Queer Theory, Queer Lives
Meryl Altman
Queer Theory, Queer Lives will be an interdisciplinary exploration of the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and intersexed people through historical, sexological, scientific, and literary texts, media representations, and autobiographies. We’ll look at scholarly and activist definitions of sexual identity, especially as these have intersected with race, class, gender, ethnicity, and age, and discuss the ways sexual desire often escapes, complicates, or is “mismatched” with, fixed gender roles and dominant cultural categories. We will also discuss the insight queer perspectives can bring to our understanding of masculinity and femininity, cultural constructions of the body, the social construction of heterosexuality, and “the future of difference.”
This course could be an important component of a women’s studies major or minor, but is open to students from any discipline who are prepared to work through challenging texts and confront stereotypes.
For more information, contact Meryl Altman, maltman@depauw.edu.