7.3 Queer theory and performance
10 min read•august 21, 2024
Queer theory in performance studies challenges traditional notions of gender and sexuality. It examines how identities are constructed and expressed through various forms of performance, from theater to everyday life. This approach emphasizes fluidity, non-normative expressions, and the power of performance to subvert societal norms.
Key concepts include , challenging , and exploring . , both physical and digital, play a crucial role in fostering community and creativity. is also central, examining how multiple identities intersect in queer experiences and performances.
Origins of queer theory
- Emerged in the early 1990s as a critical approach to understanding gender, sexuality, and identity in performance studies
- Challenges traditional binary thinking about gender and sexuality, emphasizing fluidity and non-normative expressions
- Intersects with feminist theory, gay and lesbian studies, and critical theory to examine power structures and social norms
Foundations in gender studies
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- Builds upon feminist scholarship examining social construction of gender roles
- Explores how gender is performed and reinforced through daily actions and behaviors
- Critiques essentialist views of gender, highlighting its cultural and historical variability
- Incorporates ideas from Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second Sex" and Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique"
Influence of poststructuralism
- Draws on poststructuralist theories questioning fixed meanings and stable identities
- Utilizes Jacques Derrida's concept of deconstruction to analyze binary oppositions in gender and sexuality
- Incorporates Michel Foucault's ideas on power, discourse, and the social construction of sexuality
- Challenges grand narratives and universal truths about gender and sexual identity
Key theorists and texts
- 's "Gender Trouble" (1990) introduces the concept of gender performativity
- Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's "Epistemology of the Closet" (1990) examines the homo/heterosexual binary
- Michael Warner's "Fear of a Queer Planet" (1993) explores queer politics and social theory
- Teresa de Lauretis coins the term "queer theory" in a 1991 special issue of differences journal
- Jack Halberstam's "Female Masculinity" (1998) investigates non-male expressions of masculinity
Queer identity in performance
- Explores how queer identities are expressed, constructed, and challenged through various forms of performance
- Examines the ways performance can subvert societal norms and expectations surrounding gender and sexuality
- Investigates the role of the body, voice, and movement in conveying queer experiences and perspectives
Challenging heteronormativity
- Questions and disrupts societal assumptions about heterosexuality as the default or "normal" sexual orientation
- Utilizes performance to expose and critique heteronormative structures in society and culture
- Explores non-heterosexual relationships and desires in theatrical productions and performance art
- Employs techniques such as gender-blind casting and reinterpretation of classic texts
Gender performativity
- Based on Judith Butler's theory that gender is not innate but performed through repeated actions
- Examines how performers embody and express gender through costume, movement, and voice
- Explores the fluidity of gender identity and expression in performance contexts
- Analyzes how drag performances can highlight the constructed nature of gender roles
Drag and gender subversion
- Investigates drag as a form of performance that challenges and parodies gender norms
- Examines the history and evolution of drag performances in various cultural contexts
- Explores how drag kings and queens use exaggeration and to critique gender stereotypes
- Analyzes the impact of mainstream representations of drag (RuPaul's Drag Race) on queer culture
Queer aesthetics
- Explores distinctive artistic and stylistic elements associated with queer culture and expression
- Examines how queer aesthetics challenge conventional notions of beauty, taste, and artistic value
- Investigates the role of queer aesthetics in creating visibility and community for LGBTQ+ individuals
Camp sensibility
- Analyzes camp as an ironic, exaggerated, and often humorous aesthetic style associated with queer culture
- Explores the use of camp in performance to critique social norms and celebrate marginalized identities
- Examines the historical roots of camp in gay subcultures and its evolution into mainstream popular culture
- Investigates how camp aesthetics can both empower and potentially reinforce stereotypes about LGBTQ+ individuals
Disidentification strategies
- Based on 's concept of working within and against dominant cultural forms
- Explores how queer performers reappropriate and transform mainstream cultural elements
- Examines the use of parody, pastiche, and remix in queer performance to subvert heteronormative narratives
- Analyzes how disidentification can create new spaces for marginalized identities within dominant culture
Queer temporality
- Investigates non-linear and alternative conceptions of time in queer performance and theory
- Explores how challenges traditional notions of progress, reproduction, and futurity
- Examines the use of anachronism, repetition, and circular narratives in queer performance works
- Analyzes how queer temporality relates to concepts of memory, history, and intergenerational connection
Queer performance spaces
- Examines the physical and virtual environments where queer performances take place
- Investigates how these spaces foster community, creativity, and political activism for LGBTQ+ individuals
- Explores the historical and contemporary significance of queer-specific performance venues
