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What’s Queer about Queer Studies Now? Special Issue Editors David L. Eng, Judith Halberstam, José Esteban Muñ...
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Contents
What’s Queer about Queer Studies Now? Special Issue Editors David L. Eng, Judith Halberstam, José Esteban Muñoz Introduction: What’s Queer about Queer Studies Now? David L. Eng with Judith Halberstam and José Esteban Muñoz 1 Punk’d Theory
Tavia Nyong’o 19
The Joy of the Castrated Boy
Joon Oluchi Lee 35
Time Binds, or, Erotohistoriography
Elizabeth Freeman 57
Tarrying with the Normative: Queer Theory and Black History Amy Villarejo 69 Of Our Normative Strivings: African American Studies and the Histories of Sexuality Roderick A. Ferguson 85 Asian Diasporas, Neoliberalism, and Family: Reviewing the Case for Homosexual Asylum in the Context of Family Rights Chandan Reddy 101 Queer Times, Queer Assemblages
Jasbir K. Puar 121
Race, Violence, and Neoliberal Spatial Politics in the Global City Martin F. Manalansan IV 141 Bollywood Spectacles: Queer Diasporic Critique in the Aftermath of 9/11 Gayatri Gopinath 157 You Can Have My Brown Body and Eat It, Too!
Hiram Perez 171
JJ Chinois’s Oriental Express, or, How a Suburban Heartthrob Seduced Red America Karen Tongson 193
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Shame and White Gay Masculinity
Judith Halberstam 219
Gay Rights versus Queer Theory: What Is Left of Sodomy after Lawrence v. Texas? Teemu Ruskola 235 Uncivil Wrongs: Race, Religion, Hate, and Incest in Queer Politics Michael Cobb 251 Policing Privacy, Migrants, and the Limits of Freedom Nayan Shah 275 Sex + Freedom = Regulation: Why?
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Janet R. Jakobsen 285
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Contributors
Michael Cobb is an assistant professor of English at the University of Toronto. His essays have appeared, or soon will appear, in Callaloo, GLQ, University of Toronto Quarterly, Criticism, and boundary 2. His book God Hates Fags: The Rhetorics of Religious Violence is forthcoming from New York University Press. David L. Eng is an associate professor of English at Rutgers University. He is the author of Racial Castration: Managing Masculinity in Asian America (Duke University Press, 2001). In addition, he is coeditor with David Kazanjian of Loss: The Politics of Mourning (University of California Press, 2003) and coeditor with Alice Y. Hom of Q & A: Queer in Asian America (Temple University Press, 1998), which was the winner of a 1998 Lambda Literary Award and the 1998 Cultural Studies Book Award of the Association for Asian American Studies. He is completing a book titled “Queer Diasporas/Psychic Diasporas,” which explores the impact of Asian transnational and queer social movements on family and kinship in the late twentieth century. Roderick A. Ferguson is an associate professor of race and critical theory in the Department of American Studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He is the author of Aberrations in Black: Toward a Queer of Color Critique (University of Minnesota Press, 2004). Elizabeth Freeman is an associate professor of English at the University of California, Davis. She is the author of The Wedding Complex: Forms of Belonging in Modern American Culture (Duke University Press, 2002) and is working on a second book tentatively titled “Time Binds: Essays in Queer Temporality.” She has also published or copublished articles in nineteenth-century American literature and queer studies in journals including American Literary History, American Literature, boundary 2, New Literary History, Radical Teacher, and Women and Performance. Gayatri Gopinath is an associate professor of women’s and gender studies at the University of California, Davis. She is the author of Impossible Desires: Queer Diasporas and South Asian Public Cultures (Duke University Press, 2005). Her work on diasporic sexualities has appeared in journals such as GLQ, positions, Diaspora, Amerasia, and Gender and History.
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Judith Halberstam is a professor of English and director of the Center for Feminist Research at the University of Southern California. She is the author of Skin Shows: Gothic Horror and the Technology of Monsters (Duke University Press, 1995) and Female Masculinity (Duke University Press, 1998) and has a new book of essays titled In a Queer Time and Place: Transgender Bodies, Subcultural Lives (New York University Press, 2005). Halberstam is working on a book titled “Dude, Where’s My Theory? The Politics of Knowledge in an Age of Stupidity.” Janet R. Jakobsen is director of the Center for Research on Women at Barnard College. She is the author of Working Alliances and the Politics of Difference (Indiana University Press, 1998), coauthor (with Ann Pellegrini) of Love the Sin: Sexual Regulation and the Limits of Religious Tolerance (New York University Press, 2003), and coeditor (with Elizabeth A. Castelli) of Interventions: Activists and Academics Respond to Violence (Palgrave/Macmillan, 2004). Joon Oluchi Lee is assistant professor of gender studies and English at the Rhode Island School of Design. He is working on a book about gay male effeminacy and black femininity titled “rainbowbaby-woman: poethics of racial-sexual cross-identification.” Martin F. Manalansan IV is an associate professor of anthropology and Asian American studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He is the author of Global Divas: Filipino Gay Men in the Diaspora (Duke University Press, 2003). In addition to essays in journals and anthologies, he has edited two volumes of essays: Cultural Compass: Ethnographic Explorations of Asian America (Temple University Press, 2001) and (with Arnaldo Cruz-Malave) Queer Globalizations: Citizenship and the Afterlife of Colonialism (New York University Press, 2002).
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José Esteban Muñoz is an associate professor in the Department of Performance Studies at New York University. He is the author of Disidentifications: Queers of Color and the Performance of Politics (University of Minnesota Press, 1999). He is also the coeditor (with Celeste Delgado) of Everynight Life: Culture and Dance in Latin/o America (Duke University Press, 1997) and (with Jennifer Doyle and Jonathan Flatley) of Pop Out: Queer Warhol (Duke University Press, 1996). Tavia Nyong’o is an assistant professor of performance studies at New York University. He has written on racial kitsch in cinema and collecting, on the cyber-performance artist Pamela Z, and on the performance of blackness in U.S. politics. His work has appeared in the Yale Journal of Criticism, 3x3, and Women and Performance. Hiram Perez is an assistant professor of English at Montclair State University, where he also teaches courses in women’s studies and African American studies. He is completing a manuscript that explores the relationship between shame and racial embodiment. Jasbir K. Puar is an assistant professor of women’s and gender studies at Rutgers University. She works on queer globalizations, South Asian diasporas, gay and lesbian tourism, and sexual scripts of terrorism. Her articles have appeared in GLQ, Signs, Society and Space, Feminist Review, Radical History Review, Antipode, and Gender, Place and Culture. Chandan Reddy is an assistant professor of English at the University of Washington, Seattle. He is completing a manuscript on the rise of postemancipation black publics in the age of U.S. wars in Asia, 1898– 1952. The essay published here is part of a second project on queer of color cultural formations and U.S. neoliberalism. Teemu Ruskola is a professor of law at American University. His writings on the cultural study of law have appeared, among other places, in Michigan Law Review, Stanford Law Review, Yale Journal of Law and Feminism, and Yale Law Journal.
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Nayan Shah is an associate professor in the Department of History at the University of California, San Diego. He is the author of Contagious Divides: Epidemics and Race in San Francisco’s Chinatown (University of California Press, 2001). Karen Tongson is an assistant professor of English and gender studies at the University of Southern California. She has published various articles on queer theory and aesthetics from the nineteenth century to the present and is working on two book projects: one on Victorian aesthetics and homonormativity, and another on contemporary queer of color suburban subcultures. Amy Villarejo teaches film and directs the Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at Cornell University, where she is an associate professor. Her most recent book is Lesbian Rule: Cultural Criticism and the Value of Desire (Duke University Press, 2003). Mie Yim was born in South Korea in 1963 and currently lives and works in New York City. Her work has been displayed in numerous international solo and group exhibitions. Most recently, she had solo exhibitions at Galleria In Arco in Turin, Italy, in 2004 and at Metaphor Contemporary Art in New York City in 2003. She is represented by the Lehmann Maupin Gallery in New York City.
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DENIZENS THROUGH AN OFlCIAL TIME LINE EFFECTIVELY SHAPING THE CONTOURS OF A MEANINGFUL LIFE BY REGISTERING SOME EVENTS LIKE BIRTHS MARRIAGES AND DEATHS AND REFUSING TO RECORD OTHERS LIKE INITIATIONS FRIENDSHIPS AND CONTACT WITH THE DEADv &REEMANS CROSSING OF QUEER STUDIES WITH POST COLONIAL CONCERNS OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP hDEVELOPMENTv REFORMULATES CERTAIN BASIC TENETS OF THE lELD SUCH THAT hQUEER SUBJECTIVITY AND COLLECTIVITY DEMAND AND TAKE AS THEIR REWARD PARTICULARLY INVENTIVE AND TIME TRAVELING FORMS OF GRIEF AND COMPENSATIONv 2ECONSIDERING THE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DIMENSIONS OF QUEER TRAUMAS INCLUDING !)$3 &REEMAN SUGGESTS THAT THE INCORPORATION OF LOST OTHERS NEED NOT BE HAUNTED SOLELY BY MELANCHOLY AND DEPRESSION )N A HISTORICAL MOMENT OF INTENSE POLITICAL CONSERVA TISM RESIDUES OF hPOSITIVE AFFECTvhEROTIC SCENES UTOPIAS MEMORIES OF TOUCHvMUST BECOME AVAILABLE FOR QUEER COUNTERHISTORIES OF SPACE AND TIME ALTERNATIVE NARRATIVES OF DEVELOPMENT THAT HAVE BECOME CENTRAL TO THE NOTION OF QUEER SUBCULTURES COUNTERPUBLICS AND UTOPIAS 1UEER EPISTEMOLOGY INSISTS THAT WE EMBARK ON EXPANDED INVESTIGATIONS OF NORMALIZATION AND INTERSECTIONALITY )N THIS REGARD 4AVIA .YONGOS OPENING ESSAY h0UNKD 4HEORY v PROFFERS YET ANOTHER TAKE ON hINTERSEC TIONALITY v ONE INTERRUPTING THE EVERYDAY PRACTICES AND hLITIGIOUS PROCESS THROUGH WHICH SUBJECTS PETITION FOR ADMISSION TO QUEER THEORETICAL ATTEN TIONv 0ROFFERING h0UNKD 4HEORYv AS IN THE WORDS OF %VE 3EDGWICK A hNONCE TAXONOMYv FULL OF UNRATIONALIZED HYPOTHESES ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE THERE ARE TO BE FOUND IN THE WORLD .YONGO REWRITES A NOW FROZEN DIALECTIC BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE AS WELL AS STRAIGHT AND GAY (E OBSERVES THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH hTO TAKE UP THE SIMULTANEITY OF RACE CLASS GENDER AND SEXUALITY WHICH IT IS MY ARGUMENT THAT THE VERNACULAR DOES CONSTANTLY IN KEYWORDS LIKE PUNK AND PUNKEDv )NSTEAD .YONGO CONTENDS WE MUST INVESTIGATE hTHE SUBJECT TRANSFORMED BY LAW THAT NEVERTHELESS EXISTS NOWHERE WITHIN IT THE lGURE OF ABSOLUTE ABJECTION THAT IS PARADOXICALLY PART OF OUR EVERYDAY EXPERIENCEv (ERE QUEER EPISTEMOLOGY RETHINKS INTERSECTIONALITY NOT JUST AS RACIAL SEXUAL OR CLASS SIMULTANEITY BUT AS hA MEETING OF TWO STREETS AND IN A LANDSCAPE LONG GIVEN OVER TO AUTOMOTIVITY A PLACE OF PARTICULAR HAZARD FOR THE PEDESTRIANv !CCORDING TO .YONGO hPUNKDv PEDESTRIANS MUST DEMAND BOTH THEIR hRIGHTS AND MORE THAN THEIR RIGHTS SIMPLY TO PRESERVE A PORTION OF THE MOBILITY THEY HAD PRIOR TO ENCLOSUREv WORKERS BECOME hILLEGAL IMMIGRANTSv POOR MOTHERS hWELFARE QUEENSv PROTESTORS hPOTENTIAL TERRORISTSv 7HILE ALL MUST ATTACK THE PRESUMPTION OF THEIR CRIMINALITY MERELY TO PRESERVE THEIR WAY OF LIFE INTERSECTIONALITY WILL BECOME POSITIVELY HAZARDOUS TO EVERYONES HEALTH IF WE CHOOSE TO ADJUDICATE AMONG THESE DIFFERENCES RATHER THAN TO NURTURE THEM ALL AT ONCE %XTENDING .YONGOS NONCE TAXONOMY OF WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE THERE ARE TO BE FOUND IN THE WORLD *OON /LUCHI ,EES ESSAY h4HE *OY OF THE #ASTRATED
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"OY v DRAWS OUR CRITICAL ATTENTION ALONG THE LINES OF &REEMAN TO QUEER PLEASURES AND DESIRES ,EE SUGGESTS THAT THE CONTEMPORARY MAINSTREAMING OF QUEERNESS IN BOTH POPULAR CULTURE AND THE SOCIAL IMAGINARY HAS RESULTED IN THE EMBRACING OF A hMAINSTREAM ETHICS OF GENDERv IN QUEER STUDIES )NDEED LIKE SEVERAL OTHER CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS SPECIAL ISSUE ,EE INSISTS THAT CERTAIN PREVAILING EPISTEMOLOGICAL PARADIGMS SUCH AS GAY SHAME HAVE BEEN IMPLICITLY UNIVERSALIZED IN QUEER STUDIES TO GREAT SOCIAL AND POLITICAL HARM 2EFUSING THE DISAVOWAL OF CASTRATION AND EFFEMINACY THAT UNDERWRITES $ ! -ILLERS READING OF THE "ROADWAY MUSICAL 'YPSY FOR INSTANCE ,EE POSITS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE ANXIOUS GLORIlCATION OF WHITE MASCULINITY THAT -ILLER ERECTS AS A DEFENSE AGAINST THE FEMININE FORMS OF IDENTIlCATION THAT 'YPSY DEMANDS AND CIRCULATES h) HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED MYSELF A CASTRATED BOY v ,EE WRITES IN RELATION TO A STEREOTYPICAL !SIAN MASCULINITY hAND LEARNED TO BE HAPPY IN THAT STATE BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY ) COULD LIVE MY LIFE AS THE GIRL ) KNEW MYSELF TO BEv 3IMPLY PUT ,EE OFFERS AN hECSTATICv POLITICS OF RACIAL CASTRATION IN THE PLACE OF AN ANXIOUS PHALLIC RESTORATION OF WHITENESS 3UGGESTING THAT THE hJOYv OF THE CASTRATED BOY MIGHT ABET IN THE PROJECT OF hUNDOINGv GENDERUNDOING THAT IS THE IDEALIZATION OF WHITE MASCULINITY IN QUEER STUDIES,EE ASSERTS THAT RACIAL CASTRATION PRESERVES A SPACE OF ALTERITY TO EMBRACE hFEMININITY AS RACEv AND hRACE AS FEMININITYv )N THIS REGARD ,EE ADVANCES THE GROUNDBREAKING PROJECT LAID OUT BY %VE 3EDGWICK IN HER ESSAY h(OW TO "RING 9OUR +IDS 5P 'AYv ,IKE CULTURAL POSTCOLONIAL AND CRITICAL RACE STUDIES QUEER STUDIES HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGED SITE FOR THE EXPLICIT RECONSIDERATION OF DISCIPLINARITY AND KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION !LL THE ESSAYS IN THIS SPECIAL ISSUE CONTEND IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER WITH THE QUESTION OF QUEER EPISTEMOLOGY REORIENTING THE lELDS POTENTIAL TO ENGAGE WITH A WIDE lELD OF NORMALIZATION PRECISELY THROUGH A CRITICAL REENGAGEMENT WITH INTERSECTIONALITY IN ITS MANIFOLD FORMS AND LOCATIONS 4HE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL POTENTIAL OF SUCH A CRITIQUE IS hPRECISELY CALIBRATED TO THE DEGREE TO WHICH @QUEER IS DEPLOYED AS A CATACHRESIS v !MY 6ILLAREJO OBSERVES IN HER ESSAY h4ARRYING WITH THE .ORMATIVE 1UEER 4HEORY AND "LACK (ISTORYv )NVESTIGATING THE DOCUMENTARY "LACK (ISTORY ,OST 3TOLEN OR 3TRAYED AS A COUNTERARCHIVE FOR QUEER NORMALIZATION 6ILLAREJO POSITS A hQUEER OF COLORv CRITIQUE AS MAKING hGOOD ON THE UNDERSTANDING OF NORMATIVITY AS VARIEGATED STRIATED CON TRADICTORY v AS THE PERSISTENT TENSION hBETWEEN SYSTEMATIZATION AND DESIRE BETWEEN REASON AND AFFECT BETWEEN THE LITERAL AND THE lGURATIVE BETWEEN PHILOSOPHY AND LITERATUREv )N THESE INTERSTITIAL SPACES 6ILLAREJO DISCOVERS YET ANOTHER CAVEAT TO THE PRACTICE OF QUEER INTERSECTIONALITY ENCOURAGING US TO ABANDON hA CERTAIN LITERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE OF ABSTRACTION AS ENFORCING A LOGIC OF EQUIVALENCE IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE SYMPTOMv 3OCIAL AND POLITICAL DIFFERENCES CANNOT lNALLY BE EQUALIZED AS ANALOGOUS VALUES
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OR COMMENSURATE FORMS OF DOMINATION INSTEAD THEY MUST BE CONSIDERED IN AND THROUGH THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL DEPLOYMENTS
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2VFFS%JBTQPSBT !TTENTION TO QUEER EPISTEMOLOGY GENERATES ALTERNATE CRITICAL GENEALOGIES FOR QUEER STUDIES OUTSIDE ITS CONVENTIONAL RELATIONSHIP TO FRANCOPHONE AND !NGLO !MERICAN LITERATURES AND LITERARY STUDIES AS WELL AS ITS PRESUMED WHITE MASCULINE SUBJECTS h7OMEN OF COLOR FEMINISMv AND hQUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUEv COLLECTIVELY EXPLORED BY .YONGO ,EE &ERGUSON AND 6IL LAREJO MARK TWO SUCH ALTERNATE CRITICAL GENEALOGIES FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF NORMALIZATION AND DIFFERENCE 1UEER DIASPORA IS A THIRD )N THEIR INTRODUCTION TO h1UEER 4RANSEXIONS OF 2ACE .ATION AND 'ENDER v THE EDITORS NOTE THAT THE hTHEORIZATION OF DIVERGENT SEXUALITIES OFFERED BY CONTEMPORARY QUEER CRITIQUE AND THE INTERROGATION OF RACE AND ETHNICITY UNDERTAKEN WITHIN POSTCOLONIAL STUDIES AND CRITICAL RACE THEORY ARE AMONG THE MOST SIGNIlCANT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN SOCIAL ANALYSIS AND CULTURAL CRITICISM 7HILE THE BEST WORK IN THESE lELDS HAVE EMPHASIZED THAT THEIR OBJECTS OF STUDY CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD IN ISOLATION FROM ONE ANOTHER THE CRITICAL RAMIlCATIONS OF THIS FACT HAVE NEVERTHELESS GONE LARGELY UNEX PLOREDv %IGHT YEARS LATER THE CRITICAL RAMIlCATIONS OF SUCH A PROJECT HAVE BECOME PART OF OUR INTELLECTUAL CONSCIOUSNESS LARGELY BECAUSE OF A CRITICAL MASS OF SCHOLARSHIP IN QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE AS WELL AS QUEER DIASPORAS #OLLECTIVELY THESE TWO lELDS HAVE SYSTEMATICALLY RETHOUGHT CRITICAL RACE THEORY WHICH TAKES THE 53 NATION STATE AS ITS CONCEPTUAL FRAME AND POSTCOLONIAL STUDIES ALONGSIDE SCATTERED DEPLOYMENTS OF SEXUALITYITS UNEVEN MAPPINGS OF TIME AND SPACE ACROSS DOMESTIC AS WELL AS DIASPORIC LANDSCAPES &OR INSTANCE IN ITS DENATURALIZING OF VARIOUS ORIGIN NARRATIVES SUCH AS hHOMEv AND hNATION v QUEER DIASPORAS hINVESTIGATES WHAT MIGHT BE GAINED POLITICALLY BY RECONCEPTUALIZING DIASPORA NOT IN CONVENTIONAL TERMS OF ETHNIC DISPERSION lLIATION AND BIOLOGICAL TRACEABILITY BUT RATHER IN TERMS OF QUEERNESS AFlLIATION AND SOCIAL CONTINGENCYv "Y DOING SO QUEER DIASPORAS EMERGES AS A CRITICAL SITE hPROVIDING NEW WAYS OF CONTESTING TRADITIONAL FAMILY AND KINSHIP STRUCTURESOF REORGANIZING NATIONAL AND TRANSNATIONAL COMMUNITIES BASED NOT ON ORIGIN lLIATION AND GENETICS BUT ON DESTINATION AFlLIATION AND THE ASSUMPTION OF A COMMON SET OF SOCIAL PRACTICES OR POLITICAL COMMITMENTSv )N THE SHADOWS OF POSTCOLONIALITY GLOBALIZATION AND THE NOW INlNITE hWAR ON TERRORISM v QUEER DIASPORAS HAVE ALSO BECOME A CONCERTED SITE FOR THE INTERROGATION OF THE NATION STATE CITIZENSHIP IMPERIALISM AND EMPIRE
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)T HAS EXAMINED THE NUMEROUS WAYS IN WHICH RACIALIZED HETEROPATRIARCHY HAS BEEN UNIVERSALIZED AS A 7ESTERN DISCOURSE OF SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT AS A PROJECT OF MODERNITY AND MODERNIZATION AS A COLONIAL AND CIVILIZING MISSION AS AN INDEX OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT AND AS A STORY OF HUMAN LIBERTY AND FREEDOM )N THIS REGARD THE CONCERNS OF QUEER DIASPORAS HAVE WORKED BORROWING $IPESH #HAKRABARTYS TERM TO hPROVINCIALIZEv QUEER STUDIES BRINGING PROBLEMS OF CITIZENSHIP SOVEREIGNTY MIGRATION ASYLUM WELFARE THE PUBLIC SPHERE AND CIVIL SOCIETY TO QUESTIONS OF SEXUAL ITY AND SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE HEART OF THE MODERN LIBERAL NATION STATE )N THE PROCESS QUEER DIASPORAS BRINGS TO CONCEPTUAL CRISIS CONTRADICTIONS OF GLOBAL AND DOMESTIC POLITICS AS IT BROADENS STUDIES OF MIGRATION IN THE "LACK !TLANTIC TO CONSIDER OTHER AREAS SUCH AS 3OUTH !SIA %AST !SIA AND ,ATIN !MERICA )T SHIFTS CRITICAL ATTENTION TO THE INCOMMENSURABILITIES OF SEXUALITY AND NATIONAL BELONGING WHILE MARKING THE FALSE EQUIVALENCES OF THE NATION STATE AS WELL AS THE CONSTITUTIVE LIMITS OF h1UEER .ATIONv )N HER CONTRIBUTION TO THIS SPECIAL ISSUE h"OLLYWOOD 3PECTACLES 1UEER $IASPORIC #RITIQUE IN THE !FTERMATH OF v 'AYATRI 'OPINATH DELIN EATES THE METHODOLOGY OF QUEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE THROUGH lGURATIONS OF THE IMPURE THE INAUTHENTIC AND THE NONREPRODUCTIVE )F QUEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE 'OPINATH OBSERVES TAKES TO TASK THE hIMPLICIT HETERONORMATIVITY WITHIN SOME STRANDS OF AREA STUDIES v IT ALSO POWERFULLY CHALLENGES hTHE PAROCHIALISM OF SOME STRANDS OF QUEER STUDIES BY MAKING THE STUDY OF SEXUALITY CENTRAL TO AN ANTI IMPERIALIST ANTIRACIST PROJECTv 2EADING THE ASCENSION AND GLOBAL CIRCULATION OF "OLLYWOOD CINEMA AS A SPECTACLE TO BE SAFELY CONSUMED IN A POST 53 NATIONAL IMAGINARY 'OPINATH POSITS THE QUEER 3OUTH !SIAN FEMALE DIASPORIC SUBJECT AS AN IMPOSSIBLE lGURE ONE WHO STANDS IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO THE NEOLIBERAL CITIZEN SUBJECT 4HE INCOMMENSURABILITY OF THESE TWO lGURES 'OPINATH CONTENDS CREATES A CONCEPTUAL SPACE FOR CHALLENGING THE BINARY CONSTRUCTION OF 3OUTH !SIAN BODIES AS EITHER hTERRORISTSv OR hMODEL MINORITIES v AS hINHERENTLY CRIMINAL AND ANTINATIONAL OR MULTICULTURAL AND ASSIMILATIONISTv )N SIMILAR REGARD *ASBIR + 0UAR EXAMINES THE hQUEERv lGURES OF 3IKH AND -USLIM TERRORISTS )N h1UEER 4IMES 1UEER !SSEMBLAGES v 0UAR EXPLORES HOW THE "USH ADMINISTRATIONS hWAR ON TERRORISMv RECONCILES QUEERNESS TO THE LIBERAL DEMANDS OF RATIONAL SUBJECT FORMATION EMPLOYING A RHETORIC OF SEXUAL MODERNIZATION THAT CONSTRUCTS THE IMPERIALIST CENTER AS hTOLERANTv WHILE CASTIGATING THE BACKWARD OTHER AS hHOMOPHOBICv AND hPERVERSEv )N OUR CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL MOMENT EXCEPTIONALIST DIS COURSES ON SEXUAL FREEDOM ALL TOO EASILY CONSPIRE WITH 53 NATIONALISM AND PATRIOTISM IN THE SERVICE OF EMPIRE 1UEER NATIONALISM 0UAR OBSERVES hCOLLUDES WITH 53 EXCEPTIONALISMS EMBEDDED IN NATIONALIST FOREIGN POLICY VIA THE ARTICULATION AND PRODUCTION OF WHITENESS AS A QUEER NORM AND
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THE TACIT ACCEPTANCE OF 53 IMPERIALIST EXPANSIONv )N SHORT NATIONALIST DEBATES ON MARRIAGE AND GAYS IN THE MILITARY COME TO REPLACE ANY AND ALL PRINCIPLED OBJECTIONS TO STATE VIOLENCE AND TORTURE EXEMPLIlED BY 'UANTÌ NAMO AND !BU 'HRAIB ON THE GLOBAL STAGE %XAMINING THE lGURE OF THE SUICIDE BOMBER AS A hQUEER ASSEMBLAGEv RESISTING THE DEMANDS OF RATIONAL SUBJECT FORMATIONTHE SANCTIONED BINARIES OF SUBJECT AND OBJECTIN FAVOR OF AFFECTIVE hTEMPORAL SPATIAL AND CORPOREAL SCHISMS v 0UAR SUGGESTS THAT THE ONTOLOGIES OF SUCH lGURES REORIENT A DIASPORIC IMAGINARY THAT QUEERS THE HABITUS OF THE NATION STATE ITS GEOPOLITICAL MANDATES AND IMPERIALIST AMBITIONS )N h!SIAN $IASPORAS .EOLIBERALISM AND &AMILY 2EVIEWING THE #ASE FOR (OMOSEXUAL !SYLUM IN THE #ONTEXT OF &AMILY 2IGHTS v #HANDAN 2EDDY EXTENDS 0UARS NOTION OF hTOLERANCE v QUEER NATIONALISM AND 53 EXCEP TIONALISMS IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION 2EDDY EXPLORES HOW THE lGURE OF THE GAY 0AKISTANI ASYLUM SEEKER WORKS TO CHALLENGE ANY CONTEMPORARY UNDER STANDING OF THE 53 NATION STATE AS THE CENTRAL GUARANTOR OF hFREEDOM DESTIGMATIZATION AND NORMALITYv IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT OF HUMAN RIGHTS OR IN THE NATIONAL ARENA OF GAY MARRIAGE POLITICAL DEBATE .OTING HOW RECENT 53 IMMIGRATION POLICY HAS WORKED TO PRODUCE A RACIALIZED AND GENDERED LOW WAGE WORKFORCE PRECISELY THROUGH THE RUBRIC OF hFAMILY REUNIlCATIONv AND ITS IDEALIZATION OF THE HETEROPATRIARCHAL FAMILY UNIT HE INVESTIGATES HOW THE STATE CODES THIS MIGRATION AS PRODUCED BY THE PETITIONING FAMILIES THEMSELVES )N THE PROCESS THE STATE PROJECTS ITSELF AS hA BENEVOLENT ACTOR REUNITING BROKEN FAMILIES OR AN OVERBURDENED AND EFFETE AGENT UNABLE TO PREVENT IMMIGRANTS MANIPULATION OF ITS MANDATORY DEMOCRATIC AND FAIR LAWSv %ITHER WAY 2EDDY POINTS OUT THE STATE GETS TO HAVE ITS CAKE AND EAT IT TOO SUCH POLICIES SATISFY CAPITALS NEED FOR AN EVER EXPANDING LOW WAGE WORKFORCE WHILE EXACERBATING THE CONDITIONS OF NONCITIZEN LIFE THROUGH THE DISMANTLING OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESOURCES FOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES )N AN EVER SHRINKING CIVIL SOCIETY 2EDDY CONCLUDES FAMILY REUNIlCATION ENABLES STATE POWER TO hCREATE HETEROPATRIARCHAL RELATIONS FOR THE RECRUIT MENT AND SOCIALIZATION OF LABOR WHILE JUSTIFYING THE EXCLUSION OF IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES FROM STATE POWER THROUGH A LIBERAL LANGUAGE OF 53 CITIZEN SHIP AS THE GUARANTOR OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND SEXUAL FREEDOMv 3UCH GUARANTEES TO INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND SEXUAL FREEDOM PROVIDE LITTLE SECURITY FOR UNDOCUMENTED QUEERS AS WELL AS QUEERS OF COLOR IN URBAN METROPOLES AN ISSUE -ARTIN & -ANALANSAN TAKES UP IN HIS ESSAY h2ACE 6IOLENCE AND .EOLIBERAL 3PATIAL 0OLITICS IN THE 'LOBAL #ITYv -ANALANSAN EXPLORES THE DECIMATION OF QUEER DIASPORIC IMMIGRANT SPACE IN *ACKSON (EIGHTS 1UEENS (E NOTES HOW THE DISAPPEARANCE OF !RAB AS WELL AS -USLIM COMMUNITIES FROM NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS AFTER THE EVENTS OF COINCIDED WITH THE SIMULTANEOUS GENTRIlCATION OF *ACKSON (EIGHTS
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AS A hNEW EXOTIC GAY MECCAv FOR -ANHATTANITES TO VISIT AND TO CONSUME AS AESTHETICIZED COMMODITY 3PECULATING THAT THE DE POLITICIZING OF NATION ALIST POLITICS ABOUT TERRORISM AND RACE IS IN PART SHORED UP THROUGH THE NEOLIBERAL RECODING OF QUEER LIFE AND LIFESTYLE AS THE FREEDOM TO TRAVEL TOUR AND CONSUME SAFELY IN VARIOUS SETTINGS AND LOCALES -ANALANSAN DELINEATES THE URBAN PROCESSES BY WHICH GLOBAL POLITICS IN A POST WORLD COME TO BE EMBEDDED INTO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT .EOLIBERALISM SHORT CIRCUITS THE POLITICS OF QUEER DIASPORA PRECISELY THROUGH THE hSTABILIZING AND NORMAL IZING OF SPECIlC FORMS OF CAPITALIST INEQUALITIESv IN THE GUISE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND SIMILITUDE )N THE PROCESS QUEER DIASPORICS QUEERS OF COLOR THE FEMINIZED THE FOREIGN THE COLORED AND THE POOR ARE LEFT WITH THE SHORT END OF THE POLITICAL STICK AS DISCOURSES OF hPERSONAL RESPONSIBILITYv SERVE TO EXCUSE STATE OBLIGATION TOWARD COLLECTIVE PUBLIC CARETAKING )F -ANALANSAN FOCUSES ON HOW NEOLIBERAL AND NATIONALIST 53 POLITICS POST EVISCERATE QUEER DIASPORIC SPACES IN THE URBAN METROPOLE +AREN 4ONGSONS ATTENTION TO THE SUBURBAN AND RURAL PERIPHERY IN HER ESSAY h** #HINOISS /RIENTAL %XPRESS OR (OW A 3UBURBAN (EARTTHROB 3EDUCED 2ED !MERICAv RELOCATES QUEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE IN THE hHEARTLANDv OF !MERICA 4ONGSON NOTES HOW QUEERNESS AS HIP METROSEXUALITY CONlGURES THESE OTHER AREAS AS SPACES OF EITHER DEPARTURE OR BYPASS 3HE EXAMINES THE PERFORMANCE ART OF ,YNNE #HAN A SECOND GENERATION !SIAN !MERICAN ARTIST WHOSE TRANSGENDERED ALTER EGO ** #HINOIS DENATURALIZES A NORMA TIVE TRAJECTORY OF QUEER DEVELOPMENT AS THE UNIDIRECTIONAL MIGRATION FROM SUBURBAN TO URBAN SPACE BY RELOCATING HIS HEARTLAND ADVENTURES IN THE INDETERMINATE ZONE OF CYBERSPACE 4HROUGH HIS DOMAIN NAME AND VIRTUAL SPACE 4ONGSON TRACKS ** #HINOISS EXPLOITS IN h2ED !MERICA v OBSERVING HOW THIS hDYKEASPORAv EXPLODES hSENTIMENTAL NARRATIVESv OF LONGING INHER ENT IN NOT JUST HETERONORMATIVE BUT CERTAIN QUEER RENDERINGS OF DIASPORA
2VFFS-JCFSBMJTN )S hQUEER LIBERALISMv NO LONGER A PARADOX !S NUMEROUS ESSAYS IN THIS SPECIAL ISSUE POINT OUT THE EMERGENCE OF hQUEER LIBERALISMv MARKS AN UNSETTLING THOUGH PERHAPS NOT ENTIRELY UNEX PECTED ATTEMPT TO RECONCILE THE RADICAL POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS OF QUEER STUDIES SUBJECTLESS CRITIQUE WITH THE CONTEMPORARY LIBERAL DEMANDS OF A NATIONALIST GAY AND LESBIAN 53 CITIZEN SUBJECT PETITIONING FOR RIGHTS AND RECOGNI TION BEFORE THE LAW )NDEED OUR CURRENT HISTORICAL MOMENT IS MARKED BY A PARTICULAR COMING TOGETHER OF ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL SPHERES THAT FORM THE BASIS FOR LIBERAL INCLUSION THE MERGING OF A CERTAIN QUEER CONSUMER LIFESTYLE lRST ESTABLISHED IN THE S AND NOW TYPIlED BY "RAVOS 1UEER
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%YE FOR THE 3TRAIGHT 'UY WITH RECENT JURIDICAL PROTECTIONS FOR GAY AND LES BIAN DOMESTICITY ESTABLISHED BY THE LANDMARK 53 3UPREME #OURT DECISION ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS DECRIMINALIZING GAY SODOMY AS WELL AS THE #OM MONWEALTH OF -ASSACHUSETTS LEGALIZING OF SAME SEX MARRIAGE IN THE SAME YEAR 7HILE IN PRIOR DECADES GAYS AND LESBIANS SUSTAINED A RADICAL CRITIQUE OF FAMILY AND MARRIAGE TODAY MANY MEMBERS OF THESE GROUPS HAVE LARGELY ABANDONED SUCH CRITICAL POSITIONS DEMANDING ACCESS TO THE NUCLEAR FAMILY AND ITS ASSOCIATED RIGHTS RECOGNITIONS AND PRIVILEGES FROM THE STATE 4HAT SUCH QUEER LIBERALISM COMES AT A HISTORICAL MOMENT OF EXTREME RIGHT WING NATIONALIST POLITICS SHOULD GIVE US IMMEDIATE PAUSE 'IVEN THE NEGATIVE REFERENDUM ON GAY MARRIAGE IN THE PRESIDEN TIAL ELECTION THAT WITNESSED 'EORGE 7 "USHS hREELECTIONv ON A PLATFORM OF hMORAL VALUES v SUCH RIGHTS RECOGNITIONS AND PRIVILEGES MIGHT INDEED BE TO BORROW FROM 'AYATRI 3PIVAK SOMETHING GAYS AND LESBIANS hCANNOT NOT WANTv !T THE SAME TIME QUEER INTELLECTUALS MUST UNTANGLE NATIONAL FORMS OF HOMOPHOBIA FROM THE 2EPUBLICANS WHOLESALE ECONOMIC ASSAULT ON THE POOR $OING SO WOULD HELP TO CLARIFY THE MEANING OF ANTInGAY MARRIAGE VOTES &OR INSTANCE ,ISA $UGGANS RECENT WORK ON THE POLITICS OF GAY MAR RIAGE SUGGESTS THAT MOST PEOPLE IN THE 5NITED 3TATES ARE IN FAVOR OF LIMITED DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP RIGHTS (OWEVER THEY OPPOSE GAY MARRIAGE BECAUSE TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE IS INCREASINGLY THE ONLY WAY TO ACCESS FEDERAL WELFARE BENElTS IN THE 5NITED 3TATES 7HAT $UGGAN HAS APTLY LABELED hHOMONOR MATIVITY v THE GAY AND LESBIAN LIBERAL PLATFORM ADVOCATING FOR GAY MARRIAGE WHILE RHETORICALLY REMAPPING AND RECODING FREEDOM AND LIBERATION IN NAR ROW TERMS OF PRIVACY DOMESTICITY AND THE UNFETTERED ABILITY TO CONSUME IN THE hFREEv MARKET COLLABORATES WITH A MAINSTREAMED NATIONALIST POLITICS OF IDENTITY ENTITLEMENT INCLUSION AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY WHILE ABAN DONING A MORE GLOBAL CRITIQUE OF CAPITALIST EXPLOITATION AND DOMINATION STATE VIOLENCE AND EXPANSION AND RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISMS AND HATE 4HE TURNING AWAY FROM A SUSTAINED EXAMINATION OF THE VAST INEQUALI TIES IN CIVIL SOCIETY AND COMMERCIAL LIFE THAT MARK THE PARADOXES OF QUEER LIBERALISM lND AN UNWITTING ACCOMPLICE IN CERTAIN STRANDS OF CONTEMPORARY QUEER STUDIES !S NUMEROUS ESSAYS IN THIS SPECIAL ISSUE EMPHASIZE THE PROBLEMS OF POLITICAL ECONOMY CANNOT BE ABSTRACTED AWAY FROM THE RACIAL GENDERED AND SEXUAL HIERARCHIES OF THE NATION STATE BUT MUST IN FACT BE UNDERSTOOD AS OPERATING IN AND THROUGH THEM 9ET THE CURRENT RETURN TO AN UNAPOLOGETIC AND RAPACIOUS WHITE MASCULINE HETEROPATRIARCHY IN A PUTATIVELY hPOSTIDENTITYv AND hPOSTRACIALv 53 NATION STATE lNDS SOME ODD BEDFELLOWS IN MAINSTREAM QUEER STUDIES &OR INSTANCE BOTH (IRAM 0EREZ AND *UDITH (ALBERSTAM TAKE THE OCCA SION OF AN INTERNATIONAL h'AY 3HAMEv CONFERENCE AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF -ICHIGAN IN -ARCH TO ANALYZE HOW QUEER STUDIES HAS EVOLVED OVER
