Queer Narratives Research Articles

Queer Narratives and Colonial Injustice: Tropical Landscape in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

This paper explores the intersection of colonialism, masculinity, and queerness in Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Through a decolonial lens, it examines how Díaz critiques the lingering effects of colonialism and dictatorship on Dominican identity, particularly through the ‘fukú’ curse—a symbol of intergenerational trauma. The paper argues that the queering of heterosexuality in the novel challenges rigid gender norms, where Oscar’s nonconformity and Yunior’s conflicted hypermasculinity expose the limitations of Dominican masculinity shaped by colonial rule. Set against the backdrop of the Dominican Republic’s tropical landscapes and violent history, Oscar’s and Yunior’s narratives highlight the broader struggle between individual authenticity and societal conformity. Díaz’s use of magical realism and transcultural storytelling amplifies this decolonial critique, revealing how colonial legacies continue to shape gender and identity in the post-colonial world. By analyzing the characters’ resistance to heteronormative pressures and their individual journeys, the paper situates The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao as a significant exploration of queering as a form of decolonial resistance, reconsidering the lasting impact of colonial oppression on cultural and gender identities.

Queer Narratives in Indian Cinema : A Comparative Study of Traditional and Modern Depictions" Films Like Taali , Haddi , Super Deluxe , Margarita with a Straw and Aligarh

Indian cinema has historically reflected societal attitudes towards LGBTQ+ identities, with early portrayals often confined to stereotypes and marginal roles. Traditional films frequently depicted queer characters as either comedic caricatures or tragic figures, reinforcing societal biases and limiting authentic representation. This study examines the evolution of queer narratives in Indian cinema, highlighting the significant shift towards more nuanced portrayals in contemporary films. Films such as Taali (2023) and Margarita with a Straw (2014) showcase a move towards depth and empathy, reflecting broader societal changes and greater awareness of LGBTQ+ issues. Taali offers an authentic portrayal of a transgender activist, while Margarita with a Straw provides a ground-breaking depiction of a bisexual woman with a disability. Similarly, Aligarh (2015) and Super Deluxe (2019) demonstrate a departure from superficial portrayals, focusing on the complexities of queer experiences. Despite progress, Bollywood still grapples with outdated stereotypes, underscoring the need for ongoing advocacy and reform. This study emphasizes the importance of these evolving portrayals in fostering a more inclusive cinematic landscape and contributing to societal understanding of LGBTQ+ experiences.

The Implications of Queer Representation in Contemporary South Korean TV Narratives

Existing scholarly works on the topic of queer representation in South Korean media focus primarily on Korean cinema and K-pop, but there are far fewer studies on queer or queer-coded portrayals in Korean TV media. Queer characters and relationships are gradually becoming more visible in mainstream South Korean TV with some examples being Semantic Error which centers on the romantic relationship between two men and Nevertheless which depicts the feelings of friendship between two women turn clearly romantic. Considering the significant rise in popularity of Korean TV dramas not only in Asia but also in western society, where audiences are more conscious of queer narratives, the realm of queer representation in Korean TV definitely warrants more scholarly attention. I aim to contribute to the conversation about depictions of queerness in Korean media by analyzing the representation of queer characters in 2021 TV drama Work Later, Drink Now, specifically the queer subtext of Jigoo and Jiyeon’s relationship, and how this story reveals South Korean perceptions of queer experiences by matching and/or distinguishing itself from the tragic narratives that queer characters are often depicted in Korean TV dramas. I will also analyze the reception of this show by South Korean society in relation to queer identity based on its references in Korean pop culture and online fan discussions. I argue that the writer of Work Later, Drink Now intended to provide commentary not only on the situation of women in contemporary South Korean society, but she also pushed an underlying queer narrative, aiming to shed light on the reality of being, specifically, a queer woman in South Korea.

