Mary Mc Itntosh Gay Identity Summary

Alike gender, sexuality is also a social construct, especially when looking at the period before the 18th century, when one’s sexual orientation did not matter, hence there being no need for justification, just as pointed by Foucault: “Sexual practices had little need of secrecy; words were said without undue reticence, and things were done without too much concealment; one had a tolerant familiarity with the illicit.” (3). And the 19th century came and brought with it a big change, and not only did people become engulfed by social norms, whom they should abide at all costs, but they also had to keep their sexual preferences under lock and key: “But twilight soon fell upon this bright day, followed by the monotonous nights of the Victorian

“Sex was something mysterious which happened to married couples and Homosexuality was never mentioned; my mother told me my father did not believe it existed at all ‘until he joined the army’. As a child, I was warned about talking to ‘strange men’, without any real idea what this meant. I was left to find out for myself what it was all about.” Mike Newman, who was a child during the 1950s America recalls how homosexuality was perceived during the post-World War II era (F). This sexual oppression was not only in Newman’s household, but in almost everyone’s. While the civil rights movement began in the mid-1950s and ended late 1960s, the LGBT community started to come out of the closet slowly. The gay rights movement stemmed from the civil rights movement

George Chauncey’s Gay New York Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World 1890-1940, goes where no other historian had gone before, and that is into the world of homosexuality before World War II. Chauncey’s 1994 critically acclaimed book was a gender history breakthrough that gave light to a homosexual subculture in New York City. The author argues against the idea that homosexual men lived hidden away from the world. Chauncey’s book exposes an abundant culture throughout the United States, especially in New York. In this book Chauncey not only shows how the gay population existed, but “uncovers three widespread myths about the history of gay life before the rise of the gay movement which was isolation, invisibility, and internalization.” Chauncey argues against these theories that in the years 1890-1940, America had in fact a large gay culture. Chauncey book is impactful in the uncovering of a lost culture, but also works as an urban pre-World War II history giving an inside view of life in the city through sexuality and class.

In “Epistemology of the Closet,” an in-depth analysis of the preconceived notions that accompany coming out, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick radically asserts that the closet is the single delineating obstacle representing gay oppression and that there really is no such thing as a “stable” identity. Accentuating the fact that there is a clear distinction between the private and public sphere, cleverly, Sedgwick also relates ideas regarding the closet and gay disclosure to Jewish identity, explored heavily in the Book of Esther. This is perhaps one of the most noteworthy aspects of her essay, as Sedgwick takes a predominantly intersectional approach in her study, linking one’s

The following thesis will lay out the progression in the LGBTQIA movement along with the deficits that these individuals have encountered throughout history. An interdisciplinary perspective through historical,

Have you ever wondered how sexuality is viewed in the eyes of a different culture? Since America is a melting pot specifically with the Latino culture we have and is a very diverse country, it still carries culture identity. When you have a set cultural ideology for example the Latino Culture ideology, it sets the rules and norms for gender and sexual identity. In this essay we will be talking about how religious aspects of the Latino/a culture are affecting how people view sexual orientation. How religion in the Latino culture creates a discrimination against homosexuality and non-gender norms. This topic was chosen because I believe it is interesting how some cultures are used to believing that certain rituals and big events have to be within a man and a woman and cannot be both. I have personally witnessed how sexuality does affect the Latino culture; and has been involved in the rituals that make it so heteronormative. Through evidence of religious cultures, gendered identities and family structures we will see how religion in the Latino culture shapes and forms sexuality. I will be examining how Catholicism shapes cultural norms for sexual orientation and gender identity, how heteronormativity is reinforced as the main stream within the religious Latino culture and how it is insensitive towards homosexuality. How having family and social circles that are used to a culture around are perpetuating gender identity against sexuality.

Whilst facilitating an enrichment project for KS4 learners, it was my pleasure to work in collaboration with a ex-pupil of mine (who had left the school two years previous.) in order to explore the issue of homosexuality, homophobia and briefly touch on stereotypical views in society.

In her essay titled “Compulsive Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence,” Adrienne Rich claims that any alternative to heterosexual outcome is discouraged by society. The essay claims that Western tradition has used the heterosexual family model as the basic social

In the ‘Journal Of Family Theory & Review’, It states that “Bisexual individuals are often erased, as many lesbian and gay individuals believe that their sexuality is not ‘‘real’’ or ‘‘authentic.’’” (Russell, & Pollitt, (2013) pg. 241). Many individuals of the LGBTQ community have faced these problems and think that there is no way not. That no one will see them as a normal human being. Problems that have aroused within the LGBTQ

John D’ Emilio brood over this very query when he composed his essay. Emilio disputes that the buildup of capitalism, and its free labor system, has permitted gays and lesbians to generate a “homosexual identity”, contrasting the idea that this distinctiveness has forever been present for them. “Here I wish to challenge this myth; I want to argue that gay men and lesbians have not always existed. Instead, they are a product of history, and have come into existence in a specific era. There emergence is associated with the relation of capitalism” (Emilio 170). With technical advancement and free labor, folks were kicked out of their present existence, and into the work force. Populace was therefore better able to make same sex relationships with individuals in their place of work, promoting gay activity to transpire into an everyday life, rather than a silent

The relationship between the Dindon family and Albin, George and Jean-Michel, reflects how pre- stereotypes prove a negative response in first impressions of LGBTQ+. The discovery of Albin and George who are in a homosexual relationship, immediately have the rejection from Edouard and Marie due to defying heteronormativity. The pre-existing prejudice of LGBTQ+ impacts their perspectives on Jean-Michel; Edouard exclaims ‘What sort of family do you think this son of a pervert could make/ Being brought us as he was by two transvestite homosexuals.’ Demonstrating that Edouard’s pre-existing stereotype reflects on their opinion of Jean-Michel which lies at the root of ideals that homosexual couples are incapable of upholding a family. However,

“What is the identity of gender group (females/lesbians) “torn between traditional values (church ideas) and contemporary changes (today semi- accepted) that could be represented? And for whom (society) and for what reason does such representation, generally in the mainstream culture (society fears change, fears of the unknown), occur?”

At the same time we denote about what queer is as a social theory, led us to point at LGBT movement occurred in 1960-69 periods, in the United States and Western Europe. Because in the beginning, queers were known as ‘’Gay’’ in the West. Later it began to be used in the manner we note these days to cover LGBT movement. So, why the concept of queer was evaluated in LGBT movement? The most basic reason is a question about the structure-based theory of identity, held by postmodernist and on entering it into the sexual socio-sexual literature of queer.

In Foucault and Queer Theory Spargo defines queer theory as a nebulous group of cultural criticism and analysis of social power structures relating to sexuality . It is these power structures and aspects of culture that are responsible for the discourse that creates and informs ones understanding of gender, race, and sexuality. However these aspects of identity do not exist separately from one another, but are constructed in tandem throughout history. These layers of identity inform each other in a way that is difficult if not impossible to separate. They do not act independently with an additive effect but intersect constructing their own unique set of experiences and perspectives. In this paper I will be exploring queer theory

Canaday, M. (2014). LGBT history. Frontiers: A Journal of Women's Studies, 35(1), 11+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.proxy.davenport.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA370396593&v=2.1&u=lom_davenportc&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=9d707445b93f162c44834c8c255b5954