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THE LAST lFTEEN YEARS TO PRODUCE AND TO REPRODUCE ITS OWN CANONICAL SET OF PROPER SUBJECTS AND OBJECTS AS WELL AS INTELLECTUAL METHODS AND INSTITU TIONAL SPACES )N h9OU #AN (AVE -Y "ROWN "ODY AND %AT )T 4OOv 0EREZ RESISTS QUEER LIBERALISMS DEMAND FOR THE hACTIVE UNTROUBLINGv OF RACE IN QUEER STUDIES (E NOTES THAT THE CONFERENCE OCCURRED WITHIN A WEEK OF THE 53 INVASION OF )RAQ AND IN THE MIDST OF THE 'RUTTER V "OLLINGER AND 'RATZ V "OLLINGER AFlRMATIVE ACTION CASES INVOLVING THE 5NIVERSITY OF -ICHIGAN YET IT WAS A CONFERENCE THAT INCLUDED ONLY ONE QUEER PERSON OF COLOR OUT OF FORTY INVITED PARTICIPANTS 0EREZ SPECULATES THAT OUR CON SERVATIVE HISTORICAL MOMENT lNDS AN UNFORTUNATE PARALLEL IN THE ATTEMPTS TO ENTRENCH A hTRANSPARENT WHITE SUBJECTv AT THE HEART OF QUEER STUDIES h1UEER THEORISTS WHO CAN INVOKE THAT TRANSPARENT SUBJECT AND CHOOSE TO DO SO v 0EREZ WRITES hREAP THE DIVIDENDS OF WHITENESSv h"ROWNv IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLOITED AND MAINTAINED FOR A WEAK MULTICULTURALISM TO INHERE THE hlXITYv OF RACE PROVIDING THE GROUND FOR QUEER THEORYS PERFORMATIVE SEXUALITY THE GROUND AGAINST WHICH THE lGURE OF COMPLEX WHITE GAY MALE SEXUALITY AND SHAME UNFOLDED h4HE CHRONIC FAILURE OF ESTABLISHMENTARIAN QUEER THEORY TO REVISIT ITS FUNDAMENTAL COLLUSIONS WITH !MERICAN LIBERAL ISM v 0EREZ CONCLUDES hCONSOLIDATES INDIVISIBILITIESWHITE PATRIARCHAL HETERONORMATIVECONTRARY TO ANY PROFESSED ANTI IDENTITYv ,IKE 0EREZ (ALBERSTAM RECOGNIZES THE POLITICAL AND INTELLECTUAL PROM ISES OF QUEER STUDIES AS YET UNFULlLLED TO THE EXTENT THAT QUEER TOO QUICKLY COLLAPSES BACK INTO hGAY AND LESBIANv AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT A hPOS SESSIVE INDIVIDUALISMv THAT SIMPLY CONNOTES hGAY v hWHITE v AND hMALEv )N h3HAME AND 7HITE 'AY -ASCULINITY v (ALBERSTAM CONTENDS THAT THE FUTURE OF QUEER STUDIES hDEPENDS ABSOLUTELY ON MOVING AWAY FROM WHITE GAY MALE IDENTITY POLITICS AND LEARNING FROM THE RADICAL CRITIQUES OFFERED BY A YOUNGER GENERATION OF QUEER SCHOLARS WHO DRAW THEIR INTELLECTUAL INSPIRA TION FROM FEMINISM AND ETHNIC STUDIES RATHER THAN WHITE QUEER STUDIESv /BSERVING THAT FEMINISM AND QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE OFFER A RICH CRITICAL VOCABULARY FOR FEMALE AND RACIALIZED SUBJECTS TO RESPOND TO THE POLITICS OF SHAME AND NEOLIBERAL CLAIMS TO RIGHTS (ALBERSTAM NOTES THAT hTHE ONLY PEOPLE REALLY LACKING A POLITICALLY URGENT LANGUAGE WITH WHICH TO DESCRIBE AND COUNTER SHAME ARE GAY WHITE MENv )NDEED IT IS GAY WHITE MALE SHAME (ALBERSTAM CONCLUDES hTHAT HAS PROPOSED @PRIDE AS THE APPROPRIATE REM EDY AND THAT FOCUSES ITS LIBIDINAL AND OTHER ENERGIES ON SIMPLY REBUILDING THE SELF THAT SHAME DISMANTLED RATHER THAN TAKING APART THE SOCIAL PROCESSES THAT PROJECT SHAME ONTO QUEER SUBJECTS IN THE lRST PLACEv -UCH OF QUEER THEORY NOWADAYS SOUNDS LIKE A METANARRATIVE ABOUT THE DOMESTIC AFFAIRS OF WHITE HOMOSEXUALS 3URELY QUEER STUDIES PROM ISES MORE THAN A HISTORY OF GAY MEN A SOCIOLOGY OF GAY MALE SEX CLUBS AN ANTHROPOLOGY OF GAY MALE TOURISM A SURVEY OF GAY MALE AESTHETICS 4HE
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EMERGENCE OF QUEER LIBERALISM CHALLENGES US TO RECONSIDER SOME OF THE CANONICAL IDEAS OF THE lELDSHAME AND INTIMACY NORMAL AND ANTINORMAL PUBLICS AND COUNTERPUBLICSFOR THEIR CONTEMPORARY LIBERAL DEPLOYMENTS !S CRUCIAL AS THESE INTELLECTUAL PARADIGMS HAVE BEEN TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF QUEER STUDIES IT IS IMPORTANT TO INSIST ON THEIR CONTINUING REEVALUATION IN BOTH THEIR HISTORICAL APPLICATIONS AND THEIR CONTEMPORARY CONTEXTS 4HE DISCOURSE OF PUBLICS AND COUNTERPUBLICS FOR INSTANCE TRACES ITSELF TO A (ABERMASIAN ANALYSIS OF THE EMERGENCE OF THE BOURGEOIS PUBLIC SPHERE AND THE RISE OF LIBERAL SOCIETY IN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY %NLIGHTENMENT THOUGHT 4HE HOMOGENEITY OF (ABERMASS PUBLIC SPHEREITS ASSUMPTIONS OF AN ABSTRACT CITIZEN SUBJECT WHO INHABITS AND MOVES WITH EASE THROUGH CIVIL SOCIETYREPRISES THE UNIVERSALIZING TENDENCIES OF hGAY SHAMEv AS WELL AS PROGRESS NARRATIVES OF 7ESTERN MODERNITY AND DEVELOPMENT THAT POSTCOLO NIAL FEMINIST AND CRITICAL RACE STUDIES HAVE EFFECTIVELY DECONSTRUCTED 4HE DIALECTIC OF PUBLIC AND COUNTERPUBLIC LOSES ANY CRITICAL EDGE TO ACCOUNT FOR hPERVERSEv MODERNITIES THOSE QUEER BODIES AND KNOWLEDGES THAT EXIST OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF SANCTIONED TIME AND SPACE LEGAL STATUS CITIZEN SUBJECTHOOD AND LIBERAL HUMANISM )N THIS REGARD .AYAN 3HAHS CONTRIBUTION h0OLICING 0RIVACY -IGRANTS AND THE ,IMITS OF &REEDOM v RETHINKS THE LIBERATION NARRATIVE OF ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS IN THE CONTEXT OF EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY SODOMY CASES INVOLVING RACIALIZED MIGRANT WORKERS IN THE RURAL 7EST 3HAH CONTENDS THAT HISTORICALLY hSEXUAL IDENTITY IS NOT THE DETERMINING FACTOR IN PROSECUTING SODOMY BUT RATHER DIFFERENTIALS OF CLASS AGE AND RACE SHAPE THE POLICING THAT LEADS TO SODOMY AND PUBLIC MOR ALS ARRESTSv &INDING A CONTEMPORARY PARALLEL IN THE MIXED RACE hCOUPLEv OF *OHN ,AWRENCE WHO IS WHITE AND 4YRONE 'ARNER WHO IS BLACK PETI TIONERS IN THE ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS CASE 3HAH ASKS WHERE AND FOR WHOM DOES PRIVACY MOBILITY AND FREEDOM OF INTIMATE CONTACT APPLY HISTORICALLY AND LEGALLY (E OBSERVES THAT THE GAY MALE SUBJECT ASSUMED BY CONTEMPORARY QUEER THEORISTS IN PUBLIC COUNTERPUBLIC DEBATES hHAS BOTH FREE ACCESS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC WORLD OF THE INTIMATE AND MAY ALSO RETREAT TO A PRIVATE REALM OF INTIMACYv )N TURN 3HAH POSITS 3AMUEL $ELANYS QUEER ETHNOGRAPHY OF THE RADICAL TRANSFORMATION OF 4IMES 3QUARE BEGINNING IN THE MID S AS SITUATING hINEQUALITY AND INTERCLASS AND INTERETHNIC CONTACT AT THE CENTER OF HIS ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC SEX AND SEXUAL PUBLICSv 4ACKLING THE LIBERATORY ASSUMPTIONS OF ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS FROM ANOTHER ANGLE 4EEMU 2USKOLAS h'AY 2IGHTS VERSUS 1UEER 4HEORY 7HAT )S ,EFT OF 3ODOMY AFTER ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS v ASKS TO hWHAT EXTENT ARE COMMIT MENTS TO QUEERNESS AND LIBERAL RIGHTS COMPATIBLE v .OTING HOW ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS ANXIOUSLY INSCRIBES A DISCOURSE OF hDIGNITYv AND hRESPECTv TO GAY AND LESBIAN RELATIONSHIPS RATHER THAN TO GAY AND LESBIAN SEX 2USKOLA INSISTS THAT AN hINTIMATE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP SHOULD NOT BE A REQUIREMENT FOR
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HAVING A CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED SEX LIFEv 4HE INSISTENT ANALOGIZING OF HOMOSEXUAL INTIMACY TO HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGE IN *USTICE +ENNEDYS MAJORITY DECISION IN ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS BELIES THE RESILIENCE OF COMPULSORY HETEROSEXUALITY IN ITS hNEW SECOND GENERATION FORMv 'AY LIBERATION AND RIGHTS DO NOT CONNOTE hFREEDOM v HOWEVER USEFUL OR POLITICALLY NECESSARY THEY MIGHT BE )NSTEAD ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS LEAVES QUEER SUBJECTS IN AN UNDER REGULATED AND NEBULOUS SPACE BETWEEN hCRIMINALIZATION AND LEGITIMIZATION THROUGH MARRIAGEv "OTH -ICHAEL #OBBS AND *ANET 2 *AKOBSENS ESSAYS ROUND OUT THE ISSUE BY EXPLORING QUEER LIBERATION IN THE CONTEXT OF RELIGION AND REGU LATION )N h5NCIVIL 7RONGS 2ACE 2ELIGION (ATE AND )NCEST IN 1UEER 0OLITICS v #OBB INVESTIGATES RELIGIOUS HATE SPEECH AS THE hLIMITS OF LIBERAL ISMv %XPLORING THE VARIOUS RELIGIOUS ARGUMENTS AGAINST HOMOSEXUALITY AS THE hHORROR OF INCESTv AND THE hDECLINE OF THE TRADITIONAL HETEROSEXUAL FAMILY v HE OBSERVES THAT THE ALIGNMENT OF HOMOSEXUALITY WITH hLIKE RACEv ANALOGIES PROVIDES A POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE THE LIBERAL LIMITS OF TOLERANCE AND FREE SPEECH %XTENDING #OBBS INSIGHTS *AKOBSENS ESSAY h3EX &REEDOM 2EGU LATION 7HY v OFFERS A CAREFUL GENEALOGY OF hFREEDOMv IN RELATION TO THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE *AKOBSEN TRACES HOW THE 0ROTESTANT 2EFORMATION LINKED THE IDEA OF INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM TO THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE h-AR RIAGE THEN LIKE THE MARKET v SHE WRITES hIS PART OF THE FREEDOM FROM THE CHURCH THAT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF MODERNITYv 9ET IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO THINK THAT IN THE CAPITALIST MARKETPLACE FREEDOM IS THE ANTITHESIS OF SEXUAL REGULATION AND THAT THE MARKETPLACE IS hVALUE FREEv 4HE INCITEMENT TO MATRIMONY AND REPRODUCTIVE SEXUALITYTHE OPTION TO WED A PARTNER OF ONES OWN hCHOOSINGvBECOMES THE ONLY EXPRESSION OF SEXUAL FREEDOM IN THE SECULAR AGE AND IS THUS hCONSTITUTIVE OF FREEDOM AS WE KNOW ITv )N THE ERA OF QUEER LIBERALISM IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO BELIEVE THAT SINCE SEXUAL REGULATION SEEMS TO BE BASED IN RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE AND HATE THE ANSWER WOULD BE TO DEFEND SECULAR FREEDOM h/UR PROBLEM v *AKOBSEN CONCLUDES hIS AS MUCH SECULAR FREEDOM AS IT IS RELIGIOUS REGULATIONv 4HAT GAY IDEN TITY WHICH STARTS WITH FREEDOM FROM THE FAMILY HAS LED US SO INEXORABLY AND VEHEMENTLY BACK TO THE INSTITUTION OF SAME SEX MARRIAGE IRONICALLY SYMPTOMIZES THIS CONFUSION )T IS THROUGH MARRIAGE THAT GAY PEOPLE FULLY BECOME INDIVIDUALS AND THIS DISCOURSE OF INDIVIDUALISM IS PRECISELY THE POINT AT WHICH SEXUAL REGULATION AND GAY hLIBERATIONv MEET
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8IFSF/PX )N HER CLOSING COMMENTS AT THE h'AY 3HAMEv CONFERENCE AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF -ICHIGAN 'AYLE 2UBIN SUGGESTED THAT THE EVENTS PARTICIPANTS MIGHT SHIFT FOR A MOMENT THEIR ATTENTIONS FROM hGAY SHAMEv TO hGAY HUMILITYv )N AN AGE OF QUEER LIBERALISM 2UBINS CALL FOR hGAY HUMILITYv SERVES AS HEURISTIC DEVICE FOR A RETURN TO WHAT A DESIRABLY QUEER WORLD MIGHT LOOK LIKE )N OUR PUTATIVELY hPOSTIDENTITYv AND hPOSTRACIALv AGE SUCH A TURN IS URGENT )N THIS REGARD OUR ATTENTION TO QUEER EPISTEMOLOGY QUEER DIAS PORAS AND QUEER LIBERALISM MIGHT BE CONSIDERED ONE MODEST ATTEMPT TO FRAME QUEER STUDIES MORE INSISTENTLY AND PRODUCTIVELY WITHIN A POLITICS OF EPISTEMOLOGICAL HUMILITY 3UCH A POLITICS MUST ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT MUCH OF CONTEMPORARY QUEER SCHOLARSHIP EMERGES FROM 53 INSTITUTIONS AND IS LARGELY WRITTEN IN %NGLISH 4HIS FACT INDICATES A PROBLEMATIC DYNAMIC BETWEEN 53 SCHOLARS WHOSE WORK IN QUEER STUDIES IS READ IN NUMEROUS SITES AROUND THE WORLD 3CHOLARS WRITING IN OTHER LANGUAGES AND FROM OTHER POLITICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPEC TIVES READ BUT ARE NOT IN TURN READ 4HESE UNEVEN EXCHANGES REPLICATE IN UNCOMFORTABLE WAYS THE RISE AND CONSOLIDATION OF 53 EMPIRE AS WELL AS THE INSISTENT POSITING OF A 53 NATIONALIST IDENTITY AND POLITICAL AGENDA GLOBALLY 7E PROPOSE EPISTEMOLOGICAL HUMILITY AS ONE FORM OF KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION THAT RECOGNIZES THESE DANGERS &ROM A SIMILAR PERSPECTIVE AND IN REGARD TO A VIRULENT POSTn 53 MILITARISM THAT DOMINATES CONTEMPORARY POLITICS *UDITH "UTLER OBSERVES THAT THE hVERY FACT THAT WE LIVE WITH OTHERS WHOSE VALUES ARE NOT THE SAME AS OUR OWN OR WHO SET A LIMIT TO WHAT WE CAN KNOW OR WHO ARE OPAQUE TO US OR WHO ARE STRANGE OR ARE PARTIALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT JUST MEANS WE LIVE WITH A KIND OF HUMILITYv "UTLER SUGGESTS THAT THAT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN DEMOCRATIC POLITY DOES NOT MEAN TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR hTHE ENTIRETY OF THE WORLDv BUT TO PLACE OURSELVES hIN A VIVIDLY DE CENTERED WAYv IN A WORLD MARKED BY THE DIFFERENCES OF OTHERS !N ETHICAL ATTACHMENT TO OTH ERS INSISTS THAT WE CANNOT BE THE CENTER OF THE WORLD OR ACT UNILATERALLY ON ITS BEHALF )T DEMANDS A WORLD IN WHICH WE MUST SOMETIMES RELINQUISH NOT ONLY OUR EPISTEMOLOGICAL BUT ALSO OUR POLITICAL CERTITUDE 3UFlCE IT TO SAY THAT TO APPRECIATE hWHATS QUEER ABOUT QUEER STUDIES NOWv IS TO EMBRACE SUCH A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE AND TO HONOR SUCH AN ETHICS OF HUMILITY
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'ROUND LEVEL SITES OF QUEER BELONGING ARE THEORY GENERATING SPACES 4HUS WE THINK OF THE COLLECTIVE POLITICAL ORGANIZING OF GROUPS LIKE THE !UDRE ,ORDE 0ROJECT AND THE 3OUTH !SIAN ,ESBIAN AND 'AY !SSOCIATION IN .EW 9ORK #ITY AS OFFERING US VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE THAT QUEER INTIMACY IN A DIASPORIC SETTING MAY HAVE CONSIDERABLE THEORETICAL HEFT %UROPEAN 'RADUATE 3CHOOL &ACULTY h*UDITH "UTLER 1UOTES v WWWEGS EDUFACULTYBUTLER RESOURCESHTML
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) SAID ) WAS A NERD BUT )M NOT A PUNK .%2$ )N 3EARCH /F
4HE POLITICAL SCIENTIST #ATHY #OHEN HAS PROPOSED THAT QUEER THEORY AND POLITICS BE RECONCEPTUALIZED AND MADE MORE RELEVANT TO THE LIVES AND STRUGGLES OF hPUNKS BULLDAGGERS AND WELFARE QUEENSv )N SPEAKING OFAND ON BEHALF OFPUNKS BULLDAGGERS AND WELFARE QUEENS AND IN ASKING WHERE ONE MIGHT lND THEM LOCATED WITHIN THE POLITICAL PROJECT OF QUEER THEORY #OHEN DOES NOT SIMPLY CHALLENGE US TO PAY ATTENTION TO PREVIOUSLY IGNORED IDENTITIES 2ATHER IN PROPOSING THE NONCE TAXONOMY OF hPUNKS BULLDAGGERS AND WELFARE QUEENS v #OHEN ATTEMPTS TO INTER RUPT THE LITIGIOUS PROCESS THROUGH WHICH SUBJECTS PETITION FOR ADMISSION TO QUEER THEORETICAL ATTENTION AND POLITICAL CONCERN 3HE PROPOSES INSTEAD AN ANTIAUTHORITARIAN PROCESS OF SUBJECT FORMATION CLOSER IN SPIRIT TO WHAT ON THE PUNK SCENE IS CALLED $)9 OR DO IT YOURSELF #OHENS DISCONTENT WITH THE RADICAL ASPIRATIONS OF QUEER POLITICS WHICH ) COLLATE WITH QUEER THEORY FOR PRESENT PURPOSES REGISTERS AN ADDITIONAL IRONY !S IS NOW COMMONPLACE TO OBSERVE hQUEERv THEORY lRST EMERGED AS A VERNACULAR TINGED PROTEST AGAINST THE MORE RARIlED OPERATIONS OF hTHEORYv AS SUCH 4HAT QUEER THEORY SHOULD HAVE IN TURN EMERGED AS THE TARGET OF VERNACULAR SCORN ONE INDEXED BY THE ALTERNATIVE NOMINATION OF A SERIES OF STREET TAXONOMIES THAT HAVE NOT LIKE hQUEER v BEEN ELEVATED TO THE STATUS OF AN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE BUT HAVE INSTEAD BEEN ABANDONED TO THE TENDER MERCIES OF THE NEOLIBERAL STATE OUGHT TO GIVE PAUSE 4HAT THIS PERCEIVED TRANSFORMATION OF QUEER THEORY FROM hSTREETv TO hSTRAIGHTv THEORIZING MORE ON THIS CONTRAST IN A MOMENT SHOULD HAVE COME SO RAPIDLYAT TIMES IT SEEMS AS IF QUEER THEORY WAS GREETED AT BIRTH WITH CASTIGATIONS OF ACADEMIC INSULARITYOUGHT TO BECOME THE OCCASION FOR FURTHER SUSTAINED REmECTION "UT AT THE SAME TIME RECENT DECLARATIONS OF THE DEATH OF THEORY HOWEVER DUBIOUS DO REMIND US NOT TO TAKE THE PERMANENCY OF SUCH TRANS FORMATIONS FOR GRANTED 4HE FATE OF THE THEORIST TODAY WANDERING AROUND UNWILLING TO REPENT HER OR HIS IRRELEVANCY COMPLICATES ANY ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ACADEMIC PRIVILEGE OR SECURITY )N CALLING ATTENTION TO SUCH HOSTILE FRAMINGS OF THEORIZING AS IRRELEVANT EXHAUSTED ETC ) EVOKE A DIMENSION 3OCIAL 4EXT n 6OL .OS n &ALLn7INTER ¥ BY $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS
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OF THE PUNK EXPERIENCE WITH ABJECTION THAT MIGHT BE FRUITFUL FOR THEORY TO PONDER )N THIS ESSAY ) TAKE UP SOME IMPLICATIONS AND IRONIES OF #OHENS CRI TIQUE BY INVESTIGATING THE INTERSECTION OF PUNK AND QUEER )N CONTRAST TO THE STANDARD MODE OF INTERSECTIONALITY ) WANT TO SPECULATE UPON ANOTHER SORT OF INTERSECTION IMPLIED BUT NOT FULLY ARTICULATED IN #OHEN ONE THAT IS PERHAPS MORE PHENOMENOLOGICAL THAN SOCIOLOGICAL IN NATURE #OHEN CALLS FOR AN ACCOUNTING WITHIN QUEER ANALYSIS FOR THE SIMULTANEITY OF RAC ISM AND CLASS OPPRESSION ALONGSIDE SEXISM AND HOMOPHOBIA 3UCH A CALL MIGHT BE READ AS PROPOSING THE ADDITION OF FURTHER DIMENSIONS TO THE QUEER PROBLEMATIC IN AN ALMOST GEOMETRIC EFFORT TO MORE ACCURATELY PICTURE THE SOCIAL WHOLE ) WANT TO SUGGEST HOWEVER THAT THE WORD INTERSECTIONAL MIGHT ALSO POINT IN ANOTHER DIRECTION 7HAT IF WE TAKE hPUNKS BULLDAGGERS AND WELFARE QUEENSv AS NEITHER EXHAUSTIVE NOR PROGRAMMATIC STILL LESS AS A GRAND UNIFYING THEORY OF SOCIAL OPPRESSION BUT INSTEAD USED THIS NONCE TAXONOMY TO EXPRESS CREATIVE DISCONTENT WITH SETTLED CATEGORIES AND AN IDENTIlCATION WITH THE PUNK SPIRIT -IGHT WE THEORIZE THE INTERSECTION OF PUNK AND QUEER AS AN ENCOUNTER BETWEEN CONCEPTS BOTH LACKING IN lXED IDENTITARIAN REFERENT BUT WHICH ARE NONETHELESS PERIODICALLY CAUGHT UP AND FROZEN AS IT WERE WITHIN ENDEMIC MODERN CRISES OF RACIALIZATION -IGHT A REANIMATION OF THIS OTHER INTERSECTIONALITY BETTER EQUIP US TO REVIVIFY BOTH STREET AND STRAIGHT THEORIZING 4HE lGURE OF THE PUNK IN !NGLO !MERICAN CULTURE IS A VENERABLE BUT MERCURIAL ONE AND TO TRACE IT FULLY WOULD EXCEED MY PRESENT EFFORT )N MY NONCE PROPOSAL FOR A PUNK OR PUNKD THEORY ) DO NOT TAKE UP THE MORE EXPECTED SITES OF INVESTIGATION ) DO NOT FOR INSTANCE CONSIDER PUNK ROCK DIRECTLY !LTHOUGH IN A LONGER TREATMENT OF THIS TOPIC SUCH A CONSIDERATION WOULD BE ESSENTIAL ) BEGIN HERE BY FOCUSING ON SOME LESS EXPECTED CULTURAL MOMENTS AT WHICH PUNK HAS BEEN lGURED 3UCH lGURATIONS OF PUNK HAVE MORE THAN A NOMINAL RELATION TO THE CANONICAL ONES AND UNDERSTANDING SOMETHING MORE OF THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THEMAND THE DISCOURSES OF RACE AND SEX THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY MAKE AND MASK SUCH CONNECTIONSIS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROJECT OF hPUNKINGv THEORY "UT WHAT DO PUNKS AND QUEERS HAVE IN COMMON OTHER THAN THE OBVI OUS !ND WHAT MIGHT BE THE GAIN FOR ACADEMIC THEORY AND PERHAPS ALSO FOR ACTIVISM IN BUILDING UPON THIS COMMONALTY #AN WE AS SCHOLARS CONTRIBUTE TO THE CULTIVATION OF A PUNK SPIRIT OF ANTICAPITALIST SUBCULTURE ART AND POLITICS )T IS WITH THESE QUESTIONS IN MIND THAT ) OFFER THIS PRE LIMINARY AND PROSPECTIVE MAPPING OF AN INTELLECTUAL AND PERHAPS POLITICAL PROJECT ) BROACH THIS TOPIC AS A QUEER SCHOLAR AND NOT AT ALL TO BE CANDID AS A CURRENT OR FORMER PUNK )N ADDITION TO THIS CAVEAT THERE ARE TWO OTHER OBVIOUS OBJECTIONS TO ADDRESS 4HE lRST IS THAT ) HAVE WILLFULLY MISREAD
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#OHENS USE OF PUNK AS !FRICAN !MERICAN SLANG FOR A GAY MAN (ER PURPOSE IS TO DISTINGUISH A PUNK FROM A QUEER THE LATTER BEING RACIALLY UNMARKED AND THEREFORE PRESUMPTIVELY WHITE !DMITTING THIS MISREADING ) DEFEND IT BELOW THROUGH AN ETYMOLOGICAL RETANGLING OF THESE TWO SUPPOSEDLY DISTINCT TYPES OF PUNK -Y AIM HERE IS TO CALL ATTENTION TO A PREEXISTING CONmATION THAT ) FEEL PROVIDES AN INTELLECTUAL OPPORTUNITY 4HE SECOND OBJECTION IS THAT IN COMMENDING PUNK TO THE ATTENTION OF QUEER THEORISTS MY TERMS OF POP REFERENCE ARE OUT OF DATE (IP HOP SURELY OR RAVE CULTURE OR THE )NTERNET WOULD ALL PROVIDE MORE RELEVANT AND TIMELY SOURCES FOR THE KIND OF hSTREET THEORIZINGv THAT THE QUEER STUDIES SCHOLAR +ATH 7ESTON HAS ARGUED FOR "UT IN AN URBANIZED AND OVERDEVELOPED CUL TURE THAT WANTS TO LIVE NOWHERE BUT AT THE CUTTING EDGE A DElANTLY BACKWARD GLANCE JUST MIGHT PROVE REVIVIFYING !ND ULTIMATELY THE TWO OBJECTIONS ANSWER EACH OTHER FOR IT IS IN THE RACIALIZATION OF THE lGURE OF THE PUNK THAT THE QUESTION OF ITS PRESENT CURRENCY IS JUSTIlED 3INCE #OHEN WROTE THE BLACK INmECTION ON PUNK HAS BEEN MAINSTREAMED IN CONTEMPORARY !MERICAN CULTURE TO THE POINT WHERE IT MAY POSSIBLY BE ECLIPSING PRIOR ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE LIKES OF 3ID AND .ANCY ,ET ME BEGIN THEN WITH THIS CONTEMPORARY !MERICAN h!FRICANIZATIONv OF THE MEANINGS OF PUNK
i1VOLFEwBT"NFSJDBO"GSJDBOJTN 0UNKED V 7HEN YOU MAKE FUN OF SOMEONE SO BAD THEY HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY BACK 7HEN YOU HOOK UP WITH A GUY AND HE DOESNT CALL YOU EVER AGAIN 7HILE DETAINED IN A PRISON OR JAIL TO BE RAPED BY A FELLOW INMATE 5RBAN$ICTIONARYCOM !ND OF COURSE ONE CAN HARDLY AFFORD TO BE PUT DOWN TOO OFTEN OR ONE IS BEAT ONE HAS LOST ONES CONlDENCE ONE HAS LOST ONES WILL ONE IS IMPOTENT IN THE WORLD OF ACTION AND SO CLOSER TO THE DEMEANING mIP OF BECOMING A QUEER .ORMAN -AILER h4HE 7HITE .EGRO 3UPERlCIAL 2EmECTIONS ON THE (IPSTERv
4HE DIVERSE USAGES OF PUNK AS VERB AND NOUN MARK IT AS A FOLK VARIANT OF WHAT 2AYMOND 7ILLIAMS CALLED A hKEYWORDv )N CONTRAST TO THE KEYWORDS 7ILLIAMS DISCUSSED IN HIS FAMOUS BOOK OF THE SAME NAME PUNK IS FOLK CULTURE AND DOES NOT KEEP COMPANY WITH SERIOUS WORDS LIKE FOLK OR CUL TURE 4HAT PUNK NONETHELESS COUNTS AS hSTREET THEORIZINGv CAN BE SEEN IN THE PROPOSED HOMOLOGY THAT THE ABOVE DElNITIONS FOR PUNKEDDRAWN FROM THE POPULIST 7EB SITE 5RBAN$ICTIONARYCOMPROPOSE BETWEEN THE
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EXPERIENCES OF BEING TEASED NOT BEING CALLED AFTER SEX AND BEING RAPED IN PRISON !S .ORMAN -AILER PUTS IT IN h4HE 7HITE .EGRO v PUNK IS hA PRIME SYMBOLv CHEERFULLY SERVING THE LEXICON WITH mEX IBILITY COMPARABLE TO THE WORD FUCK AND WITH SOME NOTICEABLE DENOTATIVE OVERLAP TO THAT LATTER WORD AS WELL !LTHOUGH PUNK IS NOT OF CENTRAL CON CERN TO -AILER A RELATED WORD BEAT IS 4HE MEANING -AILER ASCRIBES TO BEAThTHE DEMEANING mIP OF BECOMING A QUEERvMAKES IT PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT THE HOMOLOGY DRAWN BY STREET THEORIZING ON PUNKING AND GETTING PUNKED RESEMBLES THE hSITUATION BEYOND ONES EXPERIENCE IMPOSSIBLE TO ANTICIPATEv THAT IS -AILERS HIPSTERS PRIME SYMBOL OF DREAD 4HE CORE MEANING OF GETTING hPUT DOWN v hmIPPED v hRIPPED OFF v OR hPUNKEDvFROM AT LEAST THE LATE S TO THE EARLY SAPPEARS TO BE GETTING SCAPEGOATED WITHIN AN EROTIC AND MASCULINIZED ECONOMY OF SCAR CITY )N THIS ECONOMY ANOTHERS PLEASURE COMES AT THE COST OF YOUR PAIN !SS FUCKING SERVES AS A hPRIME SYMBOLv OF THIS ECONOMY 3ODOMY IN THE HOMOPHOBIC IMAGINATION IS THE hSITUATION BEYOND ONES EXPERIENCE IMPOS SIBLE TO ANTICIPATE v AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH EXTREME FORMS OF UNFREEDOM LIKE IMPRISONMENT SLAVERY AND RAPE )T IS NOT SUFlCIENT HOWEVER TO ARREST OUR THEORIZATION OF SODOMY AT THE LEVEL OF HOMOPHOBIA 3TREET THEORIZING AROUND THE WORD PUNK MARKS A DISCURSIVE SPACE IN WHICH THE POSSIBILITY OF DESIRING SODOMY DESIRING TO BE SODOMIZED IS UNTHINKABLE BUT NEVERTHELESS UNAVOIDABLE 4HE VERY SEXUAL PRACTICE WHICH SERVES AS METAPHOR FOR ALMOST ANY MUNDANE HUMILIATION IS ITSELF INTERMITTENTLY EXEMPTED FROM ITS OWN CONNOTATIONAL PENUMBRA -AILER FOR INSTANCE SPEAKS NOT OF THE FEAR OF BEING hPUT DOWNv BUT RATHER OF BEING hPUT DOWN TOO OFTENv )N SIMILAR FASHION 5RBAN$ICTIONARYCOM INSERTS BETWEEN TWO MEANINGS OF PUNKED THAT INDICATE A DREAD OF GETTING FUCKED A THIRD MEANINGA SORT OF ETYMOLOGICAL ,UCKY 0IERRESIGNALING THE DREAD OF NOT GETTING FUCKED h7HEN YOU HOOK UP WITH A GUY AND HE DOESNT CALL YOU EVER AGAINv /NE IS PUNKED IN THIS CASE BECAUSE BY NOT CALLING YOU AFTERWARD THE hGUYv IS RETROACTIVELY MINIMIZING YOUR ENJOY MENT OF THE MUTUAL SEX BY MAKING IT CLEAR THAT HE WAS JUST hUSINGv YOU "UT THIS MEANING OF PUNKED MAKES NO SENSE UNLESS YOU WANTED THE HOOKUP IN THE lRST PLACE AND INDEED WERE SORT OF LOOKING FORWARD TO FURTHER HOOKUPS 4HAT IS IT MAKES NO SENSE UNLESS IN SOME SENSE YOU WANTED TO GET mIPPED /F COURSE IT IS PRECISELY UPON ITS AMBIGUITY THAT THE POWER OF SLANG PIVOTS 3O ) WOULD BE NAIVE TO IMAGINE THAT DECONSTRUCTING SLANG WILL IN ITSELF ERODE ITS FORCE 7HAT WE NEED IS THICKER DESCRIPTIONS OF THE EXPERI ENCES THAT THESE AMBIGUITIES ACCOUNT FOR 0ART OF THIS THICKER DESCRIPTION ENTAILS GRASPING THE RACIAL DIMENSION OF THE EPITHETS hPUNKv AND hPUNKEDv ) HAVE MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE SEVERAL SIGNIlCANCES OF #OHENS ESSAY
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IS ITS MARKING OF hPUNKv AS BLACK VERNACULAR FOR hFAGGOTv OR hQUEERv #LARENCE -AJORS AUTHORITATIVE COMPENDIUM OF BLACK SLANG *UBA TO *IVE ! $ICTIONARY OF !FRICAN !MERICAN 3LANG DElNES PUNK AS A hDEROGATORY TERM FOR MALE HOMOSEXUALv AND A hMALE PEJORATIVE TERM FOR ANY OTHER MALE WITHOUT SIMILAR INTEREST A WEAK MAN ANY MALE WHO GIVES IN TO ANAL INTER COURSE IN PRISONv )T IS THIS !MERICAN !FRICANISM ) ARGUE THAT HAS BEEN POPULARIZED ON THE PRACTICAL JOKE TELEVISION SHOW 0UNKD THAT HAS AIRED ON THE -46 NETWORK SINCE THE SPRING OF /N THE SHOW THE WHITE ACTOR !SHTON +UTCHERA DEODORIZED SIMULACRUM OF -AILERS HIPSTERLEADS A GANG WHO hPUNKv HAPLESS CELEBRITIES 4HEIR TARGETS HAVE INCLUDED BOTH MALE AND FEMALE CELEBRITIES OF MANY RACES )N THE CONTEXT OF CONTEMPORARY 53 MASS CULTURE +UTCHERS USE OF hPUNKDv HAS A SPECIlC FRISSON )T WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE MAINSTREAMING OF HIP HOP SLANG AND THE ENSUING WAVE OF NEW hWHITE .EGROESv 0UNKD HOWEVER DOES NOT lT THE MODEL OF A SURREPTITIOUS !FRICAN RETENTION IN %NGLISH SUCH AS OKAY .O SOURCE ) CONSULTED COULD DElNITIVELY TRACE THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD PUNK BUT A REPRESENTATIVE ETYMOLOGY REPORTS THAT hTHE WORD ORIGINATED IN "RITISH SLANG AROUND THE END OF THE TH CENTURY WHEN IT WAS USED TO DENOTE A WHORE AND LATER A PRECURSOR TO THE MODERN RENT BOYv !LTHOUGH THIS ACCOUNT DOES NOT PRECLUDE AN !FRICAN ORIGIN FOR THE WORD ) READ THE EVIDENCE AS INDICATING THAT PUNKD EMERGES FROM WITHIN WHAT $ICK (EBDIGE HAS CALLED THE hFROZEN DIALECTIC BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE CULTURES v THAT IS A WORD FOR WHICH THE MEMORY OF ITS %NGLISH PROVENANCE HAS BEEN SURROGATED BY THE IMAGINATION OF A BLACK RESONANCE 4ELLTALE EVIDENCE OF THIS FAUX !FRICAN ORIGIN IS THE USE OF hEYE DIALECT v UNGRAMMATICAL SPELL INGS INDISTINGUISHABLE IN AUDIBLE SPEECH FROM GRAMMATICAL ONES EG hPUNKDv FOR hPUNKEDv 3UCH A GRAPHIC PRACTICE HAS CHARACTERIZED WHITE TRANSCRIPTION OF BLACK SPEECH SINCE SLAVERY TIMES SO -46S EYE DIALECT NOTIlES US THAT WE ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF WHAT THE NOVELIST 4ONI -ORRISON HAS TERMED AN h!MERICAN !FRICANISMv 3UCH USAGES -ORRISON NOTES MAKE hA PLAYGROUND OF THE IMAGINATIONv OUT OF hTHE DRAMATIC POLARITY CREATED BY SKIN COLORv AND hIMPUTE !FRICAN MEANINGSBLACK MEANINGSAS A WAY OF SIMULTANEOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGING AND DISTANCING A SHARED EXPERIENCE STATE OR DESIRE THROUGH SPURIOUSLY ASCRIBING IT TO BLACK PEOPLEv -ORRISONS CENTRAL POINTTHAT hRACEv IS PRODUCED OUT OF AN ONGOING AVOIDANCE OF AN ONGOING HISTORY OF RACIST DOMINATION RATHER THAN BEING THE PRODUCT OF A BENIGN DIVERSITY OF hETHNIC HERITAGESvIS SOMEWHAT UNFASHIONABLE TODAY DESPITE THE POPULARITY OF HER NOVELS "UT IT IS THIS RELATIONAL MODEL OF hRACEv AND RACISM WHICH IS NOT ) WOULD SAY REDUCIBLE OR EQUIVALENT TO THE BANKRUPT MODEL hRACE RELATIONSv THAT ) WANT TO ARGUE IS NEEDED TO UNPACK THE CULTURAL MEANINGS OF PUNK IN CONTEMPORARY 53 AND "RITISH CULTURES
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/NLY A DIALECTICAL APPROACH CAN ACCOUNT FOR THE INCONGRUITY OF -46 ENDORSING #OHENS RECLAMATION OF PUNK AS BLACK LANGUAGE 4HAT IS TO SAY WHERE IN ITS EARLY DAYS -46 HYSTERICALLY DISAVOWED ANY BLACK INmUENCE ON THE MUSICAL FORMS IT MARKETED IT TOOK NO SMALLER A PHENOMENON THAN -ICHAEL *ACKSON TO BREAK THE CHANNELS COLOR BAR BLACK STYLE HAS COME TO DOMINATE THE NETWORKS OFFERINGS AND PROSCRIPTIVE MARKINGS OF BLACKNESS APPEAR ONLY TO WHET THE MAINSTREAM APPETITE 3UCH A WHITE EMBRACE OF OSTENSIBLY EXCLUSIONARY BLACK STYLE IS NEITHER NEW NOR SPECIlCALLY !MERI CAN 3PEAKING OF THE "RITISH PUNK SCENE IN THE LATE S (EBDIGE NOTES THAT hPARADOXICALLY IT WAS HERE IN THE EXCLUSIVENESS OF "LACK 7EST )NDIAN STYLE IN THE VIRTUAL IMPOSSIBILITY OF AUTHENTIC WHITE IDENTIlCATION THAT REGGAES ATTRACTION FOR THE PUNKS WAS STRONGEST 2EGGAES BLACKNESS WAS PROSCRIPTIVE )T WAS AN ALIEN ESSENCE A FOREIGN BODY WHICH IMPLICITLY THREATENED "RITISH CULTURE FROM WITHIN AND AS SUCH IT RESONATED WITH PUNKS ADOPTED VALUESv )N INTERPRETING THIS PASSAGE WE SHOULD REMEMBER 0AUL 'ILROYS CRITIQUE OF NATURALIZING SUCH LANGUAGE OF hFOREIGN BODIESv IN h"RITISH CULTUREv "UT WE SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT IN THE OPENING PAGES OF 3UBCULTURE 4HE -EANING OF 3TYLE (EBDIGE FELT THE NEED TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION HIS TEXT ON PUNK PAYS TO hTHE LARGELY NEGLECTED DIMENSION OF RACE AND RACE RELATIONSv 2EMARKABLY THE SAME WORD THAT #OHEN COULD ASSUME CIRCA WOULD lRMLY CONNOTE BLACKNESS TO HER READERS COULD JUST TWO DECADES EARLIER JUST AS CLEARLY MARK A CULTURAL STYLE AWAITING AN OVERDUE RACIAL PERSPECTIVE ) BELIEVE THIS SITUATION IS NOT ACCI DENTAL 4HAT IS TO SAY AND THIS IS A MAJOR ARGUMENT OF MY ESSAY ) THINK #OHEN AND (EBDIGE ARE DISCUSSING A SINGLE COMPLEX PHENOMENAFROZEN DIALECTICALLY BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITEAND NOT TWO DISTINCT TOPICS ) THINK THE LINKAGE IS DEEPER THAN JUST THE REAPPEARANCE OF A WORD BUT RATHER THE REAPPEARANCE OF AN EXPERIENTIAL lELD THAT THE WORD INDEXES 4HE ENDURING STRENGTH OF (EBDIGES READING IS THE AGILITY WITH WHICH IT PIVOTS BETWEEN THE OBJECT OF SUBCULTURAL STYLE AND ITS MEANING (E READS THIS OBJECT IN TERMS OF ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND AT THE SAME TIME HOW IT REVOLTS THROUGH STYLE AGAINST THAT CONTEXT (E IS THEREBY ABLE TO READ hRACEv INTO STYLES THAT CONSPICUOUSLY DISMISS BLACK STYLE -OST PERSUASIVELY HE ARGUES THAT PUNK hTRANSLATEDv THE CONCEPT OF A VICTIMIZED hETHNICITYv FROM A BLACK TO A WHITE CONTEXT A MOVE ECONOMICALLY SUMMARIZED IN A QUOTATION THE PUNK ROCKER 2ICHARD (ELL GAVE TO THE .EW -USICAL %XPRESS AS REPORTED BY (EBDIGE h0UNKS ARE NIGGERSv "UT WHAT KINDS OF hNIGGERSv ARE PUNKS EXACTLY !PPARENTLY THEY ARE hNIGGERSv AS OPPOSED TO hQUEERSv !CCORDING TO (EBDIGE hTHE SCRUFlNESS AND EARTHINESS OF PUNK RAN DIRECTLY COUNTER TO THE ARROGANCE ELEGANCE AND VERBOSITY OF THE GLAM ROCK SUPERSTARSv ABOVE ALL $AVID "OWIE (ERE IS A POINT WHERE A USEFUL QUEER INTERVENTION CAN BE MADE INTO (EBDIGES
