Queer theory

Introduction:
First coined by Italian feminist Teresa de Lauretis, Queer used to be at best
a slang word for homosexuals and at worst used for homophobic abuse.
Currently it's used as an umbrella term for a coalition of sexual identities
that are culturally marginalized, and at other times, to create discourse
surrounding the theoretical model presented by more traditional lesbian and
gay studies. According to Jagose, author of Queer theory: an introduction,
"Queer focuses on mismatches between sex, gender and desire. For most,
queer has been prominently associated with those who identify as lesbian
and gay. Queer is more than just gay and lesbian, and also includes
cross-dressing, hermaphroditism, gender ambiguity and gender-corrective
surgery. Queer theory builds both upon feminist challenges to the idea that
gender is part of the essential self and upon gay/lesbian studies' close
examination of the socially constructed nature of sexual acts and identities.
Whereas gay/lesbian studies focused its inquiries into natural and
unnatural behaviour with respect to homosexual behaviour, queer theory
expands its focus to encompass any kind of sexual activity or identity that
falls into normative and deviant categories.
Queer is an all inclusive term for those not only deemed as sexually deviant
in relations to a social hegemony but also used to describe those who feel
marginalized as a result of social practices and identity. It is a site of
permanent becoming1

Queer in India and world

Poststructuralism and Queer theory
In queer theory there is a deconstruction of natural and unnatural sexual
behaviour, s deconstructionist critique on issues of sexual identities and on
the construction of the so called traditional normative straight ideology. It
is essentially a poststructural theory as it draws ideas(not exclusively) of
Poststructuralism as associated with the writings of French theorists Michel
Foucault, Jacques Derrida and others. Poststructuralism refers to a manner
of interpreting selves and the social which breaks with traditional notions.
Traditionally individuals are thought to be as free-thinking subjects on the
basis where one conceives a political or moral action.
Poststructuralism challenges this assumption. Subjects are not the
autonomous creator of themselves or their social world. Rather they are
embedded in a complex network of social relations. These in turn define the
subjects, their position and in what capacity.
Hence it affords a potentially liberating space, a space of plural,
decentred, multiple or constantly destabilised subject-positions where
identities can no longer be defined according to such old essentialist
notions as gender or class-affiliation.
So does queer; it challenges the idea of binary male and female as well as
deconstruction of heterosexuality and provides a plural space of more
genders and sexual behaviours.

The binary of homosexuality and heterosexuality:

