Lecture # 12
Desiring Subjects/Queering Subjects
Queer theory is a theory of sociology (or philosophy), which criticizes mainly the
concept of gender, feminism, and the preconceived idea of genetic determinism in sexual
orientaion.
Here, we need to return to question the idea of two categories:
Men & Women and to problematize the universality of these two categories
The readings for today work to show how the category “Man” and the category
“Woman” often work to obscure rather than reveal the actual lived experiences of many
of those who people who are defined as men and women.
Adrienne Rich and compulsory heterosexuality
This essay by Rich was groundbreaking when it first appeared in 1980. Since then,
feminist theorists have worked to address both the challenges this essay offered and to
identify its limitations
Rich works to produce and define three terms:
1.
2.
3.
Lesbian Existence
compulsory heterosexuality
lesbian continuum
compulsory heterosexuality: this defines a way of thinking that places
heterosexuality as normal and natural, but also expected, demanded and anticipated
and therefore compulsory.
With compulsory heterosexuality there is no range presented, everyone is assumed to
be heterosexual unless otherwise specifically stated. This assumes that
heterosexuality has always been the norm constituting an unchanging sexual system
that is universal.
Institutions produce and reinforce it.
Compulsory heterosexuality makes lesbian existence non existent or if existing then
lesbianism is produced as deviant, aberrant and hated.
If women lived outside this patriarchal heterosexual matrix, would women choose
hetero relations and marriage?
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Lesbians exist and have always existed and this reality pushes against
heteronormativity.
For Rich, she defines the lesbian continuum as all aspects of women’s relations to one
another without a necessarily sexual component [ for example: mothers, daughters,
girlfriends, sisters, etc]
There are 3 specific points of critique to consider with respect to Rich’s
groundbreaking article
1. Rich uses the term patriarchy, but uses it in a way that presumes an essentialist,
universal notion of patriarchy that is ahistorical. Which means that Rich does not
problematize or historicize what she means by patriarchy.
Patriarchy (from Greek: patria meaning father and arché meaning rule) is the
anthropological term used to define the sociological condition where male members of a
society tend to predominate in positions of power; with the more powerful the position,
the more likely it is that a male will hold that position.
2. making patriarchy the main site of women’s oppression enacts its own form of
harm and violence against women for whom gender and sexuality is not the
dominant way that they experience their oppression. It is important that women
have their own relations and imbalances of power.
3. Rich’s notion of a lesbian continuum is also ahistorical. By producing this
category of a lesbian continuum to which she advances that all women belong,
Rich renders invisible women’s desire and the specificity and particularity of
lesbian existence.
Having identified what is problematic in Rich’s argument, it is equally important to
acknowledge that identifying and defining compulsory heterosexuality has helped to see
what has for a long time has appeared as so natural and normal as to make all else
invisible or deviant.
The relation between Rich’s article and Kenneth Clatterbaugh’s article is to help us see,
how those who are heterosexual, white, middle class, able bodied, Christian, etc. are
often the model or presumed as the universal norm, while those who differ from any of
these already complex categories are considered special interest groups, minorities,
“special cases” which are named as such and either effaced or produced as outside the
norm, which has complex effects on all of us and how we are able to experience and
understand our world and our relations within it.
Another aspect I would like you to consider is that “gay” is a term that is often equally
applied to homosexual men and lesbian women, and yet using the term gay or
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homosexual to refer to lesbian women also works to efface the gendered specificity of
their experience.
In the early days of the second wave of the women’s movement, the movement was
dominated by the voices of white, heterosexual middle class women. The issue that
became apparent was that other concerns such as racism, ablism, homophobia and ageism
where considered add ons as other issues certain groups had to contend with, but as
hopefully we have seen since the beginning of this course one’s complex identity and the
issues one has to confront are not merely add ons but shape of very identities and our
daily existence.
The dominant form of masculinity is substantially shaped and maintained by
homophobia, this fear is embedded in masculine gender roles, stereotypes and male
ideals.
Gay: implies a social identity and consciousness which is actively chosen
Homosexual: refers to a specific form of sexuality.
Homophobia: the intense fear and hatred of those in society considered or suspected of
being homosexual.
Homophobia as Clatterbaugh argues often works to shape emerging masculinities. From
a young age a deep fear and hatred is instilled in boys against homosexuality. Often, the
proof of one’s masculinity is through a deep, consistent and quotidian repudiation of
homosexuality. By extension, boys grow up having to shape themselves as men by
distancing themselves from anything that could remotely be associated with
homosexuality and femininity, and doing so limits the potentiality of their humanity both
toward themselves and toward others.
Yet, it is equally true that neither heterosexuality nor homosexuality are universal
categories
some ways to being men and women
conservative male stance: encourages homophobia and the protection of male privilege
REAL women: conservative women’s groups who advocate traditional roles for men and
women
Father’s Rights Groups who pathologize the changes in women’s rights in the larger
society
Those (men and women) who oppose patriarchal ideology
Those who advocate for separate realms for men and women, etc.
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Clatterbaugh also discusses masculinity and racialization. Again being black and male is
not a universal category, nor is racism narrowed to black/white binary
Hypermasculinity when adopted by black men can be a defensive stance against racism
and yet at the same time can work to further entrench racist stereotypes about black men.
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