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ANALYSIS !CCORDING TO (EBDIGE THE PUNK AS NIGGER IDENTIlES AGAINST THE GLAMOROUS HOMOSEXUAL )NDEED (EBDIGE ASSOCIATES THE RISE OF hGLAM AND GLITTER ROCKv WITH BOTH THE MUSICAL hATROPHY INTO VACUOUS DISCO BOUNCE AND SUGARY BALLADSv AS WELL AS THE hSEGREGATIONv OF "RIT ISH YOUTH CULTURE INTO BLACK AND WHITE CAMPS 4HE hNEW SEXUALLY AMBIGUOUS IMAGEv OF "OWIE (EBDIGE REPORTS REPRESENTED A DELIBERATE AVOIDANCE OF THE hREALv WORLD AND THE PROSAIC LANGUAGE IN WHICH THAT WORLD WAS HABITUALLY DESCRIBED EXPERIENCED AND REPRODUCED "OWIES META MESSAGE WAS ESCAPEFROM CLASS FROM SEX FROM PERSONALITY FROM OBVIOUS COMMITMENTINTO A FANTASY PAST )SHERWOODS "ERLIN PEOPLED BY A GHOSTLY CAST OF DOOMED BOHEMIANS OR A SCIENCE lCTION FUTURE
3UCH PASSAGES LEAVE ONE WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT PUNK HOSTILITY TO GLAM PAID HOMAGE TO AN IMAGINED BLACK WHITE ALLIANCE !ND YET (EBDIGE ADMITS BLACK WHITE SOLIDARITY WAS MADE POSSIBLE hONLY BY CONTINUALLY MONITORING TROUBLE SPOTS EG THE DISTRIBUTION OF WHITE GIRLS AND BY SCAPEGOATING OTHER ALIEN GROUPS @QUEERS HIPPIES AND !SIANS v "UT WHY DID THE hEXTREME FOPPISHNESSv OF THE QUEERS BLOCK YOUTH SUBCULTURES FROM UNIFY ING BLACK AND WHITE WORKING CLASS MEN 7HY DID hTHE PROSAIC LANGUAGE IN WHICH THAT WORLD WAS HABITUALLY DESCRIBED EXPERIENCED AND REPRODUCEDv EXCLUDE QUEER EXPERIENCE (ERE A CRITIQUE OF MASCULINITYAND ITS DISTOR TIONS OF BOTH LANGUAGE AND CULTUREIS NEEDED )N AN ODD AND PERHAPS TELLING TURN OF PHRASE (EBDIGE ARGUES THAT PUNK WAS hDESIGNED TO PUNCTURE GLAM ROCKS EXTRAVAGANTLY ORNATE STYLEv (EBDIGE DOES NOT EXPLICITLY ENDORSE THIS PUNCTURINGOR PUNKINGOF THE UTOPIC AND NOSTALGIC DIMENSIONS OF QUEER STYLE THIS PHALLIC REFUSAL OF THE POLITICAL POSSIBILITIES OF hMORBID PRETENSIONS TO ART AND INTELLECTv "UT NEITHER DOES HE SUBJECT IT TO CRITICAL SCRUTINY 4HIS IS SO DESPITE THE FACT THAT QUEER OBJECTS ARE ODDLY CENTRAL TO HIS ACCOUNT 4HE WORK OPENS WITH AN EXCERPT FROM *EAN 'ENETS 4HIEFS *OURNAL IN WHICH (EBDIGE LOCATES THE IDEAL TYPE FOR THE SUBCULTURAL OBJECT 'ENETS hTUBE OF VASELINE ; A= @DIRTY WRETCHED OBJECT v THAT hPROCLAIM;S= HIS HOMOSEXUALITY TO THE WORLDv (EBDIGES CHOICE IS NOT UNJUSTIlABLE IN TERMS OF ACTUAL PUNK OBJECT CHOICES SUCH AS hOFFENSIVEv 4 SHIRTS OF TWO NAKED COWBOYS KISSING OR NAMING A BAND 4HE (OMOSEXUALS A NAME THAT WAS MEANT AS A hFUCK YOUv RATHER THAN AN IDENTIlCATION "UT IRONICALLY FOR A TEXT THAT RIGIDLY PRO SCRIBES THE hORNATE STYLEv OF GLAM SUCH QUEER OBJECTS ARE PURELY ORNAMEN TAL TO (EBDIGES MAIN THEORETICAL PROJECT -UCH AS A DESIRE TO BE PUNKED APPEARS IN THE ABSENT CENTER OF THE VERNACULAR HORROR OF GETTING PUNKED A QUEER OBJECT APPEARS IN THE ABSENT CENTER OF AN ANALYSIS LARGELY DEVOTED TO EXPLAINING AWAY THE CAPACITY OF QUEER OBJECTS TO REVOLT THROUGH STYLE )T IS THROUGH THE ELIDING OF QUEER AFFECT ) SUGGEST THAT (EBDIGES ANALYSIS
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REPRODUCES THE DOMINANT lGURE OF MASCULINITY THAT CONSTANTLY TRANSMITS THE hRACIALv MEANINGS -ORRISON CRITIQUED AND IDENTIlED
1VOL$JUZ 4HIS USE OF AN UNDERINTERPRETED CONTRAST BETWEEN THE PUNK AND THE QUEER RECURS IN OTHER EXAMPLES OF THE hFROZEN DIALECTICv BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE )N THE !CADEMY !WARDnWINNING 53 DOCUMENTARY 3CARED 3TRAIGHT A GROUP OF ADOLESCENT MEN AND WOMEN ARE hSENTENCEDv TO SPEND THREE HOURS IN 2AHWAY 3TATE 0RISON DURING WHICH THEY ARE BERATED AND THREATENED BY THE ,IFERS A GROUP OF LONG TERM CONVICTS 4HE lLMING PORTRAYS THE YOUTHS AS NARCISSISTIC AND UNREPENTANT "ECAUSE THEY DO NOT RESPOND TO SHAME THEY MUST INSTEAD BE PUNKED 4HEY ARE ABANDONED TO THE TOPSY TURVY WORLD OF PRISON WHERE CONVICTED CRIMINALS LITERALLY RUN THE SHOW 4HE DOCUMENTARY DEPICTS PRISON AS THE WAY SOCIETY ITSELF MIGHT BE WITHOUT THE PROTECTIONS OF LAW AND NORM 4HE PUNKS IN BEING EXPOSED TO THIS TRULY ANOMIC VIOLENCE WILL IT IS HOPED REVERT TO GOOD BEHAVIOR 4HE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THIS STRATEGY PROVIDES THE THEME OF THE MANY AND HIGHLY SENTIMENTAL FOLLOW UP EPISODES APPENDED TO THE DOCUMENTARY THROUGHOUT THE S AND S ) FOCUS HERE ON THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY AS AN EXAMPLE OF A CULTURAL TEXT CONTEMPORANEOUS TO THE EMERGENCE OF PUNK ROCK IN WHICH THE !MERICAN !FRICANIST CON NOTATION OF hPUNKv IS ALREADY MANIFESTED "UT 3CARED 3TRAIGHT IS ALSO A TRANSITIONAL TEXT INSOFAR AS WHAT IS NOW SEEN AS BLACK SLANG WAS PRIMARILY UNDERSTOOD THEN AS PRISON SLANG 4HE lLM THUS REPRESENTS AN EARLY lGU RATION OF THE RISE OF THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX WITHIN THE DISTORTING MIRROR OF LAW AND ORDER IDEOLOGY AND ITS RACIALIZING IMPERATIVES !S A lLM IT PROVIDES THE TEMPLATE FOLLOWED BY POPULAR SHOWS OF THE S LIKE /Z AND MORE ELLIPTICALLY BY SHOWS LIKE 0UNKD WHICH SHARE 3CARED 3TRAIGHT S INTEREST IN EXPOSING A ZONE OF ANOMIC VIOLENCEALWAYS lGURED WITH THE hHELPv OF UNWILLING BLACK PARTICIPANTSUNDERLYING AND THREATENING THE SOCIAL ORDER 4HE HIGHLY SCRIPTED CHARACTER OF THE INMATES CONDUCT AND PERHAPS ALSO THE YOUTHS RESPONSES MAKES THE ENCOUNTER FEEL RITUALISTIC )N PAR TICULAR THE SESSION RESEMBLES AN ERSATZ INITIATION RITE IN WHICH THE INMATES PLAY THE ROLE OF ADULT MALE VILLAGERS GUIDING THE YOUTHS INTO RESPONSIBLE ADULTHOOD ! PRIMARY MODE OF THAT RITUALIZED VIOLENCE IS PERHAPS PRE DICTABLY THE THREAT TO hDO BODILY HARM TO YOUR ASSHOLEv 4HE ARTICULATION BETWEEN THIS LAWLESS BEHAVIOR AND THE LAWFUL FUTURE LIVES OF HETEROSEXUAL DOMESTICITY THE DOCUMENTARY IS INTENDED TO PRODUCE CRIES OUT FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION
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3CARED 3TRAIGHT MAPS A BIFURCATED SOCIETY TRAVERSED BY TWO FORCES THE SILENT POWER OF THE PENAL APPARATUS WHICH THE DOCUMENTARY lLM CREW IDENTIlES ITSELF AND ITS VIEWERS WITH AND THE LOUD OFFENSIVE SOUND OF WHAT THE lLM CALLS hSTREET TALKv 4HE TEMPORARY DISRUPTION OF THE NORMAL BOUNDS OF PROPRIETY THE PROFANITY LACED lLM WAS BROADCAST UNEXPURGATED ON TELEVISION IS MARKED BY A SLANG lGURED AS THE ONLY LANGUAGE THAT CAN REACH THE YOUTH 4HE LINK THAT hSTREET TALKv ESTABLISHES BETWEEN PRISON AND THE STREET RENDERS THE LATTER A SORT OF EXTRUSION OF THE FORMER 4HE LAWLESS NESS OF PRISON SPILLS OUT INTO THE STREETS THE SITE OF CRIME 4HE lLM THUS OPERATES THROUGH THE SAME VOYEURISTIC TECHNOLOGY OF PANOPTICISM THAT THE EVENING NEWS CONTINUOUSLY RESORTS TO IN WHICH WE SEE CRIME BUT REMAIN UNSEEN TO IT 4HE SPECTACLE OF STREET TALK MASKS THE SURVEILLANCE OF THE PENAL APPA RATUS 0RISON GUARDS ARE HARDLY DEPICTED !T A KEY MOMENT AN INMATE HISTRIONICALLY YELLS AT THE CAMERA AS IF IT WERE NOT HIS PERFORMANCES OCCA SION 3TREET TALK IS ENLISTED TO THE WORK OF PENOLOGY 4HE STREET THEORIZING OF THE ,IFERSDONT COME TO JAIL OR YOURE GOING TO GET PUNKEDIS RENDERED SUPPLEMENTAL TO DISCIPLINARY POWER WHICH IS ALLOWED TO OPERATE BEHIND THE SCENES AS A SILENT PARTNER 4HE ,IFERS PRESENT THEMSELVES AS BOGEYMAN IMAGES OF THE YOUTHS OWN DYSTOPIAN FUTURES !ND THE ,IFERS PORTRAY THEIR DESIRES TO PUNK THE YOUTHS IN THE UNIVERSALIZING TERMS OF AN ANIMALISTIC STATE OF NATURE /NE UNNAMED INMATE SHOUTS h7ELL WE GOT SEXUAL DESIRES TOO 7ERE JUST LIKE YOU 7ERE MADE OF mESH AND BLOOD 9OU TOUGH GUY TAKE A WILD GUESS 7HEN WE GOT SEXUAL DESIRES WHO DO YOU THINK WE KICK AND DONT TELL ME EACH OTHER 7HO v !S HE ASKS THIS QUESTION THE INMATE STICKS HIS FACE UP CLOSE TO THAT OF ONE OF THE YOUNG MEN AND THEN VEERS UP AGAIN TO ANSWER IT IN CASE THERE WAS ANY DOUBT h) GOTTA TELL YOU )VE BEEN DOWN HERE TEN YEARS AND )M GOING TO DIE IN THIS STINKING JOINT AND IF THEY WANTED TO GIVE ME THESE THREE BITCHES RIGHT HERE ;GESTURES TOWARD THE THREE WOMEN IN THE GROUP= ) WOULD LEAP OVER THEM LIKE A KANGAROO JUST TO GET TO ONE PRETTY YOUNG FAT BUTT BOYv (IS VOICE DROPPING NEARLY TO A WHISPER AS HE ENDS THAT SENTENCE HE LEANS AGAIN INTO THE FACE OF ANOTHER OF THE YOUNG MEN 4HE OTHER ,IFERS VOICE THEIR AGREEMENT 4HE CONCEPT OF hSITUATIONAL HOMOSEXUALITYv AN ODDLY REDUNDANT TERM WHAT KIND OF HOMOSEXUALITY COULD OCCUR OUTSIDE A SITUATION IS ESPECIALLY ILL EQUIPPED TO THEORIZE THE DEPLOYMENT OF SEXUALITY IN SUCH DISCIPLINARY PERFORMANCES 7HAT THE INMATE hCONFESSESv TO IS HIS READI NESS TO PLAY THE hMASCULINEv ROLE IN PRISON SOCIETY AND HIS READINESS TO FEMINIZE THE YOUTH TO TURN THEM INTO WOMEN WHICH IS ONE REASON THE INMATES DO NOT THREATEN THE YOUNG WOMEN WITH RAPE AS WOMEN THEY ARE ALREADY FEMINIZED AND THE THREAT OF RAPE UPON THEM IS NOT ONE RESTRICTED TO THE DYSTOPIAN SPACE OF THE PRISON BUT ONE THAT CHARACTERIZES THE OSTEN
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SIBLY hFREEv SPACE OUTSIDE THE PRISON WHICH IT IS THE FUNCTION OF THE lLM TO IDEALIZE -ALE RAPE ALONG WITH hCOARSE STREET TALK v IS CALLED FORTH TO SUPPLEMENT THE SOCIAL ORDER 7HAT THE lLM APTLY CALLS hHOMOSEXUAL TAUNTSv SERVE NOT TO PRODUCE QUEER SUBJECTIVITIES BUT TO DETER THEM AT ALL COSTS 4HE EFlCACY OF SCARING STRAIGHT NEGLIGIBLE IN TERMS OF DETERRING STREET CRIME SEEMS TO COME RATHER IN THE PRODUCTION OF SODOMY WITHOUT SODOMITES 7HEN BOTH MEDIA AND THE STATE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN SUCH PRACTICES OF SEXUALIZED DOMINATION OF THE URBANIZED AND RACIALIZED DISPOSSESSED SINCE THE S ARE WE AT LEAST ENTITLED TO SPEAK OF THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE PUNK 7HAT WOULD IT MEAN TO IDENTIFY THE AUTHENTIC LANGUAGE OF THE STREET ITS THEORIZING NOT AS SOME AUTONOMOUS SPACE THAT THE LAW MUST AT ALL COSTS COME TO DOMINATE BUT RATHER AS THE ACTIVE SITE OF THE LAWS PRODUCTION THROUGH THE STREETS SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISION OF TERROR 4HERE ARE NO ACTUAL HOMOSEXUALS IN 3CARED 3TRAIGHT EXCEPT IN ONE PLACE PROTECTIVE CUSTODY OR AS THE ,IFERS CALL IT hPUNK CITYv 0UNK CITY EXISTS BECAUSE OF A CONTRADICTION IN THE LOGIC OF IMPRISONMENT WHERE DO YOU PLACE THE VICTIM AND AGENT OF A CRIME THAT OCCURS IN PRISON )T IS NOT THAT THE ,IFERS TELL THE YOUTHS THAT THIS IS WHERE THEY MIGHT GO IF THEY HAPPEN TO BE GAY .O SUCH hNATURALv GAYNESS IS EVEN SPECULATED UPON BY THE lLM 2ATHER PUNK CITY REPRESENTS A KIND OF NO PLACE OR BLIND SPOT WITHIN THE BIFURCATED THEORIZATION OF THE SOCIAL A PLACE OF UNTHINKABILITY "EYOND THE STATE OF EXCEPTION THAT THE lLM MAPS AND DETERMINESTHE STRAIGHT STREET NEXUSTHERE IS THIS THIRD SPACE THAT SEEMS TO EXIST BEYOND A RELATION TO EITHER FORM OF KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE )N MY CONCLUSION ) REVISION THIS THIRD SPACE "UT lRST ) WANT TO TAKE ONE STEP FURTHER BACK INTO THE GENEALOGY OF PUNK REVISITING -AILERS CANONICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE FROZEN DIALECTIC
1VOLE5IFPSZ 4HE THIRD SPACE BEYOND THE STREET STRAIGHT BINARY IS BOTH EVOKED AND AVOIDED IN -AILERS ESSAY h4HE 7HITE .EGROv (ERE THE HOMOSEXUAL APPEARS AS AN EXAMPLE OF A hCONDITION OF PSYCHOPATHYv SHARED BY hPOLI TICIANS PROFESSIONAL SOLDIERS NEWSPAPER COLUMNISTS ENTERTAINERS ART ISTS JAZZ MUSICIANS CALL GIRLS PROMISCUOUS HOMOSEXUALS AND HALF THE EXECUTIVES OF (OLLYWOOD TELEVISION AND ADVERTISINGv !N ALTERNATIVE GROUPING OF PSYCHOPATHS -AILER PROVIDES IS hTHE HOMOSEXUAL THE ORGIAST THE DRUG ADDICT THE RAPIST THE ROBBER AND THE MURDERERv 3UCH ABSURD LISTS OF DEVIANTS SHARE A SURFACE RESEMBLANCE TO THE hNONCE TAX ONOMIESv THROUGH WHICH %VE 3EDGWICK SUGGESTS hTHE PRECIOUS DEVALUED
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ARTS OF GOSSIP ;RElNE THE= NECESSARY SKILLS FOR MAKING TESTING AND USING UNRATIONALIZED AND PROVISIONAL HYPOTHESES ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE THERE ARE TO BE FOUND IN ONES WORLDv 4HIS SURFACE RESEMBLANCE IS MITIGATED BY THE LEADEN MASCULINISM OF THE PROSE WHICH HAS ITS BACK UP AGAINST THE QUEER EVEN AS IT PROPOSES ALL SORTS OF QUEER SOUNDING SCENARIOS ON WHICH MORE IN A MOMENT )N -AILERS VIRTUOSIC PROSE ) SUGGEST A DIFFERENT CONlGURATION OF STREET STRAIGHT FUSION COAGULATES AS HIS EFFORT TO DRAW THE COOL OF JAZZ INTO THE PRESTIGIOUS ORBIT OF PSYCHOANALYSIS AND SOCIOLOGY ULTIMATELY FALLS TOTALLY mAT *UST AS (EBDIGES PUNK hPUNCTURESv GLAM ROCK -AILERS HIP JAZZ ACTS LIKE A COCK ITS hKNIFELIKE ENTRANCE INTO CULTUREv HAS A hPENETRATING INmU ENCEv 4HE lGURE OF THE BLACK MAN STEREOTYPICALLY FUNCTIONS AS THE ULTIMATE IN MACHO HIS hLIFEMANSHIPv PROVIDING THE MODEL FOR THE HIPSTER AND FOR -AILERS STYLE AS WELL "UT IN ITS RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF MACHO -AILERS PROSE PERPETUALLY NEEDS TO COVER ITS ASS )N THE VERY lRST PAGES -AILER DESCRIBES HIP AS THE PRODUCT OF A hMÏNAGE Ì TROISv BETWEEN hTHE .EGRO v THE hBOHEMIAN v AND THE hJUVENILE DELINQUENTv JUST SO WE DO NOT MISS THE POINT HE CALLS MARIJUANA hTHE WEDDING RINGv AND REPORTS THAT hTHE .EGRO BROUGHT THE CULTURAL DOWRYv )NDEED -AILERS INEX PLICABLE SPRINKLINGS OF HOMOSEXUALS PROMISCUOUS AND OTHERWISE AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO POSSESS THE hNEW KIND OF PERSONALITYv HE CHAMPIONS CAN BE INTERPRETED AS A SLIGHTLY DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT KEEPING QUEERNESS AT BAY BY CONDENSING ITS MEANINGS ONTO A SOCIALLY MARGINAL lGURE PERMITTING THE VERY QUEER METAPHORS HE DEPLOYS ELSEWHERE IN THE TEXT TO ESCAPE UNTAINTED BY EMBODIED SPECIlCITY %MPLOYING A hSTREET THEORIZINGv STILL CURRENT IN OUR USAGES OF hGETTING PUNKED v -AILER ASSERTS THAT THE HIPSTER KNOWS THAT hTHERE IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH SWEET FOR EVERYONEv AND DEPLOYS HIS LIFEMANSHIP TO GRASP WHAT LITTLE HE CAN AT THE COST OF OTHERS 4HE VIRILE lGURE OF THE BLACK MAN FUNCTIONS IN -AILERS ECONOMY AS THE CATASTROPHIC SIGN OF THE SHATTERING OF THE STREET STRAIGHT NEXUS h)F THE .EGRO CAN WIN HIS EQUALITY HE WILL POSSESS A POTENTIAL SUPERIORITY A SUPERIORITY SO FEARED THAT THE FEAR ITSELF HAS BECOME THE UNDERGROUND DRAMA OF DOMESTIC POLITICS THE .EGROS EQUALITY WOULD TEAR A PROFOUND SHIFT INTO THE PSYCHOLOGY THE SEXUALITY AND THE MORAL IMAGINATION OF EVERY WHITE ALIVEv /F COURSE WHEREVER THE WORDS FEAR AND .EGRO APPEAR IN ONE SENTENCE THE WORD MISCEGENATION IS NEVER FAR BEHIND !ND SO IT COMES h3O WHEN IT COMES MISCEGENATION WILL BE A TERRORv "UT WHAT COULD THIS POSSIBLY MEAN (OW COULD THE STORY OF THE 53 RACIAL FORMATION BEGINNING IN THE FORCED LABOR AND RAPE OF BLACK PEOPLE CONTINUING APPARENTLY THROUGH THE CULTURAL MÏNAGE Ì TROIS OF HIP JAZZ IN THE S SOMEHOW PRODUCE MISCEGENATION AS A FUTURE TERROR (OW DOES A DISCOURSE OSTENSIBLY ABOUT hTHE @REAL WORLD AND THE PROSAIC LANGUAGE IN WHICH THAT WORLD WAS HABITUALLY DESCRIBED
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EXPERIENCED AND REPRODUCEDv MANAGE TO CONJURE UP ITS OWN FANTASY FUTURE IN WHICH APPARENTLY APOCALYPTICALLY THE hRACESv MIX .O WONDER THAT IN HIS COMMENTARY ON HIS ERSTWHILE FRIEND -AILER *AMES "ALDWIN NOTED THAT h) COULD NOT WITH THE BEST WILL IN THE WORLD MAKE ANY SENSE OUT OF 4HE 7HITE .EGROv 4HE DANGER OF STREET CUM STRAIGHT THEORIZING IN THE IDIOM OF A WRITER LIKE -AILER IS THAT AT LEAST PART OF THE INTENSE ENERGY OF ITS SOPHISTICATION IS DIRECTED AT OCCLUDING ENTIRE DIMEN SIONS OF SOCIAL EXPERIENCE !MONG THEM BLACK MEN WHO ARE NOT WALKING PHALLIC SYMBOLS OR PSYCHOPATHS MEN OR WOMEN OF ANY RACE WHO ARE OKAY WITH BEING PUNK OR BEAT AND SO ON "ALDWINS ESSAY h4HE "LACK "OY ,OOKS AT THE 7HITE "OYv CONSTITUTES A KIND OF DIVA READING OF -AILERS MACHO AN ARCH DISMISSAL OF A CONDESCENDING THEORY OF hRACEv THAT ONLY PERPETUATES OUTMODED DElNITIONS OF MASCULINITY "ALDWIN SPEAKS OF HIS hFURY THAT SO ANTIQUE A VISION OF THE BLACKS SHOULD AT THIS LATE HOUR AND IN SO MANY BOR ROWED HEIRLOOMS BE STEPPING OFF THE ! TRAINv -AILERS ESSAY REPRESENTS FOR "ALDWIN THE VERY lGURE OF A TOTALIZING AND SYNTHESIZING THEORETICAL PROJECT THAT REINSCRIBES THE VERY THOUGHT IT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TRANSCEND THE STEREOTYPICAL FREEZING OF BLACK MASCULINITY THAT WE STILL SEE FOR EXAMPLE IN SHOWS LIKE 0UNKD OR IN ANY NUMBER OF MARKETING CAMPAIGNS FOR NEW HIP HOP PERFORMERS h4HE 7HITE .EGROv SERVES AS AN OBJECT LESSON OF HOW A KEEN EYE ON THE GRITTY REALITIES OF THE STREET CAN GO DEEPLY WRONG "UT IT DOES NOT OF COURSE LICENSE US TO RETREAT ENTIRELY INTO THEORETICAL TOWERS (OW THEN TO APPROACH STREET THEORIZING DIFFERENTLY ) HAVE ARGUED THAT THEORYOF BOTH THE STREET VARIETY SPOKEN ON 3CARED 3TRAIGHT AND THE STRAIGHT VARIETY LITERATE WELL READ CULTURALLY AUTHORITA TIVE THAT -AILER EXEMPLIlESCAN PRESENT ITSELF AS BEING EXPLICITLY hABOUTv RACE CLASS AND SEXUALITY WHILE CONTINUING TO SERVE THE FUNCTION OF REGULA TION AND DISCIPLINE ! MAJOR ASPECT OF THIS REGULATION ) HAVE ARGUED IS THE FROZEN DIALECTIC BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE AND ) SHOULD ADD BETWEEN STRAIGHT AND QUEER THAT IS PRODUCED AND REPRODUCED WITHIN CULTURAL FORMS BOTH SOPHISTICATED AND OTHERWISE )T IS NOT ENOUGH IN OTHER WORDS TO TAKE UP THE SIMULTANEITY OF RACE CLASS GENDER AND SEXUALITY WHICH IT IS MY ARGUMENT THAT THE VERNACULAR DOES CONSTANTLY IN KEYWORDS LIKE PUNK AND PUNKED 2ATHER WE MUST INVESTIGATE THE SUBJECT TRANSFORMED BY LAW THAT NEVERTHELESS EXISTS NOWHERE WITHIN IT THE lGURE OF ABSOLUTE ABJECTION THAT IS PARADOXICALLY PART OF OUR EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE (ERE THE VERY METAPHOR OF INTERSECTIONALITY CAN PROVIDE US WITH ITS ALTERNATIVE !N INTERSECTION IS ALSO A MEETING OF TWO STREETS AND IN A LAND SCAPE LONG GIVEN OVER TO AUTOMOTIVITY IT IS A PLACE OF PARTICULAR HAZARD FOR THE PEDESTRIAN 4HE DISCIPLINE AND SURVEILLANCE OF VERNACULAR MOBILITY AT SUCH INTERSECTIONS OF COURSE INCLUDE SUCH POSTMODERN DEVICES AS THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA "UT THIS DISCIPLINE DOES NOT BEGIN THERE BUT RATHER )
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WOULD ARGUE IN THE VERY PROCESS OF ENCLOSURE THROUGH WHICH THE SPACE FOR WALKING HAS BEEN GIVEN OVER TO AUTOMOTIVITY IN THE lRST PLACE 4HE RIGHTS OF THE PEDESTRIAN TO CROSS WITH THE LIGHT ETC BALANCE THE RIGHT OF WAY OF THE AUTOMOBILE 9ET AS ANY STREETWALKER WILL TELL YOU ENFORCING ANY OF THESE RIGHTS AGAINST THE LEGAL AND ILLEGAL INCURSIONS OF CAR CULTURE REQUIRES CONTINUOUS TACTICS OF EVERYDAY RESISTANCE TRY ACTUALLY GETTING TRAFlC TO STOP FOR YOU AT A STRIPED hZEBRAv CROSSING FOR EXAMPLE !DDITIONALLY OVER MANY ACTS OF VERNACULAR MOBILITY HOVERS THE NEBULOUS CRIME OF JAYWALK ING RARELY ENFORCED BUT PREGNANT IN ITS ENFORCEABILITY 3O IN THE PRACTICE OF EVERYDAY LIFE THE VERNACULARLY MOBILE ARE REQUIRED TO DEMAND BOTH THEIR RIGHTS AND MORE THAN THEIR RIGHTS SIMPLY TO PRESERVE A PORTION OF THE MOBILITY THEY HAD PRIOR TO ENCLOSURE %XAMPLES PROLIFERATE WORKERS BECOME ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS POOR MOTHERS BECOME WELFARE QUEENS PROTES TORS BECOME POTENTIAL TERRORISTS !LL MUST ATTACK THE PRESUMPTION OF THEIR CRIMINALITY MERELY TO PRESERVE THEIR WAY OF LIFE FROM THE ONGOING INCURSIONS OF DISCIPLINARY POWER /UR RESPONSES WILL BY DElNITION BE MANIFOLD THE PURPOSE OF RADICAL THEORY AND POLITICS IS NOT TO ADJUDICATE AMONG THESE RESPONSES BUT TO NURTURE THEM !T THE INTERSECTION IN THE STREETS WE ARE ALL IN PUNK CITY
/PUFT ) WANT TO THANK $AVID %NG *OSÏ -U×OZ AND MY ANONYMOUS REVIEWER FOR COM MENTS THAT HELPED SHARPEN THIS ESSAY #ATHY * #OHEN h0UNKS "ULLDAGGERS AND 7ELFARE 1UEENS 4HE 2ADICAL 0OTENTIAL OF 1UEER 0OLITICS v ',1 n /N NONCE TAXONOMIES SEE %VE +OSOFSKY 3EDGWICK %PISTEMOLOGY OF THE #LOSET "ERKELEY 5NIVERSITY OF #ALIFORNIA 0RESS n /N $)9 CULTURE SEE #RAIG /(ARA 4HE 0HILOSOPHY OF 0UNK 3AN &RAN CISCO !+ n 3EE FOR EXAMPLE h4HEORY )S &INISHED v .EW 9ORK 4IMES 3UNDAY -AGAZINE $ECEMBER 3EE +IMBERLÏ #RENSHAW h4HE )NTERSECTION OF 2ACE AND 'ENDER v IN #RITI CAL 2ACE 4HEORY 4HE +EY 7RITINGS 4HAT &ORMED THE -OVEMENT ED +IMBERLÏ #REN SHAW .EIL 'OTANDA 'ARRY 0ELER AND +ENDALL 4HOMAS .EW 9ORK .EW 0RESS n /N THE HISTORY OF PUNK ROCK SEE THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNTS UNIFORMLY PARTI SAN TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CITY AND NATIONAL CONTEXTS 'REIL -ARCUS ,IPSTICK 4RACES ! 3ECRET (ISTORY OF THE 4WENTIETH #ENTURY #AMBRIDGE -! (ARVARD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS ,EGS -C.EIL AND 'ILLIAN -C#AIN 0LEASE +ILL -E 4HE 5NCENSORED /RAL (IS TORY OF 0UNK .EW 9ORK 'ROVE *ON 3AVAGE %NGLANDS $REAMING !NARCHY 3EX 0ISTOLS 0UNK 2OCK AND "EYOND .EW 9ORK 3T -ARTINS -ARC 3PITZ AND "RENDEN -ULLEN 7E 'OT THE .EUTRON "OMB 4HE 5NTOLD 3TORY OF ,! 0UNK
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.EW 9ORK 4HREE 2IVERS )N READING THESE TEXTS IT PAYS TO BE MINDFUL OF *UDITH (ALBERSTAMS CAUTION AGAINST PRIVILEGING WHITE MALE PUNK ROCK AS THE ONLY OR THE MOST IMPORTANT EXAMPLE OF SUBCULTURAL RESISTANCE 3EE *UDITH (ALBERSTAM )N A 1UEER 4IME AND 0LACE .EW 9ORK .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY 0RESS (ALBERSTAM IS ONE QUEER THEORIST CONTRIBUTING TO SUCH A DIRECTION SEE HER NEW BOOK OF ESSAYS )N A 1UEER 4IME AND 0LACE 4RANSGENDER "ODIES 3UBCULTURAL ,IVES ! CLASSIC QUEER ANALYSIS OF YOUTH CULTURE STILL AWAITING A CONTEMPORARY READ ERSHIP IS 0AUL 'OODMAN 'ROWING 5P !BSURD 0ROBLEMS OF 9OUTH IN THE /RGANIZED 3YSTEM .EW 9ORK 2ANDOM (OUSE 7ESTON CONTRASTS STREET THEORY WITH STRAIGHT THEORY BY WHICH SHE MEANS ACADEMIC OR INTELLECTUAL THEORY 3EE +ATH 7ESTON h4HEORY 4HEORY 7HOS 'OT THE 4HEORY v ',1 n !N ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE TO ENGAGE PUNK IS THAT IT HAS ALREADY BEEN STUDIED BY AT LEAST ONE PREVIOUS RADICAL CRITICAL TENDENCY"RITISH CULTURAL STUDIESAND THIS STUDY HAS PRODUCED AT LEAST ONE ENDURING CLASSIC $ICK (EBDIGES 3UBCULTURE 4HE -EANING OF 3TYLE 4HIS BOOK NOT ONLY DESERVES A QUEER READING IT DESERVES TO BE QUEERED &URTHERMORE THE HISTORICAL ARC OF THE CULTURAL STUDIES TENDENCY WHILE OF COURSE NOT IDENTICAL TO THAT OF QUEER THEORY POSSESSES SOME ILLUMINAT ING COMMONALTIES 2EmECTING UPON THE COMBINED AND UNEVEN TRAJECTORY OF THESE DISCIPLINES MAY PROVIDE OBJECT LESSONS IN THE CHANCES FOR POLITICALLY ATTUNED CUL TURALLY mUENT AND ACTIVIST ORIENTED SCHOLARSHIP TODAY 4HE INVITATION TO MAKE THE CONNECTION ) AM ATTEMPTING WAS PROVIDED BY 4HE ,ESBIAN AND 'AY 3TUDIES 2EADER IN WHICH REPRINTED GERMINAL ESSAYS FROM THE "RITISH CULTURAL STUDIES TRADI TION WRITTEN BY 3TUART (ALL AMONG OTHERS 3EE FOR EXAMPLE 3TUART (ALL h$EVI ANCE 0OLITICS AND THE -EDIA v IN 4HE ,ESBIAN AND 'AY 3TUDIES 2EADER ED (ENRY !BELOVE -ICHÒLE !INA "ARALE AND $AVID - (ALPERIN .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE n 2AYMOND 7ILLIAMS #ULTURE AND 3OCIETY n .EW 9ORK #OLUMBIA 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 7ILLIAMS +EYWORDS ! 6OCABULARY OF #ULTURE AND 3OCIETY .EW 9ORK /XFORD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 4HE EPIGRAPH GIVES THE THREE MOST POPULAR DElNITIONS BASED ON )NTERNET VOTING AT WWWURBANDICTIONARYCOM ACCESSED *ANUARY .ORMAN -AILER h4HE 7HITE .EGRO 3UPERlCIAL 2EmECTIONS ON THE (IP STER v IN 4HE 4IME OF /UR 4IME .EW 9ORK 2ANDOM (OUSE HEREAFTER CITED IN TEXT 3EE THE CHAPTER ON PUNK IN 0AUL $ICKSON 7ORDS ! #ONNOISSEURS #OLLECTION OF /LD AND .EW 7EIRD AND 7ONDERFUL 5SEFUL AND /UTLANDISH 7ORDS .EW 9ORK $ELACORTE n &OR A BOOK THAT REALLY RUNS AWAY WITH THIS IDEA SEE 2ICHARD # 4REXLER 3EX AND #ONQUEST 'ENDERED 6IOLENCE 0OLITICAL /RDER AND THE %UROPEAN #ONQUEST OF THE !MERICAS #AMBRIDGE 0OLITY 3IMILARLY #OHEN MARKS BULLDAGGER AS BLACK VERNACULAR FOR DYKE 4HESE MARKINGS ) SHOULD NOTE ARE IMPLICIT SHE DOES NOT DElNE OR DISCUSS EITHER TERM AT LENGTH IN THE ESSAY &ROM HER CONTEXT IT IS CLEAR THAT IT IS THE BLACK VERNACULAR USAGE SHE INTENDS #LARENCE -AJOR ED *UBA TO *IVE ! $ICTIONARY OF !FRICAN !MERICAN 3LANG .EW 9ORK 6IKING 'REG 4ATE ED %VERYTHING BUT THE "URDEN 7HAT 7HITE 0EOPLE !RE 4AKING FROM "LACK #ULTURE .EW 9ORK "ROADWAY
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*OSEPH % (OLLOWAY !FRICANISMS IN !MERICAN #ULTURE "LACKS IN THE $IASPORA "LOOMINGTON )NDIANA 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 4HIS DElNITION ALSO NOTES h)N THE TH CENTURY THE TERM PUNK FELL OUT OF USE IN "RITAIN BEING REINTRODUCED VIA THE !MERICAN MEDIA AND LATER BY WAY OF THE PUNK PHENOMENON OF AND v 3EE 4ONY 4HORNE ED $ICTIONARY OF #ON TEMPORARY 3LANG .EW 9ORK 0ANTHEON EMPHASIS IN ORIGINAL $ICKSON NOTES THAT THIS USAGE OF PUNK APPEARS TWICE IN 3HAKESPEARE 7ORDS ! #ONNOISSEURS #OLLECTION 7HEN *OEY 2AMONE SANG ABOUT hTRYING TO TURN A TRICKv ON RD AND RD ONE SEES THAT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SEX WORK PUNKING AND PUNK ROCK IS QUITE DIRECT 4HE 2AMONES 2AMONES MUSIC #$ ;= $ICK (EBDIGE 3UBCULTURE 4HE -EANING OF 3TYLE REPR ,ONDON 2OUTLEDGE HEREAFTER CITED IN TEXT )RA "ERLIN -ARC &AVREAU AND 3TEVEN & -ILLER EDS 2EMEMBERING 3LAVERY .EW 9ORK .EW 0RESS L 4ONI -ORRISON 0LAYING IN THE $ARK 7HITENESS AND THE ,ITERARY )MAGINATION #AMBRIDGE -! (ARVARD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 4HE RECENT BANISHING OF PUNKED FROM THE %NGLISH LANGUAGE BY THE ,AKE 3UPERIOR 3TATE 5NIVERSITY 7ORD "ANISHMENT SELECTION COMMITTEE PROVIDES ODD CONlRMATION OF ITS STATUS AS AN !MERICAN !FRICANISM 4HIS ANNUAL LIST OF NEW WORDS THAT hANNOYv ITS COMMITTEE OF STEWARDS OF WHAT THEY CALL hTHE 1UEENS %NGLISHv VERY RELIABLY CATCHES !FRICAN ISMS LIKE BLING BLING GOT GAME YO AND CHILL OUT 4HE FULL ARCHIVE IS KEPT ONLINE AT WWWLSSUEDUBANISHED 0AUL 'ILROY h4HERE !INT .O "LACK IN THE 5NION *ACKv 4HE #ULTURAL 0OLITICS OF 2ACE AND .ATION ,ONDON (UTCHINSON h4HE SUCCESSION OF WHITE SUBCULTURAL FORMS CAN BE READ AS A SERIES OF DEEP STRUCTURAL ADAPTATIONS WHICH SYMBOLICALLY ACCOMMODATE OR EXPUNGE THE BLACK PRESENCE FROM THE HOST COMMUNITYv *AMES 3POONERS DOCUMEN TARY !FRO 0UNK 4HE h2OCK . 2OLL .IGGERv %XPERIENCE IS ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO READ THIS SEEMING DEEP STRUCTURAL ADAPTATION )T DOES SO HOWEVER FAIRLY LITERALLY INTER VIEWING BLACK PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONTEMPORARY 53 AND #ANADIAN PUNK SCENE AND DOES NOT GO MUCH FURTHER TO ANALYZE THE CENTRALITY OF hRACEv AND BLACK STYLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUNK EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF BLACK PARTICIPANTS 4HE REDUN DANCY OF THE WORD AFRO PUNK SIGNALS THIS DIFlCULTY 3EE 3POONER !FRO 0UNK (EBDIGE 3UBCULTURE )N 0ATTI 3MITH RELEASED THE SONG h2OCK 2OLL .IGGERv ON HER ,0 %ASTER COMPARING HER PLACE AS A WOMAN IN ROCK TO THE PLIGHT OF hNIGGERSv )N THE SHOCK ROCKER -ARILYN -ANSON RELEASED A COVER OF 3MITHS SONG ON THE #$ 3MELLS ,IKE #HILDREN "OWIE WAS IRONICALLY EVEN MORE DIRECTLY INmUENCED BY BLACK !MERICAN MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE THAN THE WHITE ETHNICITY OF THE PUNKS 7HEN HE PERFORMED IN 3AN &RANCISCO "OWIE APOCRYPHALLY NOTED THAT THEY DID NOT NEED HIM BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAD 3YLVESTER THE INmUENTIAL OPENLY GAY !FRICAN !MERICAN 2" ROCK AND DISCO PERFORMER !NDRÏ #ARRINGTON CORRECTLY POINTS OUT THE lLMS (OBBESIAN LOGIC THE PRISON SOCIETY OF 2AHWAY IS PRESENTED AS A hSTATE OF NATUREv IN WHICH LIFE IS hNASTY BRUTISH AND SHORTv #ARRINGTON CONVERSATION WITH THE AUTHOR ) AM GRATEFUL IN GENERAL TO THE STUDENTS IN MY CLASS 0UNKS AND $IVAS FOR MANY OF THE INSIGHTS ABOUT 3CARED 3TRAIGHT THAT ) MAKE IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS &OR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN THE SHOW 0UNKD SPECIALIZES IN GETTING CELEB RITIES TO LOSE THEIR COOL ON CAMERA 7HILE IT DOES NOT EXCLUSIVELY TARGET BLACK CELEB
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RITIES THERE IS IN MY VIEW A PREPONDERANCE OF TARGETS DRAWN FROM THE WORLD OF HIP HOP 'IVEN THE TITLE OF THE SHOW ) WOULD ARGUE THAT 0UNKD TAKES THE lGURE OF THE BLACK MALE AS ITS PROTOTYPICAL TARGET AND ITS OTHER TARGETS EXIST IN RELATION TO THIS PROTOTYPICAL ONE 4HE WHITE SOUL SINGER *USTIN 4IMBERLAKE FOR INSTANCE IS PUNKED BY REVEALING THAT WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN HE QUICKLY DROPS HIS BLACK AFFECTATIONS AND PERFORMS WHITENESS TO SOLICIT EMPATHY FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OFlCIALS 7HETHER OR NOT ONE ACCEPTS MY VIEW THE SHOW UNDOUBTEDLY CHARTS THE RISE TO PROMINENCE OF A NEW COHORT OF BLACK CELEBRITIES WHO ARE EQUALLY TARGETED ALONGSIDE THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS AND NOT STUDIOUSLY EXCLUDED AS MANY OTHER FORMS OF CELEBRITY MEDIA OFTEN EXCLUDE BLACK STARS )T ALMOST GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT RECENT CRIMINOLOGISTS HAVE DISCREDITED SUCH EFFORTS AT YOUTH CORRECTION 3EE !NTHONY 0ETROSINO #AROLYN 4URPIN 0ETROSINO AND *AMES / &INCKENAUER h7ELL -EANING 0ROGRAMS #AN (AVE (ARMFUL %FFECTS ,ESSONS FROM %XPERIMENTS OF 0ROGRAMS 3UCH AS 3CARED 3TRAIGHT v #RIME AND $ELINQUENCY NO n ) AM BORROWING THIS PHRASING FROM 3ANDER , 'ILMAN /N "LACKNESS WITH OUT "LACKS %SSAYS ON THE )MAGE OF THE "LACK IN 'ERMANY "OSTON (ALL (ERE THE WORK OF 'IORGIO !GAMBEN ON THE STATE OF EXCEPTION IS ESSENTIAL 3EE 'IORGIO !GAMBEN (OMO 3ACER 3OVEREIGN 0OWER AND "ARE ,IFE 3TANFORD #! 3TANFORD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 3EDGWICK %PISTEMOLOGY OF THE #LOSET *AMES "ALDWIN h4HE "LACK "OY ,OOKS AT THE 7HITE "OY v IN #OLLECTED %SSAYS .EW 9ORK ,IBRARY OF !MERICA )BID
