11.7 Queer theory

Queer theory challenges traditional ideas about gender and sexuality in TV. It examines how shows represent LGBTQ+ characters and themes, often reinforcing stereotypes but sometimes offering fresh perspectives.

This approach encourages viewers to question assumptions about identity and desire. It explores how even seemingly "straight" shows can be interpreted through a queer lens, revealing hidden meanings and subversive elements.

Origins of queer theory

• Queer theory emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a critical framework for analyzing gender, sexuality, and identity in literature, film, and other cultural texts
• Draws upon various intellectual traditions, including feminism, post-structuralism, and LGBT studies, to challenge dominant assumptions about sex, gender, and desire
• Seeks to destabilize fixed notions of identity and explore the complex, fluid, and often contradictory ways in which individuals experience and express their sexual and gendered selves

Influences from feminism

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• Builds upon feminist critiques of patriarchy and gender inequality, extending these analyses to include sexuality and non-normative gender identities
• Draws on feminist theories of social constructionism, which argue that gender is not a natural or essential category but rather a product of cultural and historical forces
• Incorporates insights from intersectional feminism, which examines how multiple forms of oppression (such as racism, classism, and heterosexism) intersect and shape the experiences of marginalized individuals

Influences from post-structuralism

• Adopts post-structuralist skepticism towards grand narratives and binary oppositions, such as male/female, heterosexual/homosexual, and natural/unnatural
• Draws on the work of Michel Foucault, who argued that sexuality is not a fixed or innate characteristic but rather a historically and culturally specific construct shaped by discourses of power and knowledge
• Engages with deconstructionist theories, such as those of Jacques Derrida, to reveal the instability and arbitrariness of linguistic and conceptual categories

Key theorists and texts

• Judith Butler, author of "Gender Trouble" (1990) and "Bodies That Matter" (1993), is a pioneering figure in queer theory who developed the concept of gender performativity
• Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, author of "Epistemology of the Closet" (1990), analyzed the centrality of the homosexual/heterosexual binary in Western culture and its impact on literature and social relations
• Other influential theorists include Teresa de Lauretis, who coined the term "queer theory" in 1991, and Michael Warner, author of "Fear of a Queer Planet" (1993)

Core concepts in queer theory

• Queer theory challenges essentialist notions of gender and sexuality, arguing that these categories are socially constructed and historically contingent rather than natural or fixed
• Emphasizes the fluidity, multiplicity, and instability of sexual and gendered identities, rejecting the idea that individuals can be neatly classified into discrete categories such as "gay," "straight," "male," or "female"
• Examines how dominant cultural norms and institutions, such as heterosexuality and traditional gender roles, are produced and maintained through the regulation and marginalization of non-normative identities and practices

Challenging binary categories

• Rejects the binary opposition between heterosexuality and homosexuality, arguing that these categories are not mutually exclusive or exhaustive and that individuals may experience desire and attraction in complex and shifting ways
• Critiques the gender binary of male and female, recognizing the existence of non-binary, genderqueer, and transgender identities that do not fit neatly into either category
• Challenges the distinction between sex (as a biological category) and gender (as a social category), arguing that both are culturally constructed and intersect in complex ways

Fluidity and instability of identity

• Emphasizes the fluid, multiple, and contingent nature of sexual and gendered identities, recognizing that individuals may identify differently at different times and in different contexts
• Rejects the notion of a stable, coherent, or essential self, arguing that identity is always in process and subject to change and transformation
• Explores how individuals negotiate and resist dominant categories of identity, often through practices of self-fashioning, performance, and experimentation

Performativity of gender and sexuality

• Draws on Judith Butler's concept of gender performativity, which argues that gender is not a natural or innate characteristic but rather a repeated and stylized performance that creates the illusion of a stable and coherent gendered self
• Extends the concept of performativity to sexuality, recognizing that sexual identities and desires are also produced through the repetition of culturally scripted acts and gestures
• Examines how individuals can subvert or resist dominant gender and sexual norms through practices of parody, drag, and other forms of transgressive performance

Heteronormativity and its critique

• Analyzes the ways in which heterosexuality is constructed as the natural, normal, and inevitable form of sexual and romantic desire, marginalizing and pathologizing other forms of sexuality
• Examines how heteronormativity is reinforced through cultural institutions such as marriage, family, and the media, as well as through everyday practices and interactions
• Critiques the privileging of heterosexuality and the marginalization of non-normative sexualities, arguing that this system of power and inequality is socially constructed and can be challenged and transformed

Queer representation in television

• Queer theory has had a significant impact on the study of television, providing new frameworks for analyzing the representation of LGBTQ+ characters, storylines, and themes
• Examines how television both reflects and shapes cultural attitudes towards gender and sexuality, often perpetuating dominant norms and stereotypes while also providing spaces for resistance and alternative representations
• Explores the complex and often contradictory ways in which queer identities and desires are depicted on television, from explicit representation to subtle coding and subtext

History of queer characters on TV

• Traces the evolution of queer representation on television, from early stereotypes and negative portrayals to more complex and nuanced depictions in recent years
• Examines landmark moments in queer TV history, such as the first gay kiss on "L.A. Law" (1991) or the coming out of Ellen DeGeneres on her sitcom "Ellen" (1997)
• Analyzes how changing social and political attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights have influenced the representation of queer characters and storylines on television

Stereotypes and tropes

• Critiques the use of stereotypical or reductive tropes in the representation of queer characters, such as the "gay best friend," the "tragic gay," or the "predatory lesbian"
• Examines how these tropes often serve to marginalize or tokenize queer identities, reducing them to a single defining characteristic or narrative function
• Explores how stereotypes can be subverted or reclaimed through irony, parody, or other forms of critical engagement

