#cigc week7

“Week 7: Queer Theory // 26.11.2018

This week’s topic touched upon Queer Theory, presented by Emily Sparkes. We start off with the definition of Queer Theory, as quoted from Emily’s presentation: “Queer theory is an academic discipline that grew out of Feminist Theory and Gender Studies in the 1990s. It challenges the way that heterosexuality is considered “normal” (terminology: ‘Heteronormativity’) and explores identities or behavior that might be considered “other” or deviant.”

Adding to that, we got to learn why the word ‘queer’ is chosen as it is to reflect these meanings is because it’s much more of an umbrella term. 

Then we were shown a work by David Wojnarowicz, One Day This Kid..., (1990).

According to this website that thoroughly explains about this piece by David Wojnarowicz, it is one that reflects on the social issue of homophobia. It is also one of the first few pieces that featured a picture of himself as a child.

Reading on deeper, there were a few themes that highlighted around this piece and they were (taken from the website as well):

Pre-invented world; “Wojnarowicz was deeply concerned about the power of mass media to reinforce the myths of what he called the “pre-invented world,” the “official reality” whose social rules, regulations, definitions, and expectations he sought to interrogate.”

Childhood; “Drawing from his own personal experience, Wojnarowicz often depicted childhood as a time of danger and oppression.”

Activism; “Although he is primarily remembered today for his fierce AIDS activism (particularly after the death of his mentor Peter Hujar in 1987 and his own diagnosis with AIDS shortly afterwards), Wojnarowicz's art and writings evidenced a broad social critique of injustice throughout his lifetime. He identified with marginal figures - drug addicts, homeless people, prisoners, people with AIDS, queer people - and sought to make obvious the cruelty and hypocrisy of powerful people who persecuted them.”

To me, when I first saw this piece and heard Emily recite it out to us, I remembered feeling the emotions written in the artwork. It’s such a simple and beautiful piece, merely using words and a picture of a boy, but it speaks to you. It puts you in the perspective of someone that’s going to grow up in a world that’s already decided for him with all the preconceived ideas and that’s scary.

I think from here, it really does reflect what is going through a designer’s life or morals based on the work they produce. Passion can bring out the best in people and especially what they believe in through art. Sometimes subliminal and sometimes direct, but oftentimes, it’s something that resonates with an artist that art becomes their medium of bringing forward what they wish to say.

That’s important as a designer and as someone in the creative field. To use this platform as a way to convey a message we strongly believe in and to fight for what we think is right. It doesn’t have to be in a brutal or violent way, but in a civilised and expressive manner of using the works of art to express what we think and feel - to also make a difference along that.

Moving on, we touched upon structuralism and post-structuralism which is something a little bit complicated but Emily had a slide that compares the two easily in point form.

We were then introduced to a guy named Andrew Gurza, who calls himself cripple. 

“Cripple”, when I use it, allows me to take ownership of everyone’s misconceptions of disability. I know you’re scared of me; I know you think I’m different from you, and guess what? I am. I’m owning that as best as I can when I use that word. It is a term of personal empowerment for me. I wouldn’t use it to describe another disabled person without their consent, but for me it helps me navigate the experience of disability with an honesty that I think is really important.

- Andrew Gurza in “Here's What This 'Queer Cripple' Wants You To Know About His Sex Life”, Huffington Post [online] (21st July 2017).

Andrew Gurza’s website, his about page. (link)

Andrew is simply an inspirational guy, who not only uses his confidence to talk about things that matter but chooses to do it to help others as well. 

A thing that stood out to me was the question is Queer Theory a way of Life?

How can a relational system be reached through sexual practices? Is it possible to create a homosexual mode of life? … To be “gay,” I think, is not to identify with the psychological traits and the visible masks of the homosexual, but to try to define and develop a way of life. 

- Michel Foucault, “Friendship as a Way of Life”  The Essential Works of Foucault 1954-1984, (Volume One).  Translated by Robert Hurley (New York: The New Press, 1997), 135-140

Obviously not all gay, lesbian and transgender people live their lives in radically different ways from their heterosexual counterparts, but part of what has made queerness compelling as a form of self-description in the past decade or so has to do with the way it has the potential to open up new life narratives and alternate relations to time and space.  - Jack Halberstam, In a Queer Time & Place: Transgender Bodies, Subcultural Lives (New York: New York University Press, 2005), 1-2.

In today’s society and age where everyone has their own opinions and thoughts, I think it’s fine to live however you want as long as you’re not harming anyone around you... or yourself. We live in a world so full of judgements that are not necessary - we all should be able to exist together in harmony regardless of what you identify with.