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4HE GIRLY THINGS ) WANTED WHEN ) WAS A LITTLE BOY THINGS THAT MADE ME GIRLY 0INK AND HEART COVERED MANHWA +OREAN COMIC BOOKS FOR GIRLS lLLED WITH LOVE STORIES STARRING MEDUSA CURLED GIRLS WITH HUGE GALAXIES FOR EYES lLLED WITH STARS AND RAINBOWS AND TEARS OF HAPPINESS AND DEPRESSION -Y LITTLE SISTERS SMART WINTER JACKET RED -Y LITTLE SISTERS BEIGE COAT WHICH ) WORE ONCE WITH A SASH AROUND THE MIDDLE TO MAKE A TEMPORARY DRESS "ARBIE DOLLS IN +OREA THEY LOOKED LIKE MY MANHWA GIRLS SIXTEEN YEARS OLD mAT CHESTED AND STARTLED 7ONDER 7OMAN PAPER DOLLS MY MOTHER MADE THEM FOR ME ,IPSTICK ADDICTED FROM THE MOMENT ) SLATHERED MY MOTHERS ON IN BATHROOM SECRECY !NKLE SOCKS BOUGHT FOR ME -ARY *ANE SANDALS BOUGHT FOR ME IN BEIGE LEATHER ! SEWING KIT NEVER BOUGHT FOR ME ) IMPROVISED ONE OUT OF AN OLD COOKIE TIN 7HEN ) WAS SIX YEARS OLD MY MOTHER BEGAN lLLING ME WITH HORROR STO RIES TO SNAP ME OUT OF MY GIRLHOOD )F YOU DONT STOP ACTING LIKE A GIRL AND START BEING A BOY THEN WELL HAVE TO TAKE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL AND GET YOUR PEE PEE CUT OFF SO THAT YOU CAN BECOME A GIRL ) WAS APPROPRIATELY TERROR IZED BY THIS THREAT WHAT SIX YEAR OLD ISNT SCARED OF HOSPITALS KNIFE BLADES OPERATIONSESPECIALLY ON THE TENDER PRIVATE mESH BETWEEN THE LEGS !PPAR ENTLY MY MOTHER UNDERSTOOD THE CULTURAL USES OF CASTRATION )N h-EDUSAS (EAD v &REUD SUGGESTS THAT A hTERROR OF CASTRATIONv OCCURS hWHEN A BOY WHO HAS HITHERTO BEEN UNWILLING TO BELIEVE THE THREAT OF CASTRATION CATCHES SIGHT OF THE FEMALE GENITALS PROBABLY THOSE OF AN ADULT SURROUNDED BY HAIR AND ESSENTIALLY THOSE OF HIS MOTHERv 4HE MOTHER -EDUSA BARGES INTO THE BOYS PSYCHE AND PROVIDES EVIDENCE OF THE CASTRATION THREAT POSED BY THE FATHER )NVOKING THE MYTH OF -EDUSA &REUD THEN ARTICULATES HOW THE THREAT AND TERROR OF CASTRATION ARE USED TO CREATE A HETEROSEXUALIZED MALE SUBJECT JUST AS -EDUSAS VICTIMS TURN TO STONE THE BOY lNDS HIS PENIS HARDENED AT THE SIGHT OF THE FEMALE NUDE 4HUS CASTRATION IS INVOKED IN ORDER TO BE
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&AMILY PHOTO .OVEMBER #OURTESY THE AUTHOR
DEBUNKED AS lCTION THE FRIGHTENING -EDUSA WITH HER HAIR OF SNAKES IS REALLY hA MITIGATION OF THE HORROR FOR ;THE SNAKES= REPLACE THE PENIS THE ABSENCE OF WHICH IS THE CAUSE OF HORRORv )N EFFECT THIS MITIGATION IS ONE THAT REPLACES THE POTENTIALLY LOPPED OFF PENIS "UT REALLY THE HORROR STORY OF MY MOTHERS CASTRATION THREAT DOESNT SOUND AS HARSH IN +OREAN AS IT MAY IN %NGLISH 0LUS WITH EACH REPEATED TELLINGAND NEVER lNDING MYSELF ON TOP OF AN OPERATING TABLETHE TALE GREW ON ME CASTRATION GREW ON ME "ECAUSE ) WAS ALREADY A PROTOGAY KID THE EVENTUAL MITIGATION OF MY CASTRATION TERROR RELIED NOT ON THE MAGIC OF PENILE RECLAMATION BUT ON THE GRADUAL ACCLIMATION TO THE CASTRATION THREAT AND THUS ACCLIMATION TO THE STATE OF CASTRATION HAVING A FEMININE BODY HAVING A FEMININE PSYCHE BEING A FEMININE BOY 4HIS SUGGESTS AN ALTERNATIVE READING OF THE BOYS TERROR AT SEEING THE NUDE FEMALE BODY &REUD IDENTIlES AS THE MOMENT OF CASTRATION TERROR THE BOYS hTURNING TO STONEv AS IN TURNING hSTIFFv AS STONE "UT WHAT IF WE TOOK ANOTHER PATH WITH THE IMAGE OF TURNING TO STONE .OT hSTIFF v BUT hSTILLv )F THE BOY CAN BE SEEN AS STILL RATHER THAN STIFF THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT HIS INTEREST IN THE NUDE FEMALE BODY NOT AS AN OBJECT FOR SEX BUT AS AN OBJECT FOR BEING &OR ME THE TERROR OF CASTRATION THAT MERGED INTO AN INDICATOR OF INTEREST IN IDENTIlCATION WAS NOT PRODUCED BY A NUDE FEMALE BODY BUT
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A RAW FEMALE IMAGINATION WHICH NARRATED EXPLICITLY AND SCIENTIlCALLY THE TERMS OF CASTRATION #ASTRATION WAS NOT A PRIVATE FANTASY THAT ) COULD DIS PROVE IN MY BRAIN WITH AN ERECTION BUT A PUBLIC DISCOURSE IN OUR FAMILY IMAGINATIVELY ARTICULATED AS MEDICAL REALITY 4HE THREATENED CASTRATION WAS NOT MYTHICMY MOTHER WITH HER COOL ENGINEERS LOGIC MADE IT VERY SCIENTIlC ) NEVER DISBELIEVED MY MOTHER ) JUST GREW ACCUSTOMED TO THE FEAR AND THE VIOLENCE AS PART OF MY LIFE AS A GIRL ) NEVER STOPPED BELIEVING IN THE POSSIBILITY THAT ) COULD BE CASTRATED SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WAS A FACT %VENTUALLY ) LEARNED THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT AS SIMPLE AS MY MOTHER MADE IT OUT TO BEIT WAS NOT AN APPENDECTOMY OR SOMETHINGIT COULD HAPPEN TO ME AND IN MY TEENS ) KNEW ) COULD MAKE MYSELF DO IT BY BECOMING A TRANSSEXUAL )N THE MEANTIME MY BRAIN STEELED ITSELF THE SIX YEAR OLD ME DID NOT GIVE UP DOLLS AND PINK BECAUSE HE COULDNT 3O EVEN THOUGH ) WAS NEVER FORCIBLY CASTRATED EVEN THOUGH ) NEVER BECAME AN -4& MALE TO FEMALE TRANSSEXUAL ) HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED MYSELF A CASTRATED BOY AND LEARNED TO BE HAPPY IN THAT STATE BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY ) COULD LIVE MY LIFE AS THE GIRL ) KNEW MYSELF TO BE 4HIS WAS NOTIS NOTAN EASY WAY OF LIVING IN A HETERONORMATIVE WORLD WITH ITS HATRED OF EFFEMINATE BOYS !S h-EDUSAS (EADv SHOWS THE CASTRATED BOY AS A NEGATIVE IMAGE OF THE HETEROSEXUAL MALE IS SO ABJECTED THAT HE CANNOT EVEN BE IMAGINED TO EXIST 4HE NEGATIVE VALUATION OF CASTRATION INDICATES A CONTINUING OVERVALUATION OF THE PENIS AS PHALLUS TO INVOKE A MALE CASTRATED IS TANTAMOUNT TO SEEING HIM AS POWERLESS OR AT LEAST DISEMPOWERED IN THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL REPRESENTATIONAL lELDS 7HEN A MALE IS CASTRATED SOMETHING IS ALWAYS LOST WHEREAS FOR ME NOT TO MEN TION A LEGION OF -4&S WHO OFTEN SEE THEIR PENISES AS SUPERmUOUS OR UGLY SOMETHING WAS ALWAYS GAINED WITH THAT LOSS MAINLY MY BODY THE BODY THAT REMAINS AFTER THE OPERATION 4O ESCAPE THE SOUL SNUFlNG HATRED AND ABJECTION THAT HUNTS HIM IN THE HETEROSEXUAL WORLD THE CASTRATED BOY TURNS TO A HOMOSEXUAL WORLD BUT SURPRISINGLY lNDS NOT SOLACE BUT SPIES FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIR ROR &IRST THE GAY hCULTUREv CREATED SINCE THE S HAS RADICALLY EVOLVED COMMERCIALLY BUT DEVOLVED EMOTIONALLY AND ETHICALLY !S HOMOSEXUALITY lNDS ITS PLACE IN MAINSTREAM CULTURE IT ALSO ABSORBS MAINSTREAM ETHICS OF GENDER 4ELEVISION SHOWS AND ADVERTISEMENTS THAT MAKE GAY PEOPLE VIS IBLE PUSH AS DESIRABLE ONLY A CERTAIN USUALLY WHITE UPPER MIDDLE CLASS MASCULINE VERSION OF GAYNESS 4HIS ALIENATION MAY BE COMPOUNDED BY THE TRADITION SPECIlCALLY IN GAY MALE LIFE WHICH DElNES MALE FEMININITY AS THE ANTITHESIS OF SEXINESS 4HIS IS WHY THE CASTRATED BOY EVEN WITHIN THE HOMOSEXUAL WORLD MAY TURN TO THE ACADEMIC PROVINCE OF QUEER THEORY ATTRACTED TO AND TRUSTING IN ITS EPISTEMOPHILIA TO PROVIDE HIM lNALLY A PSYCHIC SANCTUARY
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"UT A SECOND SURPRISE AWAITING THE CASTRATED BOY IS THAT QUEER THEORY OFTEN OFFERS NOT AFlRMATION BUT ONLY ANOTHER KIND OF MARGINALIZATION FOR HIS FEMME PSYCHE HE lNDS HIMSELF THE NEGATIVE IMAGE OF BOTH HETERO SEXUAL AND HOMOSEXUAL MALES 7HILE QUEER THEORY HAS MADE TREMENDOUS EFFORTS TO INTERWEAVE THE POLITICAL DISCOURSES OF RACE CLASS AND GENDER IN THE THEORIZATION OF QUEER IDENTIlCATION IT IS RARELY THE CASE THAT SUCH hGENEROUSv THEORETICAL GESTURES ACTUALLY MAKE IT OUT OF THE BOX INTO THE PRACTICED LIVES OF SEXUALITIES AND GENDERS 4HE GAY MALE CRITICS WHO HAVE INVOKED THE FEMALE SUBJECTIVITY TO PRODUCE A GAY ONE USUALLY DO SO BY lRST lNDING COMMONALITIES BETWEEN THE FEMALE AND THE GAY MALE SUBJECT THEN lNISH BY ADAMANTLY DISAVOWING THAT MOMENT OF IDENTIlCATION 4HE GAY SUBJECT PRODUCED THUS MAY LOOK LIKE A WOMAN BUT WE ARE TOLD IT IS DElNITELY NOT A WOMAN 4HAT IS THE GAY MALE SUBJECT IS RARELY IF EVER A CASTRATED BOY 4HIS DISAVOWAL HAS MANY NAMES NONE OF WHICH IS hFEMALEv FOR SOME IT IS TO BECOME FEMINIST AND FOR OTHERS IT IS TO DENY EFFEMINACY 'AY MALE CRITICS FEAR hFEMALEvAND IN THIS THEY HAVE AN ALLY IN SECOND WAVE FEMINISMBECAUSE THE WORK OF GENDER IDENTIlCATION IS ULTIMATELY SEEN AS A SYSTEM OF IMPERMEABLE BIOLOGICAL BOUNDARIES WHOSE OPERATION IS TOTALIZINGLY HIERARCHICAL 4HIS CAN BE MOST READILY SEEN IN THE REFUSAL OF SOME FEMINISTS TO RECOGNIZE -4& TRANSSEXUALS AS hWOMEN v THUS EXCLUDING THEM FROM FEMINIST COMMUNITIES /N THE OTHER HAND A GAY MALE WHO hBECOMESvIS MISTAKEN FORFEMALE FEARS THE ENDLESS SENSE OF SUBJUGATION AND INSECURITY IN BEING hINADEQUATELYv SO 4HE GAY MALE WHO IDENTIlES AS hFEMALEvITS &RENCH VERSION FEMME TURNED INTO A MONIKER OF HOMOSEXUAL SELF STYLINGIS A DOUBLY INADEQUATE SUBJECT INADEQUATELY MALE AND INADEQUATELY FEMALE !CTUALLY THAT CERTAIN FEMINIST RELUCTANCE TO COUNT PARTICULAR FEMI NIZED 89 HUMANS AS hFEMALEv IS ) THINK SOMETIMES JUSTIlED AND IMPOR TANT "ECAUSE THIS SENSE OF GENDER INADEQUACY CAN CREATE EVEN IN A QUEER BODY THE MASCULINIST INSTINCT FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IT IS A SITUATION WE CASTRATED BOYS MUST TRY HARD TO AVOID ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING QUEER THEORYS GREAT INDEBTEDNESS TO FEMINISM 4HIS DETERMINATION FOR ETHICAL VIGILANCE IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON FOR THE CASTRATED BOYS SELF DElNITION AS PSYCHICALLY hFEMALEv )T MEANS THAT THE CASTRATED BOY HAS TO MAKE SOME THING POSITIVE OUT OF THAT DOUBLE INADEQUACY 4HIS WORK MAY BE THOUGHT OF AS WHAT *ESSICA "ENJAMIN WOULD CALL hSPLITTING THE EGOv ;4HE= CAPACITY TO SPLIT THE EGO AND TAKE UP ANTITHETICAL POSITIONS MAY IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS BE POTENTIALLY CREATIVE A BENIGN FORM OF SPLITTING THE EGO IN RELATION TO GENDER MAY WELL BE AN IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENT ;IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS ONE HAS TO= BE ABLE TO RETAIN THE ABILITY TO IMAGINE IT WITHOUT BEING THREATENED OR UNDONE BY IT )DENTIlCATION MUST BE TOLERATED IN ORDER THAT THE OTHERS QUALITIES NOT EVOKE INTOLERABLE ENVY OR FEAR
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-ALE QUEER THEORISTS ABJECTION OF THE CASTRATED BOY IS USUALLY AN EXPRESSION OF THE GAY MALE REFUSAL OR INABILITY TO THUS BE hTHREATENED OR UNDONEv BY FEMININITY IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE BUT ULTIMATELY A lNESSED EXPRESSION OF GYNOPHOBIA 3YMPTOMATIC OF THIS CRITICAL PHENOMENON IS $ ! -ILLERS ! 0LACE FOR 5S WHICH USES THE "ROADWAY MUSICAL 'YPSY TO CREATE A GAY BUT ANTIFEMME MALE SUBJECTIVITY FROM FEMININITY "ASED ON THE MEMOIRS OF THE BURLESQUE STAR 'YPSY 2OSE ,EE 'YPSY RELATES HOW THE SHY KID WHO ONLY WANTED TO GO TO SCHOOL SEW AND SUPPORT HER MORE TALENTED VAUDEVILLIAN CHILD STAR SISTER BECAME UNDER THE lERCE AND FORCE FUL IMAGINATION OF HER STAGE MOTHER FROM HELL THE MOST FAMOUS STRIPPER EVER &OR -ILLER THIS STORY NARRATES A WORLD EXPERIENCED BY THE PROTOGAY BOY WHO LONGS TO ESCAPE ENFORCED HETEROSEXUALIZATION THE VAUDEVILLE AND BURLESQUE SCENES WITH THEIR PRIVILEGING OF FEMALE STARS MARGINALIZE THE BOY WHO LONGS TO BECOME THAT FEMALE STAR ,OUISE THE YOUNG 'YPSY 2OSE ,EE ALTHOUGH BIOLOGICALLY FEMALE DOES NOT HERSELF POSSESS THE FEMININE SPARKLE NECESSARY FOR VAUDEVILLE STARDOM AND IS THUS MARGINALIZED AS IF SHE WERE A PROTOGAY BOY h! REBUS OF A SISSYv -ILLER ASTUTELY READS ,OUISE AS A BOY CASTRATED BY HER MOTHER LIKE THE OTHER hMUTILATED lGURES STREWN BY THE WAY LIKE SO MANY ATROCITIES ON A WARPATH .ERD 3ISSY OR 3NOT v WITH hHIDEOUS SCARSSORES RATHER ;THAT= NEVER HEALv n )N THIS SCENARIO THE CASTRATED BOY IS ABJECTED FOR WANTING TO BECOME THE GIRL HE COULD NEVER BE HIS FEMININITY RECOGNIZED ONLY AS UNCLOTTING AND UGLY mESH WOUNDS 7HILE THIS ACCOUNTS ACCURATELY FOR HOW A HETERONORMATIVE SOCIETY ABJECTS THE CASTRATED BOY -ILLER ULTIMATELY SEEMS TO AGREE WITH IT (E OFFERS NO RECOVERY NO EMOTIONAL SUPPORT OR EVEN CAUTIOUS CELEBRATION OF THE FEMME BOY )NSTEAD THERE IS VIOLENCE IN THE LANGUAGE 7HEN HE WRITES THAT hA MAN WHO DID TAKE THE PLACE OF A WOMAN COULD HARDLY BE MORE ABHORRENT HERE THAN ONE WHO APPEARS LACKING IN SUFlCIENT ASSERTIVENESS TO TAKE IT FROM HERv -ILLER IS VOICING A DESIRE FOR A GAY MALE SUBJECTIVITY THAT COULD NEVER BE MISTAKEN FOR THAT OF A GIRL THE BOY WANTING TO BE A GIRL MUST hTAKE THE PLACEv OF THE GIRL 4HIS GAY BOY MUST NOT BECOME CASTRATED SO THAT HE CAN HAVE SUFlCIENT POWER TO RAPE THE COVETED FEMININE POSITION FROM THE BIOLOGICAL FEMALE 4HE ABJECTED STATUS OF A CASTRATED BOY STEMS FROM HIS INABILITY FOR VIOLENCE HE IS A BOY NOT BUTCH OR AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH TO TAKE IT FROM HER 4HIS IS WHY FOR -ILLER IT IS THE CHORUS BOY 4ULSAS SOLO h!LL ) .EED )S THE 'IRL v THAT PROVIDES THE GAY MALE SUBJECT ITS IDEAL )N THIS SCENE 4ULSA DEMONSTRATESWITH A DILDOLIKE BROOM AS HIS IMAGINARY FUTURE PARTNERA DANCE ACT OF HIS OWN CREATION NARRATING THE RITUAL OF HETEROSEXUAL DATING #OMPLETELY REBELLIOUS TO THE BEAUTIFULLY SHRILL FEMININE ETHOS OF THE STORY THUS FAR THIS ACT MAKES THE GIRL PARTNER INCIDENTAL TO THE BOYS VIRTUOSIC DANCING )N AN ULTIMATE ACT OF REVENGE 4ULSA CORRUPTS THE VERY GIRL STAR
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HE HAD BEEN BACKING ,OUISES LITTLE SISTER *UNE BECOMES HIS INCIDENTAL ON STAGE AND OFF HE ELOPES WITH HER AND WILL MAKE HER STAND IN FOR THAT DAMNED BROOM !ND -ILLER CELEBRATES h4ULSA PULLED IT OFF 4ULSA GOT AWAY 7ILY 4ULSATRULY THE MOST INTELLIGENT THE MOST RESOURCEFUL BOY IN THE ACT ON YOU ALONE IT DAWNED HOW MALE PERFORMANCE MIGHT BE DETACHED FROM SECRECY SHAME AND SECONDARINESSv h-ALE PERFORMANCEv NOW SIGNALS A REFUSAL OF FEMININITY )T IS INSTEAD A THIEVERY OF STAGE AND SPOTLIGHT FROM THE FEMALE STAR "UT 4ULSA CAN BE SEEN AS SUCH A QUEER HERO ONLY IF WE AGREE WITH -ILLERS INTERPRETATION OF 'YPSYS FEMININE WORLD AS A QUICKSAND A VERITABLE HELL OF OR FOR SISSIES AND SNOTS &OR SOME THE QUICKSAND IS A BUTTERY AND YUMMY THING AN ECSTATIC FALLING FEELING 3ULA PICKED HIM UP BY HIS HANDS AND SWUNG HIM OUTWARD THEN AROUND AND AROUND (IS KNICKERS BALLOONED AND HIS SHRIEKS OF FRIGHTENED JOY STARTLED THE BIRDS AND THE FAT GRASSHOPPERS 7HEN HE SLIPPED FROM HER HANDS AND SAILED OUT OVER THE WATER THEY COULD STILL HEAR HIS BUBBLY LAUGHTER 4HE WATER DARKENED AND CLOSED QUICKLY OVER THE PLACE WHERE #HICKEN ,ITTLE SANK
4HIS SCENE FROM 4ONI -ORRISONS 3ULA ARTICULATES THE SINGULAR JOY OF THE CASTRATED BOY MISSING FROM -ILLERS STORY -ORRISON STATES THE BOYS MASOCHISTIC AFFECT WITH TELLING TERSENESS hFRIGHTENED JOYv 4HERE IS NO FURTHER ELABORATION NO JUSTIlCATION FOR THE BOYS FEELING HIS hBUBBLY LAUGHTERv OVERWHELMS HIS TERROR AND EVENTUAL SINKING !ND EVEN THOUGH HE SINKS AND DIES AS HE IS mUNG ABOUT IN THE AIR BY THE NOVELS EPONYMOUS HEROINE THE BOY EXPERIENCES THE SENSATION OF mIGHT THE EUPHORIA CORRE SPONDING TO AND CHALLENGING THAT OF 4ULSAS ESCAPE FROM FEMININITY ,IKE 'YPSY 3ULA IS A TEXT GOOEY WITH FEMININE ENERGY THE PORTRAIT OF A GIRL AS CREATOR OF A RENEGADE AND SUBVERSIVE FEMININITY )TS A NOVEL THAT CHARTS THE PROCESS OF SUCH A FEMININE SUBJECTIVITY AS THE THICKENING FRIEND SHIP BETWEEN TWO BLACK GIRLS .EL WHO BECOMES THE PROPER BOURGEOIS WIFE AND 3ULA WHO GROWS UP TO BE THE SEXUAL AESTHETIC ADVENTURESS AS SOCIAL OUTCAST 3ULA THE EGOLESS h3HE WAS COMPLETELY FREE OF AMBITION WITH NO AFFECTION FOR MONEY PROPERTY OR THINGS NO GREED NO DESIRE TO COMMAND ATTENTION OR COMPLIMENTSNO EGOv 4HE FRIENDS CONmICTING FEMI NINITIES ARE NEVERTHELESS BROUGHT TOGETHER BY THE NOVELS FAMOUS ENDING h7E WAS GIRLS TOGETHER GIRL GIRL GIRLGIRLGIRLv 4HE SYNTAX OF THESE WORDS CRIED OUT BY .EL AT 3ULAS DEATH BY SELF WILLED ILLNESS ACTS OUT IN POETRY THE TECHNICALLY LAST LINES OF THE NOVEL IN WHICH THE THIRD PERSON NARRATOR DESCRIBES .ELS GIRLSONG h)T WAS A lNE CRYLOUD AND LONGBUT IT HAD NO BOTTOM AND IT HAD NO TOP JUST CIRCLES AND CIRCLES OF SORROWv 4HE GIRLGIRLGIRL IS A LAMENT OF EGOLESS FEMININITY WITH SUBVERSIVE SOCIAL POTENTIAL
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)T IS THREE GIRLS WHO TAKE A SINGLE VERB )T IS hLOUD AND LONGv A VOICE WHOSE VOLUME ALLOWS IT TO BE HEARD IN THE PRESENT MOMENT AND WHOSE LENGTH EXTENDS ITS MESSAGE INTO A FUTURE !ND THE MESSAGE IS A DREAM OF A WORLD WITH hNO BOTTOM AND NO TOP v ONE IN WHICH THE SHARP VERTICALITY OF HIERARCHIES HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH THE CURVE OF hCIRCLES AND CIRCLESv 4HE hGIRLv THAT IS THE BUILDING BLOCK FOR THE SUBVERSIVELY FEMININE GIRLGIRLGIRL TAKES A RADICAL DEPARTURE FROM THE hGIRLv EXEMPLIlED BY -ILLERS READING OF 'YPSY 4HE DIFFERENCE IS RACE PARADOXICALLY THE GIRL IDENTITY IMPLIED BY GIRLGIRLGIRL ORIGINATES FROM THE RACIST INTERPELLATION OF hGALv 7HEN THE GROWN UP VERSION OF 3ULA EMERGES IN THE NARRATIVE SHE IS AS GLOSSY AND IDEALIZED AS 'YPSY 2OSE ,EE SHE IS WE ARE TOLD hDRESSED IN A MANNER THAT WAS AS CLOSE TO A MOVIE STAR AS ANYONE WOULD EVER SEEv 4OPPING OFF 3ULAS STYLISH DRESS WAS hA BLACK FELT HAT WITH THE VEIL OF NET LOWERED OVER ONE EYEv /NE EYE VEILED BY HAT OR HAIR IT IS AN ICONICALLY GLAM OROUS STYLETHINK OF ANY STAR FROM 'ARBO TO 6ERONICA ,AKE TO !ALIYAH "UT IN 3ULA THIS SMALL BUT CRUCIAL GESTURE IS ACTUALLY AN AESTHETIC MIMESIS THAT REDRESSES A SITE OF !FRICAN !MERICAN WOMENS SOCIAL TRAUMA %ARLY IN THE NOVEL .ELS MOTHER (ELENE lNDS HER CAREFULLY CRAFTED FEMININITY AS A PROUD BLACK BOURGEOISIE PULLED DOWNLITERALLYWHEN SHE IS CALLED IN FRONT OF HER DAUGHTER hGALv BY AN EVIL WHITE TRAIN CONDUCTOR 4HAT WORDEMBODYING ALL THE OPPRESSIVE WEIGHT OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RACIALLY FEMINIZED AS A BLACK FEMALE IN !MERICATAKES ON CORPOREAL FORM AND RESTYLES HER h3HE HAD HEARD ONLY THAT ONE WORD ;hGALv= IT DANGLED ABOVE HER WIDE BRIMMED HAT WHICH HAD SLIPPED IN HER EXERTION FROM ITS CARE FULLY LEVELED PLACEMENT AND WAS NOW TILTED IN A BIT OF A JAUNT OVER HER EYEv 4HE HATEFUL hGALv ACTUALLY SEEMS TO PRODUCE A SEXUALLY SAUCY hJAUNTv OVER ONE EYE AN UNWANTED ACCIDENT MAGICALLY PICKED UP AND REPLICATED BY 3ULA AS A STYLE OF SUBVERSION 4HE SPECIlC FEMME STYLE OF A RACIALIZED BLACK GIRL LIKE THE CASTRATED BOY HAS ITS ORIGIN IN VIOLENCE NOT THE PLEASURE OF FEMININE STARDOM BUT THE PAIN OF LIVING IN A RACIST SOCIETY 0ART OF THE VIOLENCE OF BEING BLACK AND FEMALE IN !MERICA IS THAT ONES HAPPILY AUTO AUTHORED SELF IS ALWAYS VULNERABLE TO ABJECTION AND HUMILI ATIONA WOMAN CAN BE REDUCED TO hGALvBY THE NORMATIVE SOCIAL ORDER THROUGH THE FACT OF HER RACIAL DIFFERENCE 4HIS PSYCHICALLY PEJORATIVE INFAN TILIZING OF (ELENE CAN BE THOUGHT OF AS WHAT $AVID , %NG HAS IMPORTANTLY NAMED hRACIAL CASTRATIONv %NG ELABORATES ON AND COMPLICATES 2ICHARD &UNGS CONTENTION THAT h!SIAN AND ANUS IS CONmATEDv THE GAY !SIAN MAN WHO IS A SEXUAL BOTTOM FOR A WHITE MAN IS A RACIALLY CASTRATED BOY WHO SEEMS TO PARTICIPATE IN HIS OWN ABJECTION
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;4HE= !SIAN MALE IS PSYCHICALLY EMASCULATED FORECLOSED FROM AN IDENTIlCATION WITH NORMATIVE HETEROSEXUALITY SO AS TO GUARANTEE THE WHITE MALES CLAIM TO
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THIS LOCATION !S SUCH THE POTENTIAL TRAUMA OF SEXUAL DIFFERENCE IS NOT ARRESTED AT THE SITE OF THE FEMALE BODY AS IN THE CASE OF CLASSIC FETISHISM )NSTEAD SEXUAL DIFFERENCE IS MANAGED THROUGH THE ARREST DISAVOWAL AND PROJECTION OF RACIAL DIFFERENCE AT THE SITE OF THE !SIAN MALE BODY
)N THINKING THUS ABOUT HOW THE PERCEIVED PASSIVITY OF FEMININITY CONTRIB UTES TO AND ELIDES WITH AN UNWHITE RACIALIZATION (ELENE CAN BE SEEN AS THE h!SIAN MALE BODYv %NG IDENTIlES RACIAL CASTRATION AS A hREVERSE FETISH ISMv IN WHICH A WHITE MALE SUBJECT PRACTICES A hBLATANT REFUSAL TO SEE ON THE BODY OF AN !SIAN MALE THE PENIS THAT IS CLEARLY THERE FOR HIM TO SEEv 7HEN THE WHITE MALE CONDUCTOR DOES NOT RECOGNIZE (ELENES ADULT SEXUALITY HE IS REFUSING THE MATERIAL REALITY OF (ELENES PHYSICAL SEXUAL ITY JUST AS THE WHITE MALE RICE QUEEN DOES TO THE !SIAN FEMME BOTTOM 4HE DISTURBING ASPECT OF (ELENES RACIAL CASTRATION HOWEVER IS THAT SHE EMBRACES IT (ELENE RESPONDS TO THE VIOLENT INFANTILIZING CALL OF THE WHITE MALE WITH SEXUALIZED RECEPTIVENESS h(ELENE SMILED 3MILED DAZZLINGLY AND COQUETTISHLY AT THE SALMON COLORED FACE OF THE CONDUCTORv 4O USE %NGS OUTLINE (ELENES SMILE HETEROSEXUALIZES THE WHITE MALE hSEXUAL DIFFERENCE IS MANAGEDv BY RACIALIZING HERSELF AS THE OTHER hPROJECTION OF RACIAL DIFFERENCEv (OWEVER WHILE %NG LOCATES THE SYSTEM AND MECHANICS OF RACIAL CASTRA TION HE DOES NOT PROVIDE AN INSTANCE IN WHICH THE SOCIOPSYCHIC POSITION OF THE CASTRATED BOY IS SO EMBRACED (ELENES ACCEPTANCE OF HER RACIAL CASTRATION CHALLENGES lRST OF ALL THE NOTION THAT RACIAL CASTRATION IS ALWAYS AN INTERRACIAL PHENOMENON !S .EL WITNESSES IT (ELENES HUMILIATING EROTIC AND MASOCHISTIC RESPONSE IS A POLITICALLY ABJECT ONE FOR A BLACK WOMAN A FACT MIRRORED BY THE OTHER UNINTENDED RECEIVERS OF (ELENES GAZE THE TWO BLACK SOLDIERS SEATED IN THE CAR BEHIND THE CONDUCTOR h;4HE SOLDIERS WHO= HAD BEEN WATCHING THE SCENE WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE INDIFFERENCE NOW LOOKED STRICKENv -ORRISON THEN PORTRAYS (ELENE AS -EDUSA THE BLACK SOLDIERS STRICKEN FACE mESH TURNS hFROM BLOOD TO MARBLE v THEIR GAZE hA HARD WETNESSv ! HARD WETNESS A WET HARDNESS THE BLACK MALES HARDENING IS THE PENILE hSTIFFENINGv CAUSED BY &REUDS -EDUSA !S (ELENES PERFOR MANCE HETEROSEXUALIZES THE WHITE MAN IT HETEROSEXUALIZES THE BLACK MEN 4HIS HETEROSEXUALIZATION IS A RACIALIZATION THAT PHALLICIZES THE BLACK MEN THEIR RACIAL POLITICSTHEIR DISGUST AT (ELENES COQUETTISHNESSMERGES HERE WITH A METAPHOR OF POTENTIALLY VIOLENT MALE HETEROSEXUALITY 4HE SOLDIERS DISGUST WITH (ELENES FEMININITY PRODUCES THEM AS A PHALLIC AUTHORITY OVER HER THEY ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY POLITICALLY PROPER BLACK SUBJECTS AND HETERO SEXUAL MALES 4HAT THE FEMALE .EL IDENTIlES WITH THESE MEN SUGGESTS THAT A POLITICALLY PROPER BLACK FEMININITY MUST NOT BE FEMININE IN THE SENSE THAT IT MUST NOT ONLY CONTINUE TO DISAVOW CASTRATION BUT PERFORM A PARTICULAR REDRESS OF THAT PSYCHIC WOUND BY A REPHALLICIZING
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"UT REDRESSING THE PSYCHIC WOUND OF RACISMOR ANTIRACIST POLITICS IN GENERAL FOR THAT MATTERIS NEITHER THAT SIMPLE NOR THAT MONOLITHIC 3AIDIYA 6 (ARTMANS INTERPRETATION AS hACTS OF REDRESSv THE ENSLAVEDS APPARENTLY SELF HATING PERFORMANCE OF CONTENTEDNESS WITH HIS SOCIAL DEATH IS VITAL FOR RECONSIDERING (ELENES OWN EMBRACE OF RACIAL CASTRATION ;4HESE= ACTS OF REDRESS ARE UNDERTAKEN WITH THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT CONDITIONS WILL MOST LIKELY REMAIN THE SAME 4HIS ACKNOWLEDGMENT IMPLIES NEITHER RESIGNATION NOR FATALISM BUT A RECOGNITION OF THE ENORMITY OF THE BREACH INSTITUTED BY SLAVERY AND THE MAGNITUDE OF DOMINATION 2EDRESSING THE PAINED BODY ENCOMPASSES OPERATING IN AND AGAINST THE DEMANDS OF THE SYSTEM NEGOTIATING THE DISCIPLINARY HARNESSING OF THE BODY AND COUNTERINVESTING IN THE BODY AS A SITE OF POSSIBILITY
)N THE CASE OF THE BLACK SOLDIERS PRIVILEGING A RESISTANCE THAT OPERATES WITHIN THE NORMATIVE ECONOMY OF THE PHALLUS ENDS UP WITH ONE THAT RELIES STRUCTURALLY ON POTENTIALLY VIOLENT GYNOPHOBIC MASCULINITY 4HAT (ELENES FEMININE STYLE IS TAKEN UP BY 3ULAAS A GIRL SHE ACTUALLY LOVES (ELENES SEVERE DOMESTIC AESTHETIC WHICH .EL lNDS OPPRESSIVESUGGESTS THAT WHILE APPEARING COMPLICIT WITH A DOMINANT ORDER THIS EMBRACING OF CAS TRATION HAS THE SUBVERSIVE POTENTIAL INVOKED BY (ARTMAN 3ULAS hGIRLv SELF TAKES UP (ARTMANS CHALLENGE IN INCORPORATING (ELENES AMBIGUOUS RACIAL FEMININITY INTO HER OWN BODY AND TURNING IT INTO THAT hSITE OF POSSIBILITYv THAT IS GIRLGIRLGIRL 4HAT 3ULA WOULD TAKE UP THE VERY FEMININITY RENDERED INEFFECTUAL OR UNWANTED BY NORMATIVELY GENDERING AND RACIALIZING FORCES MAKES HER A hGIRL v AS *ESSICA "ENJAMIN DElNES IT "ENJAMIN ARGUES THAT IN THE OEDIPAL PROCESS OF GENDER IDENTIlCATION THE FEMININITY THAT BECOMES SYNONYMOUS WITH PASSIVITYWHICH IS THE CORE OF (ELENES RACIAL CASTRATIONEMERGES IN THE hSPLITv OR hPERVERSIONv OF THE MOTHER 4HE MALE CHILD WHO WILL IDENTIFY DEFENSIVELY TOWARD CASTRATION OVERWHELMED BY THE NURTURING AND CREATIVE OMNIPOTENCE OF HIS MOTHER GREEDILY ATTEMPTS TO INCORPO RATE IT INTO HIS OWN PSYCHE (E SIPHONS OFF THIS POWERESSENTIALLY OVER HIMINTO THE FATHER lGURE LEAVING THE MOTHER AS SIMPLY THE OBJECT OF LOVE ON WHICH THE SUCKLING BABY OR FUCKING HUSBAND CAN ACT RATHER THAN THE SUBJECT OF LOVE WHO SQUIRTS MILK INTO THE BABY .ELS REACTION TO HER MOTHERS RACIAL CASTRATION CAN BE VIEWED AS SUCH A SPLITTING THAT RENDERS HER A hBOYv "Y CONTRAST 3ULAS IDENTIlCATION WITH (ELENE RENDERS HER A hGIRLv h4HE GIRL CAN ONLY BE FEMININE BY IDENTIFYING WITH THE PART OF THE MOTHER NOT KEPT BY THE BOYv 'IRL THE MARGINALIZED DIGESTER AND COLLEC TOR OF THE UNWANTED A PSYCHIC RECYCLER &OR "ENJAMIN THIS IDENTIlCATION RENDERS THE RESULTING GIRL HOPELESSLY HELPLESS h4HE @CONTENT OF FEMININITY IS TO CONTAIN THIS UNWANTED PRIMITIVELY FEARED EXPERIENCE ;hPASSIVITY AND
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HELPLESSNESSv= AND MAKE OF IT AN EXCITING INVITATION SOMETHING THAT THE PHALLUS CAN NOW ACT UPON CONTROL AND STRUCTUREv "UT AS EMBODIED BY 3ULA THE GIRLS FEMININITY IS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE lRST TWO ELEMENTS OF ITS CONTENT CONTAINMENT AND GLAMORIZATION WITHOUT THE LASTBECOM ING VICTIM TO A PHALLIC CONTROL 4HEN IF WE SEE (ELENES RACIAL CASTRATION AS GESTURING TOWARD GIRLGIRLGIRL FROM THE PAINED STARTING POINT OF hGAL v WE HAVE ALREADY TWO CREATIVE AND CREATING COMPONENTS OF THAT lNAL PERSONA .EL WHO IDENTIlES AGAINST HER MOTHER AND WITH 3ULA AND 3ULA HERSELF WHO LIKE A -ÚBIUS STRIP TWISTINGLY CONNECTING THE ESTRANGED MOTHER AND DAUGHTER IDENTIlES WITH .ELS MOTHER $EBORAH % -C$OWELL WRITES THAT h;3ULAS= NARRATIVE INSISTENTLY BLURS AND CONFUSES THESE ;BLACKWHITE MALEFEMALE GOODBAD POSITIVENEGATIVE SELFOTHER= AND OTHER BINARY OPPOSITIONS BLURS THE BOUNDARIES THEY CREATE BOUNDARIES SEPARATING US FROM US FROM OTHERS AND RENDERING US @OTHERS TO OURSELVESv 4HIS IDEA OF THE DEFAMILIARIZED SELF AS THE COMPLEMENT OF A FAMILIARIZED OTHER IS AT THE CORE OF THE POLITICS OF GIRLGIRLGIRL WHICH DREAMS OF DOING AWAY WITH NOT ONLY HIERARCHIES BUT THE VERY INVISIBLE BARRIERS PUT UP BETWEEN BODIES THE EXISTENT GENDER TAXONOMIES THAT CONSTITUTE THE VERY EGOS THAT WE HAVE BECOME SO ACCULTURATED INTO PROTECTING %MBRACING RACIAL CASTRATION CAN BE A POTENTIALLY LIBRATORY WILLINGNESS TO EMBRACE FEMININITY AS A RACE AND VICE VERSA RACE AS FEMININITY 7ITH ITS BREATHLESS REFUSAL OF COMMAD BOUNDARIES GIRLGIRLGIRL IS THE MURKY WATER INTO WHICH THE BOY #HICKEN ,ITTLE FALLS AND SINKS IN JOY #HICKEN ,ITTLES DEATH IS MISINTERPRETED BY THE WHITE MAN WHO lNDS HIS BODY AS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF hTHE WAY NIGGERS DID ;THINGS=v #HICKEN ,ITTLES DEATH PERFORMS A POSTHUMOUS RACIAL CASTRATION AS WITH (ELENE HIS FEMININE ACT BONDING WITH 3ULA LEADS TO A RACIALIZATION THAT SERVES TO STABILIZE WHITE MALE SUBJECTIVITY (OWEVER THIS SUBTLE RACIAL CAS TRATION ALSO ALLOWS THE ESTRANGED .EL AND 3ULA TO BE REUNITED AS hGIRLSv WHEN THE ADULT .EL hCLARIlESv TO 3ULAS GRANDMOTHER %VA THAT IT WAS 3ULA NOT SHE WHO SUNK #HICKEN ,ITTLE %VA REPLIES IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR GIRL GIRLGIRL BOND h9OU 3ULA 7HATS THE DIFFERENCE v 4HIS TRIPLICATE IDENTITY OF hGIRL v WHICH ICONICALLY MARKS 3ULA AND .EL IS WHAT THE PROTOGAY #HICKEN ,ITTLE DESIRES ALSO #HICKEN ,ITTLE THE LITTLE BOY NAMED SIMULTANE OUSLY FOR THE FAIRY TALE PROTAGONIST WHO FEARS APOCALYPSETHE SKYS FALLING DOWNAND FOR FRESH YOUNG MEAT IN GAY SEX CULTURE (E CAN BE READ AS A LITTLE PROTOGAY BOY 4ELEGRAPHING -ILLERS h3NOTv OF A FEMME BOY #HICKEN ,ITTLE IS lRST SEEN BY 3ULA AND .EL PICKING HIS NOSE h9OUR MAMMA TOLE YOU TO STOP EATIN SNOT #HICKEN v .EL YELLS "UT THIS IS A BOY WHO REFUSES TO STOP BEING A h3NOTv HE KEEPS PICKING 7HILE .ELFORESHADOWING HER EVENTUAL ROLE AS THE lGUREHEAD OF NORMATIVE SOCIALIZATIONMIMICS THE VOICE OF A PROPER PARENT 3ULA IGNORES HIS SNOTTY NOSE AND HELPS #HICKEN UP
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A HIGH TREE LEADING HIM TO SEE THE WORLD FROM AN UNEXPECTED PREVIOUSLY UNDREAMED OF PERSPECTIVE 3ULA POINTED TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE RIVER h3EE "ET YOU NEVER SAW THAT FAR BEFORE DID YOU v h5H UHv
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7ITH THE IMAGINATIVE GIRLS GUIDANCE #HICKEN ,ITTLE IS ABLE TO SEE A VIEW OF THE WORLD NOT ENCLOSED BY NARROW SOCIAL STRICTURES )NSTEAD OF THE PAR ANOID hSKYS FALLING DOWNv OF THE FAIRY TALE THIS #HICKEN ,ITTLE SELF ASSUREDLY DECLARES h) AINT NEVER COMING DOWNv EMPHASIS ADDED "UT EVEN WHEN HE EVENTUALLY DOES AS EVERYONE KNOWS ONE DAY HE MUST 3ULA CONTINUES TO HELP HIM IN RE CREATING THAT mOATING FEELING OF FREE DOMTHE BROADENED PERSPECTIVE OF AN UNFALLING SKYBY mINGING HIM AROUND AND AROUND NEVER LETTING HIM DOWN 4HAT #HICKEN ,ITTLES JOYOUS BONDING WITH 3ULA ENDS IN HIS DEATH SUG GESTS THAT THERE IS A SILENT DANGEROUS CONTRACT THAT MUST BE SIGNED BY THE BOY WHO DESIRES FOR HIMSELF A FEMALES FEMININITY 4HIS CONTRACT OUTLINES THE TERMS OF HIS PSYCHIC CASTRATION HE IS ALLOWED TO BE FEMININE INCOR PORATE HER ESSENCE AND ASPECTS INTO THE PROCESS OF HIS OWN SELF CREATION BUT IN EXCHANGE HE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEWLY SUBVERSIVE NARRATIVES AND SHAPES OF FEMININITY FORMED ON HIM AS HIS hMALENESSv MIXES UP WITH hFEMININITY v TRANSFORMING THE ASSUMED CULTURAL HISTORY AND MEANING OF BOTH CAN AT ANY TIME BE REPOSSESSED BY ITS ORIGINAL OWNER THE IMAGINA TIVE FEMALE 4HE IMPLICATION OF THIS CLAUSE MAINTAINS THE DELICATE POLITICAL BALANCE BETWEEN THE BIOLOGICALLY MALE BOY WHO CAN AT ANY TIME TURN INTO THE VIOLENT AGGRESSOR OR OPPRESSOR OF THE FEMALE WHO HAS GIFTED HIM WITH THE FEMININITY OF HER OWN IMAGINING 4HUS A SALIENT PART OF HIS GIRLHOOD IS HIS OWN ACCEPTANCE THAT HIS MEMBERSHIP INTO THE FEMALE TRIBE IS NOT GUARANTEED &OR CERTAIN GAY MALES THE MANDATED LACK OF A CONTRACTUAL GUARANTEE THAT THE CASTRATED BOY CAN BE A SOCIALLY LEGITIMATE FEMALETHIS NECESSARY CONTRACTUAL INEQUALITYIS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE 4HIS IS WHERE THE QUEER MALE SUBJECT THOUGH RETAINING A HOMOSEXUALITY CEASES TO BE hQUEERv AS WE LEARNED IT IN THE S ITS SIGNIFYING DESIRE TO IMAGINATIVELY TRANSFORM THE LEXICON OF SOCIAL TAXONOMIES IS ERASED AND THE GAY MALE SUBJECT EMERGES SIMPLY AS A MALE SUBJECT 4HE FEMININITY DESIRED BY THE MALE IN SUCH A CASE IS TO ME A SHAM SIMPLY ANOTHER INSTANCE OF THE TOTALIZING MASCULINE APPETITE TO OWN EVERYTHING THAT SEEMS GLITTERING OR VALUABLE 7HAT !NGELA #ARTER WRITES ABOUT $ ( ,AWRENCE WE COULD SAY ABOUT -ILLERS 4ULSA h;(E= CAN PUT ALL THESE LOVELY GARMENTS HE HIMSELF DESIRES SO MUCH ON THE GIRLS HE HAS INVENTED AND YET CUNNINGLY EVADE THE MORAL RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING TO GO OUT IN THEM HIMSELF AND FACE THE RUDE MUSIC OF THE MOBv
