Assignment Paper: 22409 Paper 204: Contemporary Western Theories and Film Studies

 

Name: Nilay Rathod

Roll No: 17

Enrollment No.: 4069206420210030

Paper: 22409 Paper 204: Contemporary Western Theories and Film Studies

Sem 3: (Batch 2021-23)

Submitted to: Smt S.B. Gardi Department of English, M.K. Bhavnagar University

LGBTQ History: The Evolution and Development of LGBTQ Rights in America

There is an abundance of history when it comes to the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community. The history of the LGBTQ community dates back centuries. However, the modern fight for rights and recognition of these individuals as a social group began in the early 20th century. There have been many advancements made in regards to LGBTQ rights over the years. From same-sex marriage being legalized in certain states to public support for LGBTQ individuals growing every year – here is a breakdown of everything you need to know about LGBTQ history.

What Does LGBTQ Stand For?

A popular LGBTQ acronym is LGBQT. The “Q” represents the “Queer” community. The “L” represents Lesbian. The “G” represents Gay. Those who identify as Bisexual are represented by the “B”. So what does “T” stand for? “T” is an abbreviation for Transgender. So the full acronym is LGBTQ. There are many variations of this acronym as well. LGBTQ can also be referred to as LGBTQIA or LGBTQ+ – with the “+” representing other sexual communities such as BDSM, polyamorous, and kink.

When it comes to defining the LGBTQ community, there are three main categories which are the most common. The first two are Lesbian and Gay. Lesbian refers to women who are attracted to other women, while gay is a gender-neutral term for men and women who are attracted to members of the same gender. Bisexual refers to individuals who are attracted to both men and women. The last category is Transgender. The term transgender refers to someone whose gender identity does not match the sex assigned to them at birth. The T in LGBTQ stands for “transgender” or “trans.” These are just a few of the most common terms used to describe people in the LGBTQ community. There are many others that are used to identify different people and their respective sexual and/or gender identities.

Queer Theory:

Queer theory is "a set of critical approaches to literature, film, new media, and philosophy that emphasizes interrogations of gender, sexuality, embodiment, and identifications" Queer theory challenges the stability of identity categories like "man" and "woman" (Bersani and Evans 3).

Queer theory emphasizes "the epistemological and ontological commitments of queer analysis: to Trouble identity, to deconstruct the naturalized and essentializing discourse of sexuality, and to deconstruct the hegemony of heterosexuality". The first wave of queer theory began in the early 1990s. Some of the major figures in queer theory include Judith Butler, Eve Sedgwick, and Michel Foucault. Queer theory has its roots in feminist theory, critical race theory, and post-structuralism (Bersani and Evans 3).

One of the challenges that queer theory faces is its lack of diversity. Queer theory has been accused of displacing race and class as analytical categories (Bersani and Evans 3).

Despite its challenges, queer theory has made significant contributions to our understanding of gender, sexuality, and embodiment (Bersani and Evans 3).

Criticism:

Queer criticism or queer theory is "a field of literary and cultural analysis that emerged in the early 1990s out of the study of lesbian and gay issues in literature and culture." (Halberstam) As a critical practice, queer theory engages with a wide range of texts and textuality, LAPD scanners live including film, television,regulation radio, art, popular culture, law, and medications/pharmaceuticals. In doing so, queer theory work intentionally moves across and beyond the boundaries of traditional academic disciplines. Queer theory is not simply about lesbian and gay issues, nor is it limited to the study of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) texts and culture. Rather, queer theory's goal is to decenter dominant heterosexual paradigms and make visible the ways in which power operates to produce normative citizens and subjects.

In recent years, queer theory has been critiqued for its perceived lack of engagement with race, class, and other axes of difference. These critiques have led to the development of queer of color critique and other "intersectional" approaches to queer theory.2 Queer theory continues to evolve in response to new developments in the field of LGBT studies, as well as the changing social, political, and cultural landscape.

Queer theory has its roots in the early-20th-century European avant-garde,3 as well as in the social and political upheavals of the 1960s.4 In the United States, the Stonewall riots of 1969 are often cited as a key moment in the development of queer theory and queer politics.5 The early 1990s saw the emergence of queer theory as a distinct field of inquiry with the publication of several important books, including Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's Epistemology of the Closet (1990), Judith Butler's Gender Trouble (1990), and Donna Haraway's "Situated Knowledges" (1988).6

In Epistemology of the Closet, Sedgwick argues that the closet is not just a metaphor for homosexual invisibility, but also a epistemic regime that structures Western knowledge. (Sedgwick) Sedgwick's work was groundbreaking in its suggestion that queerness is not simply an individual trait, but is also a social and political construct. In Gender Trouble, Butler challenges the notion that there are two distinct and opposite sexes, arguing instead that gender is performative - that is, it is something that we do rather than something that we are. (Butler) Building on the work of Sedgwick and Butler, Haraway's "Situated Knowledges" proposes a "cyborg politics" that decenters the human subject and calls for a coalition between humans and technology against oppressive systems of power. (Haraway)

The early 1990s also saw the rise of queer of color critique,(Anzaldúa) a mode of scholarship that challenges the white supremacy of both queer theory and the academy more broadly.(Crenshaw) These critiques have led to the development of more intersectional approaches to queer theory, as well as to a renewed focus on the material realities of queer lives.(Halberstam)

While queer theory has its origins in the academy, it has also been deeply influenced by the activist traditions of the LGBT rights movement. Queer theory's engagement with popular culture has been a key aspect of this influence, as has its commitment to thinking about sexuality beyond the binary of heterosexuality and homosexuality.