Potentially Queer: Mass Cultural Images in Vanity Fair and George Platt Lynes’s Scrapbooks

ABSTRACT This article examines George Platt Lynes’s scrapbooks, highlighting their role in the queer cultural narrative of the 1930s. Lynes, a key figure in New York’s queer artistic circle, blended personal and mass media images in his scrapbooks, including Vanity Fair clippings. These collections reflect the era’s subtle queer expressions and provide unique insights into queer history and media. Focusing on a Cary Grant photograph from Vanity Fair, the article discusses the multifaceted interpretations of visual media in understanding queer narratives within modernism and modernity and emphasizes the integral role of queerness within these frameworks.

Exploring Gender Dynamics in Indian English Poetry: A Feminist Literary Study

This research paper offers an extensive exploration of gender dynamics within Indian English poetry. The study adopts a chronological approach, tracing the evolution of gender portrayal from the early to the contemporary phase. The research objectives are to identify recurring themes and narratives related to gender, to compare these findings with existing literature, and to analyze their broader implications. The methodology involves a thematic analysis of selected poems, drawing from various literary periods. The key findings reveal a transformative shift in gender portrayal, from stereotypical depictions in early poetry to nuanced narratives in contemporary works. The study identifies specific themes such as the emerging female voice, exploration of gender identity and intersectionality, evolving portrayal of masculinity, and the depiction of female empowerment and feminine spaces. The findings also fill gaps in the existing literature by identifying new themes such as caste and gender intersectionality and queer narratives. The research has significant implications for understanding the evolution of gender portrayal and feminist discourse within Indian English poetry. It also offers a richer understanding of the gender dynamics within the South Asian context, thereby contributing to the fields of literary studies, gender studies, and feminist theory.

Radiant Reflections: Crystal Boys, Rose Boy, and Taiwan's Queer History

“The essay delves into Taiwan's queer history through the lens of two pivotal events: the "Rose Boy" Incident and the publication of the groundbreaking novel, Crystal Boys. It explores the interconnectedness of these events and their lasting impact on Taiwanese society's perception of LGBT individuals. Crystal Boys, authored by Pai Hsien-yung in the repressive era of martial law, dared to depict the lives of gay men in Taipei's New Park, challenging societal norms and censorship. The New Park emerged as both a refuge and a perilous space for the gay community, where they formed bonds amidst societal oppression. The essay also discusses the subsequent activism sparked by Crystal Boys, leading to milestones like the legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan. Conversely, the tragic death of Ye Yongzhi, dubbed the "Rose Boy," exposed the harsh realities faced by LGBT youth in Taiwan, igniting societal outrage and calls for change. Through literary analysis and historical context, the essay illustrates how art and activism intersect to shape queer narratives and propel the fight for equality in Taiwan and beyond.”.

Gayze through the looking glass: The curious absence of queer narratives in psychedelia

AbstractBackground and AimsDespite increasing public acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community and psychedelic medicines, published accounts of queer psychedelia are limited. Specifically, the queer nature of psychedelics and the parallels between narratives of being queer and of psychedelic experiences, are lacking. This report brings queer experiences of psychedelia out of the metaphorical closet and argues for the development of Queer Affirming models of Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy (QA-PAP).MethodsThis knowledge report examines the extant psychedelic literature as it relates to queerness, and positions it against reports of rising anti-2SLGBTQ+ sentiments, and legislation aimed at dismantling civil liberties.ResultsSpecifically in Canada, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom, the current socio-political climate fosters increasingly positive attitudes towards psychedelic medicine, while recently won 2SLGBTQ+ civil rights are under attack. The convergence of these trends means the psychedelic community must guard against repetition of mistakes made during the first wave of psychedelic research.ConclusionsIncluding queer narratives within psychedelic research is integral to the equitable, safe, effective and accessible implementation of emerging modalities of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies (PAP), and to ensure that ethical standards protect patients from sexual and gender based violence.

Familialization of the ‘deviant’: a hindrance to queer community building?

