As many commentators have pointed out, despite the considerable amount of research on ‘sexuality’, heterosexuality remains, for the most part, relatively unquestioned. . . . However, presuming or tacitly accepting that heterosexuality is ‘natural’ or ‘normal’ does not simply make it so. In fact, if, as Foucault and others have argued, sexuality is a discursive construct that takes culturally and historically specific forms, then heterosexuality is no more normal or natural than any other form of sexual relations. —Nikki Sullivan, A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory (119)
Required Readings
Sullivan, Ch. 7 “Queering ‘Straight’ Sex” (119-135)
[On Moodle2:]
Hall, “Queer Theories”, “A Query” (109-111)
McWhorter, “Bodies and Pleasures”, Introduction (xiii-xx), Ch. 1 “Views from the Site of Political Oppression: Or, How I Served as an Anchor Point for Power and Emerged as a Locus of Resistance” (1-33)
Graduate Readings (Moodle2:):
Eng, Halberstam and Muñoz, “Social Text” 84-85 (2005), Introduction “What’s Queer about Queer Studies Now?” (1-17)
Halberstam, “Social Text” 84-85, “Shame and White Gay Masculinity” (219-233)
Bersani, “After Sex”, “Shame on You” (91-109)
“Radical History Review” Issue 100 “Queer Futures” (2008), Editors’ Introduction (1-9); Weiss, “Gay Shame and BDSM Pride” (87-101)
Additional Resources
Public art project: Hey, Hetero! (Deborah Kelly and Tina Fiveash
2002)
Due This Week
- Ten key Terms or concepts in readings
- Two LGBTQIA representations
- Two LGBTQIA issues
- Queer Theory Week 13 Questions on Readings
- Group 5 Presentation: Dana Holland, Stephanie Pruitt, Mari[elena] Barnhill
- Partial draft of paper final due date (5050)