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)N CONTRAST TO -ILLER #ARTER PROPOSES THAT IF A MALE WANTS TO PERFORM FEMININITY THE PHRASE hMALE PERFORMANCEv HAS TO BECOME MEANINGLESS 4HE CASTRATED BOY MUST BECOME VULNERABLE (E MUST WILLINGLY GIVE UP THE SOCIOPSYCHIC PRIVILEGE OF MALENESSITS CLAIM TO AGGRESSIVE SELF PROMOTION AND PRESERVATIONAND RISK PSYCHIC AND BODILY DANGER AS A GIRL 4HIS PSYCHIC MASOCHISM IS THE VERY MEANS BY WHICH THE CASTRATED BOY CAN CREATE A SENSE OF HIS MALE BODY THAT DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE MASCULINE TRADITION HOW A HUMAN WITH A PENIS CAN BECOME AS FEMALE AS HE CAN BE &REUD WRITES STEREOTYPICALLY BUT AS AN ASTUTE SOCIAL REALIST OF FEMININITY 4HE SUPPRESSION OF WOMENS AGGRESSIVENESS WHICH IS PRESCRIBED FOR THEM CONSTITUTIONALLY AND IMPOSED ON THEM SOCIALLY FAVOURS THE DEVELOPMENT OF POWERFUL MASOCHISTIC IMPULSES WHICH SUCCEED AS WE KNOW IN BINDING EROTICALLY THE DESTRUCTIVE TRENDS WHICH HAVE BEEN DIVERTED INWARDS 4HUS MASOCHISM AS PEOPLE SAY IS TRULY FEMININE
!S A hGIRL v A COLLECTORRECYCLER OF PSYCHIC WASTE THE CASTRATED BOY MUST COLLECT THAT CERTAIN MASOCHISM THAT HAS BEEN CAST OFF BY FEMALES WHO HAVE POLITICALLY EVOLVED TO REFUSING MONOLITHIC FEMININE IDENTIlCATION THROUGH MASOCHISM 4HE POTENTIAL SUBVERSIVENESS OF THE CASTRATED BOY IS THAT HE DENIES THE VERY IMPULSE OF AGGRESSIVE SELF PRESERVATION THAT HAS TRADITION ALLY MARKED MASCULINITY 4HE CASTRATED BOY PROUDLY WEARS HIS SUBJUGATION TO THE FEMALE IMAGINATIONWHICH LOOKS LIKE A MANACLE FROM AFARAS A HEAVY SILVER CHASTITY LOCK IN THE SHAPE OF A HEART DANGLING FROM HIS WRIST THE WEIGHT OF WHICH MAKES HIM AS GIRLY AS A #HLOÏ BRACELET DOES FOR ITS WEARER )N THE CASE OF #HICKEN ,ITTLE THE CONTRACT FALLS BY CHANCE ON THE SIDE OF ITS RISK )NSTEAD OF BEING HELD FOREVER ALOFT IN THE GIRLS AIR HAVING THE CHANCE TO lND A DIFFERENT PHYSICAL LIFE SUSTAINING KIND OF FEMALE QUAGMIRE HE DIES IN HIS FALLING WEIGHED DOWN BY THE SHINING CONTRACT "UT HE IS A VALUABLE SACRIlCETO THE CREATION OF GIRLGIRLGIRL 4HIS REINCARNATING hSAVEv OF #HICKEN ,ITTLE IS SYMBOLIZED BY THE SWARM OF BUTTERmIES THAT INVADES HIS FUNERAL WHERE 3ULA AND .EL KEEP THEIR DISTANCE FROM THE GRAVE ITSELF 4HEY HELD HANDS AND KNEW THAT ONLY THE COFlN WOULD LIE IN THE EARTH THE BUBBLY LAUGHTER AND THE PRESS OF lNGERS WOULD STAY ABOVEGROUND FOREVER !T lRST AS THEY STOOD THERE THEIR HANDS WERE CLENCHED TOGETHER 4HEY RELAXED SLOWLY UNTIL DURING THE WALK BACK HOME THEIR lNGERS WERE LACED IN AS GENTLE A CLASP AS THAT OF ANY TWO YOUNG GIRLFRIENDS TROTTING UP THE ROAD ON A SUMMER DAY WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO BUTTERmIES IN THE WINTER
4HE FUNERAL OF THE LITTLE SACRIlCIAL FEMME BOY HAS A MARGINALIZED SECRET AND LESS FORMAL RITUALISTIC COUNTERPOINT BETWEEN THE TWO GIRLS WHO WOULD
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CREATE EACH OTHER 4HE GIRLS HOLDING EACH OTHERS HANDS PERFORMS THE MAGIC OF LODGING THE LITTLE FEMME BOY IN THEIR PSYCHES AS MELANCHOLIC OBJECTS FOR THEIR OWN NASCENT GIRLHOOD IN REMEMBERING #HICKEN ,ITTLE THE JOY IN HIS hBUBBLY LAUGHTERvTHEY ALSO MIMIC HIS LAST GRIP )NDEED THE DICTION OF THE GIRLFRIENDS HANDCLASP REPLICATES HIS h4HE PRESSURE OF HIS HARD AND TIGHT LITTLE lNGERS WAS STILL IN 3ULAS PALMS AS SHE STOOD LOOK ING AT THE CLOSED PLACE IN THE WATERv 4HE GRIPS RELAXING INDICATES NOT AN EVENTUAL FORGETTING OF THE MEANING OF THE LITTLE HAND BUT A REMEMBER ING OF ITS AFFECTTHE COMFORT OF ITS RELAXING AND GENTLENESS !S SUCH THE GESTURE SYMBOLIZES AN EVENTUAL INTEGRATION mUID INTROJECTIONA RETURN OF THE BOYS FEMININITY INTO THE GIRLS OWN 4HE BUTTERmIES THAT STORM THE FUNERAL ARE MULTIPLE REINCARNATIONS OF THE JOYOUS mUTTERING mOATING #HICKEN ,ITTLE AND HIS GOSSAMER BALLOONING KNICKERS 4HEY STAY ON THE GIRLS BRAINS NOT ONLY AS AESTHETIC OBJECT OR MEMORY BUT AS A PROMISE OF THE FUTURE WHAT DOES HAPPEN TO BUTTERmIES IN THE WINTER 7HAT HAPPENS TO A DELICATE THING IN A MATERIAL WORLD THAT DISCOURAGES ITS SURVIVAL ! CLUE IN ADDITION TO GIRLGIRLGIRL THE BUTTERmIES ALSO INVOKE THE DEWEYS THREE BOYS OF VARYING SHADES OF !FRICAN !MERICAN WHO ON INFORMAL ADOP TION BY 3ULAS GRANDMOTHER %VA hCAME OUT OF WHATEVER COCOON HE WAS IN AT THE TIME HIS MOTHER OR SOMEBODY GAVE HIM AWAYv 4HEY SHARE ONE NAME$EWEY +INGAND hSPOKE WITH ONE VOICE THOUGHT WITH ONE MIND AND MAINTAINED AN ANNOYING PRIVACYv 4HE DEWEYS-ORRISON WRITES THEIR NAME IN LOWERCASE AND PLURALCAN BE SEEN AS THE PROTOTYPE OF GIRLGIRLGIRL THEY REFUSE THE ERECTION OF INDIVIDUAL MALE EGOS PREFERRING INSTEAD THE BEAUTY AND COMFORT OF MURKY SELF ERASURE 4HE THREE BOYS AREIS hA TRINITY WITH A PLURAL NAME INSEPARABLE LOVING NOTHING AND NO ONE BUT THEMSELVESv 3HARED ONANISM TURNS HOMOEROTIC AND GIVES THEM A PROTOGAY AURA 4HEIR EGOLESS SHARED IDENTITY A TRIAL RUN FOR GIRLGIRLGIRL IS LIKE #HICKEN ,ITTLES DEATH AN INSTANCE OF SUBTLE RACIAL CASTRATION THE WHITE SCHOOLTEACHER EXASPERATED BY THE DEWEYS REFUSAL TO BUCKLE UNDER THE NORMATIVE IMPERATIVE TOWARD INDIVIDUALITY lNALLY DISMISSES THEM AS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF hTHE WAYS OF THE COLORED PEOPLE IN TOWNv ,IKE THE DEWEYS #HICKEN ,ITTLE IS A PROMISE OF THE CIRCULAR FUTURE SPOKEN BY GIRLGIRLGIRL )MMEDIATELY FOLLOWING HIS DEATH #HICKEN ,ITTLE IS CHARACTERIZED REPEATEDLY IN 3ULAS THOUGHTS AS hSOMETHING NEWLY MISSINGv .EWLY -ISSING WHEN SOMETHING RECENTLY MISSING IS THOUGHT OF AS NEWLY THE UNPRESENT BOY IS GIVEN A NEW LIFE PRECISELY THROUGH HIS DISAP PEARANCE THE BOYS PSYCHE IS PROJECTED INTO THE FUTURE SIGNALING A PROMISE OF SOMETHING BETTER !T THE MOMENT OF #HICKEN ,ITTLES DEATH .EL AND 3ULA NOTICE A SHADOWY lGURE ACROSS THE LAKE AND DEDUCE IT TO BE 3HADRACK THE TOWN CRAZY WHOSE HOUSE OCCUPIES THE OPPOSITE SHORE 3ULA RUNS INTO THE HOUSE AND EVENTUALLY CONFRONTS THE SMILING MAN 3HADRACK GIVES HER ONLY
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ONE BUT SIGNIlCANT WORD h!LWAYSv WHICH SHE REMEMBERS YEARS LATER AS SHE LAY DYING h!LWAYS 7HO SAID THAT 3HE TRIED HARD TO THINK 7HO WAS IT THAT HAD PROMISED HER A SLEEP OF WATER ALWAYS v "Y CONFUSING HER OWN ONCOMING DEATH WITH THE DEATH OF #HICKEN ,ITTLE SHE COMPLETES THE INCLUSIVE CURVE OF GIRLGIRLGIRL TO WHICH NOW #HICKEN ,ITTLE IS lNALLY BONDED )N FACILITATING THIS BOND 3HADRACK ALSO REPRESENTS THAT NEW LIFE PROMISED TO #HICKEN ,ITTLE )F WE READ 3HADRACK AS INTEGRAL A GIRLGIRLGIRL AS #HICKEN ,ITTLE THEN WE CAN FULLY mESH OUT THE SUBTEXT OF A FEMME BOYS FEMININITY AND SEE A CASE IN WHICH THE BOYS hBECOMINGv A GIRL THROUGH PSYCHIC CASTRATION DOES NOT SET OFF THE VIOLENT WARFARE INSTINCT THAT LEADS TO HIS NORMALIZATION AS A MASCULINE SUBJECT 7HEN WE lRST MEET 3HADRACKWHO IS IN FACT THE lRST HUMAN CHARACTER WE ENCOUNTER IN THE NOVELIT IS AS THE BOY PROTAGONIST OF &REUDS h-EDUSAS (EADv A BOY WHO REALIZES THE POSSIBILITY OF CASTRATION 3HADRACK IS NOT YET TWENTY YEARS OLD lGHTING IN 7ORLD 7AR ) hRUNNING WITH HIS COMRADES ACROSS A lELD IN &RANCEv WHEN HE SAW THE FACE OF A SOLDIER NEAR HIM mY OFF "EFORE HE COULD REGISTER SHOCK THE REST OF THE SOLDIERS HEAD DISAPPEARED UNDER THE INVERTED SOUP BOWL OF HIS HELMET "UT STUBBORNLY TAKING NO DIRECTION FROM THE BRAIN THE BODY OF THE HEADLESS SOLDIER RAN ON WITH ENERGY AND GRACE IGNORING ALTOGETHER THE DRIP AND SLIDE OF BRAIN TISSUE DOWN ITS BACK
!S IN h-EDUSAS (EAD v THE BOY WHO WITNESSES DECAPITATIONCASTRATION IN WAR IS LED TOWARD INITIATION INTO NORMATIVE MASCULINITY (E MUST LEARN TO BE HARD AND ERECT NOT ONLY IN THE BLOOD lLLED PENILE TISSUE WAY OF HETERO SEXUAL DESIRE BUT IN ITS UGLY UNDERBELLY THE UPRIGHT GUN TOTING FEARLESS WAY OF A MALE WAGING VIOLENT CONmICT ON ANOTHER 4HIS RITUAL IS GIVEN THE ITALICIZED SUCCINCTLY SIGNIlCANT TITLE OF hITv h3HELLlRE WAS ALL AROUND HIM AND THOUGH HE KNEW THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING CALLED IT HE COULD NOT MUSTER UP THE PROPER FEELINGTHE FEELING THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE IT (E EXPECTED TO BE TERRIlED OR EXHILARATEDTO FEEL SOMETHING VERY STRONGv EMPHASIS IN ORIGINAL 4HAT 3HADRACK CONSCIOUSLY ANTICIPATES THE EMO TIONAL EFFECTS OF WITNESSING -EDUSAS DECAPITATION CUES US TO RETHINK THE PRECONCEIVED MEANING OF PSYCHIC CASTRATION !S A YOUNG MALE 3HADRACK IS ALREADY SOCIALIZED INTO A KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT EMOTIONS THE MANLY PURSUIT OF WARFARE AND MURDER SHOULD PRODUCE IN A PROPERLY GENDERED MALE TER ROR OF HIS OWN CASTRATION OR DEATH OR EXHILARATION AT THE SIGHT OF ANOTHER THUS MUTILATED THAT IS SEEING A FEMALE GENITAL OR DEFEATING A FOE 7HICH IS WHY IT MAKES NO REAL DIFFERENCE THAT THE -EDUSA lGURE HERE IS MALE THE MALE FUCKED OVER IN BATTLE IS TANTAMOUNT TO THE WOMAN FUCKED -ALE -EDUSA THAT HE FEELS NEITHER EXHILARATION NOR TERROR MARKS 3HADRACK AS A PROTOGAY lGURE WHO WILL PURSUE A DIFFERENT PATH OF PSY
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CHIC GENDERING 2ATHER THAN BECOMING A MANAN INJURED WAR HERO LETS SAY3HADRACK INSTEAD RETURNS TO HIS HOME hPERMANENTLY ASTONISHED HIS HEAD FULL OF NOTHING AND HIS MOUTH RECALLING THE TASTE OF LIPSTICKv -ORRISONS PORTRAIT OF THE SHELL SHOCKED 3HADRACK MAKES ME THINK OF *AC QUELINE +ENNEDY /NASSISS WITNESSING THE ASSASSINATION OF HER HUSBAND *&+ 7RITING ABOUT *ACKIES ICONICITY 7AYNE +OESTENBAUM CONJECTURES THAT h*ACKIES FACE LIKE THE -EDUSAS PARTLY FASCINATES BECAUSE *&+S MISS ING HEAD LURKED BEHIND IT *ACKIE FROZEN OR @ASTONISHED BY *&+S ASSASSI NATIONDECAPITATION IN TURN ASTONISHES USv *ACKIES ASTONISHMENT AT HER -EDUSA HUSBAND LEADS HER TO DISCOVER HER OWN POWER TO ASTONISH MAKING HER A -EDUSA AS WELL )N THE SAME WAY 3HADRACK TOO IS hASTONISHEDv BY THE SPECTACLE OF THE -EDUSA SOLDIER AND THIS REACTION IS hPERMANENTv HE REACTS AS A FEMALE WOULD TO THE -EDUSA (IS RUN IN WITH -EDUSA DOES NOT FORM A MALE PSYCHE lGHTING TO ESCAPE THE FATE OF THE DECAPITATED WOMAN BUT LEADS HIM TO BECOME HER 3HADRACKS HEAD IS AS hFULL OF NOTHINGv AS THE LEAKY SOUP BOWL OF THE -EDUSA SOLDIERS SKULL 3PECIlCALLY FEMINIZING THIS SPECTACULAR IDENTIlCATION IS 3HADRACKS MEMORY OF hTHE TASTE OF LIPSTICKv ) GUESS THIS COULD BE READ AS A MOMENT OF HETEROSEXUALIZATIONREMEMBERING SOME PRETEEN KISS (OWEVER GIVEN THAT HE IS ONLY NINETEEN AT THAT POINT IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT ANY FEMALE LIPS HE TOUCHED WOULD HAVE BEEN LIPSTICKEDOF COURSE OLDER WOMAN NOTWITH STANDING "UT THIS IS JUST WHAT HE MAY BE RECALLING INTO HIS CURRENT PSYCHE THE OLDER WOMAN WHO IS THE ORIGINAL REFERENT OF THE SOLDIER -EDUSA HE WITNESSED IN &RANCE HIS MOTHER ) THINK OF 3HADRACK AS THE hBEAUTIFUL SONv OF #OURTNEY ,OVE AND HER BAND (OLES SONG h"EAUTIFUL 3ONv h(E HAD RIB BONS IN HIS HAIR !ND LIPSTICK WAS EVERYWHERE 9OU LOOK GOOD IN MY DRESS -Y BEAUTIFUL SON MY BEAUTIFUL SONv 4HE ROOT OF 3HADRACKS MEMORY OF hTHE TASTE OF LIPSTICKv HE GETS HIS MOTHERS LIPSTICK hEVERYWHEREv BECAUSE HE SNEAKED IT ON AND THEN LICKED HIS LIPS JUST AS (ELENE HAD LICKED HERS AT THE MOMENT OF HER RACIAL CASTRATION 3HADRACK REMEMBERS THE TASTE OF LIPSTICK NOT AS A BUDDING HETEROSEXUAL BUT AS A BABY FEMME &OR EXAMPLE WHEN ) PUT ON A LIPSTICK ) BOUGHT MYSELF AT AGE TWENTY SEVEN.ARS 2OMAN (OLIDAY A CANDY HEART PINKMY LIPS IMMEDIATELY REMEMBERED SNEAKING ON TWENTY YEARS EARLIER MY MOTHERS LEFT BEHIND LIPSTICK A +OREAN BRAND OF BING CHERRY MAGENTA )T WAS SHOCKING HOW CONSISTENT THE TECHNOLOGY OF LIPSTICK ACTUALLY IS TWENTY YEARS AND A HEMISPHERE WERE CROSSED YET LIP STICK TASTED THE SAME !LL THIS IS NOT TO SIMPLY SAY THAT 3HADRACK IS A CLOSET DRAG QUEEN ALTHOUGH WHO KNOWS HAD HE THE CLARITY OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND LIVED IN A DIFFERENT TIME AND PLACE HE TOO MAY HAVE FOUND A LIPSTICK OF HIS OWN 7HAT IS SIGNIlCANT HERE IS THAT THE TRADITIONALLY MASCULINIZING PSYCHIC RITUAL HAS BEEN TURNED UPSIDE DOWN BY A PROTOGAY MALE SUBJECT WHO TAKES AWAY FROM IT A DESIRE FOR EMBODYING FEMININITY
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)T SEEMS NO COINCIDENCE THAT -ORRISON DESCRIBES THE -EDUSA SOLDIERS HEADLESS RUNNING BODY AS IF IT WERE THAT OF A DANCER WITH hENERGY AND GRACEv 4HIS -EDUSA IS PSYCHICALLY VALUABLE NOT FOR THE TROPHYLIKE HEAD WITH ITS PHALLIC SNAKES THE BRAIN CELLS THAT HERE UNCEREMONIOUSLY hDRIP AND SLIDEv OFF BUT FOR ITS HEADLESS BODY -ORRISONS DANCING MALE -EDUSA INSPIRES US TO IMAGINE LIFE AS A CASTRATED BOY HOW CAN THE STATE OF CASTRATION BECOME BEAUTIFUL POWERFUL IMPORTANT FOR LIVING 3HADRACK MANIFESTS HIS FEMINIZING MASOCHISM THROUGH THE CREATION AND ENACTMENT OF 3UICIDE $AY IN WHICH HE PARADES THROUGH TOWN MAKING WHAT (ELENE ASTUTELY CALLS hTHIS HEADLESS DISPLAYv 4HIS DISPLAY HE CELEBRATES WITH THE OTHER NONNORMATIVE MALES OF THE TOWN 4AR "ABY THE LONELY FEMININE ALCOHOLIC SUICIDAL WHITE BOY WITH AN ANGELIC SINGING VOICE AND THE AFOREMENTIONED DEWEYS 3O WHAT DOES A -EDUSA BECOME AFTER DECAPITATIONCASTRATION $OES IT SIMPLY DIE OFF COLLAPSE .O IT BECOMES A HEADLESS DISPLAY IT BECOMES A HER 4HE AESTHETIC PLEASANCE OF THE CASTRATION DANCE COMES FROM A SEEM INGLY WILLFUL DISREGARD FOR hDIRECTION FROM THE BRAIN v THAT IS THE STEREOTYPI CALLY AND USUALLY EXAGGERATED MASCULINE QUALITY OF COLD RATIONALITY 7HAT GOVERNS THIS DANCING BODY IS NOT EVEN ITS EPISTEMIC INVERSE WILD EMOTION 3HADRACK IS ASTONISHED INTO ANOTHER TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR STATE HE DOESNT FEEL BUT A DIFFERENT ALTOGETHER ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM OF LOGIC 4HE ONLY THING THAT GOVERNS HIM IN HIS MIMING OF -EDUSA IS THE RHYTHM OF PAIN h;(E= FELT ONLY THE BITE OF THE NAIL IN HIS BOOT WHICH PIERCED THE BALL OF HIS FOOT WHENEVER HE CAME DOWN ON ITv n EMPHASIS ADDED 4HE PAIN IS NEITHER BIOLOGICAL REACTION NOR CONSCIOUSLY PROCESSED EMOTION BUT A RHYTHM HIS RUNNING TURNS THE PAIN OF THE PIERCING BOOT NAIL INTO A BEAT BOX OF MAS OCHISM 4HE REPEATED PUNCTURE OF HIS FOOT mESH IS THE CONSTANT THREAT OF CASTRATION THAT THE FEMME BOY ACCEPTS AS A PART OF HIS GIRLY LIFE )TS IMPORTANT TO NAME THIS RHYTHMIC PIERCING OF mESH AS A NEWLY IMAG INED FEMINIZING MASOCHISM OF A GIRL BECAUSE IT IS A MOTIF REPEATED FOR AN EXPLICITLY POLITICAL EFFECT LATER ON IN THE NOVEL THE SCENE IN WHICH THE YOUNG 3ULA PROTECTS HERSELF AND .EL AGAINST A GANG OF VIOLENT WHITE BOYS 3ULA PULLS OUT HER PARING KNIFE BUT INSTEAD OF AIMING IT TOWARD THE AGGRESSIVE BOYS SHE TURNS IT UPON HERSELF WITH A hDETERMINED BUT INACCURATEv AIM h3HE SLASHED OFF ONLY THE TIP OF HER lNGER 4HE FOUR BOYS STARED OPEN MOUTHED AT THE WOUND AND THE SCRAP OF mESH LIKE A BUTTON MUSHROOM CURLING IN THE CHERRY BLOODv (ERE THE TERMS OF THE CASTRATED BOYS CONTRACT ARE REALIZED WITHOUT HIS DEATH THE LIFE EXPERIENCE OF THE FEMINIZED BOY IN THIS CASE THE MASOCHISTIC RHYTHM OF THE CASTRATION THREAT FELT BY 3HADRACK RETURNS TO THE FEMALE )F 3HADRACK CAN BE SEEN AS A CASTRATED BOY WHO HAS BECOME THE HEADLESS DANCING -EDUSA FOREVER CREATING A hHEADLESS DIS PLAYv OF HIMSELF THEN 3ULA IN HER GIRLHOOD HAS FOLLOWED THE SAME PATH 3HE SAYS TO HERSELF
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7HEN ) WAS A LITTLE GIRL THE HEADS OF MY PAPER DOLLS CAME OFF AND IT WAS A LONG TIME BEFORE ) DISCOVERED THAT MY OWN HEAD WOULD NOT FALL OFF IF ) BENT MY NECK ) USED TO WALK AROUND HOLDING IT VERY STIFF BECAUSE ) THOUGHT A STRONG WIND OR A HEAVY PUSH WOULD SNAP MY NECK .EL WAS THE ONE WHO TOLD ME THE TRUTH "UT SHE WAS WRONG ) DID NOT HOLD MY HEAD STIFF ENOUGH WHEN ) MET ;*UDE .ELS HUSBAND WITH WHOM 3ULA HAS SEX= AND SO ) LOST IT JUST LIKE THE DOLLS
#ONTRARY TO OUR NORMATIVE EXPECTATIONSAND .ELS OWN WISHESTHE SLIGHTLY WISTFUL TONE OF 3ULAS MUSING ON HER HEAD LOSS DOES NOT AT ALL RENDER IT A SAD REGRET )NSTEAD IT IS A DECLARATION OF HER EGOLESS STATE (ER PSYCHE HAS CREATED A WORLD IN WHICH hTRUTHv CAN BE hWRONGv AND HUMANS ARE BASICALLY DOLLS ,IKE THE PAPER DOLLS LIKE 3HADRACK LIKE THE SOLDIER -EDUSA IN &RANCE LIKE THE ORIGINAL -EDUSA HERSELF 3ULA TOO HAS BEEN DECAPITATED YET STILL SHE LIVES "ECAUSE 3HADRACK AND 3ULA CROSS PATHS ONLY FOR A MOMENT AND EXCHANGE ONLY ONE WORD THIS LESSON OF FEMININE MASOCHISM IS NOT REALLY A LESSON AT ALL 3ULA HERSELF MUST CONSTRUCT MEANING FOR 3HADRACKS SINGLE PUZZLING h!LWAYSv AND DO WITH IT WHAT SHE EVENTUALLY WILL 3HADRACK AND 3ULA ARE CONNECTED IN THEIR FEMININE MASOCHISM NOT BY A ONE WAY TRAJEC TORY OR PROGRESSION OR TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE SUCH A mOW OF INFORMATION WHICH COULD SERVE TO HIERARCHIZE THE OLDER MALE 3HADRACK OVER THE YOUNGER FEMALE 3ULA IS A CONCEPT TOTALLY UNINTERESTING TO THE NOVELS ETHOS 7HAT MATTERS IS THAT BOTH BODIES COME TO RESEMBLE EACH OTHERBOTH ARE SUICIDAL PARIAHS INTENT ON PAVING THEIR OWN PATHS TO LIVING )N THE END IT IS THE PRECISELY FEMININE GIRLGIRLGIRL WITH ITS ORIGINAL SUGGESTION THAT RACE AND GENDER CAN MELD INTO EACH OTHER WHICH DISSOLVES THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE !S 3ULA IS WITH .EL 3ULA IS 3HADRACK AS BOTH ARE WITH #HICKEN ,ITTLE AND WITH ALL THREE THEY ARE hGIRLS TOGETHERv ,ET US RETURN TO 'YPSY WITH THIS FEELING -ILLER CONVINCINGLY SUGGESTS THAT THE MUSICAL MAKES FEMININITY ENTICING FOR PROTOGAY BOYS WHO BEAR AND WEAR THE THREAT OF CASTRATION (OWEVER AS 3ULA SHOWS THE CASTRATED BOY WHO DOES NOT MITIGATE HIS FEAR THROUGH A PENILE RECLAMATION IS NOT FOREVER LOST IN ABJECTION 4HE CASTRATED BOY HAS A CHANCE TO HELP FORGE A NEW MEANING OF hFEMALEv THROUGH THE CRUCIBLE OF HIS OWN CRAZED IMAGI NATION AND FRUSTRATED MALE BUT FEELING FEMALE BODY 3UCH A BOY IN 'YPSY IS THE BITCHY STAGE MANAGER 0ASTEY WHO CONTRIBUTES TO THE BIRTH OF THE SHOWS FEMALE STAR BY MISREADINGCONSCIOUSLY OR NOT,OUISES NEW STAGE NAME h'YPSY 2OSE ,EE v HE SAYS INSTEAD OF h'YPSY 2OSE ,OUISEv )N A BRILLIANTLY GENEROUS READING -ILLER SUGGESTS THAT hBY RECHRISTENING HER 0ASTEY INSINUATES ,OUISES SHADY MALE PAST INTO HER BRILLIANT NEW CAREER AS ALL GIRLOR '2, IF WE PREFER THE SPELLING ON HER MONOGRAMv 9ET FOR -ILLER 0ASTEY IS STILL ONE OF THE MUTILATED CORPSES ON THE PATH TO FEMALE
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FEMININITY AND REPRESENTS THE ABJECT CONVERSE OF THE BUTCH 4ULSA 0ASTEYS LIMP WRISTED KVETCHING HOWEVER CREATIVE BELIES A DESIRE TO ACTUALLY OCCUPY THE FEMININE STAR SPACE OF THE STRIPPER BUT HE ONLY PATHETICALLY SUCCEEDS IN OPENING THE CURTAIN FOR HER GIVING HER HER CUES ANNOUNCING HER STARDOM )N OTHER WORDS HE IS HIS NAME A BUNCH OF SEQUINS ON THE GIRLS NIPPLE hBASIC ITEM OF STRIPTEASE PARAPHERNALIAv 4HAT 0ASTEY NEVER GETS ON STAGE SEEMS TO ME THOUGH A MOOT POINT 4ORI !MOS SINGS ABOUT THE JOYS OF BEING hTHE SWEETEST CHERRY IN AN APPLE PIE v WHICH ARTICULATES WELL THIS SITUATION ! CHERRY IN AN APPLE PIE HAS NO NEED TO STRIVE TOWARD SUPERSWEETNESS HOWEVER SWEET IT IS IT IS ONLY ULTIMATELY A DETRACTOR AND MISlT TO THE TASTE BUD CRAVING AN APPLE PIE !ND BESIDES EVEN THE SWEETEST CHERRY WILL BE LOST IN THE HEADY mOOD OF SUGARED AND CINNAMONED APPLES "UT WHAT DOES A SENSE OF ALIENATION OR INADEQUACY MATTER WHEN YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING TO SUCH A DELICIOUS PRODUCT 9OU MAY BE MISTAKEN FOR A BITE OF APPLE )N THIS WAY AND AS 3HADRACKS PERFORMATIVITY RETURNS AS SUPPORT FOR YOUNG 3ULAS PERFORMANCE AGAINST HER POTENTIAL RAPISTS 0ASTEY IS NOT A LOSER BUT A HAPPY CHERRY IN AN APPLE PIE A GOOD TEAM PLAYER OF FEMININITY 4HINK OF 0ASTEY AS A VERSION OF #HICKEN ,ITTLE IF INDEED 0ASTEY READS HIS OWN EXPERIENCE AS A GIRL INTO HIS NAMING OF ,OUISE AS 'YPSY 2OSE ,EE THEN SHE CANNOT BE hALL GIRLv AS -ILLER CONTENDS 3HE TOO IS AN INCOMPLETE GIRL AND HER MONOGRAM TELLS THIS TRUTH WITH GLOSSY NAKEDNESS '2, )F 'YPSY 2OSE ,EE LOOKS LIKE A GIRL SHE IS THE ')2, WITHOUT THE ALL IMPORTANT ) ,IKE THE GIRLGIRLGIRL 3ULA SHE IS AN EGOLESS THING A FEMALE WHO HAS FOUND A SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT IN THE ERASURE OF THE EGO A GIRL WHO DOES NOT WANT OR NEED TO MIMIC A MASCULINE PSYCHE IN EXPRESSING HERSELF 3O DESPITE THE VIOLENT RIVALRY THAT -ILLER WRITES INTO THE 0ASTEY '2, BOND IT IS NOT TRUE THAT hWHEREAS THE BOY WISHING TO BE A STAR IN THIS WORLD MUST IMAGINE HIMSELF IN FEMALE DRESS THE GIRL MAY JUST TAKE OFF HER CLOTHESv "ECAUSE THE VERY NOVELTY OF '2,S STRIPPINGTHAT WHICH TURNS HER INTO A SUPERSTARACTUALLY PUTS THE INEVITABLE MEANING OF hNAKEDv INTO HAZY UNFOCUS '2, NEVER SHOWS HER BREASTS AND VAGINA '2, BECOMES A SOCIALLY SUBVERSIVE PARADOX BECAUSE AS -ILLER SAYS WHILE STRIPPING DOES AFlRM THE BOYISH ,OUISES STATUS AS FEMALE SOME PROPA HAT A CURTAIN A BOAALWAYS COVERS THOSE BIOLOGICAL PARTS THAT WOULD MARK HER CONVENTION ALLY FEMALE 4HUS THE REVOLUTIONARY ACT OF THIS STRIPPING IS A TRANSITIONING TRANNYS DREAM NOT THAT hBOY ,OUISEv BECOMES A FEMALE BY TAKING OFF HER CLOTHES BUT THAT hHEv CAN BE FEMALE IN SPITE OF TAKING OFF hHISv CLOTHES -ILLER SEES BOY ,OUISES hBOYSISTERv STATUS AS PSYCHICALLY UNSATISFYING h"EING ONLY THE REBUS OF A SISSYv EMPHASIS ADDED "UT THIS IS NOT SO ! REBUS IS A PICTORIAL VERSION OF WRITTEN NARRATIVE NOT SHORTHAND BUT A LINGUISTIC SYSTEM THAT CAN OPEN AVENUES TO ALTERNATIVE REVOLUTIONARY INTER
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PRETATIONS OF THE SIGNIlED CONCEPT '2,S BOY PASSING STRIPPING REVEALS THAT SHE TRULY IS A REBUS SHE IS WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE ) WAS A LITTLE BOY WHO LOOKED LIKE A LITTLE GIRL ) HAD MY HAIR CUT IN A BOWL CUT LONG BANGS THAT EXTENDED ALL THE WAY AROUND MY SKULL 7HEN WE CAME TO !MERICA ) LOVED MY HAIR BECAUSE IT REMINDED ME OF MY IDOL #HARLENE ON THE TELEVISION SITCOM $IFFRENT 3TROKES WHO WAS PLAYED BY THE TEENAGE *ANET *ACKSON AND WAS EVERYTHING ) HAD NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO DREAM A GIRL COULD BE !ND NOW ) COULD DREAM PRETTY IN PURPLE PLAID PUSSY BOW COLLARED BLOUSE WITH LEG OF MUTTON SLEEVES AND TIGHT INDIGO JEANS SMARTER THAN HER CUTE BOYFRIEND SASSILY ARTICULATE AND BLACK !ND ) HAD HER HAIRDO +INDA WITHOUT THE ENDS IRONED UP INTO CURLY WINGS 0EOPLE USED TO MISTAKE ME FOR A GIRL BECAUSE OF ALL THAT HAIR NEARLY HANGING TO MY SHOULDERS FRAMING MY FACE 4HEY WOULD MISTAKE ME EVEN MORE WHEN ON HOT SUMMER DAYS MY MOTHER WOULD PIN AWAY MY LONG BANGS WITH A STEEL BARRETTE !S ) GREW OLDER ) BEGAN TO RESENT ALL THIS MISTAKING BECAUSE IN MY OLDER WISDOM ) lGURED THAT ) WAS hREALLYv A BOY BECAUSE ) HAD A PENIS AFTER ALL 3O WHEN ) TURNED TWELVE THREE YEARS AFTER COMING TO !MERICA AFTER TWO YEARS OF STEADY PLAYGROUND TORTURE ;COMES UP BEHIND ME AND SNAPS AT MY SPINE THROUGH MY SHIRT= h(EY 4INKERBELL !RE YOU WEARING A BRA v
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) ASKED MY MOTHER TO CHOP OFF MY HAIR 3O BEGAN MY CAREER AS A BOY %VEN THOUGH THE TORTURE PLAYGROUND AND BEYOND NEVER REALLY STOPPED MY HAIR KEPT GETTING SHORTER AND SHORTER UNTIL IT WAS SHAVED OFF ALTHOUGH BY THAT TIME IN COLLEGE ) PROGRESSED IN MY GIRLHOOD A BIT ) HAD ENOUGH COURAGE TO WEAR BIG GOLD DOORKNOCKER EARRINGS Ì LA 3ALT . 0EPA ) WAS NOT A GIRL NOT YET A MAN ) THOUGHT 7HAT ) DID NOT REALIZE WAS THAT ) WAS A MALE NOT YET A WOMAN )N THE END THE JOY OF THE CASTRATED BOY IS THAT WHICH HE INITIALLY DREADED TO BE MISTAKEN FOR SOMEONE THAT YOU ARE )N THE MUCH MALIGNED lLM 3HOWGIRLS %LIZABETH "ERKLEY PLAYS .OMI -ALONE A DANCING GIRL WHO COMES TO ,AS 6EGAS TO BE A CABARET STAR !LONG THE WAY TO HER EVENTUAL STARDOM SHE MUST PAY HER DUES BY WORKING IN A SLEAZY STRIP CLUB AND BECAUSE OF THAT LABOR PEOPLE AROUND HER CALL HER TO HER FACE OR MISTAKE HER FOR A WHORE /VER AND OVER .OMI ASSERTS h)M NOT A WHOREv 3HOCKINGLY OR NOT IT IS REVEALED AT THE END OF THE lLM THAT .OMI WAS INDEED A WHORE SHE IS FROM /AKLAND AND HAS BEEN HOOKING SINCE HER PRETEEN YEARS .OMI -ALONE IS A GIRLGIRLGIRL 3HE IS IN FACT A '2, .O -E -ALONE ,IKE 3ULA .OMI IS AN EGOLESS GIRL WHOSE VERY POWER AND SUBVERSIVE POTENTIAL IN THAT EGOLESS PERFORMANCE OF HYPERFEMININITY CONFUSES AND DISCOMBOBULATES HER AUDIENCE #RITICS AND LAY PEOPLE ALIKE LOVE TO RIP THIS lLM TO SHREDS BY LAUGHING AT THE UTTER INTENSITY OF "ERKLEYS PERFORMANCE AS .OMI SOME
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HOW WHEN THE lLM COMES UP ON SCREEN EVERYONE BECOMES AN EXPERT ON CAMP )VE NEVER FOUND THOSE hCOMICv SCENES IN WHICH "ERKELY AS .OMI GRAPPLES WITH HER LIFE OF PROSTITUTION PARTICULARLY COMIC "ERKELYS PER FORMANCElLLED WITH EMOTIONAL INTENSITY AND REAL REALLY GOOD DANCING THE ACTRESS HERSELF IS A TRAINED DANCER REMINDS ME OF ME WE BOTH GOT LAUGHED AT FOR LOOKING EXACTLY LIKE WHAT WE ACTUALLY WERE !ND BECAUSE LAUGHTER IS VERY KILLING TO THE SOFT SOUL OF THE YOUNG WE TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM THE SHAME AND PAIN OF LAUGHTER BY DENOUNCING THAT IDENTITY !ND YET JUST AS .OMI CAN NEVER REALLY NOT LOOK LIKE A WHORE IN LONG ELABORATELY SELF PAINTED ACRYLIC NAILS AND A RED FRINGE DRESS THAT BARELY COVERS HER PUSSY JUST AS ) COULD NEVER REALLY NOT LOOK LIKE A SISSY GIRL FAGGOT WITH MY mOPPING WRIST AND HIP SHAKING WALK THE ESCAPE IS NEVER EFFECTIVEOR SATISFYING 7HAT WORKS IS TO ACCEPT THAT MISTAKABILITY AS NOT ONLY A FACT OF LIFE BUT A POINT OF JOY AND LIBERATION )T CAN BE POWERFUL TO BE WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE )T CAN BE WONDERFUL TO BE MISTAKEN FOR SOMETHING THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD CALLS HORRIBLE UGLY EMBARRASSING &INALLY THIS PAST YEAR AS ) CORNERED THIRTY ) GOT AROUND TO GROWING MY HAIR AGAIN )T BECAME LONG ENOUGH TO REACH PAST MY SHOULDERS 4OSSABLE BRUSHABLE MY HAIR MADE ME MY OWN DOLL !T lRST MY HAIR GREW FROM LAZINESS 4HEN SLOWLY ) REALIZED THAT ) HAD ALSO REVERTED TO MY KID DAYS DAYS OF THE LONG BANGS FEELING AND OFTEN LOOKING LIKE A GIRLTO HOMELESS PEOPLE ASKING FOR CHANGE TO SLOPPY EYED CONSTRUCTION WORKERS TO CONFUSED PATRONS OF THE PUBLIC MENS RESTROOM ! FEW MONTHS AGO WHILE VISITING ME IN 3AN &RANCISCO MY MOTHER COMPLIMENTED ME ON HOW hPRETTYv MY HAIR LOOKED THEN SAID AS A PUNCH LINE TO ONE OF HER PHILOSOPHICAL MUSINGS ) DONT KNOW IF YOU ARE A SON OR A DAUGHTER 3HE SAID IT WITH AN EASY CARELESS NESS THAT MADE ME VERY VERY HAPPY
/PUFT 3IGMUND &REUD h-EDUSAS (EAD v IN 4HE 3TANDARD %DITION OF THE #OMPLETE 0SYCHOLOGICAL 7ORKS OF 3IGMUND &REUD TRANS *AMES 3TRACHEY ,ONDON (OGARTH 4HE PSYCHOANALYST 3ILVAN 4OMKINS SUGGESTS THAT THE PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF THE NEGATIVE AFFECT OF h&EAR 4ERRORv IS SUPERlCIALLY SIMILAR OR EVEN INDISTIN GUISHABLE TO THAT OF h3URPRISE 3TARTLE v WHICH AS A h2ESETTINGv AFFECT FUNCTIONS AS A TRANSITION BETWEEN AFFECTS POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE 4HUS THE h3URPRISE 3TARTLEv AFFECT IS OFTEN A PRECURSOR TO THE POSITIVE h)NTEREST %XCITEMENTv 3EE 3HAME AND )TS 3ISTERS ! 3ILVAN 4OMKINS 2EADER ED %VE +OSOFSKY 3EDGWICK AND !DAM &RANK $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS CHAP h7HAT !RE !FFECTS v AND CHAP h3URPRISE 3TARTLEv
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&OR A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THIS PHENOMENON SEE 4IM "ERGLING 3ISSYPHOBIA 'AY -EN AND %FFEMINATE "EHAVIOR .EW 9ORK (ARRINGTON 0ARK AND %VE +OSOFSKY 3EDGWICK h(OW TO "RING 9OUR +IDS 5P 'AY 4HE 7AR ON %FFEMINATE "OYS v IN 4ENDENCIES $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS *ESSICA "ENJAMIN h @#ONSTRUCTIONS OF 5NCERTAIN #ONTENT 'ENDER AND 3UBJECTIVITY BEYOND THE /EDIPAL #OMPLEMENTARIES v IN 3HADOW OF THE /THER )NTER SUBJECTIVITY AND 'ENDER IN 0SYCHOANALYSIS .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE $ ! -ILLER ! 0LACE FOR 5S %SSAY ON THE "ROADWAY -USICAL #AMBRIDGE -! (ARVARD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 4ONI -ORRISON 3ULA REPR .EW 9ORK 0LUME 3ULAS CRITICAL HISTORY IS USUALLY CENTERED ON THIS POINT 3ULA AS AN ARTIST OF THE PSYCHE AND BODY WHO CREATES ON HERSELF THE IDEA OF hBLACK WOMANv THAT RESISTS RACIST AND SEXIST NORMATIVITY 3EE (ORTENSE * 3PILLERS h! (ATEFUL 0ASSION A ,OST ,OVE v &EMINIST 3TUDIES n 'LORIA 7ADE 'AYLES h'IVING "IRTH TO 3ELF 4HE 1UESTS FOR 7HOLENESS OF 3ULA -AE 0EACE AND -ERIDIAN (ILL v IN .O #RYSTAL 3TAIR 6ISIONS OF 2ACE AND 3EX IN "LACK 7OMENS &ICTION .EW 9ORK 0ILGRIM n $EBORAH % -C$OWELL h"OUNDARIES OR $ISTANT 2ELATIONS AND #LOSE +IN3ULA v IN h4HE #HANGING 3AMEv "LACK 7OMENS ,ITERATURE #RITICISM AND 4HEORY "LOOMINGTON )NDIANA 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n 4HROUGH 3ULA +ATHRYN "OND 3TOCKTON ASSERTS THAT BEING THE ABSOLUTE hBOTTOMv OF A WHITE AND MALE VALUING SOCIETY HAS PARADOXICALLY ALLOWED BLACK WOMEN TO CREATE AN ALTERNATE ECONOMY THAT WHICH IS VALUABLE IS PRECISELY WHAT IS DEVALUED OR DEBASED BY THE NORMATIVE SOCIAL ORDER !LTHOUGH 3TOCKTON EXPLORING THE VARIOUS WAYS IN WHICH SUCH AN INVERTED OR hBOTTOMv ECONOMY IS ELABORATED IN 3ULA DOES NOT GESTURE TOWARD WHAT ) SEE AS THE IMPLICIT EFFECT OF GIRLGIRLGIRL DOING AWAY WITH HIERARCHICAL VALUATIVE SYSTEMS ALTOGETHER SUCH AN INVERSION CAN BE SEEN AS A PRECURSOR OR PREPARATORY STEP TO IT 3EE +ATHRYN "OND 3TOCKTON h(EAVENS "OTTOM !NAL %CONOMICS AND THE #RITICAL $EBASEMENT OF &REUD IN 4ONI -ORRI SONS 3ULA v #ULTURAL #RITIQUE 3PRING n $AVID , %NG 2ACIAL #ASTRATION -ANAGING -ASCULINITY IN !SIAN !MERICA $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS %NGS PROJECTTHROUGH A READING OF - "UTTERmYIS TO ARTICULATE HOW WHITE AND HETERONORMATIVE SOCIETY DEPLOYS CASTRATION !NNE !NLIN #HENG READS BOTH - "UTTERmY AND %NGS READING OF IT TO SUGGEST THAT WE CONSIDER THE POSSI BLY SUBVERSIVE PLEASURE OF THE !SIAN BOTTOM 3EE !NNE !NLIN #HENG h&ANTASYS 2EPULSION AND )NVESTMENT $AVID (ENRY (WANG AND 2ALPH %LLISON v IN 4HE -EL ANCHOLY OF 2ACE .EW 9ORK /XFORD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n ,IKE THE BLACK MALE SOLDIERS WHO PERFORM A VIOLENCE OF THEIR OWN ON THE CASTRATED BOY (ELENE THE BLACK TOWNSPEOPLE REFUSE AS A GESTURE OF HATRED AGAINST HER POLISHED GLOSSY BLACK BOURGEOISE FEMININITY TO PRONOUNCE THE lNAL E IN HER NAME -ORRISON SPELLS THIS OUT TO US h4HE PEOPLE IN THE "OTTOM REFUSED TO SAY (ELENE 4HEY CALLED HER (ELEN 7RIGHT AND LEFT IT AT THATv 4HE BLACK FOLKS PHALLIC VICTORY OF THE BLACK WOMAN CASTRATED BOY LEAVING (ELENE NIPPED OF HER BIT OF A LAST LETTER BY PRONOUNCING HER NAME WITHOUT THE EXTENDED hEENEv 3AIDIYA 6 (ARTMAN 3CENES OF 3UBJECTION 4ERROR 3LAVERY AND 3ELF -AKING IN .INETEENTH #ENTURY !MERICA .EW 9ORK /XFORD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 3EE IN PARTICULAR CHAPTER h2EDRESSING THE 0AINED "ODY 4OWARD A 4HEORY OF 0RACTICEv "ENJAMIN h#ONSTRUCTIONS OF 5NCERTAIN #ONTENT v