Abstract Familial acceptance of queer relationships has long been at the centre of the same-sex marriage discourse in India. This is no coincidence since in India family as an institution represents caste, religious, class and other social privileges. Developing on Bordieu’s work on family, this paper examines three Hindi films—Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga (2019), Shubh Mangal Zaada Savdhaan (2020) and Badhaai Do (2022)—to formulate the ‘ideology of familialization’ as the basis of the queer narratives in these popular film texts. Through narrative analysis of these texts, this paper argues that these narratives function at two levels: one, at the level of inducting the erstwhile subjects of developmentalist economy into the neoliberal economy; and two, they selectively transform the familial space of these subjects to make it conducive to integrate LGBTQ persons. The narratives perpetuate a consensus about the importance of selective co-option of queer individuals within the socially dominant traditional families, to keep the cycle of social privilege undisturbed by producing what Bordieu calls ‘unproblematic inheritors’. This, I argue, prevents the individual queer characters from building a modern queer community, a radical collective with intersectional politics at its heart, at the cost of alienating those who do not come from such caste/class privilege. This serves the interest of both the neoliberal market/State and the Hindu upper caste dominated social, perpetuating the Ideology of Familialization which eventually has the power to function as a governmental tool of transforming the ‘deviant’ lovers into ‘model’ queer citizens.

Shackling (im)morality: religious tropes, religious figures and marginalizing politics in queer Nigerian creative texts

Building on existing scholarship and debates on queer cultural production in Nigeria, and the complex representation of religious themes as they intersect with queerness, this article analyzes the novel Walking with Shadows, and the film Hell or High Water. Through this analysis, the article argues that while religious ideologies and figures continue to hinder queer agency and visibility, the religious landscape continues to be contested by queer characters. In these texts, religious figures contribute to queerphobia as they act as gatekeepers regarding what acceptable sexual orientation and gender identity are. They also inhibit queer-livability. At the same time, queer-identifying characters attempt to deconstruct religion by cultivating enabling spaces, strengthening their agency, and in asserting their identities. While these forms of advocacy might not yet have yielded immediate impact, questioning the place of religion in Nigerian queer narratives contributes to the voices that contest the criminalization of queerness in the country.

Go West! (Village): Queer Displacement and New York as the Liberatory West in American Lesbian Fiction

This article analyzes the idea of the American West as the promise of hope for freedom, as it was repossessed by United States queer literature after the 1950s. Hope is promised as a total contrast from tradition: for queer, specifically lesbian characters, it switches Eastwards, looking for the dreamland not on going west but on going to New York. Queer narratives since the 1950s draw on the displacement of the lesbian characters from their homes, forc- ing them to relocate, recurrently the West Village in New York. The analysis of storyline repetitions present in representative lesbian fiction throughout the decades will be done on several works. I show that the ideal of the West, core to the construction of the American Dream, was reversed in American lesbian fiction, relocating hope after displacement to the queer populated West Village in New York City.

LGBT+ mainstreaming on strictly come dancing: Queering the norms of ballroom dancing

This paper proposes that LGBT+ mainstreaming on reality television programme Strictly Come Dancing creates space for audience demand for radical, authentic representations of same-sex desire and intimacy, both of which challenges normative representations of ballroom dancing. Integrating concepts of normativity and authenticity explored in existing scholarship, I argue against the encountering through a defensive stance, of reality TV’s normalization of queer narratives to promote authentic, inclusive representation. Focusing on dance-themed British reality TV programme for family entertainment, I draw on a queer reading of 285 newspaper articles on Strictly Come Dancing’s same-sex dance partnerships and 35 interviews with LGBT+ equality dancers in the United Kingdom, to conclude that active engagement with mechanisms of normalization can open up spaces for a reclamation of queer representation in its authenticity. The article makes a contribution to media and cultural studies and queer television scholarship through a troubling of anti-normativity, proposing a working with normativity to achieve queer inclusivity.