LGBTQ+ theater companies
- Examines the role of dedicated in producing and promoting queer-themed works
- Investigates the historical development of gay and lesbian theater groups (Theater Rhinoceros, Split Britches)
- Analyzes the impact of LGBTQ+ theater companies on representation and visibility in the performing arts
- Explores the challenges and opportunities faced by queer theater companies in different cultural contexts
Cabaret and nightclub scenes
- Investigates the historical importance of cabarets and nightclubs as spaces for queer performance and expression
- Examines the role of drag shows, burlesque, and variety acts in creating queer community and culture
- Analyzes how and nightclub performances challenge social norms and provide platforms for marginalized voices
- Explores the evolution of queer nightlife scenes in different cities and time periods
Digital queer performance
- Examines how digital platforms and technologies have created new spaces for queer performance and expression
- Investigates the role of social media, streaming platforms, and virtual reality in expanding queer performance possibilities
- Analyzes how digital spaces can provide accessibility and community for geographically isolated or closeted LGBTQ+ individuals
- Explores the challenges and opportunities of creating and sharing queer content in digital environments
Intersectionality in queer performance
- Examines how multiple identities and systems of oppression intersect in queer performance
- Investigates the ways performers address and challenge intersecting forms of discrimination and marginalization
- Explores how intersectional approaches enrich and complicate understandings of queer identity and experience
Race and queerness
- Examines the intersections of racial identity and queer sexuality in performance contexts
- Investigates how performers of color navigate and challenge both racism and homophobia/transphobia
- Analyzes the contributions of QTPOC (Queer and Trans People of Color) artists to queer performance theory and practice
- Explores how racial and queer identities inform aesthetic choices and thematic content in performance works
Class and queer identities
- Investigates how socioeconomic status intersects with queer identities in performance contexts
- Examines representations of working-class and poor LGBTQ+ individuals in theater and performance art
- Analyzes how class differences within queer communities are addressed and critiqued through performance
- Explores the role of economic factors in shaping access to and participation in queer performance spaces
Disability and queer theory
- Examines the intersections of disability studies and queer theory in performance contexts
- Investigates how disabled queer performers challenge ableist and heteronormative assumptions
- Analyzes the concept of "crip theory" and its applications in queer performance practices
- Explores how accessibility and inclusion are addressed in queer performance spaces and productions
Queer readings of classic texts
- Examines how queer theory can be applied to reinterpret and analyze traditional literary and dramatic works
- Investigates the ways in which queer perspectives can uncover hidden or suppressed themes in canonical texts
- Explores how queer readings challenge and expand traditional interpretations of classic works
Reinterpreting canonical works
- Applies queer theory to analyze and reinterpret well-known plays, novels, and poems
- Examines how queer readings can reveal new layers of meaning in works by Shakespeare, Wilde, and other canonical authors
- Investigates the potential for queer subtext in seemingly heteronormative narratives
- Explores how queer reinterpretations can challenge or reinforce the cultural significance of canonical works
Uncovering hidden queer narratives
- Examines historical and literary texts for evidence of queer experiences and relationships
- Investigates how censorship and social norms have obscured or erased queer narratives in classic works
- Analyzes the use of coded language and symbolism to express queer themes in earlier periods
- Explores the role of queer scholars and artists in recovering and amplifying hidden queer voices in literature and drama
Queer adaptations
- Examines how classic texts are reimagined and adapted through a queer lens
- Investigates the process of transforming traditional narratives to center queer characters and themes
- Analyzes examples of successful queer adaptations in theater, film, and other performance media
- Explores the potential for queer adaptations to challenge and expand the canon of dramatic literature
Queer activism through performance
- Examines how performance has been used as a tool for LGBTQ+ rights advocacy and social change
- Investigates the role of performance in raising awareness, challenging discrimination, and building community
- Explores the intersection of art and activism in queer performance practices
ACT UP and protest performances
- Examines the use of theatrical tactics by AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) in the 1980s and 1990s
- Investigates how die-ins, kiss-ins, and other performative protests raised awareness about the AIDS crisis
- Analyzes the impact of ACT UP's performances on public perception and policy changes
- Explores how ACT UP's strategies have influenced subsequent queer activist performances
Pride parades as performance
- Examines the history and evolution of as large-scale public performances of queer identity
- Investigates how Pride events balance celebration, protest, and visibility for diverse LGBTQ+ communities
- Analyzes the use of costumes, floats, and choreographed routines in Pride parades as performative elements
- Explores debates around commercialization and inclusivity in contemporary Pride celebrations