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-C$OWELL h"OUNDARIES OR $ISTANT 2ELATIONS v %VA ACTUALLY SEEMS TO BE THE OTHER MODEL FOR THE RACIAL SEXUAL BLURRING OF GIRLGIRLGIRL SHE RENAMES HER EFFEMINATE hA BEAUTIFUL SLIGHT QUIET MAN WHO NEVER SPOKE ABOVE A WHISPERv ;= WHITEBOY TENANT h4AR "ABYv (IS PREVIOUS NAME REmECTED HIS PROTOQUEER FEMME ASPECT h0RETTY *OHNNIEv !NGELA #ARTER h,ORENZO THE #LOSET 1UEEN v .OTHING 3ACRED ,ONDON 6IRAGO 3IGMUND &REUD h&EMININITY v IN .EW )NTRODUCTORY ,ECTURES ON 0SYCHO !NALYSIS TRANS *AMES 3TRACHEY .EW 9ORK .ORTON )NTERESTINGLY h$EWEYv IS A NAME THAT -ORRISON ALSO USED IN HER lRST NOVEL 4HE "LUEST %YE 4HERE IT IS NOT h$EWEY +INGv BUT h$EWEY 0RINCEv THE DREAMLOVERIT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER HE ACTUALLY EXISTSOF THE PROSTITUTE -ISS -ARIE-AGINOT ,INE WHO IS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LOVES THE HEROINE 0ECOLA "REEDLOVE 7AYNE +OESTENBAUM *ACKIE UNDER -Y 3KIN )NTERPRETING AN )CON .EW 9ORK &ARRAR 3TRAUS AND 'IROUX (OLE h"EAUTIFUL 3ONv -Y "ODY 4HE (AND 'RENADE AUDIO RECORD ING #ITY 3LANG 2ECORDS (ÏLÒNE #IXOUS HAS CONSIDERED THIS QUESTION ALTHOUGH STILL FOCUSING ON THE -EDUSAS HEAD RATHER THAN BODY IN h4HE ,AUGH OF THE -EDUSA v 3IGNS 4HESE OTHER PARTICIPANTS OF 3UICIDE $AY WERE NAMED LITERALLY AND LIVE UNDER THE ROOF OF A PARTICULARLY INTENSE FEMALE IMAGINATION THAT OF %VA 3ULAS OWN RENEGADE GRANDMOTHER WHOSE AMPUTATED ONE LEGGEDNESS RENDERS HER A -EDUSA OF ANOTHER KIND &OR MORE ON %VA SEE 2OSEMARIE 'ARLAND 4HOMSON h$ISABLED 7OMEN AS 0OWERFUL 7OMEN IN 0ETRY -ORRISON AND ,ORDE v IN %XTRAORDINARY "ODIES &IGURING $ISABILITY IN !MERICAN #ULTURE AND ,ITERATURE .EW 9ORK #OLUM BIA 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n 4HERE IS ANOTHER MISlT MALE RESIDENT IN %VAS HOUSEHER SON 0LUM WHO ALSO RETURNS FROM WAR SHELL SHOCKED "UT UNLIKE 3HADRACK HE SEEMS TO REVERT TO INFANTILISM RATHER THAN A PROTOGAY SUBJECTIVITY HE LONGS TO CRAWL BACK INSIDE HIS MOTHER WHO EVENTUALLY BURNS HIM ALIVE RATHER THAN SEE HER SON AS A hBABYv 'IVEN THIS IT MAKES SENSE THAT 0LUM NEVER GETS THE CHANCE TO JOIN THE 3UICIDE $AY PARADE -ILLER 0LACE FOR 5S 4ORI !MOS h)N THE 3PRINGTIME OF (IS 6OODOO v "OYS FOR 0ELE AUDIO RECORDING !TLANTIC 2ECORDS
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!T THE NATIONAL LEVEL THE STRUGGLE OVER CONTROL OF MEANING CONCERNS MAKING PEOPLES LIFE CONSTRUCTIONS COTERMINOUS WITH PERIODIZATIONS GIVEN BY THE STATE *OHN "ORNEMAN "ELONGING IN THE 4WO "ERLINS +IN 3TATE .ATION
9EARS AGO NOW WRITING ABOUT INTERACTIONS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL SCALE SOCIAL GROUPS 0IERRE "OURDIEU DECLARED THAT STRATEGIES OF POWER CONSIST OF hPLAYING ON THE TIME OR RATHER THE TEMPO OF THE ACTION v MAINLY THROUGH MANAGING DELAY AND SURPRISE 9ET THIS CHRONOPOLITICS EXTENDS BEYOND LOCAL CONmICTS TO THE MANAGEMENT OF ENTIRE POPULATIONS BOTH THE STATE AND THE MARKET PRODUCE BIOPOLITICAL STATUS RELATIONS NOT ONLY THROUGH BORDERS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ZONES AND OTHER STRATEGIES OF SPATIAL CONTAINMENT BUT ALSO AND CRUCIALLY THROUGH TEMPORAL MECHANISMS 3OME GROUPS HAVE THEIR NEEDS AND FREEDOMS DEFERRED OR SNATCHED AWAY AND SOME DONT 3OME CULTURAL PRACTICES ARE GIVEN THE MEANS TO CONTINUE OTHERS ARE SQUELCHED OR ALLOWED TO DIE ON THE VINE 3OME EVENTS COUNT AS HISTORICALLY SIGNIlCANT SOME DONT SOME ARE CHO REOGRAPHED AS SUCH FROM THE lRST INSTANCE AND THEREBY OVERTAKE OTHERS -OST INTIMATELY SOME HUMAN EXPERIENCES OFlCIALLY COUNT AS A LIFE OR ONE OF ITS PARTS AND SOME DONT 4HOSE FORCED TO WAIT OR STARTLED BY VIOLENCE WHOSE ACTIVITIES DO NOT SHOW UP ON THE OFlCIAL TIME LINE WHOSE OWN TIME LINES DO NOT SYNCHRONIZE WITH IT ARE VARIOUSLY AND OFTEN SIMULTANEOUSLY BLACK FEMALE QUEER -ORE SPECIlCALLY AS NUMEROUS SCHOLARS HAVE RECOGNIZED BOURGEOIS LIBERAL ENTITIES FROM NATIONS TO INDIVIDUALS ARE DElNED WITHIN A NARROW CHRONOPOLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT AT ONCE RACIALIZED GENDERED AND SEXUAL IZED 7ESTERN hMODERNITY v FOR INSTANCE HAS REPRESENTED ITS OWN FORWARD MOVEMENT AGAINST A SLOWER PREMODERNITY lGURED AS BROWN SKINNED FEMI NINE AND EROTICALLY PERVERSE /N THE MATERIAL LEVEL LARGE SCALE PERIODIZ ING MECHANISMS HAVE SHAPED WHAT CAN BE LIVED AS A SOCIAL FORMATION OR AN INDIVIDUAL LIFE 4O TAKE ONLY ONE EXAMPLE EVEN BEFORE THE HOURLY WAGE HAD QUANTIlED TIME THE COLONIAL STATE INTERVENED EARLY INTO TEMPORAL ITY INSCRIBING ITSELF INTO AND AS THE BODIES OF hTHE PEOPLEv DIRECTLY VIA THE CALENDAR SKEWING INDIGENOUS RHYTHMS OF SACRED AND PROFANE AND 3OCIAL 4EXT n 6OL .OS n &ALLn7INTER ¥ BY $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS
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REPRESENTING THESE RHYTHMS AS BACKWARD AND SUPERSTITIOUS !ND AS *OHN "ORNEMAN SUGGESTS IN MY EPIGRAPH SUPPOSEDLY POSTIMPERIAL NATION STATES STILL TRACK AND MANAGE THEIR OWN DENIZENS THROUGH AN OFlCIAL TIME LINE EFFECTIVELY SHAPING THE CONTOURS OF A MEANINGFUL LIFE BY REGISTERING SOME EVENTS LIKE BIRTHS MARRIAGES AND DEATHS AND REFUSING TO RECORD OTHERS LIKE INITIATIONS FRIENDSHIPS AND CONTACT WITH THE DEAD )N MANY PLACES THE NEOLIBERALIST PROJECT CONTINUES TO RECONSTRUCT TIME IN THESE WAYS AS IT hDEVELOPSv NEW REGIONS FOR PROlT AND ADDITIONALLY DEPENDS UPON THE IDEA OF CAPITALS MOVEMENT AS ITSELF AN INEXORABLE PROGRESS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY ACCOMMODATE SELECT WOMEN PEOPLE OF COLOR AND QUEERS .EOLIBERALISM DESCRIBES THE NEEDS OF EVERYONE ELSE EVERYONE IT EXPLOITS AS SIMPLY GENERI CALLY DEFERRED THE PHRASE h.O #HILD ,EFT "EHINDv SUGGESTS THAT THERE IS INDEED A BEHIND IN WHICH THE UNLUCKY SHALL DWELL (OMI "HABHA HAS ELEGANTLY DESCRIBED THIS UNHEIMLICH hPLACEv OF ANTE RIORITY WHERE IN THE POSTCOLONY TIME IS ALWAYS SEVERAL AND ANY HISTORICAL MOMENT CORRESPONDINGLY CONSISTS OF MANY "UT IT IS ALSO A CRUCIAL ONE WITHIN WHICH QUEER POLITICS AND THEORY MUST DISMANTLE THE CHRONOPOLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT )F IN OR SO hQUEERv NAMED A PRESSURE AGAINST THE STATES NAMING APPARATUS PARTICULARLY AGAINST THE NORMALIZING TAXONOMIES OF MALE AND FEMALE HETEROSEXUAL AND HOMOSEXUAL NOW IT MUST INCLUDE PRESSURE AGAINST STATE AND THE MARKET PERIODIZING APPARATUSES ) SAY hQUEERv NOT TO OVERWRITE POSTCOLONIAL THEORY WITH A SINGULAR FOCUS ON SEXUALITYINDEED THERE IS AN EMERGING BODY OF POWERFUL WORK ON THE INTERSECTION OF THESE TWO DOMAINS 2ATHER MY VERSION OF QUEER INSISTS FOLLOWING #ESARE #ASARINO THAT hWE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND PRACTICE TIME AS FULLY INCORPORATED AS NOWHERE EXISTING OUTSIDE OF BODIES AND THEIR PLEASURESv 4HUS WHILE THIS ESSAY ARGUES FOR A DEVIANT CHRONOPOLITICS OBVIOUSLY INDEBTED TO THE WORK OF POSTCOLONIAL THINKERS IT ALSO INSISTS THAT PLEASURE IS CENTRAL TO THE PROJ ECTTHAT QUEERS SURVIVE THROUGH THE ABILITY TO INVENT OR SEIZE PLEASURABLE RELATIONS BETWEEN BODIES 7E DO SO ) ARGUE ACROSS TIME ) ALSO EMPHASIZE A &OUCAULDIAN NOTION OF PLEASURE AND BODILY CONTACT OVER A &REUDIAN MODEL OF PAIN AND EGO FORMATION IN RESPONSE TO RECENT REEVALUATIONS OF NEGATIVE AFFECT IN QUEER THEORY 3O FAR A SIMULTANEOUSLY PSYCHOANALYTIC AND HISTORICIST LOSSPERHAPS REPLACING OR SUBSUMING STRUC TURALIST LACKHAS EMERGED AS ONE OF lN DE SIÒCLE QUEER THEORYS KEY TERMS ! NUMBER OF SCHOLARS HAVE TRACKED THE WAY THAT QUEER SUBJECTIVITY AND COLLECTIVITY DEMAND AND TAKE AS THEIR REWARD PARTICULARLY INVENTIVE AND TIME TRAVELING FORMS OF GRIEF AND COMPENSATION THAT NEITHER THE NORMAL IZING WORK OF THE EGO NOR THE STATIST LOGIC OF SEQUENTIAL GENERATIONS CAN CONTAIN ) WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST HOWEVER THAT THIS POWERFUL TURN TOWARD LOSSTOWARD FAILURE SHAME NEGATIVITY GRIEF AND OTHER STRUCTURES OF
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FEELING HISTORICALMAY ALSO BE A PREMATURE TURN AWAY FROM A SEEMINGLY OBSOLETE POLITICS OF PLEASURE THAT COULD IN FACT BE RENEWED BY ATTENTION TO TEMPORAL DIFFERENCE 4HAT IS MELANCHOLIC QUEER THEORY MAY ACQUIESCE TO THE IDEA THAT PAINEITHER A PAIN WE DO FEEL OR A PAIN WE SHOULD FEEL BUT CANNOT OR A PAIN WE MUST LABORIOUSLY REWORK INTO PLEASURE IF WE ARE TO HAVE ANY PLEASURE AT ALLIS THE PROPER TICKET INTO HISTORICAL CONSCIOUSNESS %ROTICISM AND MATERIALIST HISTORY PLEASURE AND THE DIALECTIC ARE TOO OFTEN CAST AS THEORETICAL FOILS WAS IT NOT THE DISTINCTLY UNQUEER &REDRIC *AMESON WHO WROTE ALBEIT IN A VERY DIFFERENT CONTEXT THAT hHISTORY IS WHAT HURTS )T IS WHAT REFUSES DESIREv 0ERHAPS THEORIZING QUEERNESS ON THE BASIS OF GRIEF AND LOSS ACQUIESCES HOWEVER SUBTLY TO A 0ROTESTANT ETHIC IN WHICH PLEASURE CANNOT BE THE GROUNDS OF ANYTHING PRODUCTIVE AT ALL LET ALONE OF SUCH A WEIGHTY MATTER AS THE GENUINELY HISTORICAL !GAINST THE CHRONOPOLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALSO EXTENDING POST COLONIAL NOTIONS OF TEMPORAL HETEROGENEITY BEYOND QUEER MELANCHOLIC HIS TORIOGRAPHY THIS ESSAY ADVANCES WHAT ) CALL EROTOHISTORIOGRAPHY A POLITICS OF UNPREDICTABLE DEEPLY EMBODIED PLEASURES THAT COUNTERS THE LOGIC OF DEVELOPMENT 0ARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE LIBERAL TRANSFORMATION OF A QUEER SEX REVOLUTION INTO GAY MARRIAGE REFORM AND -ARXIST CONDEMNATIONS OF QUEER THEORYS FOCUS ON MATTERS LIBIDINAL ) WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE RISK OF THE INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO ASK HOW MIGHT QUEER PRACTICES OF PLEASURE SPECIlCALLY THE BODILY ENJOYMENTS THAT TRAVEL UNDER THE SIGN OF QUEER SEX BE THOUGHT OF AS TEMPORAL PRACTICES EVEN AS PORTALS TO HISTORICAL THINKING &REUDS hUNCANNYv HAS OFFERED ONE POWERFUL MODEL FOR A DIALECTIC BETWEEN BODILY FEELINGS AND TEMPORAL ALTERITY BUT ITS hFEELINGSv ARE BOTH UNPLEASANT AND AT ONE REMOVE FROM THE BODY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GOOSE BUMPS 0ERHAPS MORE IMPORTANT THE PRODUCTIVE SENSE OF ALTERNATE TIMES IN THE UNCANNYSO FRUITFUL FOR POSTCOLONIAL THEORYCENTERS ON THE DISTINCTLY HETEROSEXUALIZED CHRONOTOPES OF HOME FAMILY AND MOTHER )N CONTRAST &OUCAULT HAS FAMOUSLY WRITTEN THAT QUEERS SHOULD hUSE SEXUALITY HENCEFORTH TO ARRIVE AT A MULTIPLICITY OF RELATIONSHIPS v WHILE "OURDIEU WOULD INSIST THAT THESE RELATIONSHIPS INEVITABLY PLAY WITH AND ON TIME !S A MODE OF REPARATIVE CRITICISM THEN EROTOHISTORIOGRAPHY INDEXES HOW QUEER RELATIONS COMPLEXLY EXCEED THE PRESENT )T INSISTS THAT VARIOUS QUEER SOCIAL PRACTICES ESPECIALLY THOSE INVOLVING ENJOYABLE BODILY SENSATIONS PRODUCE FORMS OF TIME CONSCIOUSNESS EVEN HISTORICAL CONSCIOUSNESS THAT CAN INTERVENE UPON THE MATERIAL DAMAGE DONE IN THE NAME OF DEVELOPMENT !GAINST PAIN AND LOSS EROTOHISTORIOGRAPHY POSITS THE VALUE OF SURPRISE OF PLEASURABLE INTER RUPTIONS AND MOMENTARY FULlLLMENTS FROM ELSEWHERE OTHER TIMES
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#JOE.F6Q #JOE.F%PXO 7ERE ) A WRITER AND DEAD HOW ) WOULD LOVE IT IF MY LIFE THROUGH THE PAINS OF SOME FRIENDLY AND DETACHED BIOGRAPHER WERE TO REDUCE ITSELF TO A FEW DETAILS A FEW PREFERENCES A FEW INmECTIONS LET US SAY TO hBIOGRAPHEMESv WHOSE DISTINCTION AND MOBILITY MIGHT COME TO TOUCH LIKE %PICURIAN ATOMS SOME FUTURE BODY DESTINED TO THE SAME DISPERSION 2OLAND "ARTHES 3ADE ,OYOLA &OURIER
!S A WAY IN LET ME MOMENTARILY EXHUME A BODY ALL TOO FAMILIAR TO QUEER THEORY PARTICULARLY THE LITERARY CRITICAL SORT &RANKENSTEINS MONSTER 4HE MONSTERS PHYSIQUE A PATCHWORK OF REMNANTS FROM CORPSES HIS CREATOR ROBS FROM THE GRAVE IS ITSELF AN INDEX OF TEMPORAL NONSYNCHRONICITYSPE CIlCALLY OF DEAD BODIES PERSISTING IN THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE OF NON REPRODUCTIVE YET STILL INSISTENTLY CORPOREAL KINSHIP WITH THE DEPARTED (IS BODY LITERALIZES #AROLYN $INSHAWS MODEL OF THE QUEER TOUCH OF TIME OF PAST BODIES PALPABLY CONNECTING WITH PRESENT ONES "UT IN A LOW BUDGET INDEPENDENT lLM ) SAW A FEW YEARS AGO &RANKENSTEINS MONSTER MOMEN TARILY APPEARED TO SUGGEST THE POSSIBILITY OF A SENSUAL CONNECTION WITH FUTURITY AS WELL )N (ILLARY "ROUGHERS 4HE 3TICKY &INGERS OF 4IME A WOMAN MENTIONS A SCENE IN A NOVEL HER BEST FRIEND HAS WRITTEN h) LOVE THAT PART WHEN &RANKENSTEIN SPLITS HIS STITCHES AND HE DIES FERTILIZING THE EARTH WHERE THAT LITTLE GIRL GROWS TOMATOESv )N CONTRAST TO THE ORIGINAL NOVEL HERE THE MONSTER SECURES HIS FUTURE JOINING THE HUMAN SCHEME OF OBLIGATIONS AND DEPENDENCIES RATHER THAN ESCAPING ON AN ICE mOE 4HOUGH HE SEEMS TO INSEMINATE THE LITTLE GIRL FOR HIS BODY mUIDS WILL INDIRECTLY ENTER THE ORIlCE OF HER MOUTH WHEN SHE EATS THE TOMATOES HE TRANSCENDS BOTH THE SUPPOSEDLY NATURAL PAIN OF CHILDBIRTH AND THE CYCLICAL TIME OF REPRODUCTION ,IKE 7ALT 7HITMAN HE DISSEMINATES HIMSELF 4OGETHER HIS BODY AND THE ACT HE PERFORMS WITH IT SUGGEST A HISTORIOGRAPHICAL PRAC TICE WHEREIN THE PAST TAKES THE FORM OF SOMETHING ALREADY FRAGMENTED hSPLIT v AND DECAYING AND THE PRESENT AND FUTURE APPEAR EQUALLY POROUS )NDEED THEY SEEM TO ANSWER 2OLAND "ARTHESS CALL IN MY SECOND EPI GRAPH FOR A MODEL OF DISPERSED BUT INSISTENTLY CARNAL CONTINUITY WHICH ) CALL BINDING )N THIS SENSE THE MONSTERS BODY IS NOT A hBODYv AT ALL BUT A lGURE FOR RELATIONS BETWEEN BODIES PAST AND PRESENT FOR THE INSISTENT RETURN OF A CORPOREALIZED HISTORIOGRAPHY AND FUTURE MAKING OF THE SORT TO WHICH QUEERS MIGHT LAY CLAIM 4HE SCENE THAT THIS WOMAN CALLS FORTH THEN lGURES ALMOST EVERYTHING ) MEAN BY THIS ESSAYS TITLE h4IME "INDSv !T THE SIMPLEST LEVEL hBINDSv ARE PREDICAMENTS LIKE &RANKENSTEINS MONSTER WE CANNOT REPRODUCE LITTLE QUEERS WITH SPERM AND EGGS EVEN IF WE DO CHOOSE TO GIVE BIRTH OR PARENT
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MAKING OTHER QUEERS IS A SOCIAL MATTER )N FACT SEXUAL DISSIDENTS MUST CRE ATE CONTINUING QUEER LIFEWORLDS WHILE NOT BEING WITNESS TO THIS FUTURE OR ABLE TO GUARANTEE ITS FORM IN ADVANCE ON THE WAGER THAT THERE WILL BE MORE QUEERS TO INHABIT SUCH WORLDS WE ARE hBOUNDv TO QUEER SUCCESSORS WHOM WE MIGHT NOT RECOGNIZE h"INDSv ALSO SUGGESTS THE BONDS OF LOVE NOT ONLY ATTACHMENTS IN THE HERE AND NOW BUT ALSO THOSE FORGED ACROSS BOTH SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL BARRIERS TO BE hBOUNDv IS TO BE GOING SOMEWHERE 9ET EVEN AS IT SUGGESTS CONNECTIVITY hBINDSv ALSO NAMES A CERTAIN lXITY IN TIME A STATE OF BEING TIMEBOUND BELATED INCOMPLETELY DEVELOPED LEFT BEHIND OR NOT THERE YET GOING NOWHERE 4HIS NOWHERE HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH SEX FOR hBINDSv IS THE PRESENT TENSE %NGLISH OF A 'ERMAN VERB EMPLOYED BY &REUD "INDEN MEANING TO CONTAIN OTHERWISE FREELY CIRCULATING LIBIDINAL ENERGIES 9ET THERE ARE PLEASURES HERE TOO FOR hBINDINGv IS OF COURSE ONE AMONG MANY QUEER BODILY PRACTICES WHICH INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE PAINFUL ENJOYMENT OF BONDAGE BUT ALSO IN THE SCENE ) HAVE DESCRIBED THE DIGESTIVE WORK THE LITTLE GIRLS BODY WILL EVENTUALLY DO UPON THE TOMATOES "INDING WE MIGHT SAY MAKES PREDICAMENT INTO PLEASURE lXITY INTO A MODE OF TRAVEL ACROSS TIME AS WELL AS SPACE ,IKE hDISSEMINATION v IT COUNTERS THE FANTASY OF CASTRATION THAT SUBTENDS MELANCHOLIC HISTORIOG RAPHY FOR IT FOREGROUNDS ATTACHMENTS RATHER THAN LOSS &URTHERMORE THE MONSTERS BODY AND BODILY ACT PROVIDE A QUEER ALTERNATIVE TO THE TWO MOST HETEROSEXUALLY GENDERED lGURES FOR hPROGRESSv THE FECUND MATERNAL BODY THAT SUPPOSEDLY ENGENDERS NATURAL HISTORY AND THE HEROIC MALE BODY THAT SUPPOSEDLY ENGENDERS NATIONAL HISTORY #ONSIDER THE MONSTER IN TERMS OF &REUDS THEORY THAT A BODILY IMAGO AND EVENTUALLY THE EGO ITSELF BIND INDEED ARE CAUSED BY THE BINDING OF RAW AND UNPLEASANT SENSORY EFFECTS INTO LEGIBLE SOMATIC AND PSYCHIC FORM &REUD ARGUES THAT SUBJECTIVITY BEGINS WHEN THE LIBIDO INVESTS IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE BODILY SENSATION BY MEANS OF WHICH IT DOUBLES BACK UPON ITSELF TO DELINEATE BODY PARTS AS SUCH (IS EXAMPLE IS A TOOTHACHE THOUGH HE SUGGESTS THAT THE GENITALS ARE PERHAPS THE MOST INSISTENT LOCALE FOR SUCH LIBIDINAL lXATIONS &ROM WITHIN THIS -ÚBIUS LOOP OF ATTACHMENT TO SENSITIVE AREAS AN INCREASINGLY UNIlED SENSE OF BODILY CONTOURS EMERGES AND THESE CONTOURS MATERIALIZE THE EGO THAT IS hAT lRST A BODILY EGO v AN INTERCONNECTED SET OF PERCEIVED SURFACES AND BOUNDARIES /PENING THESE TERMS OUT INTO THE SOCIAL WE CAN CERTAINLY THINK OF ENGROUPMENTTHE COLLECTIVE FORM OF THE EGOAS ENGENDERED BY JUST THIS PROCESS (ERE THE MONSTERS WOUNDS BECOME METONYMIC OF ANY NUMBER OF PHYSICAL LACERATIONS SUFFERED BY QUEER BODIES BEATINGS UNWANTED HETEROSEXUAL SEX MEDICAL hCORRECTIONSv TO THE INTERSEXED 4HESE INJURIES AMONG OTHERS ARE THE VIOLENT FOUNDATION OF COLLECTIVE QUEER BEING THE MORPHOLOGICAL IMAGINARY AS *UDITH "UTLER CALLS IT FOR A WOUNDED SOCIUS WHOSE VERY WOUNDING ENABLES ITS BEING AT ALL
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"UT EVEN THE SCENE AS ) HAVE NARRATED IT THUS FAR SUCCUMBS TO THE LOGIC THAT TIME BINDING WOULD COUNTER !S , / !RANYE ,OUISE &RADENBURG HAS ARGUED HISTORY CODED AS MALE SUPERSEDES REPRODUCTION CODED AS FEMALE INSOFAR AS THE FORMER CHARTS THE WORK OF MEN INJURED IN WAR WHO TELL TALES TO ONE ANOTHER ACROSS GENERATIONS (ISTORY THUS EMERGES AS TEX TUAL HUMANMADE AND LINEAR ONLY IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO A MUTE FEMALE BODY LABORING hNATURALLYv AND RECURRENTLY IN CHILDBIRTH )N 4HE 3TICKY &INGERS OF 4IME WITHIN A CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO WOMEN THE SINGULAR AND IRREPLACEABLE EVENT OF A WOUNDED MALE BODY INSTALLS THE DEEP TIME OF A hBEFOREv AND AN hAFTER v MARKS THE POTENTIAL HISTORICITY OF THIS TIME AND FACILITATES HUMAN AGENCY OVER IT IN THE FORM OF A NARRATIVE THAT OUR lCTIONAL WRITER HANDS OVER TO HER FRIEND AND SHE HANDS OVER TO THE lLMIC AUDIENCE 3IGNIlCANTLY ONE SPEAKER IS MURDERED SOON AFTER THE CONVERSA TION SUGGESTING THAT TWO WOMEN CANNOT BE THE BEARERS OF A FUTURE THOUGHT OUTSIDE THE CONTEXT OF REPRODUCTION /R THIS IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SPEAKERS AND NOT AT THE LITTLE GIRL WHO DOES NOT ACTUALLY MATERIALIZE IN THIS SCENE AS A lGURE FOR THE QUEER UNDEAD THE MONSTER IS TEMPORALLY LINKEDTIMEBOUNDTO THE LITTLE GIRL WHO IS NOT A CHILD AT ALL BUT A QUEER UNBORN A FUTURE WE CANNOT SEE BUT UPON WHICH WE BET (ER SPECULATED PRESENCE ) WOULD ARGUE INAUGURATES A DIFFERENT READING OF THE MONSTER ONE LEADING TO THE hEROTO v IN EROTOHISTORIOGRAPHY 2ETURNING TO &RADENBURGS AND &REUDS ANALYSES BOTH PIVOT ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF A WOUND INTO PHALLIC POWER !UTHORITY OVER WHAT COUNTS AS HISTORY &RADENBURG ARGUES COMPENSATES FOR BODILY INJURY !S "UTLER HAS NOTED &REUD EVENTUALLY RECASTS THE ORIGINARY BODILY DISCOMFORT THAT CREATES THE INDIVIDUAL AND ) WOULD ARGUE SOCIAL IMAGO AS A TUMESCENCE OR ENGORGEMENT THE KIND THAT ONLY PENISES EXPERIENCE 0ART OF "UTLERS PROJECT IS TO UNGLUE THE PHALLIC EGO FROM THE PENIS BY RELOCATING THE GROUNDS FOR A MORPHOLOGICAL IMAGINARY A BODILY EGO ONTO ANY NUMBER OF POSSIBLE BODILY SURFACES THE LESBIAN PHALLUS MIGHT EMERGE IN RELATION TO hAN ARM A TONGUE A HAND OR TWO A KNEE A THIGH A PELVIC BONE AN ARRAY OF PUR POSEFULLY INSTRUMENTALIZED BODY LIKE THINGSv "UT WHERE IN THIS MODEL IS THE TOOTHACHES INTERESTINGLY ACHING HOLE AND OTHER SYMPTOMS OF A CERTAIN DESIRE TO BE lLLED UP NOT ALL OF WHICH CAN BE REDUCED TO WOUNDS 7HAT IS THE MORPHOLOGICAL IMAGINARY FOR THAT !NOTHER ESSAY ABOUT THE LESBIAN PHALLUS ALLOWS US TO SEE THAT THE &REUDIAN HOLE SEEMS TO REAPPEAR IN "UTLERS WORK ON AND AS THE AUDIENCE *ORDANA 2OSENBERG HAS RECENTLY ARGUED THAT IN "UTLERS ESSAY THE AUDIENCES HUNGER FOR LESBIAN PRESENCE THE DUMB LITERALIST DYKES WISH TO BE TAKEN BY THE CLUMSY DILDONIC VISUAL REFERENT CAN ONLY DISGUST AND AMUSE THE PROFESSIONAL DECONSTRUCTIONIST FOR WHOM THE PHALLUS IS OF COURSE THE VERY SIGN OF NONPRESENCE /UR MONSTERS EXTRAVAGANT BODILY GESTURE SIMILARLY RELOCATES THE HOLE THE LITTLE GIRL HIS
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hAUDIENCE v WILL HAVE HER HUNGER SATIATED DIRECTLY BY THE TOMATO AND INDI RECTLY BY HIS BLOOD WHICH ALSO CARRIES WITH IT THE $.! OF MULTIPLE DEAD /F COURSE HER QUEER HUNGER FOR TACTILE CONTACT WITH THE PAST IS OPEN TO SIMILAR CHARGES OF VULGAR HISTORICISM THE UGLY TWIN OF VULGAR HOMOSEXUALITY "UT THE MONSTERS WOUNDS THEMSELVES PASS OVER FROM HIS PAIN TO HER SATISFAC TION HIS OPENINGS TO HERS WITHOUT NECESSARILY HAVING TO BECOME EITHER LACK OR PRESENCE 4HE MONSTERS TRANSFER OF ENERGY ACROSS TIME APPEARS NOT AS MASCULINE SACRIlCE BUT RATHER AS A GENDER UNDIFFERENTIATED BUT NEVERTHELESS LOCALIZED BODILY EFFUSION IN SHORT HOLES BEGET HOLES 4HE GREAT SURPRISE OF THIS SCENE THEN LIES IN THE MISSING FEAST IT SUG GESTS A TASTE OF THE IDEA THAT PLEASURE MAY BE AS POTENTIALLY GENERATIVE OF A FUTURE AS PAIN TRAUMA LOSS OR FORECLOSURE )N FACT 'IORGIO !GAMBEN HAS SUGGESTED THAT PLEASURE COULD FOUND A NEW CONCEPT OF TIME ONE PRES ENTLY MISSING FROM HISTORICAL MATERIALISM "UT HE HAS MORE PROBLEMATICALLY LOCATED THAT PLEASURE IN hMANS ORIGINARY HOME v WHICH SOUNDS AGAIN LIKE A RETURN TO THE PLENITUDE OF A MATERNAL BODY )N CONTRAST THE SCENE ) HAVE DESCRIBED OFFERS NEITHER MOTHER NOR FATHER IN ITS IMAGINING OF RELATIONS ACROSS TIME AND BETWEEN TIMES NO ORIGINAL WOMB BUT ONLY A SCARRED AND STRIATED BODY ON THE ONE SIDE AN ABSENT PREPUBESCENT BODY ON THE OTHER AND A DUMB JUICY NOT YET BORN VEGETABLE IN BETWEEN WITH NO PORTABLE TEXT MEDIATING THE TRANSFER !ND CRUCIALLY IT OFFERS THE MOUTH AS A TACTILE RATHER THAN JUST A VERBAL INSTRUMENT FOR TEMPORAL TRANSACTIONS FOR TEMPORAL BINDING 4HE QUESTION IS HOW THIS MIGHT BECOME HISTORICAL
4VSQSJTF0OUIF*OBQQSPQSJBUF3FTQPOTF )N ITS RECORPOREALIZING OF THE MOUTH AND ITS USE OF THIS hHOLEv TO BIND A DIFFERENTIAL PAST TO AN UNINEVITABLE FUTURE THE lGURE OF THE LITTLE GIRL INVOKES .ICHOLAS !BRAHAM AND -ARIA 4OROKS DESCRIPTION OF MELANCHO LIAONE THAT HAS THE POWER TO REINSCRIBE PLEASURE INTO THE MELANCHOLIC HISTORIOGRAPHICAL INTERVENTIONS THAT QUEER THEORY IS ALREADY MAKING !BRA HAM AND 4OROK DESCRIBE MELANCHOLIA IN PARTICULARLY CORPOREAL TERMS AS A WAY TO PRESERVE A PRIOR SCENE OR OBJECT IN THE FORM OF A SYMPTOM USUALLY CONNECTED TO THE MOUTHSOMETIMES A SET OF BEHAVIORS LIKE BINGEING ON FOOD OR STARVING BUT MOST OFTEN A FETISH WORD EVEN A WAY OF SPEAK ING THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY PRESERVES AND OBSCURES THE LOSS )N THIS PROCESS WHICH THEY CALL INCORPORATION THE SUBJECT MIMES ITS REPOSSESSION OF A LOST OBJECT BY EATING OR SPEAKING AWRY ATTEMPTING LITERALLY TO EMBED THE OBJECT INTO OR MAKE IT PART OF THE BODY ITSELF )NCORPORATION !BRAHAM AND 4OROK ARGUE IS THE PATHOLOGICAL FORM OF A PROCESS THEY CALL INTROJEC TION WHERE THE LOST OBJECT SERVES AS A MEANS FOR THE SUBJECT TO REWORK ITS
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ORIGINARY EROTIC AUTONOMY )N INTROJECTION THE OBJECT BECOMES A MERE PLACEHOLDER FOR THE SELF WHOM THE SUBJECT MUST RETURN TO LOVING AS IN PRIMARY NARCISSISIM BUT THIS TIME THE SELF MUST BE PERMEABLE ENOUGH TO INTEGRATE NEW OBJECTS TOO 4HIS IS NOTABLY A MUCH LESS PHALLIC MODEL OF THE EGO THAN &REUDS OR EVEN "UTLERS )N FACT OPENED OUT FROM INDIVIDUAL PSYCHE TO COLLECTIVE PROCESS BOTH THE PROCESS OF INCORPORATION AND THAT OF INTROJECTION SUGGEST WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED A hBOTTOMv HISTORIOGRAPHY )F OUR ABSENT LITTLE GIRL IS A RECEPTACLE FOR QUEER HISTORY WHAT SHE RECEIVES IS NOT A TRANSMISSION OF AUTHORITY OR CUSTOM BUT A TRANSMISSION OF RECEPTIVITY ITSELF OF A CERTAIN PLEASURABLY POROUS RELATION TO NEW CONlGURATIONS OF THE PAST AND UNPREDICTABLE FUTURES )N !BRAHAM AND 4OROKS MODEL MELANCHOLIA IS CURED WHEN THE LOST OBJECT lNALLY DISAPPEARS WHEN INCORPORATION YIELDS TO INTROJECTION AND TIME SYNCHS UP AGAIN SUCH THAT THE UNINTERRUPTED PRESENT CORRESPONDS TO AN INTEGRATED SELF OPEN TO THE FUTURE BUT OVER THE PAST 9ET LIKE MELANCHOLIA ITSELF THE SO CALLED PATHOLOGICAL FORM OF INCORPORATION SEEMS EMINENTLY MORE QUEER IT PRESERVES THE PAST AS PAST IN A CRYPT IMPERFECTLY SEALED OFF FROM THE PRESENT )NCORPORATION IMAGINES A PSYCHE WITH UNPREDICTABLE LEAK AGES A BODY AT SEMIOTICALLY AND SEXUALLY PRODUCTIVE TEMPORAL ODDS WITH ITSELF $ESPITE !BRAHAM AND 4OROKS mATTENING OF TIME IN THE hNORMALv MODEL OF INTROJECTION THE PAST THEY SUGGEST INTERRUPTS THE PRESENT TO TRIG GER EATING AND SPEAKING IS NOT WHOLLY DElNED IN TERMS OF TRAUMA )NSTEAD IT CONSISTS OF LATENT EXCITATIONS NOT YET TRAVERSED BY THE BINARY BETWEEN PAIN AND PLEASURE )N THIS SENSE WHAT IS PRESERVED AND SUSPENDED WITHIN THE MOUTH IS ALSO CAPABLE OF BEING RELEASED AS PLEASURE RATHER THAN SIMPLY BEING REPEATED AS INCOMPLETE MASTERY OVER PAIN )N FACT 4OROK ADDRESSES THE MOST OPAQUE PART OF &REUDS ESSAY ON MOURNING AND MELANCHOLIA IN WHICH &REUD NOTES BUT FAILS TO THEORIZE THE PROBLEM OF THE INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE 7HILE WE WOULD EXPECT TEARS OR NUMBNESS IN THE FACE OF DEATH &REUD REMARKS THAT THE GRIEVING SUBJECT OFTEN EXPERIENCES A SURGE OF FRENZIED JOY h4HE MOST REMARKABLE PECULIARITY OF MELANCHOLIA AND ONE MOST IN NEED OF EXPLANATION IS THE TENDENCY IT DISPLAYS TO TURN INTO MANIA ACCOMPANIED BY A COMPLETELY OPPOSITE SYMPTOMATOL OGYv (E NOTES THAT MOURNING DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME TENDENCY WHICH ELIMINATES THE POSSIBILITY THAT MANIA IS SIMPLY ENERGY UNBOUND FROM THE LOST OBJECT ONCE ITS LOSS HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AND WORKED THROUGH 4OROK CONSID ERS A SERIES OF LETTERS IN WHICH &REUDS CONTEMPORARY +ARL !BRAHAM PRESSED HIM TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION OF THIS MANIA AND SUGGESTED SEVERAL TIMES THAT IT OFTEN CONSISTED OF A SUDDEN INmUX OF EROTIC FEELINGS "UT &REUD SEEMS NOT TO HAVE ANSWERED THIS CALL TO EXAMINE THE PHENOMENON 4AKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF 4OROK SUGGESTS THAT THE MELANCHOLICS ENTOMBED SECRET MAY NOT BE A LOSS AT ALL 2ATHER IT IS AN EROTIC EFFUSION REPRESSED AND MNEMONICALLY
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PRESERVED h4HE ILLNESS OF MOURNING ;IE MELANCHOLIA= DOES NOT RESULT AS MIGHT APPEAR FROM THE AFmICTION CAUSED BY THE OBJECTAL LOSS ITSELF BUT RATHER FROM THE FEELING OF AN IRREPARABLE CRIME OF HAVING BEEN OVERCOME WITH DESIRE OF HAVING BEEN SURPRISED BY AN OVERmOW OF LIBIDO AT THE LEAST APPROPRIATE MOMENT WHEN IT WOULD BEHOOVE US TO BE GRIEVED IN DESPAIRv 3HE GOES ON TO CLAIM THAT MELANCHOLIC INCORPORATION ITSELF hPERPETUATE;S= A CLANDESTINE PLEASURE v A LONG AGO INTERRUPTED SCENE OF EROTIC CONTACT WITH THE LOST OBJECT &OR 4OROK THEN THE MELANCHOLIC PSYCHE IS A DOUBLED EFFECT OF PLEASURES PAST lRST PLEASURE IS SEVERED AND REMADE AS UNPLEASURE OR TRAUMA THEN THE OBJECT THAT GAVE PLEASURE ITSELF DISAPPEARS 4HE SCENES AFFECT AND OBJECT SECRET THEMSELVES IN BODY AND PSYCHE TO BE RELEASED IN THE GRIEVING SUBJECTS SUDDEN FEELING OF CARNAL DESIRE )N SHORT AS A COMPONENT OF MELANCHOLIA MANIA REVISITS AN INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL RESPONSE FROM THE PAST 7ITH 4OROKS SENSE OF MELANCHOLIA AS A LOST EROTIC ENCOUNTER PRESERVED THEN WE CAN IMAGINE THE hINAPPROPRIATEv RESPONSE OF EROS IN THE FACE OF SORROW AS A TRACE OF PAST FORMS OF PLEASURE LOCATED IN SPECIlC HISTORICAL MOMENTS ! RECENT VIDEO BY .GUYEN 4AN (OANG AN EMERGING ARTIST MAKES THIS POSSIBILITY TANGIBLE +)0 CUTS BETWEEN A S PORNOGRAPHIC VIDEOTAPE AND AN IMAGE OF .GUYENS FACE REmECTED IN A TELEVISION SET 3PEAKING OF THIS WORK RECENTLY .GUYEN DESCRIBED HIS FASCINATION WITH THE WAY THAT THE ORIGINAL VIDEOTAPE HAD DETERIORATED IN THE PLACES WHERE VIEW ERS HAD REWOUND THE TAPE TO LOOK AT PARTICULARLY SEXY SCENES SO THAT THE TAPE NOW SKIPPED AND THE ACTION WAS PUNCTUATED BY GRAINY BLANK SPOTS 2EAPPEARING IN .GUYENS VIDEO THESE BLANK SPOTS SUGGEST THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF RETURNING TO THE SHORT LIVED ERA WHEN GAY MEN COULD HAVE UNPROTECTED SEX WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS WITHOUT FEAR &LOATING OVER THIS SCENE .GUYENS FACE IS THE SIGN OF HIS GENERATION BORN TOO LATE !T THE SAME TIME THE IMAGE OF .GUYENS FACE INDEXES THE FACT THAT GIVEN HOW !SIAN !MERICAN MEN HAVE BEEN STEREOTYPED AS FEMININE IN THE 5NITED 3TATES HE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY HAVE HAD ACCESS ANYWAY TO THIS PARTICULAR SEX SCENE OR TO THE hSCENEv OF URBAN MACHO MAN CRUISING .GUYENS REmECTION ALSO LOOKS LIKE THE GHOSTS OF THOSE CONDEMNED TO WATCH FROM THE SIDELINES DURING THE ERA OF THE TAPING WAITING FOR THEIR MOMENT OF INCLUSION 9ET THIS IS NOT A TAPE ABOUT INCLUSION ULTIMATELY FOR A TRACE OF PLEASURE IS ALSO VISIBLE THE SURFACE OF THE TELEVISION ALSO SIMPLY REmECTS A VOYEUR TAKING HIS ENJOYMENTS WHERE HE lNDS THEM 'IVEN THE HISTORICAL FRAMING OF THIS VIDEO BY !)$3 AND RACISM AGAINST !SIAN !MERICANS IT MIGHT SEEM POLITICALLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE VIDEOMAKER CHARACTER TO EXPERIENCE ANY BLISS BY LOOKING AT WHITE GAY MEN BAREBACKING 9ET THERE HE IS WATCHING 4HE AUDIENCE CANNOT KNOW FOR SURE WHAT PERSONAL OR POLITICAL EXPERIENCES RUSH INTO HIS HEAD TO lLL THE GAPS IN THE TAPE THAT ONCE CONTAINED WHITE GAY MEN TO BIND HIM TO THE SURROUNDING SCENES AND BIND THESE TO EVENTS IN HIS OWN LIFE
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.GUYENS VIDEO REGISTERS SOMETHING AKIN TO 4ONI -ORRISONS CONCEPT OF hSKIN MEMORY THE BODYS RECOLLECTION OF PLEASURE v COMBINED WITH THE CLAIM OF HER EARLIER WORKS THAT THE SKIN MIGHT INDEX HISTORICAL MOMENTS AS WELL AS PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS "UT WHAT !BRAHAM AND 4OROK DESCRIBE AS MANIAC MEMORY IS HARDLY EMOTION RECOLLECTED IN TRANQUILLITYINSTEAD IT IS AN IRRUPTION OF STRANGE PLENITUDE IN THE PRESENT LIKE .GUYENS BLISS AMID GENERATIONAL AND RACIAL GRIEF )N THIS AND OTHER EROTOHISTORIOGRAPHICAL WORKS WE SEE 7ALTER "ENJAMINS CONCEPT OF THE SHOCK OF MODERNITY WHICH EVEN HE LINKED TO EPHEMERAL ENCOUNTERS WITH SEXUALIZED lGURES SUCH AS PROSTITUTES AND SAILORS MET BY HIS CONCEPT OF THE PAST mASHING UP TO ILLU MINATE THE PRESENT &OLLOWING THE LEAD OF !BRAHAM AND 4OROK OF "EN JAMIN OF WORKS LIKE THESE TWO lLMS WE MIGHT IMAGINE OURSELVES HAUNTED BY ECSTASY AND NOT JUST BY LOSS RESIDUES OF POSITIVE AFFECT EROTIC SCENES UTOPIAS MEMORIES OF TOUCH MIGHT BE AVAILABLE FOR QUEER COUNTER OR PARA HISTORIOGRAPHIES !S ) HAVE ARGUED ELSEWHERE WITHIN THIS PARADIGM WE MIGHT SEE CAMP PERFORMANCE AS A KIND OF HISTORICIST JOUISSANCE A FRIC TION OF DEAD BODIES UPON LIVE ONES OBSOLETE CONSTRUCTIONS UPON EMERGENT ONES WHICH ) HAVE CALLED hTEMPORAL DRAGv /R WE MIGHT LOOK FOR WHAT !NNAMARIE *AGOSE HAS CALLED hTHE lGURE OF @HISTORYITS ENERGIZING OF THE VERY TROPES OF BEFORE AND AFTERv IN QUEER PATTERNS OF COURTSHIP AND CRUISING IN SEXUAL AND MORE BROADLY TACTILE ENCOUNTERS EVEN IN IDENTITY FORMATIONS SUCH AS BUTCHFEMME OR &4- /R AND HISTORICITY ITSELF MIGHT APPEAR AS A STRUCTURE OF TACTILE FEELING A MODE OF TOUCH EVEN A SEXUAL PRACTICE )N PARTICULAR WE MAY WANT TO GLIMPSE TRACES OF HISTORICALLY SPECIlC FORMS OF PLEASUREWHETHER THEY HAVE BEEN LOST REPRESSED DISAVOWED OR SUBSUMED INTO INSTITUTIONAL FORMS OF SUPPOSEDLY BENIGN SUPERVISION LIKE MARRIAGEIN OUR PRESENT PRECISELY BECAUSE THEY ONCE COUNTED IN THE LESBIAN AND GAY IMAGINARY IF NOT THE NATIONAL ONE AS PART OF WHAT IT MEANT TO HAVE A LIFE
