen as being contradictory and utopian. Nevertheless, the theory is vital since it has strongly challenged normal discourses which encourage and maintain a patriarchal structure which is mainly or solely heterosexual. Thus, queer theory is valuable in the identification and understanding of sexual identities. In addition, the theory attempts to deconstruct the ideologies that encourage society’s heterosexual culture. Intersectionality or intersectionalism mainly deals with forms of repression, discrimination and domination. This concept can challenge the normal understanding of sexual identity, particularly with the black feminism which is associated with this theory. In this regard, black feminism claims that the a black woman’s experience cannot be comprehended in requisites of independently being black, and being of female gender, but must comprise interactions, which recurrently underpin each other. The gender identity understanding however precisely categorizes a person’s either as being male or female, paving way for the intersectionality theory to offer a greater challenge of our usual understanding. Additionally, some other imperative sexuality issues, especially those involving the locality of women and lesbians, are best comprehended through interscectional analyses. Widely, many gay rights policies do not adequately or significantly consider those of the gay community who ensue to be female, blue-collar, underprivileged or of color. Our normal view or political sexual policies stress that the gay and lesbians ought to be conventionalized and handed precisely equal rights as those belonging to the heterosexuals. This notion of equating rights is challenged by the intersectionality theory on the grounds that it fails to identify the economic inequalities that several women globally already experience. The intersectionality theory also provides insights on the importance of granting the men the independence they deserve. This disparity manifests in the society where women are accorded all the freedom and privacy especially in the family environment. Women can engage in sexual activities whether heterosexual or gay, while men are deprived of this freedom in the form of discrimination. For instance, in Mexico, the limitations of family life usually prohibit homosexuals from securing unhampered freedom to move out of family prior to them getting married or even in extreme circumstances they are barred from renting an apartment together with a male partner. This hinders their freedom to engage in sexual activities freely in other locations such as loggias. They are only limited to anonymous locale. Moreover, the culture of other countries decline to categorize people into either homo or hetero on the reason that individuals are firstly family members belonging to a greater society. Homosexual parents siring a child will suffer the pain of losing the child because they won’t undergo ‘normal marriage’. On the other hand, the child will experience pain because the society immensely defines a person by underlining the significance of filial devoutness. Hence, the intersection of the disapproved child coupled with the mighty family-centred societal organization is of a disadvantage to the child. Intersectionality theory also provides an insight on how several constructs of society and beliefs merge to strengthen social norms and censor dissent. Racism and heterosexism share a universal set of rules that are intended to control the people into accommodating the status quo. For instance, bigotry and heterosexism create confines around whom it is suitable to get intimate with and they emphasize the custom as principally white and heterosexual as in the case of the West (Levine-Rasky, 2011). Numerous societies worldwide still culturally dishearten the idea of inter-racial dating. Conclusion Both Queer Theory and Intersectionality Theory tend to challenge our understandings of sexual categories and identities. These theories advocate for a diverse society where differences are easily understood and accommodated. From these theories, it is evident that the groupings of gender, sexuality and sex are socially constructed and achieved via repetitive actions. Through their views, queer theory and intersectionality theory leads to the acceptance of non heteronormativity lifestyles and identities in society. This leads to acknowledgement of diversity and differences. References Aimone, J. O., & MacGillivray, C. A. (2000). Straight with a twist: Queer theory and the subject of heterosexuality. Univ of Illinois Pr. Gamson, J. (2000). Sexualities, queer theory, and qualitative research. Handbook of qualitative research, 2, 347-365. Halperin, D. M. (2003). The normalization of queer theory. Journal of homosexuality, 45(2-4), 339-343. Jagose, A. (1996). Queer theory. Kulick, D. (1998) Travesti: Sex, Gender and Culture among Brazilian Transgendered Prostitutes. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press Levine-Rasky, C. (2011). Intersectionality theory applied to whiteness and middle-classness. 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