Queer performance in public spaces
- Examines how queer performers use public spaces to challenge heteronormativity and increase visibility
- Investigates the role of street theater, flash mobs, and guerrilla performances in queer activism
- Analyzes the legal and safety challenges faced by queer performers in public spaces
- Explores how public queer performances can transform perceptions of space and community
Contemporary queer performance artists
- Examines the work of current queer performers pushing boundaries in various artistic disciplines
- Investigates emerging trends and themes in contemporary queer performance practices
- Explores the global diversity of queer performance artists and their cultural contexts
Notable figures and works
- Examines the contributions of influential contemporary queer performance artists (Taylor Mac, Split Britches)
- Investigates groundbreaking performances that have shaped current understandings of queer identity and expression
- Analyzes the diverse range of artistic styles and mediums employed by contemporary queer artists
- Explores how these artists engage with current social and political issues affecting LGBTQ+ communities
Emerging trends and themes
- Examines new directions in queer performance, including increased focus on trans and non-binary experiences
- Investigates the impact of social media and digital technologies on queer performance practices
- Analyzes how contemporary queer performers address intersectionality and coalition-building
- Explores the role of autobiographical and documentary approaches in current queer performance works
Global perspectives on queer performance
- Examines queer performance practices from diverse cultural contexts around the world
- Investigates how local traditions and global LGBTQ+ movements influence queer performance in different regions
- Analyzes the challenges faced by queer performers in countries with restrictive laws or social attitudes
- Explores how international collaborations and festivals foster cross-cultural exchange in queer performance
Challenges and critiques
- Examines ongoing debates and criticisms within queer performance theory and practice
- Investigates how queer performance navigates complex issues of representation, identity, and politics
- Explores the tensions between different approaches to queer performance and activism
Homonormativity vs radical queerness
- Examines the critique of homonormativity as a form of assimilation into heteronormative structures
- Investigates how some queer performances challenge or reinforce homonormative ideals
- Analyzes debates around marriage equality and other mainstream LGBTQ+ rights issues in queer performance
- Explores how radical queer performances seek to challenge broader systems of oppression beyond sexuality
Commodification of queer culture
- Examines how queer aesthetics and performances have been appropriated by mainstream media and corporations
- Investigates the impact of commercialization on queer spaces and events (Pride sponsorships)
- Analyzes how queer performers navigate the tension between visibility and authenticity in commercial contexts
- Explores strategies for maintaining radical queer perspectives in the face of commodification
Representation and inclusivity issues
- Examines ongoing challenges in representing diverse queer experiences and identities in performance
- Investigates critiques of tokenism and stereotyping in queer representation
- Analyzes efforts to increase representation of underrepresented groups within LGBTQ+ communities
- Explores debates around who has the right to tell certain queer stories and perform certain identities
Future directions
- Examines emerging trends and potential future developments in queer performance theory and practice
- Investigates how changing social attitudes and technologies may shape queer performance in coming years
- Explores speculative and visionary approaches to imagining queer futures through performance
Queer futurism in performance
- Examines how queer performers imagine and create visions of future societies and identities
- Investigates the use of science fiction and speculative elements in queer performance works
- Analyzes how queer futurism challenges linear notions of progress and heteronormative ideas of reproduction
- Explores the potential for queer futurist performances to inspire social and political change
Technological influences on queer performance
- Examines how emerging technologies (VR, AI, biotechnology) may impact queer performance practices
- Investigates the potential for new technologies to create immersive and interactive queer performance experiences
- Analyzes how digital platforms and social media continue to shape queer identity and community formation
- Explores the ethical considerations and potential risks of technological advancements for queer performers
Evolving concepts of gender and sexuality
- Examines how changing understandings of gender and sexuality may influence future queer performances
- Investigates the increasing visibility of non-binary, genderfluid, and asexual identities in performance contexts
- Analyzes how queer performance may adapt to challenge new forms of normativity and oppression
- Explores the potential for queer performance to contribute to broader social conversations about gender and sexuality
Key Terms to Review (24)
Cabaret: Cabaret is a form of entertainment that features music, dance, and theatrical performances, typically in a nightclub or restaurant setting. It often includes elements of satire, parody, and social commentary, creating a space where artists can express themselves freely and challenge societal norms. This performance style has a strong historical connection to the LGBTQ+ community, serving as both a refuge and a platform for queer artists to explore identity and sexuality.