/PUFT -ANY THANKS TO THOSE WHO OFFERED COMMENTS ON THIS ESSAY IN ITS VARIOUS INCAR NATIONS "ISHNU 'HOSH *UDITH (ALBERSTAM (EATHER ,OVE $ANA ,UCIANO ( . ,UKES +ARA 4HOMPSON READERS AND EDITORS AT 3OCIAL 4EXT AND AUDIENCES AT (ARVARD 5NIVERSITY THE 0EMBROKE #ENTER FOR 4EACHING AND 2ESEARCH ON 7OMEN AT "ROWN 5NIVERSITY AND THE 5NIVERSITY OF #ALIFORNIA AT $AVIS 3CHOLARS 3YMPO SIUM 0IERRE "OURDIEU /UTLINE OF A 4HEORY OF 0RACTICE TRANS 2ICHARD .ICE .EW 9ORK #AMBRIDGE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS %XEMPLARY RECENT CRITIQUES OF THE INTERTWINED RACIAL GENDERED AND SEXUAL IZED POLITICS OF DEVELOPMENTAL TIME INCLUDE 2OD &ERGUSON !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 4OWARD A 1UEER OF #OLOR #RITIQUE -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS
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&OR ME QUEER STUDIES HAS BEEN ONE WAY TO MAKE THIS PRIVATE SOLITARY AND INCHOATE FEELING OF BEING A FRAUDA FEELING THAT SURGES AND SUBSIDES LIKE A mAREINTO SOMETHING LIKE A CRITIQUE 4HE FEELING IT SHOULD BE SAID ALSO ERUPTS IN GATHERINGS OF WITTY EDGY AND BEAUTIFUL QUEER PEOPLE )T IS A MORE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION OF BEING EXPLODING WHEN THE DECOROUSNESS OF THE NORMATIVE HOWEVER INDICATED BECOMES TOO MUCH TO BEAR ) DID HAVE THE ABOVE NIGHTMARE RECENTLY )T RECURS PERIODICALLY BLEND ING ITS MISE EN SCÒNE FROM THE HABITUAL VISUAL INGREDIENTS OF MY EVERYDAY LIFE lLM TELEVISION AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS 4HE RESULT IS THAT MY DREAM WORLD LOOKS LIKE A CROSSBREEDING EXPERIMENT BETWEEN THE )VY ,EAGUE AND ,AW AND /RDER THE CLASSROOM AND THE MORGUE )F YOU GET THE PICTURE THE POINT ) WOULD LIKE TO TAKE UP SUBSTANTIVELY HERE IS A BLUNT ONE NORMATIVITY LIKE IDEOLOGY IS A DEVIOUSLY EXPRESSIVE BEAST DERIVING ITS FORM AS WELL AS ITS FORCE FROM UNEXPECTED UNANTICIPATED UNIMAGINABLE QUARTERS )T CONFRONTS DESIRE AS WELL AS POWER AND IT SEEMS CURIOUSLY INDIFFERENT TO RATIONALIZED SYSTEMATIC AND SCIENTIlC COUNTERATTACKS 4HE PLACE WHERE ) ENCOUNTER NORMATIVITY AND ITS EFFECTS IS CONJUGATED AS THE PEDAGOGY OF THE VISUAL 7HEN ) SAY hNORMATIVITY v WHAT ) REALLY MEAN IS THE TERROR OF THE NOR MATIVE IN ITS MOST BENIGN FORM IT APPEARS AS A BULLYING INSISTENCE TOWARD OBEDIENCE TO SOCIAL LAW AND HIERARCHY AND IN ITS MOST LETHAL FORM IT CARRIES THE PUNISHMENT OF DEATH FOR RESISTANCE TO THEM )N MY VIEW QUEER THEORY BRINGS IMMENSE RESOURCES TO THE ANALYSIS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH AND CRI
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TIQUE OF NORMATIVITY RESOURCES PRECISELY CALIBRATED TO THE DEGREE TO WHICH hQUEERv IS DEPLOYED AS A CATACHRESIS AS A METAPHOR WITHOUT AN ADEQUATE REFERENT 4O PUT IT DIFFERENTLY QUEER THEORY SEEMS TO ME MOST EQUIPPED TO hTARRY WITH THE NORMATIVEv WHEN IT FORSAKES ITS CLAIMS TO THE LITERAL AND MAKES FOR THE MORE DANGEROUSBUT ALSO MORE COMMODIOUSCOMPLICA TIONS OF RELATIONALITY AND VARIEGATION 1UEER IS BUT ONE NAME HURLED BACK WITH PRIDE FOR SOCIAL ABJECTION EXCLUSION MARGINALIZATION AND DEGRADA TION IT PROVIDES BY THIS LOGIC BUT ONE OPENING TOWARD FREEDOM )N WHAT FOLLOWS ) TAKE UP WHAT ) SEE AS A FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGE POSED BY QUEER OF COLOR ANALYSIS MAKING GOOD ON THE UNDERSTANDING OF NORMA TIVITY AS VARIEGATED STRIATED CONTRADICTORY 1UEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE AN EMERGENT AND OPEN ENDED TASK AS WELL AS AN AWKWARD IF PROVISIONAL NAME TAKES THE PRISMATIC PRESSURES OF THE NORMATIVE AS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEIZE AND TO SYSTEMATIZE SIMULTANEOUSLY 4O MAKE MORE EXPLICIT WHAT ) HAVE BEEN ALLOWING TO PLAY BENEATH THE SURFACE WHAT INTERESTS ME IS THE PERSISTENT TENSION QUEER THEORY INHERITS FROM ITS FOREBEARS IN CRITICAL THEORY BETWEEN SYSTEMATIZATION AND DESIRE BETWEEN REASON AND AFFECT BETWEEN THE LITERAL AND THE lGURATIVE BETWEEN PHILOSOPHY AND LITERATURE ! PARTICULARLY EXCITING RECENT BOOK ADDRESSES THIS TENSION 2ODERICK &ERGUSONS !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 4OWARD A 1UEER OF #OLOR #RITIQUE )T IS A SERIOUS AND SURE ATTEMPT TO BRING A -ARXIST INHERITANCE INTO CONVERSATION WITH MODES OF PATHOLOGIZING !FRICAN !MERICAN LIFE PARTICULARLY THROUGH THE LOGIC OF THE SYMPTOM THROUGH THE HIERARCHIES OF VALUE OF GENDER AND SEXUALITY IT IS PART OF A LARGER ENDEAVOR WHICH DESERVES OUR CLOSE ATTENTION MORE EXPLICITLY TO REWRITE QUEER STUDIES AS A DISCOURSE ABOUT RACE AND CLASS NOT SIMPLY AS A BOUNDED DISCOURSE ABOUT GENDER AND SEXUALITY 4HE BOOK IN TURN SPARKED MY READING OF A PECULIAR lLM ) HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND THROUGH THIS MULTIFACETED LAYERED CONCEPTION OF NORMATIV ITY "LACK (ISTORY ,OST 3TOLEN OR 3TRAYED ) SHOULD ADD HERE BY WAY OF A STIPULATION AS TO MY SANITY OR AS TO WHAT CONSTITUTES hQUEER OF COLORv MATTER OR MATERIAL THAT THE lLM IS NEITHER hQUEERv NOR AGGRESSIVELY hHET ERONORMATIVE v BUT IT TAKES HOLD OF ME IN A WAY THAT HELPS ME THINK ABOUT NORMATIVITY IN WHAT MIGHT BE A QUEER WAY ,IKE &ERGUSONS BOOK THE lLM IS A SURVEY OF HOW TWENTIETH CENTURY !FRICAN !MERICAN LIFE IS NATURALIZED AS A PATHOLOGIZING SYMPTOM AND REDEEMED BY MASCULINIST IDENTIlCATIONS IN THIS CASE THROUGH THE LANGUAGE OF CINEMA ITSELF "UT THE lLM DIFFERS FROM &ERGUSONS BOOK IN THAT IT POWERFULLY DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN THE TERRORS OF THE NORMATIVE AND THE FANTASIES AND PRACTICES OF SELF PRODUCTION THROUGH WHICH WE MEET THOSE TERRORS ) VISIT BOTH THE BOOK AND THE lLM IN TURN ADHERING NEITHER TO THE FORM OF THE BOOK REVIEW NOR TO THE HERMETICISM OF TEXTUAL ANALYSIS )NSTEAD ) WANT !BERRATIONS TO BLEED INTO (ISTORY BLACK AND BEAUTIFUL 2ODERICK &ERGUSON MEET "ILL #OSBY ! BRIEF WORD ON MY TITULAR REFERENCE TO 3LAVOJ ÈIäEKS WORK WHICH IS "NZ7JMMBSFKP
MOTIVATED BY A QUESTION THIS ESSAY SHARES WITH 4ARRYING WITH THE .EGATIVE HOW TO ADDRESS QUESTIONS OF SOCIAL CONmICT PARTICULAR RACIAL OR ETHNIC CON mICT WITHIN THE TERMS OF IDEOLOGY CRITIQUE ,IKE ÈIäEK ) SHARE THE SENSE THAT IT IS THE TASK OF THE CRITICAL INTELLECTUALIF INDEED ONE CAN STILL SPEAK OF HIM OR HERTO MAINTAIN A DISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO THE -ASTER 3IGNIlER OR AS HE SAYS hTO @PRODUCE THE -ASTER 3IGNIlER THAT IS TO SAY TO RENDER VISIBLE ITS @PRODUCED ARTIlCIAL CONTINGENT CHARACTERv 4HE MOVEMENT INTO THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY FROM ACTUALITY BELONGS TO THE PEDAGOGY OF THE VISUAL AS ÈIäEKS FREQUENT BRIEF ANALYSES OF lLMS DEMONSTRATE THE CINEMA IS AS INTEGRAL TO THE DIALECTIC OF "ILDUNG AS PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIOLOGICAL OR PSYCHOANALYTIC DISCOURSES MAY BE 7HILE THIS SHORT ESSAY CANNOT POSSIBLY ENGAGE WITH THE DENSE READINGS OF THE 'ERMAN TRADITION OF PHILOSOPHICAL IDEALISM ÈIäEK PROVIDES IN HIS BOOK RESONANCES OF HIS WORK ON THE SYMPTOM MAY BE HEARD ELSEWHERE IN THE ESSAY
"CFSSBUJPOTJO#MBDLBOEUIF4PDJPMPHJDBM*OTUJUVUJPO ) ADMIRE &ERGUSONS BOOK AND WOULD HOPE TO ENGAGE IT AS IT DOES THE WORK OF THE THINKERS &ERGUSON ADDRESSES PATIENTLY THOROUGHLY RIGOROUSLY LOV INGLY &ERGUSONS PROJECT FORGING QUEER OF COLOR ANALYSIS THAT BRIDGES THE SOCIAL SCIENCES AND THE HUMANITIES SOCIOLOGY AND LITERATURE DISPLAYS THE KIND OF THINKING THAT SOME OF THE EARLY WORK OF "RITISH CULTURAL STUDIES DID PARTICULARLY IN ITS SENSE OF UNRELENTING URGENCY AND IN THE TRANSFOR MATIONS IT PUTS INTO PLAY OF ACADEMIC CATEGORIES CULTURAL STUDIES QUEER STUDIES CRITICAL RACE STUDIES QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE ,IKE SOME CRITIQUES OF THAT INITIAL "IRMINGHAM #ENTRE WORK &ERGUSON ALSO SEEKS TO UNMASK THE NORMATIVE ASSUMPTIONS OF -ARXIST TRADITIONS WHILE DISAVOWING THE IDEOLOGY OF TRANSPARENCY OF WHICH SUCH UNMASKING WOULD SEEM TO BE AN EXAMPLE 4HIS PRODUCES AN INTERESTING AND PRODUCTIVE TENSION MIRRORING THAT TORQUE THE PROJECT SUSTAINS BETWEEN SCIENTIlC SOCIOLOGICAL METHODOL OGY AND LITERARY INSIGHT %ARLY IN THE BOOK &ERGUSON DElNES HIS PROJECT IN THIS WAY h1UEER OF COLOR ANALYSIS DENOTES AN INTEREST IN MATERIALITY BUT REFUSES IDEOLOGIES OF TRANSPARENCY AND REmECTION IDEOLOGIES THAT HAVE HELPED TO CONSTITUTE MARXISM REVOLUTIONARY NATIONALISM AND LIBERAL PLU RALISMv %NDORSING A MORE DISCURSIVE PROCEDURE THAT WOULD CONSTITUTE DIFFERENT POLITICAL SUBJECTS &ERGUSON TURNS TO -ARXS OWN TREATMENT IN THE %CONOMIC AND 0HILOSOPHIC -ANUSCRIPTS OF OF THE lGURE OF THE PROS TITUTE (E READS HER lGURATION AS AN INSTANCE OF NATURALIZING AS hREALv SYMPTOM OF THE RAVAGES OF INDUSTRIAL CAPITALISM THE POTENTIAL AGENT OF SOCIAL CHANGE A MANEUVER THAT SOCIOLOGY WOULD LATER EXTEND TO !FRICAN !MERICANS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY )N OPENING WITH A READING OF THIS lGURE AND IN MORE EXPLICIT WAYS TOO
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ESPECIALLY IN HIS lNAL CHAPTER h3OMETHING %LSE TO "E 3ULA 4HE -OYNIHAN 2EPORT AND THE .EGATIONS OF "LACK ,ESBIAN &EMINISMv &ERGUSON MARKS HIS DEBT TO FEMINISM AND ITS PERSISTENT WORK OF UNDOING NORMATIVE AND NATURALIZING MOVES MADE IN THE NAME OF THE UNIVERSAL )N HIS WORDS QUEER OF COLOR ANALYSIS hEXTENDS WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM BY INVESTIGATING HOW INTERSECTING RACIAL GENDER AND SEXUAL PRACTICES ANTAGONIZE ANDOR CONSPIRE WITH THE NORMATIVE INVESTMENTS OF NATION STATES AND CAPITALv 3INCE THE MODE OF SOCIOLOGYA PRIVILEGED DISCOURSE IN THE SENSE THAT IT HAS BEEN IN &ERGUSONS VIEW THE PRIMARY MECHANISM FOR OBTAINING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT !FRICAN !MERICAN LIFE IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY AND BEYONDIS TO NATU RALIZE AS OR WHILE RENDERING PERVERSE IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO FUSE QUEER CRITIQUE WITH THE LEGACY OF FEMINISMS INTERSECTIONAL CRITIQUE BUILDING OR ACCUMULATING A THEORETICAL STANCE AS WELL AS A METHOD THROUGH WHAT ) WOULD CALL A KIND OF HISTORICAL SEDIMENTATION 5LTIMATELY &ERGUSON CEMENTS FEMINIST CRITIQUE WITH QUEER CRITIQUE THROUGH TWO KEY DESCRIPTORS OF HIS OBJECT NATURALIZED hHETEROPATRIARCHYv AND ITS COMPANION TERM THE hNON HETERONORMATIVEv &ERGUSONS OBJECT THE NATURALIZED AND NORMATIVE VIEW OF !FRICAN !MERICAN LIFE PROFFERED THROUGH THE TEXTS DRAWN FROM SOCIOLOGY AND LITERATURE &ERGUSON READS IS CONSTITUTED BOTH BY THE PERVERTING LOGIC OF hCANONICALv SOCIOLOGY AND BY &ERGUSONS CRITICAL FEMINISTQUEER POSI TION h,OOKING AT CANONICAL SOCIOLOGYS RELATIONSHIP TO !FRICAN !MERICAN NONHETERONORMATIVE FORMATIONS CAN HELP US SEE HOW 53 CAPITAL HAS ALSO BEEN REGARDED AS A SITE OF PATHOLOGIES AND PERVERSIONS THAT HAVE DESIGNATED RACIALIZED NONWHITE COMMUNITIES AS THE OFTEN OMINOUS OUTCOME OF CAPITALS PRODUCTIVE NEEDSv n !LL OF THIS IS TO SAY THAT hNONHETERONORMATIVEv COMES TO DENOTE FOR &ERGUSON A SYMPTOM OR SIGN OF A RELENTLESS AND PATHOLOGIZING RACIAL LOGIC ITSELF PRODUCED THROUGH THE CIRCUITS OF INDUSTRIAL CAPITALISM AS WELL AS THAT WHICH WOULD SEEM TO EVADE THAT LOGIC ) HAVE SUMMARIZED HIS ELEGANT ARGUMENT QUICKLY AND IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT IN A MORE EXTENDED TREATMENT OF HIS BOOK TO EXPLORE AMONG OTHER THINGS THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISTINGUISHING CAREFULLY BETWEEN SIGN AND SYMPTOM BETWEEN LOGIC AND RESULT BETWEEN INDUSTRIAL AND URBANIZING ECONOMIES "UT FOR MY PURPOSES IN TRYING TO OPEN UP A MORE NUANCED UNDERSTANDING OF NORMATIVITY WHAT SEEMS SIGNIlCANT IS THAT &ERGUSON SEEKS TO FORGE A METHOD SYMPTOMATIC READING AND AN ABSTRACTION NONHETERONORMATIVE THAT ON THE ONE HAND CAN SPEAK TO THE MULTIPLE FORMS THAT DEGRADATION TAKES IN LATE CAPITALIST !MERICA WHERE PERVERSIONS AND GENDER TRANSGRESSIONS APLENTY BECOME INSCRIBED IN THE MORTAR OF RACIALIZED URBAN LANDSCAPES /N THE OTHER HAND HE LENDS THAT SAME NAME TO lGURES OF DElANCE AND CRITIQUE 4HIS CONmATION LODGED IN HIS READINGS AND IN THE TERM NONHETERONORMATIVE IS ) WANT TO ARGUE AN EFFORT TO KEEP ALIVE THE INTERSECTIONAL hACCUMULATEDv
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HISTORICAL SEDIMENTATION WHEREBY !FRICAN !MERICAN EXPLOITATION DEGRADA TION ABJECTION AND EXPLOITATION ARE lGURED THROUGH NATURALIZED BY AND DEPENDENT ON DESCRIPTIVE HIERARCHIES OF VALUE OF GENDER AND SEXUALITY NOT TO MENTION DISCOURSES OF CITIZENSHIP ETHICS AND DEMOCRACY 4O INSIST ON THE FRACTURED AND CONTRADICTORY NATURE OF SUCH SEDIMENTATION IS AN ACT AGAIN IN MY VIEW OF CONSIDERABLE INTELLECTUAL BRAVERY !T THE SAME TIME &ERGUSON WANTS NONHETERONORMATIVE TO MARK A RANGE OF TO USE SOME OF HIS WORDS POSITIONS FORMATIONS SITES OF KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION AND WELL TO USE A HUMBLER CATEGORY KINDS OF PEOPLE LIKE THOSE BLACK QUEENS ON THE 3OUTH 3IDE OF #HICAGO WHOM &ERGUSON INVOKES WHO WOULD BE CANDIDATES FOR THE KIND OF TRANSFORMATIVE AGENCY -ARX REFUSED TO SEE IN THE lGURE OF THE PROSTITUTE 4HE QUESTIONS THEN ARE THESE (OW DO WE COME TO KNOW ABOUT THE PRESSURES THAT THE NORMATIVE EXERTS ON !FRICAN !MERICAN LIFE PARTICULARLY IN ITS RELATION TO THE LOOMING FORCES AND ABSTRACTIONS OF THE MIDCENTURY FROM THE THIRTIES TO THE SEVENTIES FROM .ATIVE 3ON TO 3ULA 4HROUGH WHAT LENSES FRAMEWORKS DISCIPLINES TEXTS STORIES FRAGMENTS !ND HOW WOULD WE KNOW WHAT ESCAPES THE TERROR OF THE NORMATIVE 4HROUGH WHAT PROCESS OF RECOVERY RETRIEVAL CRITIQUE PROBLEMATIZATION OR ALTERNATIVE 4HROUGH WHAT UNDERSTANDING OF ABSTRACTION "Y WHAT VISION &ERGUSONS CONTENTION IS THAT !MERICAN SOCIOLOGY HAS PROVIDED THE MOST INSISTENT NARRATION AND MOST PRIVILEGED EPISTEMOLOGY THROUGH WHICH THE STATE HAS GAINED ACCESS TO AND PRODUCED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT !FRICAN !MERICANS &URTHERMORE TAKING !FRICAN !MERICAN LIFE AS ITS PUTATIVE OBJECT SOCIOLOGY IN PARTICULAR WHAT &ERGUSON CALLS hCANONICAL SOCIOL OGYv SEEMS ABLE ONLY TO STABILIZE RATHER THAN TO TROUBLE THE SPECIlCALLY NORMATIVE TENDENCIES OF THAT DENSE TEXT OF MIDCENTURY !FRICAN !MERICAN LIFE THE hNONHETERONORMATIVE GENDER SEXUAL AND FAMILIAL FORMATIONSv ENCOURAGED BY INDUSTRIALIZATION BECOME PATHOLOGICAL OR PERVERSE SIGNS OF CAPITALIST EXPLOITATION THAT MUST BE ANSWERED CORRECTED THROUGH SOCIOLOGICAL SCRUTINY (IS FURTHER POINT ONE ) TAKE ESPECIALLY SERIOUSLY IS THAT WHEN ONE SAYS THAT hTHE STATEv HAS GAINED ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE ONE ALSO AND HAUNTINGLY MEANS hTHE SCHOOLv AND hTHE UNIVERSITYv 4HIS COL LECTION OF SOCIOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS FROM THE WORK OF 2OBERT 0ARK TO THE -OYNIHAN 2EPORT INDEED FUNCTION AS SOCIAL POLICY AS MUCH AS THEY PROVIDE A PEDAGOGICAL SCRIPT FOR THE REPRODUCTION OF PATHOLOGIZING AND NATURALIZING LIFEWORLDS ON THE GROUND AND IN THE MIND 3INCE ) AM NOT A SOCIOLOGIST ) DO NOT KNOW WHETHER LOOKING SAY AT THE VIBRANT TRADITION OF !MERICAN RADICAL SOCIOLOGY OR AT THE ÏMIGRÏ SOCIOLOGY OF THE &RANKFURT EXILES WOULD YIELD A DIFFERENT STORY ALTHOUGH ) CERTAINLY HOPE IT WOULD &ERGUSONS OWN CRITICAL STANCE TOWARD THE SOCIOLOGICAL INSTI TUTION YIELDS A CAREFUL READING OF THOSE SPECIlCALLY CANONICAL OR INmUENTIAL
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TEXTS HE CHOOSES TO ILLUSTRATE HIS POINT WHICH AGAIN TO PARAPHRASE IS THAT WHEN SOCIOLOGY LOOKS AT !FRICAN !MERICAN hCOMMUNAL AND CORPOREAL DIFFERENCEv IT SEES THE DEGENERATE AND PERVERSE RESULTS OF INDUSTRIAL IZING AND URBANIZING ECONOMIES 3YMPTOM AND NOTHING MORE CANONICAL SOCIOLOGY IN ITS BENEVOLENCE CANNOT READ PERVERSION AS AGENCY "UT IS IT THEN LITERATURE THAT WOULD OFFER ANOTHER ROUTE THROUGH THE IMAGINATION THROUGH THE RESHUFmING OF POSITIONS AND DESIRE ACCORDING TO NEW GRAMMARS AND IDIOMS RATHER THAN SYSTEMATIZING AND SCIENTIlC hCANONSv AND LOGICS $OES LITERATURE APPEAR IN ITS DIFFERENCE ON WHICH MANY OF US WOULD LIKE TO INSIST FROM THE SYSTEMATIZING IMPERATIVES OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES )N &ERGUSONS VIEW THE ANSWER IS A SURPRISING hNOv (ERE ) WANT TO TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE THAT &ERGUSON LAYS OUT BUT LEAVES UNlNISHED TO THINK AS IT WERE OUTSIDE THE SYMPTOM ) WANT TO CLEAVE APART THE TWO SENSES OF NONHET ERONORMATIVE &ERGUSON PROPOSES SO THAT THE POLITICS OF !FRICAN !MERICAN LIFE AND STRUGGLE ARE NOT FORCED TO YIELD THEIR LESSONS IN THE SAME TERMS IN WHICH THESE HAVE BEEN PATHOLOGIZED )N WHAT FOLLOWS ) WOULD LIKE TO SUG GEST THAT THROUGH CINEMA PERHAPS AS WELL AS LITERATURE BUT IF SO THEN IN DIFFERENT WAYS ONE CAN lND A RICH VOCABULARY FOR PARSING THE DISTINCTION THAT ) HAVE ARGUED IS COLLAPSED IN NONHETERONORMATIVE BETWEEN SYMPTOM AND AGENCY "EFORE ) GET TO CINEMA HOWEVER LET ME lRST LOOK QUICKLY BUT MORE CLOSELY AT &ERGUSONS VIEW OF LITERATURE WHICH AMOUNTS TO A VIEW IN FACT OF THE CANON &OR IT IS &ERGUSONS CONTENTION THAT CANONICAL SOCIOLOGY AND CANONICAL LITERATURE ARE FUNCTIONALLY EQUIVALENT CONTINUOUS AND HOMOLO GOUS !FRICAN !MERICAN NONHETERONORMATIVITY THUS DISRUPTS THE IDEA THAT THE LITERARY AND THE SOCIOLOGICAL ARE DISCRETE AND DISCONTINUOUS FORMATIONS )NSTEAD WE MUST ASSUME THAT CANONICAL SOCIOLOGY AND CANONICAL LITERATURE ARISE OUT OF THE SAME SYSTEM OF POWER ONE THAT PRESENTS NORMATIVITY AND HUMANITY AS THE GIFTS OF STATE COMPLIANCE AND HETEROPATRIARCHAL BELONGING
)NSOFAR AS THE LITERARY COLLIDES WITH THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND DISCOURSES OF CITI ZENSHIP STATE FORMATION ETHICS AND AESTHETICS IT DOES SO ON VERY SPECIlC GROUND WHERE SANCTIONED FREQUENTLY READ OR INmUENTIAL TEXTS SEEM TO SHARE ALMOST TAUTOLOGICALLY A GENEALOGY OF NATURALIZING THE HETERONOR MATIVE "ECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE 2ICHARD 7RIGHT PROFESSED INTEREST IN THE #HICAGO SCHOOL OF SOCIOLOGYAND TO A GREAT EXTENT DEPENDED ON IT FOR -ILLION !NGRY "LACK 6OICES AS WELL AS FOR .ATIVE 3ON &ERGUSON READS THE LATTER NOVELS ATTEMPTS TO ANCHOR hNONHETERONORMATIVE FORMATIONS WITHIN THE FEMINIZING DYSFUNCTIONS OF CAPITALv AS EQUIVALENT TO SOCIO LOGICAL DIAGNOSES OF INDUSTRIALIZATIONS PERVERSE EFFECTS 2ATHER THAN CON
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TEST IT 7RIGHT INSTEAD REPLICATES SOCIOLOGYS BAD LOGIC .ATIVE 3ON IS THUS UNDERSTOOD AS A KIND OF CLONE OFFERING THROUGH THE CHARACTER OF "IGGER A READABLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD SYMBOL OF NONHETERONORMATIVE DYSFUNC TION 7HILE &ERGUSON DOES OFFER READINGS OF !FRICAN !MERICAN LITERARY WORKS THAT STAND IN A MORE CRITICAL RELATION TO SOCIOLOGICAL DISTORTION BY 2ALPH %LLISON AND 4ONI -ORRISON FOR EXAMPLE HE RETAINS HIS COMMIT MENT TO THE FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENCE OF CANONICAL FORMATIONS PRECISELY IN ORDER TO BRING THEM INTO CONVERSATION WITH ONE ANOTHER TO READ SOCIOLOGY ALONGSIDE LITERATURE %SPECIALLY IN HIS LATER CHAPTERS THEN &ERGUSON SEEKS TO AVOID ONE COMMONPLACE OF LIBERAL PLURALIST READINGS OF CANONICAL LIT ERATURE A PRACTICE MERELY OF EXPOSING THE LITERARY TEXTS COMPLICITY WITH HEGEMONIC VALUES "UT IN &ERGUSONS READINGS WHAT IS SPECIlCALLY hQUEERv MUST APPEAR THROUGH THE SAME RUBRIC OF NONHETERONORMATIVITY THAT SOCIOLOGY DISCLOSES AND IT IS IN INSISTING ON THIS EQUIVALENCE THAT &ERGUSON SUPPRESSES ) THINK THE CRITICAL POTENCY OF QUEER THEORY 1UEER THEORY OFFERS A VIEW OF RELATION ALITY THAT IS NOT STRICTLY SPEAKING SYMPTOMATIC IT OFFERS WAYS TO mY WITH LANGUAGE AND DESIRE AWAY FROM HOMOLOGY AND CONTINUITY 1UEER THEORY CAN OFFER IN OTHER WORDS A WAY TO GRAPPLE WITH FEELING AND WITH RESPONSE AFFECT A WAY TO WORK IN THE INTERSTICES OF CONTACTS AFlLIATIONS RELATIONS 1UEER THEORY WOULD DO WONDERS WITH THE DIFFERENCES AND THE TINGLES OF THE LIST OF TRANSGRESSIONS THAT SOCIOLOGY INSTEAD UNIFORMLY PATHOLOGIZES IN URBAN TERRITORY h0ROSTITUTES HOMOSEXUALS RENT PARTIES BLACK AND TANS INTERRACIAL LIAISONS SPEAKEASIES AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCYv TO TAKE A FEW INTERROGATING A LOGIC THAT WOULD TAKE THESE AS EQUIVALENT SIGNS OF CAPITALS PERVERTING EFFECTS 4HIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT LITERATURE CANNOT DO WONDERS WITH THESE EQUIVALENCES TOO OR THAT LITERARY LANGUAGE AND LITER ARY CRITICISM ARE NOT ALREADY WELL EQUIPPED TO DISTINGUISH FOR EXAMPLE BETWEEN 7RIGHTS NATURALISM AND %LLISONS MODERNISM )T IS HOWEVER TO SAY THAT &ERGUSONS PARTICULARLY EXCITING CONTRIBUTION HAS BEEN TO POINT TO THE ASTONISHING COMPLICITY OF TWO DISCOURSES THAT WOULD SEEM FREQUENTLY TO INSIST ON THEIR OWN AUTONOMY AND TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT AUTONOMY IS FRACTURED THEREBY OPENING UP A SET OF RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAS YET FULLY TO BE EXPLORED ) AM THEREFORE INTERESTED IN HOW TO PULL APART THE TWO STRANDS SYMPTOM AND AGENCY THAT &ERGUSON CONJOINS IN NONHETERONORMATIVE IN THE INTEREST OF PRODUCING A SPECIlCALLY QUEER UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFERENCES THAT MIGHT INHERE IN BOTH PATHOLOGIZING AND REVOLUTIONARY RHETORICS ) WOULD VENTURE THAT SUCH AN UNDERSTANDING IS AS CINEMATIC AS IT IS SOCIOLOGICAL BY WHICH ) MEAN THAT THE VERY MODE OF RESPONSE ENGENDERED BY URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL LIFE IN MIDCENTURY !MERICA IS MARKED BY THE LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL INSTITUTION OF THE CINEMA 4O EXAMINE THE MIDDLE DECADES OF THE !MERICAN TWENTIETH
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CENTURY IS AS &ERGUSON MENTIONS IN PASSING TO TAKE THE MOVIE THEATER AS ITSELF A CENTRAL TECHNOLOGY OF RACIALIZATION GENDERING SEXUALIZATION n 4O TAKE UP THE QUESTION OF AGENCY OF !FRICAN !MERICAN PEOPLE FOLLOWING THE MIGRATIONS TO THE NORTH IS NECESSARILY TO MEDITATE ON MOVE MENT ITSELF h-OVIES PARTIES AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER FEATURES OF URBAN LIFE EXPOSED THE CITYS RESIDENTS TO OTHER TRUTHS THAT PROVIDED BOTH CONTEXT AND ACCESS TO ALTERNATIVE SUBJECT AND SOCIAL FORMATIONSv #INEMA IS PERHAPS A MORE CONGENIAL SOCIAL INSTITUTION THAN LITERATURE THROUGH WHICH TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTRADICTORY EFFECTS AT MINIMUM BOTH DOMINANT AND ALTERNATIVE SUBJECT AND SOCIAL FORMATIONS OF SOCIAL REPRODUC TION IF ONLY BECAUSE WE ARE IN SUCH WIDE AGREEMENT ABOUT ITS CENTRALITY TO THAT PROCESS AS WE ARE ABOUT LITERATURES MARGINALITY TO IT TO WHICH THE DEBATES ON CANON FORMATION BEAR WITNESS "ECAUSE THE CINEMA HAS FROM ITS INCEPTION BEEN A DEFORMING AGENT OF SOCIAL LIFE EXPLICITLY MARKED AS AN INDUSTRIAL ART PAR EXCELLENCE USED LESS EXPLICITLY BUT NO LESS CONVINCINGLY AS AN INSTRUMENT OF THE STATE ITS PLEASURES AND DANGERS HAVE BEEN MORE DIFlCULT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND CALCULATE THAN THOSE OF LITERATURE "ECAUSE IT IS SUCH A DOMINANT CULTURAL INSTITUTION ITS ROLE AS A PEDAGOGICAL AGENT HAS BEEN MORE DIFlCULT TO ASSESS TOO ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE EXTENT TO WHICH ITS ADDRESS AS WITH TELEVISION AND NOW THE )NTERNET HAS ALWAYS BEEN RACIAL IZED SEXUALIZED GENDERED "UT ) THINK THAT TOO MUCH FOCUS ON THE REPRE SENTATIONAL POLITICS OF THE COMMERCIAL CINEMA HAS YIELDED A UNIFORMITY OF COMMENTARY AND RESPONSE SIMILAR TO WHAT &ERGUSON ULTIMATELY PRODUCES BY ALIGNING THE SYMBOLIC WORK OF LITERARY lCTION WITH SOCIOLOGICAL DIAG NOSIS WE HAVE GONE FROM %VE 3EDGWICKS QUIP hKINDA SUBVERSIVE KINDA HEGEMONIC v TO hHEGEMONIC IN DEEPLY COMPLICATED WAYS COMPLICIT WITH NORMATIVE AND REGULATIVE IDEALS DESTRUCTIVE TO ALTERNATIVE FORMATIONS AND IMAGINARIESv ) THINK ) CAN ILLUSTRATE A DIFFERENT POSSIBILITY OF THINKING ABOUT THE VARIEGATED PRESSURES OF THE NORMATIVE THROUGH A SINGLE PERPLEX ING lLM
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PHRENIA OR DIVISION IN ITS FORM )T BEGINS AND EXTENDS FOR SOME FORTY ODD MINUTES WITH A LESSON FAMILIAR TO "LACK (ISTORY -ONTH OR 7OMENS (IS TORY -ONTH FOR THAT MATTER HISTORY HAS BEEN DEFORMED BY DELIBERATE OMISSION WHAT hDIDNT GET INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS v AND THAT DEFORMATION HAS LITERAL AND TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES FOR THE FUTURE )F HISTORY IS AS .APO LEON IS QUOTED IN "LACK (ISTORY hFABLE AGREED UPON v THAT AGREEMENT FUNDAMENTALLY DISTORTS CHILDRENS CONCEPTIONS OF THEMSELVES THEIR WORK THEIR LIVES AND THEIR FUTURES #HILDHOOD IS THUS IMAGINED AS THE TIME TO SOW MORE FERTILE AND VIBRANT READ INCLUSIVE AND WHOLE PROUD AND TRUE CONCEPTIONS OF THEMSELVES AND THE WORLD NOT AS INCULCATION BUT AS ORGANIC INGREDIENTS OF SELF PRODUCTION 4HE INTRODUCTION TO "LACK (ISTORY TAKES THE PRIMARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM AS ITS MISE EN SCÒNE THE EXPANSION OF A PEDAGOGY OF HISTORY AS ITS EXPLICIT TASK )T CORRECTS THE OMISSIONS OF OFlCIAL HISTORY BY INSERTION TAKING A PRIMARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM IN WHICH CHILDREN HAVE MADE THEIR OWN DRAWINGS AND POSTERS OF CONTRIBUTIONS TO BLACK HISTORY AS ITS INITIAL MODEL FOR CORRECTION (ISTORY AND PEDAGOGY ARE FURTHERMORE TAKEN AS PREDOMINANTLY VISUAL 4HE TASK OF "LACK (ISTORY IS TO EXPOSE THE DISTORTING EFFECTS OF RACIST HISTO RIOGRAPHY PARTICULARLY AND INTERESTINGLY AS WE SOON SEE THROUGH #OSBYS EYES THE HISTORY OF !FRICAN !MERICAN PEOPLE IN THE CINEMA AND TO PUT THE ISSUE OF REPRESENTATIONAL JUSTICE AS SOCIAL REPRODUCTION ON THE NATIONAL AGENDA THROUGH THE WONDERS OF ITS NATIONAL MEDIUM TELEVISION 4HIS IS IN OTHER WORDS A lLM ABOUT lLMS MADE FOR 46 DURING A MOMENT OF A CERTAIN OPTIMISM ABOUT TELEVISIONS NATIONAL PEDAGOGICAL ROLE 4HE lRST SECTIONS OF "LACK (ISTORY THUS MAKE THE FOLLOWING ARGUMENT OFlCIAL HISTORY INCLUD ING SANCTIONED TEACHING PRACTICES AND PRESCRIBED RACIST HISTORIOGRAPHY DISTORTS POPULAR CULTURE DISTORTS ONE MUST SPEAK BACK IN ANGER TO DISTOR TION 3IMILAR TO &ERGUSONS OWN INSISTENCE ON THE ALIGNMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND LITERATURE THE lLM FOR MOST OF ITS DURATION REFUSES FOR GOOD REASONS TO SEPARATE THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF QUANTIlED OR LEGITIMATED KNOWLEDGES SUCH AS SOCIOLOGY AND INSTITUTIONALIZED !MERICAN HISTORY FROM THE ARTS OF REPRESENTATION SUCH AS lLM BOTH NATURALIZE DEGRADATION BOTH DO SO EFFECTIVELY ,ETHALLY AND APPARENTLY EQUIVALENTLY !T THE END OF THE lLM HOWEVER #OSBYS NARRATION MYSTERIOUSLY EVAPO RATES AND THE lLM DWELLS FOR TEN OR SO MINUTES ON THE EFFORTS OF ONE MAN IN A 0HILADELPHIA STOREFRONT PRESCHOOL TO CLOTHE !FRICAN !MERICAN CHILDREN IN THE PSYCHIC AND INTELLECTUAL ARMOR THEY WILL NEED TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST THE RAVAGES AND SCARS OF HISTORY AS IT IS SHAPED BY THE VICTORS 4HOSE TEN MINUTES OF lLM ARE AMONG THE MOST RIVETING ) HAVE EVER SEEN 4HEY RAISE FOR ME A STRUCTURAL QUESTION THAT ARISES DIRECTLY FROM A READING OF &ERGUSON HOW OUGHT WE TO MAKE SENSE OF THE CLEAVAGE THE SPLIT BETWEEN WHAT THE BULK OF THE lLM PRESENTS THROUGH SOMETHING ) THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO
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CALL SOCIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AS A CRISIS ENGENDERED BY REPRESENTATION AND WHAT THE lLM lNALLY PRESENTS AS SOLUTION WHICH IS A DIDACTIC PEDAGOGY OF SELF DETERMINATION HEWING TO BLACK NATIONALIST MASCULINISM PRESUMPTIVELY HETERONORMATIVE ,ET ME SAY THIS ANOTHER WAY ON THE MODEL OF &ERGUSONS ARGUMENT ONE WOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT THE SOCIOLOGICAL LENS PRODUCES THE SAME DISTORTIONS AS THE NATIONALIST ONE THAT THEY BOTH NATURALIZE HETERO NORMATIVITY BY PATHOLOGIZING OR RENDERING PERVERSE NONHETERONORMATIVE FORMATIONS RACIALIZING THE PERVERSE IN THE PROCESS ) WANT TO PROPOSE A COUNTERREADING EMPHASIZING THESE TEN MINUTES OF PEDAGOGY AT THE lLMS END AS PRODUCING AND CIRCULATING AN AFFECTIVE VALUE THAT CANNOT BE CAUGHT IN THE LOGIC OF EQUIVALENCE PROPOSED THROUGH THE SYSTEMATIC MODEL /NE CAN ONLY MAKE SENSE OF AFFECTIVE VALUE IF ONE ABANDONS A CERTAIN LITERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE OF ABSTRACTION AS ENFORCING A LOGIC OF EQUIVALENCE IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE SYMPTOM ,ET ME REVIEW THE lLMS MOVEMENT UP TO THOSE FASCINATING lNAL TEN MINUTES )T MAY NOT BE SURPRISING THAT "LACK (ISTORY ,OST 3TOLEN OR 3TRAYED RELIES ON A PSYCHOTHERAPIST IN ITS OPENING REEL TO RENDER hDEFORMITYv A LITERAL AND HAUNTING IMAGE SINCE THE METHOD OF PSYCHOTHERAPY ENGAGES THE LOGIC OF THE SYMPTOM ) HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING $R %MMANUEL (AMMERS STUDIES OF CHILDRENS DRAWINGS HE WAS AN ART THERAPIST AT .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY SET THE SCENE FOR THE lLMS LONG REVIEW OF THE POLITICS OF !FRICAN !MERICAN REPRESENTATION IN (OLLYWOOD lLM HE COMPARED DRAWINGS DONE BY hNOR MALv CHILDREN THAT IS WHITE CHILDREN AGAINST THOSE DONE BY hPOWERLESS "LACK CHILDRENv THESE ARE (AMMERS PHRASES JUXTAPOSING CHEERFUL IMAGES OF HOME AND FAMILY WITH HORRIFYING SELF PORTRAITS OF AMPUTATED LIMBS AND LYNCHINGS 7ORRISOME AS SUCH IMAGES ARE THE lLM STEAMROLLS OVER THEM QUICKLY ASSUMING THAT THEY FUNCTION ADEQUATELY AS PROOF THAT REPRESENTA TIONS YIELD KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PSYCHIC EFFECTS OF UNSPECIlED AND UNDIF FERENTIATED INEQUALITY DEGRADATION EXPLOITATION AND DOMINATION !T THE SAME TIME THESE IMAGES ATTEST TO THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE REALITY OF !FRICAN !MERICAN LIFE IS CONCEALED THROUGH FALSE REPRESENTATIONS OF !MERICA A SUNNY STICK CRAYON DRAWING ON EVERY REFRIGERATOR DOOR MASKS THE WOUNDS OF A RAVAGING LIFEWORLD 3O TOO DO THE MOVIES "LACK (ISTORY SPENDS THE BULK OF ITS TWO REELS ON HOW CINEMA OR MEDIA BECOME THE CENTRAL CULTURAL ORGAN FOR STEALING HISTORY FOR REPRODUCING DISTORTION "LACK (ISTORY THUS lNDS ITSELF IN THE SAME ARGUMENTATIVE STANCE AS &ERGUSONS BOOK IT UNMASKS THE ERRORS OF WHICH IT ITSELF IS LIKEWISE GUILTY 0ERHAPS DOUBLY SO SINCE THIS lLM ABOUT lLM CIRCULATES ON TELEVISION AND STRUCTURES ITS ADDRESS TO A VIEWER CAL CULATED SOCIOLOGICALLY IT RESISTS THE HERMETIC READINGS A CERTAIN STRAIN OF HIGH lLM THEORY MIGHT BRING TO IT THAT WOULD ISOLATE ITS TEXTUAL OPERATIONS FROM ITS CIRCULATION ON THE SMALL SCREEN &ROM MINSTREL SHOWS TO "IRTH OF A
