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Brianna Romanos

Engl 1301

Mr. Powers

16 April 2023

Performance as Activism in the Queer Community

Introduction

Performance activism has become a powerful form of activism within the queer

community. It encompasses a range of artistic practices that use performance as an instrument for

self-expression, social commentary, and political resistance. Performance activism in the queer

community encourages visibility and acceptance of various identities and experiences. By using

physical movement and voices as tools for change, performance activists have the ability to carry

public discourse and highlight what issues in society need addressing. Performance activism has

become an essential tool for queer activism and can continue to serve as a platform for

self-expression, social commentary, and political resistance.

Self-expression

In the queer community, performance activism has evolved into a means of

self-expression which enables people to defy social norms and establish their identities.

Self-expression allows people to understand themselves and process their emotions. According

to researcher Judith Butler, performance serves as a manner of "reiterating and resignifying

cultural norms," and can be used as a form of subversion and resistance (Butler 178).

Performance activism in the queer community has paved the way for celebrating and expressing

varied identities and experiences. Self-expression can also be a source of empowerment and

healing for LGBTQ individuals who have endured violence, persecution, or marginalization. By
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expressing themselves, they can take back control of their lives and establish a sense of

community. They can display their own experiences and viewpoints while also connecting with

people who have similar experiences by expressing themselves through various mediums, such

as fashion, art, music, or activism. Performance art has always been recognized as a means of

self-expression, and alongside activism, performance art has the ability to emphasize queer

visibility. As examined by scholars Fintan Walsh and Elaine Aston in their article "Queer

Performance, Live Art, and Contemporary Ireland," they state that people can "articulate

embodied emotions" and express various feelings and concepts through performance art (Walsh

and Aston 75). This allows the queer community to confront challenges in society and promote

change through performances. In the queer community, performance as activism is an effective

form of self-expression that people can use to question established norms and assert their

identities. Drag, performance art, and other performance activism techniques can help the queer

community celebrate its diversity and advance visibility and acceptance. According to Butler,

performance may be a tool for subversion and resistance, offering a platform for political and

social critique (Butler 179). The queer community has discovered a potent instrument for

fostering empowerment and campaigning for change in performance as a form of

self-expression.

Social Commentary

In the queer community, performance activism serves as a platform for social discourse

as well as a way of self-expression. According to academic José Esteban Muoz, performance can

challenge prevailing narratives and "make visible the invisibilities and ineffability of queer life"

(Muoz 3). Performance activism has been widespread among the queer community to express

criticism and commentary on societal issues like prejudice, inequality, and violence. The usage
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of protest art is one instance of performance as social criticism in the LGBT community. The use

of protest art in queer activism is examined by scholars Jennifer Tyburczy and Amber Musser in

their work "Queer Politics and Performance Art: Staging Resistance." They contend that

individuals can "visually represent the issues at stake" and draw attention to societal injustices

through protest art. (Tyburczy and Musser 465). The LGBTQ community can express their

concerns and oppose the status quo through protest art. The use of theater in the queer

community illustrates performance as social commentary. The importance of theater in queer

activism is examined by academics Jill Dolan and Sarah Gorman in their article "Queer Theatre

and the Legacy of Stonewall." They contend that people can "redefine what it means to be queer

in the world" and develop alternative views of society through theater. (Dolan and Gorman 245).

This calls attention to societal problems and encourages social change through theater. An

effective instrument for social criticism, performance activism in the queer community enables

people to challenge prevailing narratives and draw attention to societal injustices. The gay

community can analyze and comment on various social issues through protest art, theater, and

other types of performance activism. Performance, according to Muoz, can be a tool for visibility

and empowerment, giving people a platform to express their concerns and push for change

(Muoz 1). The gay community has discovered a potent instrument for raising awareness and

fighting for social justice in performance as social criticism.

Political Resistance

The queer community has historically used performance as activism as a political protest.

The queer community can demand exposure and representation by challenging the cultural

standards and expectations placed upon them through performance. The parade is frequently a

platform for activists to voice their opposition to discriminatory laws and promote the rights of
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LGBTQ+ people. (Armstrong, 2018). Drag as a method of political opposition is another

instance of performance as activism. Drag queens have long been an important part of the queer

community, using their performances to question accepted social mores. The drag queen

movement is one instance of political opposition in the LGBTQ community through

performance. Drag queens have long been a part of the LGBTQ community, using their

performances to question gender expectations and create a platform for individual expression.

Drag queens establish safe spaces for themselves and other marginalized groups through their

performances.Steven Thrasher stated that drag queens can "take on traditional roles of

masculinity and femininity and, in the process, subvert them" through the performance of gender

bending. (Thrasher, 2012). Additionally, performances have been utilized to oppose

discriminatory laws and policies. For instance, political opposition through performance can be

seen in the yearly Pride parade. It is both a celebration of the LGBTQ community and a protest

against the prejudice and marginalization the group has experienced. The march is a conspicuous

and effective approach to express unity and demand equality. Political opposition is effectively

aided by the queer community's use of performance as protest. It enables people to question

society expectations and norms, call for visibility and representation, and promote LGBTQ+

rights. The queer community may influence society and seek to create a more just and equal

society by using performance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, performance activism has been an essential instrument for the queer

community to express itself, question established standards, and demand visibility and

representation. The LGBT community has been able to advance visibility and acceptance of all

identities and experiences while simultaneously offering a forum for self-expression and social
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critique through embracing performance activism. The queer community continues to be shaped

by performance activism, which is a potent tool for upending the current quo. The queer

community has fought for its rights and contested the rules and expectations that society has

placed on them through performances. The queer community has been able to demand visibility

and representation while fostering acceptance of many identities and experiences by using

performance as a tool for political progress. Performance activism has ultimately shown to be a

potent instrument for the queer community, allowing them to advocate for social change and

fight towards a more fair society. To ensure that their views are heard and their rights are

respected, it is crucial to continue to acknowledge and encourage the queer community's use of

performance as a form of political protest.

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Works cited

Walsh, Fintan, and Elaine Aston. "Queer Performance, Live Art, and Contemporary Ireland."

Theatre Research International, vol. 42, no. 1, 2017, pp. 66-79.

Butler, Judith. "Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and

Feminist Theory." Theatre Journal, vol. 40, no. 4, 1988, pp. 519-531.

Dolan, Jill, and Sarah Gorman. "Queer Theatre and the Legacy of Stonewall." Theatre Journal,

vol. 71, no. 3, 2019, pp. 241-252.

Muñoz, José Esteban. "Performing Disidentifications." GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay

Studies, vol. 1, no. 1, 1993, pp. 1-34.

Tyburczy, Jennifer, and Amber Musser. "Queer Politics and Performance Art: Staging

Resistance." GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, vol. 21, no. 3, 2015, pp.

461-479.

Armstrong, E. A. (2018). Resisting “Straightwashing” at the New York City Pride March.

Feminist Studies, 44(2), 398-406.

Thrasher, S. (2012). Performative Politics: Theorizing the Political in Drag Queen Performances.

Journal of Homosexuality, 59(6), 763-781.