Judging a Book by its Cover: Examining Reader Reception of Peritexts in Queer Young Adult Literature

The rise of LGBTQIA+ and queer young adult (YA) literature has led to an increased diversity in the range of texts available for young readers. The covers of these texts use various design elements to market to their target audiences, employing signifiers to indicate a narrative’s queer themes that range from subtle coding to explicit representation. This article presents findings from a qualitative research study at a regional university in Australia, which explored reader responses to peritexts used by queer YA books in a context where book bans that target marginalised identities, including queer identities, are increasing around the world. Queer-identified research participants aged 18-30 engaged in focus groups, discussing and analysing pre-selected queer YA texts over the course of eight months. Participants had a range of responses to the peritexts, including finding that signifiers of queer themes were affirming to their own identities and could be indicators of allyship in public spaces. Participants also discussed the potential risks associated with publicly consuming a book explicitly presented as queer through its peritext, emphasising concerns around vulnerability, exposure, and a lack of safety. This article uses a theoretical framework of critical social theory and queer theory to shed light on the relationship between peritext and reader response in queer YA literature, providing insights into how these elements contribute to readers’ understanding and engagement with queer narratives, and the potential value of peritext for queer and non-queer audiences.

For Me, Us, Our Community

This research offers an innovative qualitative methodology, kiki methodology, centering and understanding the experiences of Black queer people. This article connects to how Black queer people share and express their intersecting identities through Black queer storytelling in a novel qualitative methodology approach. Influenced by components of Queer of Color critique, narrative construction, phenomenology, and arts-based research (ABR), I offer a rich, complex, and communal threading of Black queer life within qualitative research. Kiki methodology utilizes three distinct components: (1) Black queer meaning-making (2) Black queer storytelling, and (3) Black queer artistic expression, situating and positioning Black queer narratives within higher education. Kiki methodology is a critical methodological approach that bridges Black queer ways of knowing, Black queer vernacular, and Black queer artistic expression.

Forging lesbians: Sappho and The Songs of Bilitis

Abstract In Les Chansons de Bilitis (‘The Songs of Bilitis’, 1894), Pierre Louÿs purports to have translated into French for the first time the long-lost Greek poems of Bilitis, a contemporary of Sappho. Classicists have often heralded Bilitis as a watershed moment for reclaiming the lesbian Sappho from the clutches of homophobic, misogynist philologists. This paper complicates this narrative by reframing Bilitis as an object that participates in a broader cultural — and potentially queer — history of forgery. Rather than categorizing Bilitis as a forgery per se, I use forgery (and related textual practices) as a lens for illuminating how Louÿs ‘plays’ the forger and how this performance relates to readers’ divergent desires and reactions. This lens also brings into focus the queer dynamics and effects of this text in relation to Sappho’s corpus. At the same time, following Kadji Amin’s cue to ‘deidealize queerness’ (2017), I show how such queer dynamics are inextricable from colonialist and patriarchal relations of power, in particular an Orientalizing tradition of forgeries by white European and American men. This framework illuminates the affective and political ramifications of forging queer narratives and identifications through the medium of this curious artefact.

Purity culture and the limits of queer evangelicalism

ABSTRACT Taking purity culture as a framework for understanding evangelical approaches to sexual ethics, this article examines the connection between the recent emergence of queer evangelical celibacy narratives and the rhetoric of purity as a form of personal freedom. To do so, we approach the construction of queer celibacy through a theology of sexuality and narratives of celibacy within purity culture. We constellate stories from gay- and lesbian-identifying evangelicals to question the limits of queer celibacy. How is evangelical celibacy queer? Can evangelical celibacy claim queerness when it depends on White heterosexist logics? To answer these questions, we explore a series of texts written by evangelical authors who have chosen celibacy as a method for their spiritual commitments while identifying as gay or lesbian. We work with these texts as examples of queer narratives that interanimate paths between evangelical belief and sexual identity.