Positive vs problematic portrayals

• Analyzes the difference between positive and problematic representations of queer characters and storylines on television
• Examines how positive portrayals can provide important visibility and validation for LGBTQ+ audiences, while also challenging dominant assumptions and prejudices
• Critiques problematic portrayals that perpetuate harmful stereotypes, erase or marginalize queer identities, or present queer characters as objects of ridicule or pity

Intersectionality in queer representation

• Examines how queer identities intersect with other forms of marginalization, such as race, class, disability, and age, in the representation of LGBTQ+ characters on television
• Analyzes how the experiences and perspectives of queer people of color, working-class queer people, or queer people with disabilities are often erased or marginalized in mainstream queer representation
• Explores how intersectional approaches can provide a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of queer identities and experiences on television

Queer readings of television texts

• Queer theory provides a framework for analyzing television texts through a lens that challenges heteronormative assumptions and explores the queer potential of even seemingly "straight" narratives
• Examines how television can be "queered" through subversive readings that uncover hidden or subtextual meanings, as well as through the appropriation and reinterpretation of texts by queer audiences
• Explores how queer readings can provide alternative or oppositional perspectives on television texts, challenging dominant ideologies and creating spaces for queer pleasure and identification

Subtext and coding

• Analyzes how queer meanings can be encoded in television texts through subtle hints, allusions, or visual cues, even in the absence of explicit LGBTQ+ representation
• Examines how queer audiences have historically read between the lines of mainstream media texts, uncovering subtextual queer narratives and characters
• Explores how coding can function as a form of resistance or subversion, allowing queer meanings to circulate within dominant cultural forms

Camp aesthetics and sensibilities

• Examines how camp, as a queer aesthetic sensibility characterized by irony, exaggeration, and artifice, has shaped the production and reception of television texts
• Analyzes how camp can be used to subvert or critique dominant gender and sexual norms, as well as to create spaces for queer pleasure and identification
• Explores how camp sensibilities have influenced various television genres, from sitcoms and soap operas to reality TV and animation

Queer fan cultures and interpretations

• Examines how queer audiences have historically engaged with television texts through practices of fan culture, such as slash fiction, video remixes, and online communities
• Analyzes how these practices can provide alternative or oppositional readings of mainstream texts, as well as create new narratives and representations that center queer desires and experiences
• Explores how queer fan cultures can function as spaces of community, resistance, and cultural production, challenging dominant assumptions about authorship, ownership, and interpretation

Queering heteronormative narratives

• Examines how seemingly "straight" or heteronormative television narratives can be "queered" through subversive readings that challenge binary assumptions about gender and sexuality
• Analyzes how queer readings can uncover the instability or artificiality of heterosexual norms and institutions, such as marriage, family, and romantic love
• Explores how queering can provide a critical lens for analyzing the power dynamics and ideologies that shape television texts, as well as the cultural and political contexts in which they are produced and consumed

Impact of queer theory on television studies

• Queer theory has had a significant impact on the field of television studies, challenging dominant paradigms and expanding the scope of analysis beyond heteronormative assumptions and binary categories
• Has provided new frameworks for analyzing the representation of gender and sexuality on television, as well as the ways in which audiences engage with and interpret television texts
• Has contributed to a broader shift in media studies towards more intersectional, interdisciplinary, and politically engaged approaches to the study of television and other forms of popular culture

Challenging dominant paradigms

• Challenges the heteronormative assumptions that have historically shaped the study of television, such as the privileging of "family-friendly" content or the marginalization of LGBTQ+ perspectives
• Critiques the binary categories and essentialist notions of gender and sexuality that have often been taken for granted in television studies, such as the assumption of a clear distinction between "masculine" and "feminine" genres or the conflation of sexual identity with sexual behavior
• Provides alternative frameworks for analyzing television texts and audiences, such as queer reading practices, camp aesthetics, and non-binary conceptions of gender and sexuality

Expanding notions of gender and sexuality

• Expands the scope of analysis in television studies beyond the narrow focus on heterosexual norms and binary gender categories
• Examines how television both reflects and shapes cultural attitudes towards a wide range of gender and sexual identities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and non-binary identities
• Explores how television can provide spaces for the expression and exploration of non-normative desires, practices, and forms of intimacy, as well as for the critique and subversion of dominant gender and sexual norms

Influencing production and creative practices

• Examines how queer theory has influenced the production and creative practices of television, from the inclusion of more diverse LGBTQ+ characters and storylines to the development of new genres and formats that challenge heteronormative assumptions
• Analyzes how queer creators and audiences have used television as a platform for activism, resistance, and cultural production, creating new narratives and representations that center queer experiences and perspectives
• Explores how the mainstreaming of queer representation on television has both reflected and contributed to broader social and political changes, such as the growing visibility and acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities and rights

Shaping critical discourse and analysis

• Examines how queer theory has shaped the critical discourse and analysis of television, providing new vocabularies and conceptual frameworks for understanding the complex intersections of gender, sexuality, race, class, and other forms of identity and power
• Analyzes how queer theoretical approaches have challenged dominant paradigms of media studies, such as the emphasis on textual analysis over audience reception or the privileging of "high culture" over popular culture
• Explores how queer theory has contributed to the development of new methodologies and approaches in television studies, such as ethnographic studies of queer audiences, close readings of queer subtexts and coding, and historical analyses of queer representation and activism in the media