Queer theory lays emphasis on rejecting the idea that heterosexuality is
natural and homosexuality is unnatural. To understand it, one needs to take
the help of idea of supplementarity. It refers to a way of thinking about
how meanings are established "Supplement" suggests that meanings are
organised through difference, in a dynamic play of presence and absence. In
criticising Levi Strauss on writing and speech of Nambikwara tribe, there is
use of the idea of supplementarity.
The notion of supplementarity is used widely in queer theory debates.
Homosexuality as focault points out is a modern construction in medical and
legal discourses. It appears only recently and is always defined in relation to
heterosexuality. Originally homosexuality is a taxonomic device employed in
sexology, but later gained currency in judicial and psychiatric discourses. It
is considered supplement to heterosexuality. Traditional acceptance is that
heterosexuality is natural and homosexuality is unnatural. Even today, many
countries have laws banning homosexuality. This emergence of
homosexuality in modern legal and medical discourse not only brought
attention to this marginalised community but also engendered a paradox.
Those who are visible about their sexuality and those who are not. To
foreground that only those processes that resulted historically in formation
of homosexuality implies that heterosexuality is historically a self evident,
stable and natural order. This assumption is naturalized in a culture that
understands homosexuality as a derivative of heterosexuality.
The most important implication is the binary construction of homosexuality
and heterosexuality. There is no place for anyone outside these or someone
in between. One can outrightly describe themselves as lesbian or gay or
bisexual. This affirmation is possible due to two assumptions: one is the
centrality of heterosexuality and accepted as dominant sexual behaviour, the
second is the existence of gays, lesbians and bisexuals who are not out, but
inside.
What is noteworthy is the difficulty to locate one self outside of the dominant
discourse. That is to define one's sexual identity outside the norm, they have
define themselves inside the norms.
Queer theory recognises this impossibility of moving out side these accepted
sexualities. Because it defines sexualities in relation to one another, we
cannot assert ourselves to be entirely outside heterosexuality or entirely
inside it. Even naturalising homosexuality is also challenged by queer theory
as naturalising poses the problem of not being able to define outside these
natural. I.e it is densturalised.
Even the naturalisation of heterosexuality is also questioned and
deconstructed by queer theorists. Heterosexuality is considered equally a
construction whose mood is dependent on changing cultural models. It is a
normal historical construction rather than it being a natural order of the
society or nature. Thus homosexuality and heterosexuality are defined in
relation to one another. This is where the supplementarity i.e play of
absence and presence of homo/heterosexuality will help us to understand
the wide spectrum modern sexuality and identities.
Biological and psychological basis of gender:
Sex and gender are traditionally considered binary. But today we know that
there are many other alternative possibilities and gender is considered by
many as fluid.
Biological as well as in the medical academics, initially sex was determined
based on XX or XY(genotypes) chromosomes in humans. But later it was
found out that other genotypes like as in XXY( in Klinefelter syndrome).
They don't fall into the binary of male and female. While considering the
psychological basis there is a need to include or atleast consider the
possibility of other genders like transgender, agenders, hermaphrodites etc.
Intersex individuals may for various biological reasons have sexual
characteristics that the dominant medical discourse regards as disorderd,
while they might be normal or as common as normal of strictly male or
female. In this context queer theory emphasises that biology and culture
shouldnt be treated independently and their interaction should be dealt.
HIV/Aids: Queer theory helped in raising awareness about HIV and aids.
Because they being marginalised homosexuals, transgenders and other
genders are more at risk because of they being not visible in the society.
Queer actually helped in many ways by creating awareness as well bringing
the discussion of alternative sexualities, other genders and behaviours to
political, social academic and legal discourses. They also influenced many
policies and laws of the governments around the world.
It is instrumental in rejecting the idea that aids is a gay disease and made
an effort towards it being accepted that its can affect any one regardless of
their gender and sexuality. Queer also brought safety to these marginalised
by bringing recognition and acceptance among many societies.
Queer and language:
Even a simple thought of usage of pronouns in languages clearly points to
the languages inability to define the whole spectrum of genders. The early
discourses on sexuality were mainly structured around language whether its
Focault or Derrida or Butler and others. The very academic discourses on sex
are either prohibited and repressed. It is considered as a private matter
among individuals who are married. Still this idea is prominent and dominant
among many societies and countries. Any talk or even using the word itself
is considered a taboo. For example in India such usage is censored in
movies. Even if there is a discourse heteronormativity dominated. But
recently due to active and vocal Queer community there is increasing
acceptance both in society as well as in academics.
Criticism:
Queer theory is generally criticised for:
1. Completely obscuring the material conditions under which the
discourse exists. It just extrapolates the textual analysis to the
society.
2. It is also argued that queer theory ignores the social and institutional
conditions in which homosexuals live.
3. The very base of queer theory is rejecting or deconstructing the
norms, but some rather try to make queer a norm or make norms for
queer.
 4. Also because of its commitment to deconstruction it becomes difficult
to speak of gays and lesbians as they are denaturalized.
Conclusion:
Despite all the above criticisms queer is very instrumental in recognising the
rights and the ideas of alternative sexualities and genders. Queer theory is
so vast and even attempting to give an introduction in just few thousand
words is futile. What this paper tried is to take look into the definition of
queer theory and its post structural links. It is a very dynamic and should
continuously evolve. As Judith butler pointed out: normalising queer will
be its sad end.

Bibliography
1. Wikipedia.org
2. Queer theory: An introduction
3. A sociological approach to sexuality, ki namaste
4. Gender trouble, Judith Butler
5. Giffney, Noreen (2004). "Denormatizing Queer Theory: More Than
(Simply) Lesbian and Gay Studies". Feminist Theory. 5: 73.
6. Kemp, Jonathan (2009). "Queer Past, Queer Present, Queer Future