Problematizing the category of

“Sex”: Queer Theory

 Introduction
Queer means strange or unusual
It is anything that does not conform to the
established norms of society
 Queer Theory
• Queer Theory is a critical theory that came in
full swing since the 1990s.
• It came in response to the school of 1970s
feminism that believed that each sex comes
with specific characteristics
• It does not agree with binary male female trait
model
• It rejects the conventional and mainstream
behavior including not only sexual identity but
a range of other identities including gender
and race
• It seeks to do so by questioning the essential
nature of the theories of identity based on
binary oppositions like male-female,
masculinity-femininity, gay-straight.
• Instead it argues that there is another space
outside which they refer to as Queer
 What do Queer Texts Deal With?
• Queer texts deals with queer themes
• Representations of gays and lesbians
• Role of media
• View of heterogeneous audience towards the
queer
• View held by society
 Areas Dealt by Queer Theory
1. Queer Theory and Sex
challenges heterosexuality as the only normal. Talks about
fluid nature of gender and sexuality. It is concerned about
role of media in representing queer.
2. Gender Roles and Queer Theory
Judith Butler is known to have laid down the ground work
for queer in 1990s. Her central idea surrounds “Gender
Performance”. Other highlights are gender trouble.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo7o2LYATDc&t=44s
 Conclusion
• Queer theory simply challenges the socially
constructed rigid categories of sex, gender and
desire.
• They believe that sexuality and gender are fluid
and there exists a space outside the known
sexual acceptance criterion known as QUEER.

Watch : https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=fVjoerwrOZ0&t=296s