Camp: Camp is a style and sensibility that embraces exaggeration, artifice, and the absurd. It celebrates that which is considered lowbrow or bad taste, finding beauty and humor in the over-the-top and the kitschy. This aesthetic is closely linked to queer culture, as it often challenges societal norms and highlights the fluidity of identity and expression.
Class and queer identities: Class and queer identities refer to the intersection of social class status and sexual or gender identities that fall outside of traditional norms. This concept highlights how an individual's economic status influences their experiences and expressions of queerness, affecting their access to resources, community support, and societal acceptance. Understanding this interplay is crucial for examining how different identities interact with systems of power and privilege.
Digital queer performance: Digital queer performance refers to the artistic expression and representation of queer identities and experiences through digital media platforms. This form of performance embraces technology to challenge traditional norms and conventions associated with gender and sexuality, allowing for diverse representations and interactions within virtual spaces.
Disability and Queer Theory: Disability and queer theory examines the intersection of disability studies and queer theory, focusing on how societal norms around ability and sexuality shape identities and experiences. This perspective highlights the complexities of identity, emphasizing that both disability and queerness challenge traditional understandings of normalcy, performance, and representation in society. It advocates for a more inclusive approach to culture and performance, recognizing the diverse lived experiences of those who exist outside conventional categories.
Disidentification strategies: Disidentification strategies are techniques employed by marginalized individuals to create a sense of identity and agency by resisting or reinterpreting dominant cultural narratives. These strategies often involve critically engaging with and distancing oneself from mainstream representations, enabling individuals to carve out their own identities and experiences within the context of performance and representation.
Drag performance: Drag performance is a theatrical art form where individuals, often male or female impersonators, dress in exaggerated clothing and adopt personas that challenge traditional gender roles. This performance style highlights the fluidity of gender and often incorporates elements of comedy, music, and dance, serving as a powerful commentary on societal norms and expectations surrounding gender and identity.
Gender performativity: Gender performativity is the concept that gender is not a fixed trait but rather an identity that is constructed through repeated behaviors, actions, and performances. This idea suggests that gender is enacted and reinforced through social practices, meaning that individuals 'perform' their gender based on societal norms and expectations. The implications of this idea stretch into various areas, including the way movement and dance express gendered identities, how queer theory challenges traditional gender norms, and the overall understanding of how gender shapes personal and collective experiences.
Heteronormativity: Heteronormativity is the belief or assumption that heterosexual relationships are the default or normal mode of sexual orientation, often marginalizing other orientations and identities. This concept not only shapes societal norms but also influences cultural representations and expectations regarding gender roles and relationships. It establishes a framework where behaviors, identities, and relationships that diverge from heterosexual norms are often deemed abnormal or deviant.
Intersectionality: Intersectionality is a concept that examines how various social identities—such as race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability—intersect and overlap, creating unique experiences of oppression or privilege. This term highlights the complexity of social categorizations and their impacts on individuals' experiences within societal structures, emphasizing that people's identities cannot be understood in isolation from one another.
José Esteban Muñoz: José Esteban Muñoz was a prominent queer theorist and cultural critic known for his work on performance studies, particularly in relation to queer identity and representation. He emphasized the importance of visibility and the ways in which performance can create spaces for marginalized voices, arguing that performance is a site of both critique and possibility for queer politics.
