Difference between revisions of "Queer Theory Ks"

Queer Theory Ks (view source)

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-Though Edelman is a common author for Queer Pessimism, Edelman is often seen as a problematic source due to being transphobic and/or racist.
+It is important to note, however, that all of the above explanation is predominantly that of Lee Edelman, who is the prominent author used in debate for Queer Pessimism. He is often seen as a problematic source due to being transphobic and/our racist.
-Common authors in the realm of Queer Theory include baedan, Puar (though a more difficult read due to its postmodernist lens), and Stanley.
+HOWEVER, there are also so many more queer theorists and theories beyond just that of Edelman's, which are important to know about. Below are three of the most commonly read queer theorists and an example of a queer theorist that has not yet been read in debate (but has potential). Note that these explanations are simplified and meant for a beginner audience–it is by no means an extensive explanation.
+'''1. Lee Edelman'''Edelman's thesis was described above. Some other good reads in this field of queer pessimism/negativity:
-Good Reads:
 baedan's works - available for free online, https://theanarchistlibrary.org/category/author/baedan
 Stanley, 2011, "Near Life, Queer Death: Overkill and Ontological Capture."
+'''2. Jasbir K. Puar'''
+Puar, less common than Edelman but still sometimes read, is primarily related to topics regarding terrorism, security, and citizenship. Puar argues that the agenda of LGBTQ+ rights by the West has become a tool of western imperialism. Post-9/11, Western states strategically posit themselves as a “queer-friendly nation” to legitimize and reinforce their own power while weaker, “homophobic states” are seen as in need of a savior. This has especially been applied against Muslim and Arab nations to result in massive violence through surveillance, racial profiling, and intervention. Furthermore, it creates a problematic logic that “the white straights save brown queers from brown straights.” For this reason, gay liberal rights discourses are still tied to the idea of citizenship due to their inherently racialized nature and thus are still problematic.
+The most commonly read alternative is to “affirm the queer suicide bomber.” Puar is not affirming violence, but rather arguing that we should disrupt the notion of a fixed West and broken rest. Whereas it is easy for the West to explain and justify colonialism (in the name of LGBTQ equality), it is difficult for the West to explain why people have committed suicide because suicide is tied to fear. If they cannot explain or justify certain atrocities in other countries, it becomes difficult for the West to use liberal-LGBTQ discourse as a bargaining chip for their political motives. Furthermore, the suicide bomber is especially powerful because it is invisible–anyone can be a bomber, and it can detonate at any time. By seeing queerness as no longer permanent and constantly shifting–once again–iit becomes difficult for the West to hold onto it as a political bargaining chip.
+To read more about this, see: "Terrorist assemblages: homonationalism in queer times"
+'''3. Paul B. Preciado'''
+A prominent author on healthcare topics, Paul B. Preciado analyzes the intersections between gender, sex, pharmaceuticals, and pornography. He uses his experiences as a transgender man to analyze broader systems of capitalism. He argues that we are in a “pharmacopornographic era” due to the commodification of gender and desire. If you look at industries such as pharmaceuticals, pornography, gender-affirming care, etc–all of these are provided by capitalists desiring profit. What’s even more concerning is that these very same capitalists are the ones that make us desire these commodities (ex: advertisements make us feel ugly if we don’t have the latest trend in fashion). In this sense, the new system of capitalism CREATES our subjectivities and defines our identities. People are denied the ability to be themselves/express their gender or desires if they lack the economic resources–in this way, only some people’s gender and identity are validated by society. The most common alternative is some variation of the gendercopyleft movement, which essentially advocates for the intoxication of various hormones beyond capitalist systems. Anyone and everyone can take whatever they want, and as such, it becomes impossible for our identity to be coded by gender norms and capitalism’s limiting constraints.
+To read more about this, see: “Testo Junkie: Sex, Drugs, and Biopolitics in the Pharmacopornographic era”
+'''4. Queer Theory Not Yet Read!'''
+Despite debaters reading a select bunch of authors, queer theory as a field beyond debate is so much more diverse. Something particularly fascinating is that there are subfields of queer theory that analyze a specific identity group–such as asexuality, bisexuality, transgender studies, etc. If queer theory is to become more prominent in the future, this could be one avenue for exploration. Below is a sample file (incomplete) of what specific identity-based queer theory could look like: