Evolution of the Critical Theory – Queer Theory| Wokeism#4

In the previous article, we saw the history of the evolution of Classical Marxism to Critical Theory, then to Post Modernism, and ultimately to what we today call Wokeism. In this article, we are going to see one of the most talked about and practiced theories currently in the US, the UK, and Europe, which is also gaining ground in India – Queer Theory.

 

 

 

Queer Theory emerged in the mid-1980s. Its three main founders were Gayle Rubin, Judith Butler, and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick. In 1984, Gayle Rubin wrote Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of Sexual Politics in which she was doubtful about the biological base of sexuality. Judith Butler is considered to be the pioneer of the most influential among the Queer Theorists. She wrote her major book named Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of Sex. In that book, she said that the way a person from a particular gender behaves or talks is defined by society (i.e. something that is not natural). Her view is that people are not born knowing themselves to be male or female, straight or gay.

 

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Society defines gender and sexuality. Hence, society is to be blamed for this, because this is an oppression of the people. Those who use such binaries are oppressors. Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick is the third famous proponent of the Queer Theory. She wrote a book, Epistemology of the Closet, in which she took Michael Foucault’s (Read articles 1-3) approaches and applied them to sexuality. Sedgwick too, like the other pioneers, is against the categorization of gender and sexuality.

 

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Queer Theory has been developed to challenge the globally accepted, biologically proven (scientific) definitions of gender, masculinity-femininity, heterosexuality-homosexuality, etc. Queer Theory says that the above definitions were constructed by those in power at that time. It says that these binaries (male-female, hetero-homo) are oppressive because these binaries are naturally biased. Those who recognize these facts call themselves queer activists.

 

Also Read: Introduction to Wokeism and woke culture #1 

 

Queer activists reject the gender categories of male-female and sexual categories of straight-gay-lesbian. They do not believe in the biological structure of males/females. They say that gender is fluid. That means one can simultaneously be masculine and feminine, straight and gay/lesbian, etc. For them, what we consider normal is not normal and we have been brainwashed by society and culture to accept these gender and sexual categories as universal. Therefore these categories have to be rejected and thereby, destructed/dismantled.

 

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We can see Queer Theory activists at “Pride Parades” in many parts of the world. The recent pride parade in India was held on 8th January 2023 in Delhi which goes by the name ‘Delhi Queer Pride Parade’. This was the 13th such queer parade that took place in Delhi. The first parade was held in June 2008. One can see the videos of the parade on the internet. This year’s (2023) parade emphasized demands for same-sex marriages in India.