Judith Butler: Judith Butler is a prominent philosopher and gender theorist known for her work on gender performativity, which argues that gender is not an inherent identity but rather a series of repeated performances shaped by cultural norms. Her theories challenge traditional understandings of gender and have significantly influenced fields such as queer theory and feminist studies, as well as the analysis of performance in various social contexts.
Kitsch: Kitsch refers to art, objects, or design that is considered to be in poor taste due to its overly sentimental, gaudy, or superficial nature. It often appeals to popular or lowbrow culture, evoking a sense of nostalgia or artificial emotion, which can lead to both criticism and affection. In performance contexts, kitsch can be a tool for subversion and critique, particularly within queer theory, by challenging traditional aesthetics and cultural norms.
Lgbtq+ theater companies: LGBTQ+ theater companies are performing arts organizations that focus on producing works related to the experiences, stories, and identities of LGBTQ+ individuals. These companies not only create a platform for diverse voices but also challenge traditional narratives and societal norms through their performances. They often serve as safe spaces for artists and audiences alike, promoting inclusivity and representation in the performing arts.
Participatory performance: Participatory performance is a form of performance art where the audience is actively involved in the creation or execution of the performance. This type of engagement transforms the traditional roles of performer and spectator, fostering a sense of collaboration and shared experience. It often blurs the boundaries between art and life, encouraging dialogue and interaction, making it relevant across various contexts such as ritual, social critique, and public spaces.
Pride Parades: Pride parades are vibrant public celebrations that promote LGBTQ+ pride, visibility, and acceptance. These events often include colorful floats, costumes, music, and performances, creating a festive atmosphere that celebrates the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities. Pride parades serve as a powerful platform for advocacy, raising awareness about LGBTQ+ issues and fostering a sense of community and solidarity among participants and allies.
Queer aesthetics: Queer aesthetics refers to a distinct way of perceiving and creating art and performance that challenges traditional norms related to gender and sexuality. It embraces fluidity, subversion, and the celebration of marginalized identities, often using unconventional forms and styles to express resistance against heteronormative standards. This approach not only critiques societal expectations but also seeks to create inclusive spaces for diverse experiences and narratives.
Queer performance spaces: Queer performance spaces are venues or contexts where individuals can express and explore queer identities, experiences, and politics through artistic performances. These spaces are often characterized by their inclusivity and rejection of traditional norms related to gender and sexuality, allowing for a diverse range of expressions that challenge societal expectations. By providing a supportive environment, queer performance spaces foster creativity, community, and dialogue around LGBTQ+ issues.
Queer temporality: Queer temporality refers to the idea that time can be understood and experienced in non-linear, non-normative ways, often challenging conventional life stages and timelines associated with heteronormative expectations. It emphasizes how queer identities and experiences can disrupt traditional narratives about aging, relationships, and life milestones, allowing for alternative forms of existence and connection.
Race and Queerness: Race and queerness refer to the intersection of racial identities and sexual orientation or gender identity, highlighting how these aspects shape individual experiences and social dynamics. This term acknowledges that race is a critical factor in understanding queerness, as racialized communities may face unique challenges that differ from those experienced by white LGBTQ+ individuals. The interplay between race and queerness reveals how systemic inequalities can influence identity formation, community building, and access to resources.
Spectatorship: Spectatorship refers to the role of the audience in the performance process, encompassing how they engage with, interpret, and respond to a performance. This concept highlights the active involvement of spectators in creating meaning, as their reactions and perceptions can shape the overall experience of a performance.
Stonewall Riots: The Stonewall Riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York City on June 28, 1969. These events are widely regarded as a catalyst for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement and are significant in understanding queer theory and performance as they highlight the struggle for visibility and acceptance within society.
Subversion: Subversion refers to the act of undermining or overthrowing established systems, norms, or ideologies, often through creative expression and performance. It challenges societal expectations and dominant narratives, creating space for alternative voices and perspectives. This term plays a critical role in understanding how various forms of art and performance can disrupt traditional power structures and provoke thought and change.
Visibility politics: Visibility politics refers to the ways in which certain identities and experiences are made visible or invisible within social and political discourse, often influencing power dynamics. It emphasizes the importance of representation and acknowledgment for marginalized groups, particularly in the context of queer communities, where visibility can be both empowering and limiting. This concept engages with how performance, media, and cultural representations shape societal perceptions and can impact the lived experiences of individuals.