In the past few years, queer theory has been critiqued for its perceived lack of engagement with race, class, and other axes of difference. These critiques have led to the development of queer of color critique and other "intersectional" approaches to queer theory. Queer theory continues to evolve in response to new developments in the field of LGBT studies, as well as the changing social, political, and cultural landscape.

What Queer Critics Do?

Analyzing popular culture through a queer lens can seem like a daunting task, but it is one that lesbian and gay critics have been undertaking for years. In order to better understand what these critics do, it is first important to understand what queer theory is. queer theory is “an approach to literary and cultural analysis that attends to the ways in which sexual identity is produced and contested in everyday life” ( Eagleton 1). In other words, queer theory is concerned with the ways that sexuality is socially constructed and the ways that it can be deconstructed.

Lesbian and gay critics use queer theory to examine popular culture in order to better understand how sexuality is represented therein. They often look at how heterosexuality is presented as the norm and how non-heterosexuality is portrayed as deviant. These critics also look at the ways in which gender roles are constricting and how they can be challenged. In addition, lesbian and gay critics often examine the ways in which popular culture can be used to empower queer people.

So, what do lesbian and gay critics do? They use queer theory to examine popular culture in order to better understand the construction of sexuality and gender. They often look at how heterosexuality is presented as the norm and how non-heterosexuality is portrayed as deviant. In addition, these critics look at the ways in which gender roles are constricting and how they can be challenged. Finally, lesbian and gay critics often examine the ways in which popular culture can be used to empower queer people.

1900s – Stonewall and the Fight for LGBTQ Rights

The LGBTQ community has been fighting for their rights since the early 20th century. It all began with the Stonewall Riots in 1969. What were the Stonewall Riots? The Stonewall Riots were a series of violent demonstrations against the criminalization of homosexuality. They took place at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. What sparked the Stonewall Riots? At the time, homosexuality was illegal in New York City. On June 28, 1969, the police raided the Stonewall Inn. During the raid, patrons fought back against the police officers – leading to 5 days of demonstrations. The Stonewall Riots marked the beginning of the modern fight for LGBTQ rights in the United States. What were some of the major milestones in the fight for LGBTQ rights? Predominantly during the 1990s and early 2000s, there were multiple legal victories that paved the way for greater LGBTQ rights and recognition in the future. Here are some of the most significant victories and milestones in the fight for LGBTQ rights.

2010-Present: Marriage Equality and Beyond

One of the most significant legal victories of the 2000s was the legalization of same-sex marriage in certain states. As the 2010s progressed, more and more states began to legalize same-sex marriage. In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage – making it legal to marry someone of the same sex across the nation. There have also been greater efforts to acknowledge and support the transgender community. What are some of the most significant milestones from the 2010s and present? There are many significant milestones from the present day. Here are a few of the most significant ones.

Rights and Recognition

The LGBTQ community has seen great advancements in regards to rights and recognition. What are some of the rights LGBTQ individuals have? Recognition: The LGBTQ community has seen more recognition in the form of greater visibility and inclusion in the media. This includes a more prominent presence in popular culture and society at large. Increased Visibility: The LGBTQ community has seen more visibility in the form of increased numbers of open LGBTQ-identifying individuals. This is not just the case in smaller communities such as the kink or polyamory community but in the larger communities as well. Increased Accessibility: The LGBTQ community has seen more accessibility in the form of greater ease of access to resources and information helpful to the LGBTQ community. This includes online and offline support networks, information about LGBTQ health and safety, resources for LGBTQ individuals, and so on.

Conclusion

The LGBTQ community has a long and rich history. There have been many victories along the way towards greater acceptance and recognition. There is still work to be done but many strategists believe that we have entered a new era of social progress. The fight for LGBTQ rights is not over – it is evolving and developing as each new generation works to make the world a better place for all.

Works Cited:

Anzaldúa, Gloria. Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza. San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books, 1987.

Bersani, Leo, and Jonathan Dollimore, eds. Queer Theory and the Jewish Question. New York: Columbia UP, 2003.

Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge, 1990.

Crenshaw, Kimberlé, Neil Gotanda, Gary Peller, and Kendall Thomas, eds. Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings That Formed the Movement. New York: New Press, 1995.

Eagleton, Terry. "What Is Queer Theory?" PMLA: Publications of the Modern Language Association of America 111.3 (May 1996): 344-57.

Evans, Dylan. An Introductory Dictionary of Lacanian Psychoanalysis. London: Routledge, 1996.

Halberstam, Judith. "What Is Queer Theory? What Is Queer Theory For?" Social Text 19, no. 2 (2001): 1-15. http://www.jstor.org/stable/468366.

Haraway, Donna. "Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective." Feminist Studies 14, no. 3 (1988): 575-99. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3178066.

"Queer Theory." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 12 Dec. 2016, plato.stanford.edu/entries/queer-theory/.

Sedgwick, Eve Kosofsky. Epistemology of the Closet. Berkeley: University of California, 1990.