Setting the record ‘straight’: Captain America fanfiction, museums and queer narratives

Many of the largest and furthest-reaching media franchises today, such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), opt not to represent a range of queer identities and relationships but instead perpetuate heteronormativity. Alternatively, an extensive site of queer historical recovery can be found in the fanfiction that is written in response to these popular media franchises. This article explores how fanfiction set in museums challenges the version of history presented in the MCU’s Captain America films by re-introducing queerness into historical narratives. I argue that while popular media franchises often continue to replicate a narrow definition of sexuality, we can turn to other sites of prolific literary production for more optimistic and pluralistic queer imaginaries. However, fanfiction is not immune to the systemic biases that occur in contemporary culture and, while these texts are successful at re-inscribing queer narratives, they reveal the complexities of attending to intersections of identities, especially in terms of according the same recuperative attention to race.

“Love, Alex”: Queering Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything Is Illuminated

Abstract Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything Is Illuminated (2002) follows the two protagonists and narrators of the novel, American descendent of Holocaust survivors Jonathan and Alexander Perchov, his Ukrainian translator and collaborator on the story that constitutes the book itself. This article analyzes a heretofore unconsidered element of the novel: the potential to read Alex as queer. The book’s possible queer narrative is tragic, bittersweet at best, and overlooked by critics. This article illustrates how the character of Alex articulates what might be understood as a queer desire for Jonathan and considers new interpretive insights that might obtain within such a reading. In particular, it reconsiders the relationship between the men, as well as a critical stance that construes the novel’s concluding chapters as Jonathan’s rejection of cross-cultural friendship and collaboration. More important is the insight that a queer understanding of Everything Is Illuminated may provide with regard to the recent turn to the intersections between Jewish Studies and gender and LGBTQ+ theory. Understanding the potentially queer modes of Alex’s expression enables us to consider how Foer disrupts binary identity categories while also highlighting the dangers inherent in positing a reductive likeness between Alex and Jonathan—or between queer and Jewish identities.

‘Fun, fierce and frivolous’: Afrobubblegum and the possibilities of queer African love in Rafiki

Representations of Africa in film have been repeatedly haunted by a regressive single-story narrative that focuses on the ongoing effects of colonialism and racism. In Wanuri Kahiu’s 2018 feature film Rafiki, based on Monica Arac de Nyeko’s award-winning short story ‘Jambula Tree’, this pessimistic narrative is replaced by what Kahiu conceptualizes as ‘Afrobubblegum’ – at once an aesthetic preference and a political statement that produces ‘fun, fierce and frivolous’ depictions of the continent. In telling the story of two young girls who fall in love, Kahiu unsettles conventional queer narratives of control and resistance in favour of foregrounding a gentle lesbian love story. Through a focus on the narrative of queer becoming, alongside a consideration of the film’s aesthetics, I argue that Rafiki is important not just as a product that seeks to influence activism and policy, but also as a form of immersion that is in itself activist in its ability to foster a sense of belonging for queer audiences.

Reforming narratives on human sexuality in the Dutch Reformed Church

This article offers a critique on the dominant narrative on human sexuality in the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). A mirror is held up to the binary nature of this dominant discourse, centred on ethics, hermeneutics, and ecclesiology. The limitations of how the DRC has engaged with human sexuality, and homosexuality in particular, are framed within the church’s own construction of being “vasgeloop” (stuck) amidst plurality and diversity. These limitations are discussed as issues of church unity, justice, and embodiment. Finally, a subaltern “window” is offered out of this apparent impasse, that looks upon the liberating alternatives presented by embodied queer narratives. In an attempt at seeing queerness within the Reformed tradition, queer phenomenology is presented as an epistemic shift away from the normative, binary discourse that has dominated the discourse on human sexuality in the Dutch Reformed Church.

Sexuality, Disability, and Aging: Queer Temporalities of the Phallus

Sexuality, Disability, and Aging: Queer Temporalities of the Phallus