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.ATION "LACK (ISTORY IS OFF AND RUNNING FURTHERMORE WITH AN ASSESSMENT OF CINEMAS NORMATIVE CAPACITY TO SHAPE UNDERSTANDING AS WELL AS TO MAKE MONEY FOR WHITE !MERICANS ON THE BACKS OF BLACK MEN #INEMA FEMINIZES ANIMALIZES INFANTILIZES h%VERYTHING SUGGESTED THE "LACK MAN WAS NOTH INGv -OVING ON TO 3TEPIN &ETCHIT /UR 'ANG THE lLMS OF 3HIRLEY 4EMPLE AND "ILL h"OJANGLESv 2OBINSON "LACK (ISTORY SEES (OLLYWOOD ICONS AS THEIR MASTERS PETS STARS WHO NONETHELESS hHAD TO COME IN A PICTURE THROUGH THE SERVANTS ENTRANCEv 7HEN CURRENT SOI DISANT LEFTIST SCHOLARS TRY TO RETRIEVE EXPLOITATIONTHOSE SERVANTS PORTERS CHAUFFEURSAS SUBVERSIVE THIS S ANGER REDUCTIVE AS IT IS COMES AS A WELCOME REPRIEVE "LACK (ISTORY IS CONCERNED WITH THE VISCERAL EFFECTS OF DEGRADATION TOO WITH HOW HISTORY SEARS PIERCES PENETRATES #OSBY ENDS THE lRST REEL THIS WAY h(OL LYWOOD FOLKS DIDNT SUSPECT THAT SCENES LIKE THE ONE WITH 3HIRLEY 4EMPLE COULD MAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE MOSTLY BLACK SICK TO THEIR STOMACHS 4HIS IS A LOT OF FUN ISNT IT v (ISTORY HURTS .ORMATIVITY KILLS !ND THE WOUND IS INmICTED ON THE BLACK MAN h)T WAS ALWAYS THE WOMEN WHO WERE DOMINANT v ACCORDING TO THE LOGIC OF "LACK (ISTORY 7HEN THE SECOND REEL TURNS TO NEWSREELS TO BLACK CAST PICTURES hALL "LACK BUT THE WHITE MANS PICTUREv TO !MOS AND !NDY AND TO TELEVISION IT IS IN ORDER TO SOUND THE SAME NOTE hTHE PATTERNS COME JUMPING OUTv ABOUT THE CONTAINMENT OF BLACK MASCULINITY &ROM 5NCLE 4OMS #ABIN IN TO THE CONTEMPORARY lLM 'UESS 7HOS #OMING TO $INNER THESE REPRESENTATIONS FUNCTION AS THE GROUND FOR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT A CERTAIN FORM OF INEQUALITY A TERRAIN ON WHICH TO COUNT UP AND DISPLAY THE REPETITIVE MARKS OF A PEOPLES PSYCHIC DESTRUC TION 4HE LESSON OF THE MOVIES 'ET RICH LOOK WHITE SUCCEED ON THE WHITE MANS TERMS OR DIE .OT UNTIL ALMOST HALFWAY THROUGH THE SECOND REEL DOES "LACK (ISTORY REVEAL ITS OWN SENSE OF ITS ULTIMATE PURPOSE TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING ABOUT THIS hNEW GENERATIONv THAT IN IS ASSERTING ITSELF )T SEEKS IN OTHER WORDS AND TO A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE AUDIENCE TO EXPLAIN BLACK POWER BLACK NATIONALISM THE COMING INTO BEING OF YOUNG PROUD AND ANGRY BLACK !MERICAN MEN 4HAT THE TERMS OF AN ASSERTED HUMANITY REQUIRE LEGITIMA TION EXPLICATION AND ANALYSIS TESTIlES TO THE POWER OF THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION ON THE NATIONS TELEVISION SCREENS 7HAT IS SURPRISING HOWEVER IS THE FORM IN WHICH THE LEGITIMATION COMES THE PARTICULAR FORM IN WHICH THE SYMPTOM DEVASTATED MASCULINITY lNDS THE CURE MASCULINISM ON THE MODEL OF BLACK NATIONALISM )T IS OF COURSE THROUGH lLM ITSELF AND THE AFFECT lLM PRODUCES CIRCULATES SETS IN MOTION
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*NBHJOBUJPO *OTUSVDUJPO BOE#MBDL)JTUPSZ !GAIN THE LAST TEN MINUTES OF "LACK (ISTORY ,OST 3TOLEN OR 3TRAYED FOCUS ON THE EFFORTS OF ONE TEACHER *OHN #HURCHILL IN A 0HILADELPHIA STORE FRONT SCHOOL CALLED THE &REEDOM ,IBERTY $AY 3CHOOL TO GIVE !FRICAN !MERICAN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN hTHE EMOTIONAL ARMOR THEY NEED TO PROTECT THEMSELVESv 4HE lLM TAKES US IN OTHER WORDS FROM ONE CLASSROOM IN WHICH THE DISTORTIONS OF HISTORY ARE REPRODUCED YET CORRECTED TO ANOTHER CLASSROOM IN WHICH THE DISTORTIONS OF HISTORY ARE BARRED ENTRANCE !S ) HAVE SAID #OSBYS VOICE OVER NARRATION WHICH RETURNS AT THE lLMS END HAS BY THIS POINT BEEN ENTIRELY DISPLACED WITHOUT EXPLICATIONAS THOUGH THIS CHUNK OF lLM WAS SPLICED ONTO QUITE A DIFFERENT PROJECTAND IS REPLACED WITH A VÏRITÏ STYLE RECORD OF THE CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES WITH THE CAMERAS HELD LOW AND IN THE MIDST OF THE CLASSROOM EXCHANGES AMONG VERY YOUNG CHILDREN 4HE SEQUENCE JUXTAPOSES A QUESTION AND ANSWER ROUTINE IN WHICH #HURCHILL ENGAGES WITH HIS STUDENTS A DIALOGUE THAT OCCUPIES MOST OF THE SCREEN TIME WITH A SHORT LESSON #HURCHILL TEACHES THE STU DENTS ABOUT MATHEMATICS A LESSON OFFERED AT A HIGH LEVEL OF ABSTRACTION FOR PRESCHOOL STUDENTS h! NUMBER IS A CONCEPT OF QUANTITY OR AMOUNT v #HURCHILL EXPLAINS TO HIS STUDENTS WHO REPEAT HIS EXPLANATION BACK TO HIM RATHER THAN SAY COUNTING FROM ONE TO TEN 4HE LESSONS LEVEL OF ABSTRACTION ABOUT WHICH MORE IN A MOMENT REMINDS THE VIEWER THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE EXTREMELY BRIGHT AND CAPABLE A RECOGNITION THAT FOREGROUNDS AS A RESULT THE ROTE AND DIDACTIC NATURE OF THE DIALOGUE WHICH IS ALSO OBVIOUS FROM THE STUDENTS QUICK AND FORMULAIC ANSWERS TO #HURCHILLS QUESTIONS WITH VARIATIONS ON THIS BASIC THEME 7HAT IS YOUR NATIONALITY -Y NATIONALITY IS !FRO !MERICAN 7HAT DO YOU WANT ) WANT FREEDOM 7HEN DO YOU WANT IT ) WANT IT NOW (OW ARE YOU GOING TO GET YOUR FREEDOM "Y ANY MEANS NECESSARY 7HAT IS FREEDOM &REEDOM IS "LACK 0OWER (OW OLD ARE YOU &OUR YEARS OLD !RE YOU SURE YOURE FOUR 9ES 9OURE SIX YEARS OLD .O
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!RE YOU BEING FRIGHTENED BY ME .O !RE YOU A .EGRO .O )M !FRO !MERICAN !RE YOU A mUNKIE !RE YOU A BOY .O )M A MAN 7HAT KIND OF MAN )M "LACK AND )M BEAUTIFUL
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4HE DIDACTIC NATURE OF THE DIALOGUE MAKES IT NO LESS COMPELLING NO LESS ASTONISHING &OR WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING IN THIS BACK AND FORTH IS THE SHAPING OF AGENCY THE HONING OF SOME TOOLS THAT WILL REDRESS THE FORMS OF SHAME LOSS AND DELEGITIMATION THESE CHILDREN WILL FACE hAFTER SCHOOLv 7HEN THE FOUR YEAR OLD %RIC HOLDS HIS GROUND INSISTING THAT HE IS FOUR AND NOT SIX HE BEGINS TO PRY APART SYMPTOM FROM AGENCY HE DISTINGUISHES HIS DEGRADATION FROM HIS ABILITY FORCEFULLY TO ENTER INTO AN ASSERTION OF THE MOST DElNITIVE ELEMENTS OF HIS BEING EVEN IF ONLY FOR THE MOMENT BEFORE HE MUST REOCCUPY THE ROLE OF THE LITTLE -AN 4HE VIEWER WITNESSES THAT STRUGGLE UP CLOSE AT ABOUT %RICS LEVEL AS HE CHOREOGRAPHS HIS DElANT STEP INTO A REALM BEYOND HIS OWN EXPERIENCE $ESPITE THE CENTRIFUGAL PRESSURES TOWARD A NORMATIVE ARTICULATION OF THAT AGENCY THE SEQUENCE PRODUCES AN AFFECTIVE CHARGE ) WANT TO ARGUE THAT CARRIES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION BUILDING A CORE OF PRIDE AGAINST THE FORCES OF ITS DISPERSION #HURCHILL EXPLAINS THE PURPOSES OF HIS BADGERING TO THE STUDENTS IN THIS WAY
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7HAT ) DID IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DO TO YOU IN DIFFERENT WAYS WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS SCHOOL 4HEYRE NOT GOING TO COME RIGHT UP TO YOU AND GIVE YOU A DOLLAR AND SAY h)F YOU SAY YOURE AN !MERICAN .EGRO )LL GIVE YOU A DOLLARv 4HEYRE GOING TO BE VERY NICE TO YOU SOME OF THEM AND THEYRE GOING TO TRY TO GET YOU NOT TO LOVE "LACK PEOPLE 4HEYRE GOING TO TRY TO GET YOU TO BE SOMETHING OTHER THAN YOU ARE 4HEYRE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE IT SEEM AS THOUGH YOURE DIFFERENT FROM "LACK PEOPLE 9OU MUST REJECT THAT $O YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS 9OURE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE MONEY YOUD LIKE TO HAVE -ONEY IS NOT WHAT MATTERS 4HE ONLY THING THAT MAKES A PERSON WORTH BEING IS BEING A MAN AND BEING A WOMAN BEING STRONG IN CHARACTER BEING STRAIGHT TELLING THE TRUTH AND LIVING THE TRUTH AND DOING THE RIGHT THING
4HIS IS A GOOD LESSON IT SEEMS TO ME IN THE POWERS OF THE NORMATIVE AND IN THEIR DEADLY PRESSURES EVEN AS IT MIGHT SEEM ALSO TO REPRODUCE NORMATIVE GENDER AND SEXUAL VALUE CODINGS 4HIS LESSON ABOUT hWHATS OUT THEREv IS WHAT HAUNTS ME AT NIGHT MORE THAN THE PARTICULAR FORMS IN WHICH THE NORMATIVE ASSERTS ITSELF IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS THAT SOMEONE QUEER CAN HEAR THOUGH THE ADDRESS IS NOT PACKAGED THROUGH THE LOGIC OR LANGUAGE
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OF NON OR ANTIHETERONORMATIVITY 4HE POWERS OF THE NORMATIVE DO NOT YIELD THEMSELVES AT ALL TIMES ACCORDING TO SYSTEMATIC RULES OF EQUIVALENCE WHERE WHAT IS PROGRESSIVE LINES UP HISTORICALLY OR THEORETICALLY WITH CONTENT ALONE #HURCHILLS DIDACTIC PEDAGOGY HERE YIELDS TO AN ELABORATION OF ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR LIVING STAGED IN THE lLM ITSELF 4HE CHALLENGE IS TO PARSE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRESCRIPTIONSYMPTOM AND LIVINGAGENCY TO RESIST THE DESIRE TO TELL THE OLD STORY ABOUT HOW BLACK NATIONALISM IS A RUTHLESSLY MASCULINIST ENTERPRISE OR TO REMARK THE HETERONORMATIVE ASSUMPTIONS WITHOUT MOVING ON 4HE CHALLENGE IS NOT lNALLY TO CONFUSE SIMILARITY WITH EQUIVALENCE ) THINK THESE TEN MINUTES OF lLM SHOW US HOW #HURCHILL IS OFFERING HIS STUDENT TWO LESSONS AFTER ALL A MATHEMATICS LESSON AND A LESSON IN RACIAL ONTOLOGY -Y THESIS IS THAT THE TWO LESSONS SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER AND THROUGH THAT CONVERSATION A MODEL OF AGENCY EMERGES THAT HAS THE CAPACITY TO LINGER TO TARRY WITH THE NORMATIVE TO DWELL THERE FOR THERE IS NOWHERE ELSE 4HE MATHEMATICS LESSON AS ) HAVE SAID OPERATES AT A LEVEL OF ABSTRAC TION ONE MIGHT lND SURPRISING FOR THREE OR FOUR YEAR OLDS #HURCHILL IS ESSENTIALLY TEACHING HIS STUDENTS A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF ARITHMETIC DERIVED FROM lELD THEORY OR NUMBER THEORY HE IS TEACHING THEM HOW TO DERIVE A SO CALLED FACT FROM A CONCEPT h! NUMBER IS A CONCEPT OF QUANTITY OR AMOUNTv ALLOWS THEM ALSO TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF GREATER OR LESSER NUMBERS HIERARCHY BASED ON AN ABSTRACT UNDERSTANDING OF QUANTITY OR AMOUNT 4O PUT IT IN NAIVE EXPERIENTIAL TERMS #HURCHILL IS GIVING HIS TEENY WEENY STUDENTS THAT hAHAv MOMENT THAT COLLEGE LEVEL MATHEMATICS STUDENTS GET OR AT LEAST ) GOT IN ABSTRACT ALGEBRA AFTER ROUGHLY TWO YEARS OF CALCULUS WHEN ONE UNDERSTANDS THE FOUNDATION OF ELEMENTARY ARITHMETIC IN ALGEBRAIC TERMS ARITHMETIC THAT SEEMINGLY SIMPLE SET OF CALCULATIONS THAT CAN BE DONE BY PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IS A PARTICULAR CASE OF A LARGER SET OF RELATIONS OR lELD $OING ARITHMETIC ADDING AND SUBTRACTING MULTIPLYING AND DIVID ING MAYBE JUST COUNTING DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN GREATER AND LESSER IS NOT EQUIVALENT TO UNDERSTANDING lELD THEORY OR NUMBER THEORY IT IS MERELY TO PERFORM IN ROTE TERMS THE RULES THAT GOVERN THE SYSTEM "UT ONE DOES NOT NEED TO UNDERSTAND ALGEBRA IN ORDER TO DO ARITHMETIC 4O PUT IT IN MORE ABSTRACT TERMS #HURCHILL IS OFFERING HIS STUDENTS A LESSON IN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ONE VENTURES BEYOND THE CONlNES OF ONES OWN EXPERIENCE WHEN ONE GETS CAUGHT UP IN THE LOGIC IDENTIlCATIONS ABSTRACTIONS EXCHANGES THAT LIE BEYOND 2ATHER THAN BRINGING INTO BEING AN UNDERSTANDING SIMPLY OF SEQUENTIAL OR CONSECUTIVE RELATIONS SUCH AS THOSE AT WORK IN COUNTING #HURCHILL MODELS THROUGH HIS TEACHING OF ARITHMETIC A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PARTICULAR AND THE UNIVERSAL THAT IS NOT ABOUT THEIR CONTRARIETY BUT THEIR IMBRICATION 4HEY
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ARE NOT STATIC TERMS BUT DYNAMIC ONES IN PLAY WITH ONE ANOTHER AS REASON DEVELOPS AS SELF CONSCIOUSNESS ENTANGLED IN THE STRUCTURES BEYOND ITSELF 4O RETURN BRIEmY TO A RESONANCE WITH ÈIäEKS WORK WHAT #HURCHILL IS OFFER ING RESEMBLES THE DESCRIPTION ÈIäEK OFFERS OF +ANTIAN MATHEMATICAL AND DYNAMIC ANTINOMIES OR OF SEXUALITY ITSELF THE hCRACK IN THE UNIVERSAL v THE hEFFECT ON THE LIVING BEING OF THE IMPASSES WHICH EMERGE WHEN IT GETS ENTANGLED IN THE SYMBOLIC ORDER IE THE EFFECT ON THE LIVING BODY OF THE DEADLOCK OR INCONSISTENCY THAT PERTAINS TO THE SYMBOLIC ORDER QUA ORDER OF UNIVERSALITYv #HURCHILLS TEACHING SETS THAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ABSTRACTION AND INSTANCE IN MOTION (IS STUDENTS PERFORM IN ROTE TERMS A SET OF COUNTERAT TACKS TO RACISM WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE SYSTEMIC RELATIONS OF POWER THAT GIVE RISE TO THEIR SELF PRODUCTION h4HATS KIND OF LIKE BRAINWASHING v "ILL #OSBY SAYS VENTRILOQUIZING THE LIKELY RESPONSES OF THE TELEVISION AUDIENCE WHEN HE RETURNS TO CLOSE THE lLM WITHOUT AT THE SAME TIME CONDEMNING IT "UT SUCH REPETITION IS NOT EQUIVALENT AT THE SAME TIME TO INHABITING EITHER A PATHOLOGIZED VERSION OF !FRICAN !MERICAN EXISTENCE OR A PARTICULAR VIEW OF RESISTANCE TO IT 4HE AFFECTIVE CHARGE OF THESE MINUTES OF lLM ) THINK COMES IN THE DISSONANCE OR LACK OF lT BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE BETWEEN CONCEPTION OF THE WORLD AND ITERATION OF BEING IN IT 7HEN THE YOUNG STUDENT 4RAVIS TELLS #HURCHILL THAT HE IS NOT A BOY BUT A MAN A MAN WHO IS BLACK AND BEAUTIFUL HE IS OBVIOUSLY BOTH RIGHT AND WRONG HE IS A BOY AFTER ALL AND THE HOPE IS THAT HIS WORDS WILL BECOME A PROPHESY THAT HE WILL THINK OF HIMSELF AS BLACK AND BEAUTIFUL WHEN HE BECOMES A MAN AFTER SCHOOL /NE DOES NOT NEED ALGEBRA TO DO ARITHMETIC 4RAVIS CAN STAGE A BECOMING WITHOUT ITS BEING YET ACCOMPLISHED ) THINK WE WOULD DO WELL TO HANG OUT IN THESE GAPS FOR A WHILE TO TARRY IN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TERRORS OF THE NORMATIVE AND OUR NIGHTMARES OF THEM 4HESE AFTER ALL MAY BE SIMILAR BUT NOT EQUIVALENT AND WE HAVE MUCH TO LEARN FROM OTHER STRUGGLES AND OTHER EMBATTLED LIVES OF THAT DIF FERENCE
/PUFT -Y TITLE IS A PUN ON A DIFFERENT POST -ARXIAN ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL ANTAGONISM IN 3LAVOJ ÈIäEK 4ARRYING WITH THE .EGATIVE +ANT (EGEL AND THE #RITIQUE OF )DEOLOGY $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS )BID 2ODERICK ! &ERGUSON !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 4OWARD A 1UEER OF #OLOR #RI TIQUE -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS HEREAFTER CITED IN TEXT
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(ORTENSE * 3PILLERS READS THE -OYNIHAN 2EPORT IN AN INmUENTIAL ESSAY &ER GUSON OUGHT TO HAVE CITED h-AMAS "ABY 0APAS -AYBE !N !MERICAN 'RAMMAR "OOK v REPUBLISHED IN "LACK 7HITE AND IN #OLOR %SSAYS ON !MERICAN ,ITERATURE AND #ULTURE BY (ORTENSE * 3PILLERS #HICAGO 5NIVERSITY OF #HICAGO 0RESS n 3EE 'AYATRI #HAKRAVORTY 3PIVAK $EATH OF A $ISCIPLINE .EW 9ORK #OLUMBIA 5NIVERSITY 0RESS WHEREIN SHE MAKES THE CASE FOR THE HUMANITIES INCLUDING THE STUDY OF LITERATURE AS THE hUNCOERCIVE REARRANGEMENT OF DESIREv AGAINST ATTEMPTS SUCH AS THAT MADE BY *OHN 'UILLORY IN HIS STUDY OF LITERARY CANONS TO LEGITIMATE THE HUMANITIES BY MAKING THEM SCIENTIlC SEE NOTE *OHN 'UILLORY MAKES A SIMILAR POINT ABOUT THE CENTRALITY OF MASS CULTURE IN #ULTURAL #APITAL 4HE 0ROBLEM OF ,ITERARY #ANON &ORMATION #HICAGO 5NIVERSITY OF #HICAGO 0RESS %VE +OSOFSKY 3EDGWICK h1UEER 0ERFORMATIVITY (ENRY *AMES !RT OF THE .OVEL v ',1 3EE FOR EXAMPLE ,ARY -AY 4HE "IG 4OMORROW (OLLYWOOD AND THE 0OLITICS OF THE !MERICAN 7AY #HICAGO 5NIVERSITY OF #HICAGO 0RESS ÈIäEK 4ARRYING WITH THE .EGATIVE
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)N !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 4OWARD A 1UEER OF #OLOR #RITIQUE ) ATTEMPTED TO ADVANCE A MATERIALIST INTERROGATION OF RACIALIZED GENDER AND SEXUALITY ) TRIED TO DO SO BY THEORIZING THE GENEALOGY OF WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM AS INSPIRATION FOR INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSES OF NONHETERONORMATIVE RACIAL FORMATIONS !BERRATIONS USED WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM TO PROVOKE NEW CONSIDERATIONS AROUND THE NATURES OF CULTURE AND CAPITAL NEW CONSIDER ATIONS THAT SUMMED UP IN QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE )T HAS SINCE OCCURRED TO ME THAT WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM ALSO INVITES US TO CONSIDER HOW WE MIGHT RECONSIDER THE ISSUE OF SEXUALITYS DEPLOYMENT IN AN EFFORT TO ASSESS QUEER STUDIES MANAGEMENT OF THAT CATEGORY AND TO USHER QUEER STUDIES INTO ITS FULL CRITICAL POTENTIAL )T IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE AS ) IMPLIED IN !BERRATIONS THAT WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM HAS THE LONGEST ENGAGEMENT WITH RACIALIZED SEXUALITY 4HIS SINGLE FACT MEANS THAT WE MUST ADMIT THAT THERE ARE OTHER TERRAINS FOR THE INTER ROGATION OF SEXUALITY TERRAINS THAT DO NOT BEGIN AND END WITH QUEER STUDIES 1UEER STUDIES TO BE SURE HAS HAD THE MOST CONCENTRATED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CATEGORY OF SEXUALITY AND IN DOING SO HAS MADE CERTAIN INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCES WITHIN THE ACADEMY "UT THOSE STRIDES HAVE IN MANY WAYS CON VINCED QUEER STUDIES THAT ITS ENGAGEMENTS WITH SEXUALITY ARE THE ONLY AND MOST SIGNIlCANT PURSUITS OF THAT FORMATION 1UEER STUDIES HAS ACHIEVED THIS MANEUVER BY TAKING &OUCAULTS VERY IMPORTANT TEXT 4HE (ISTORY OF 3EXUAL ITY VOL !N )NTRODUCTION AS THE PRINCIPAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE QUESTION OF SEXUALITY $OING SO HAS MEANT OCCLUDING CRITICAL SEXUAL FORMATIONS THAT PRECEDED QUEER STUDIES AND &OUCAULTS WONDERFUL INTERVENTION FORMATIONS SUCH AS WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM AN INTERROGATION THAT THEORIZED SEXUALITY AS A CONSTITUTIVE COMPONENT OF RACIAL AND CLASS FORMATIONS )N A MOMENT CHARACTERIZED BY THE INSISTENCE OF QUEER OF COLOR FORMATIONS IN AND OUTSIDE THE ACADEMY WE MUST DEVELOP WAYS TO PUT 4HE (ISTORY OF 3EXUALITY IN DIA LOGUE WITH OTHER HISTORIES AND DEPLOYMENTS OF SEXUALITY &OUCAULT IN 4HE (ISTORY OF 3EXUALITY UNDERSTANDS SEXUALITY AS A DISCUR SIVE FORMATION THAT ARISES EPISTEMOLOGICALLY )N THAT TEXT HE ENGAGES PSY CHOANALYSIS AS THE DOMAIN OF SEXUALITY USING PSYCHOANALYSIS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE HYSTERIZATION OF WOMENS BODIES THE PEDAGOGIZATION OF CHILDRENS SEX
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THE SOCIALIZATION OF PROCREATIVE SEX AND THE PSYCHIATRIZATION OF PERVERSE PLEASURE #ONTINUING TO DESIGNATE PSYCHOANALYSIS AS A POWERFUL EPISTEME FOR SEXUALITYS EMERGENCE &OUCAULT ARGUES IN AN INTERVIEW h/NE lNDS IN THE 7EST A MEDICALISATION OF SEXUALITY ITSELF AS THOUGH IT WERE AN AREA OF PARTICULAR PATHOLOGICAL FRAGILITY IN HUMAN EXISTENCE !LL SEXUALITY RUNS THE RISK AT ONE AND THE SAME TIME OF BEING IN ITSELF AN ILLNESS AND OF INDUCING ILLNESSES WITHOUT NUMBER )T CANNOT BE DENIED THAT PSYCHOANALYSIS IS SITU ATED AT THE POINT WHERE THESE TWO PROCESSES INTERSECTv !S &OUCAULTS TEXT TAKES PSYCHOANALYSIS AND MEDICALIZATION AS RACIALLY DENUDED PROCEDURES AND AS THE TAKEN FOR GRANTED DOMAINS OF SEXUALITYS EMERGENCE THE TEXT HAS MONOPOLIZED THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SEXUAL FOR MATIONS AND STEERED THEM AWAY FROM CONSIDERATIONS OF RACE )N AN EFFORT TO DRIVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT SEXUALITY TOWARD RACIAL MODERNITY ) LOCATED MY OWN INTERROGATION OF THE SIMULTANEITY OF RACE AND SEXUALITY WITHIN AND AGAINST THE DISCURSIVE MANEUVERS OF CANONICAL SOCIOLOGY !TTENDING SPECIlCALLY TO !FRICAN !MERICAN SEXUALITY ) ARGUED h4HE SPECIlC HIS TORY OF !FRICAN !MERICANS CONSTITUTION AS THE OBJECTS OF RACIAL AND SEXUAL KNOWLEDGE THROUGH CANONICAL SOCIOLOGY HAS PRODUCED MODES OF DEPLOY MENT THAT COHERE WITH AND DIVERGE FROM THOSE OUTLINED BY &OUCAULTv )T IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THAT THE HISTORICAL LOCATIONS FOR WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM AND ITS THEORIZATIONS FOR RACIALIZED SEXUALITY WERE TO BE FOUND IN THE INTERSTICES OF ACADEMIC lELDS LIKE ETHNIC STUDIES AND WOMENS STUDIES AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS LIKE THE WOMENS MOVEMENT ANTIRACIST SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AMONG BLACKS #HICANO,ATINOS !SIAN !MERICANS .ATIVE !MERICANS AND THE LABOR MOVEMENT 4HESE HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES MEAN THAT THEORIZATIONS OF RACIALIZED SEXUALITY DO NOT ACTUALLY BELONG TO ANY DISCIPLINE INTERDISCIPLINE OR SOCIAL MOVEMENT )NDEED THE HISTORICITY OF THEORETICAL ENDEAVORS AROUND RACIALIZED SEXUALITY RENDERS THEM ECCENTRIC TO ACADEMIC AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONALITY AN INSTITUTIONALITY THAT OFTEN TRIES TO FORCE HETEROGENEOUS FORMATIONS WITHIN SINGULAR PRONOUNCEMENTS AND DEPLOYMENTS OF hSEXUALITY v hRACE v hCLASS v AND hGENDERv /NE WAY TO SUMMARIZE WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISMS CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF SEXUAL ITY IS TO SAY THAT THESE PARTICULAR FEMINIST FORMATIONS INSIST ON THE HISTORICAL SPECIlCITY AND HETEROGENEITY OF hSEXUALITY v A SPECIlCITY AND HETEROGENEITY DENOTED AS RACIAL DIFFERENCE !S WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINIST THEORIZATIONS OF RACIALIZED SEXUALITY HAD MANY DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ANALYZING THE INTERSEC TIONAL MANEUVERS OF RACE AND SEXUALITY MEANS ATTENDING TO THE HISTORICAL SPECIlCITY AND DIVERSITY OF RACIALIZED SEXUALITYS LOCATIONS 4HIS MATERIAL SPECIlCITY PRODUCES A TENSION BETWEEN THEORIZATIONS OF RACIALIZED SEXUALITY AND EFFORTS TO CAPTURE THOSE THEORIZATIONS WITHIN UNIVERSALIST ENUNCIATIONS OF SEXUALITY 4HIS ATTENTION TO THE SPECIlCITY AND DIVERSITY OF RACIALIZED SEXUALITY INTERSECTS WITH &OUCAULTS OWN THEORIZATIONS OF THE EPISTEME AS
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;4HE= EPISTEME IS NOT A SORT OF GRAND UNDERLYING THEORY IT IS A SPACE OF DISPERSION IT IS AN OPEN AND DOUBTLESS INDElNITELY DESCRIBABLE lELD OF RELATION SHIPS 4HEY MAKE IT POSSIBLE FURTHERMORE TO DESCRIBE NOT A UNIVERSAL HISTORY WHICH SWEEPS ALONG ALL THE SCIENCES IN A SINGLE COMMON TRAJECTORY BUT THE KINDS OFTHAT IS TO SAY OF REMANENCES AND TRANSFORMATIONCHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT DISCOURSES
)F SEXUALITY IS AN EPISTEMOLOGICAL PROJECT CHARACTERIZED BY DISPERSION OPENNESS AND INlNITE DESCRIPTIONS THEN WE CANNOT ASSUME THAT ANY ONE THEORY OF SEXUALITY CAN EXPLAIN SEXUAL FORMATIONS REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY ARE DIFFERENTIATED BY RACE GENDER CLASS ETHNICITY AND NATIONALITY 7HAT IS THE STATUS OF SEXUALITY IF WE RESITUATE IT AS THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL EFFECT OF WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM )N THIS DISCUSSION OF WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM ) HAVE PRESUMED THAT SEXUALITY IS NOT AN OBJECT THAT BELONGS TO ONE PARTICULAR lELD OF INQUIRY BUT IS A NETWORK OF RELATIONS THAT CONSTITUTE KNOWLEDGE AND SOCIALITY )NDEED WE MIGHT OBSERVE THIS RELATION WITHIN SEVERAL IF NOT ALL DISCIPLINES AND INTERDISCIPLINES QUEER STUDIES ONLY ONE AMONG THEM 4AKING SEXUALITY TO BE ONE OF THE CRITICAL OUTCOMES OF WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM CAUTIONS US AGAINST ASKING THE QUESTION OF SEXUALITY AND DISCIPLINARITY THIS WAY h(OW CAN WE MAKE SEXUALITY THE OBJECT OF !FRICAN !MERICAN STUDIES OR ANY OTHER DISCIPLINE FOR THAT MATTER v )NSTEAD THE HISTORY OF WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM BEGS US TO ASK THE QUESTION THIS WAY h)N WHAT WAYS HAS THE RACIALIZED CLASSED AND GENDERED DISCOURSE KNOWN AS SEXUALITY DISPERSED ITSELF TO CONSTITUTE THIS PARTICULAR DISCIPLINE OR INTER DISCIPLINE v 4HE FORMER TAKES SEXUALITY AS AN OBJECT THAT CAN BE CONTROLLED AND ADMINISTERED AN OBJECT CHARACTERIZED BY A SINGULARITY 3EXUALITY IS THE GIFT PRESENTED TO THE DISCIPLINE 4AKING SEXUALITY AS PROPERTIED OBJECT ACTUALLY LAYS THE GROUND FOR THE EMERGENCE OF RATIONAL AGENTS WHO CONTROL AND ADMINISTER SEXUALITYS DEPLOYMENT AGENTS WHOSE PRIVILEGED ACCESS TO AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE OBJECT IS NOTHING LESS THAN A RACIAL PROJECT IN AND OF ITSELF )N THE LATTER FORMULATION HOWEVER SEXUALITY UNDERGOES A PROCESS OF DIFFERENTIATION HENCE IT IS RACIALIZED CLASSED AND GENDERED 4HE LATTER FORMULATION EMPHASIZES SEXUALITY AS A DISCOURSE TO ALIENATE SEXUALITY FROM ITS PRESUMED STATUS AS OBJECT 4HE HISTORY OF WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM THUS NECESSITATES A CRITIQUE OF THE PROPERTIED STATUS OF SEXUALITY AND THE RATIONAL STATUS OF ITS PRESUMED PROPRIETORS !S DISCOURSE SEXUALITY ENJOYS AUTONOMY AND SELF DIRECTION AND CANNOT THEREFORE BE REDUCED TO DISCIPLINARY OR INTERDISCIPLINARY AGENTS 3EXUALITY DOES NOT PASSIVELY AWAIT A DISCIPLINE OR INTERDISCIPLINES ATTENTION )T IS IN
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FACT CONSTITUTIVE OF THE DISCIPLINES AND INTERDISCIPLINES )T IS ACTIVE HAVING SPECIlC ENGAGEMENTS WITH EACH EPISTEMOLOGICAL CONTEXT "Y APPREHENDING SEXUALITY AS THE CRITICAL PRODUCT OF WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM WE MIGHT OFFER THE FOLLOWING POSTULATES ABOUT SEXUALITY s 3EXUALITY IS NOT AN OBJECT OF STUDY THAT ANY ONE lELD CAN CLAIM OR AN OBJECT THAT CAN BE STOLEN FROM A DISCIPLINES GRASP )NDEED AS WE PRESUME THAT SEXUALITY IS THE PROPERTY OF THIS CRITICAL TERRAIN OR THAT ONE WE FACILITATE CANONIZATION RATHER THAN DISRUPT IT s 3 EXUALITY IS NOT EXTRANEOUS TO OTHER MODES OF DIFFERENCE 3EXUALITY IS INTERSECTIONAL )T IS CONSTITUTIVE OF AND CONSTITUTED BY RACIALIZED GENDER AND CLASS FORMATIONS 4HIS FORMULATION PRESUMES GENEALOGIES OF SEXUALITY THAT COLLIDE WITH BUT STEAL AWAY FROM ARTICULATIONS OF SEXUALITY IN QUEER STUDIES )NDEED AS QUEER STUDIES INSISTS THAT OUR ANALYSES OF SEXUALITY WITHDRAW FROM THEORIZATIONS OF RACIALIZED GENDER AND CLASS FORMATIONS QUEER STUDIES PROVES INADEQUATE FOR UNDERSTANDING SEXUALITYS BROAD EPISTEMIC DISPERSIONS s 3EXUALITY BROADLY DElNES SETS OF RELATIONS THAT TRAVERSE LOCAL ANTAGONISMS AND DIVISIONS BETWEEN DISCURSIVE lELDS 3EXUALITY PRESUMES A CRITICAL INTERDISCIPLINARITY THAT HAS NO TREPIDATION ABOUT DISCIPLINARY OR FOR THAT MATTER INTERDISCIPLINARY CONSTRAINTS AND BOUNDARIES !S INTERDISCIPLINARY SITES SUCH AS QUEER STUDIES LOCATE SEXUALITY WITHIN ONE EPISTEMIC TERRAIN IE PSYCHOANALYSIS OR ATTEMPT TO ARROGATE SEXUALITY TO QUEER STUDIES ALONE THOSE SITES PROVE INTERDISCIPLINARITYS COMPLICITY WITHIN DISCIPLINARITY RATHER THAN INTERDISCIPLINARITYS REBELLION AGAINST THE DISCIPLINES
4HIS ESSAY PURSUES ONE OTHER DEPLOYMENT OF SEXUALITY )T DOES SO BY FOCUSING ON THE EMERGENCE OF !FRICAN !MERICAN INTELLECTUAL AND MIDDLE CLASS FORMATIONS IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY AND BY CLAIMING THAT WHAT WE KNOW TODAY AS !FRICAN !MERICAN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY IS ONE DOMAIN OF SEXUALITY AND INDEED IS A DISCOURSE OF SEXUALITY ITSELF )N FACT THE GENEALOGY OF AN INQUIRY OF THIS TYPEONE THAT PRESUMES !FRICAN !MERICAN INTEL LECTUAL FORMATIONS AS SITES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DISCOURSES OF SEXUALITY AND MORALITYARISES FROM BLACK FEMINIST HISTORIOGRAPHY IN PARTICULAR %VELYN (AMMONDS FOR INSTANCE THEMATIZES THE DISCURSIVE COMPONENTS OF BLACK WOMENS SEXUALITY IN THIS WAY lRST THERE WAS THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY PATHOLOGIZATION OF BLACK FEMALE SEXUALITY AS PART OF COLONIAL AND SLAVE REGIMES AS WELL AS THE SHAPING OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES FOR THAT PATHOLO GIZATION 3ECOND THE NINETEENTH CENTURY SAW THE EMERGENCE OF BLACK WOMEN REFORMERS h53 BLACK WOMEN REFORMERS ;WHO= BEGAN TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO COUNTER NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES OF THEIR SEXUALITY AND THEIR USE AS A JUSTIlCATION FOR THE RAPE LYNCHING AND OTHER ABUSES OF "LACK WOMEN BY WHITESv !S (AMMONDS STATES THOSE REFORMERS RELIED ON DISCOURSES OF h6ICTORIAN MORALITY TO DEMONSTRATE THE LIE OF THE IMAGE OF THE SEXU
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ALLY IMMORAL "LACK WOMENv (AMMONDS ALSO NOTES THAT THE STRATEGIES OF SILENCE AND THE CULTURE OF DISSEMBLANCE AROUND SEXUALITY THAT BLACK WOMEN REFORMERS DEVELOPED EXTENDS TO PRESENT DAY DISCUSSIONS OF BLACK WOMENS SEXUALITY ) WOULD LIKE TO TROUBLE THIS HISTORICAL MOMENT IN PAR TICULARTHE ONE IN WHICH BLACK MIDDLE CLASS AND INTELLECTUAL FORMATIONS RESPONDED TO PATHOLOGIZATION BY ASSUMING GENDERED AND SEXUAL MORALITY ) WISH TO EXTEND (AMMONDSS CONSIDERATIONS AND THE WORK BY OTHER BLACK FEMINIST THEORISTS AND HISTORIANS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY BY FOCUSING NOT SO MUCH ON HOW THE MORAL DISCOURSES ASSOCIATED WITH REFORMERS OF THE PERIOD PRODUCED A SILENCE AROUND SEXUALITY BUT HOW THE PRODUCTION OF !FRICAN !MERICAN SEXUAL NORMATIVITY PROVIDED THE GRAMMAR AND LOGIC FOR RACIALIZED STRATEGIES OF GOVERNMENTALITY WITHIN THE 5NITED 3TATES !S ) TRY TO ILLUSTRATE IN THE BODY OF THE TEXT THE OVERARCHING QUESTION OF THE EPISTEMIC DISPERSIONS OF RACIALIZED SEXUALITY HAS SIGNIlCANCE FOR HOW WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND SEXUALITY AS A MODE OF RACIALIZED GOVERNMENTALITY AND POWER "Y THEORIZING SEXUALITY AS A MODE OF RACIALIZED GOVERNMENTAL ITY ) ACTUALLY WANT TO REKINDLE AN ASPECT OF 4HE (ISTORY OF 3EXUALITY THAT WE SEEM TO HAVE DRIFTED AWAY FROMTHAT IS THE CONSIDERATION OF SEXUALITY AS AN OPERATION OF POWER !ND BY CONCENTRATING ON THE LATTER PARTS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY ) WANT TO PRESENT WHAT WERE THE PRECONDITIONS FOR THE FORMATIONS THAT ) DISCUSSED IN !BERRATIONS
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4FYVBMJUZBOE(PWFSONFOUBMJUZ BOPQFSBUJPO 7ITH THE END OF THE #IVIL 7AR IN THE 5NITED 3TATES FACED THE ISSUE OF HOW TO MANAGE A NEWLY ENFRANCHISED POPULATION OF BLACK EX SLAVES (ENCE THE 53 GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED THE "UREAU FOR THE 2ELIEF OF &REEDMEN AND 2EFUGEES POPULARLY KNOWN AS THE &REEDMENS "UREAU 0ART OF THE BUREAUS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WAS TO PROVIDE FOR EDUCATION 4O THIS END THE BUREAU FOUNDED ONE THOUSAND SCHOOLS FOR FORMER SLAVES AND ALSO ASSISTED WITH THE FOUNDING OF THE MAJOR BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES )N 4HE 3OULS OF "LACK &OLK 7 % " $U"OIS FRAMES THE FOUNDING OF THESE SCHOOLS WITHIN BOTH THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND ECONOMIC POSSIBILITIES OF THIS POPULATION (E WRITES h)N THE MIDST THEN OF THE LARGER PROBLEM OF .EGRO EDUCATION SPRANG UP THE MORE PRACTICAL QUESTION OF WORK THE INEVITABLE ECONOMIC QUANDARY THAT FACES A PEOPLE IN THE TRANSITION FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO MAKE THAT CHANGE AMID HATE AND PREJUDICE LAWLESSNESS AND RUTHLESS COMPETITIONv 7ITHIN THIS MOMENTDElNED BY SUCH ISSUES AS THE ECONOMIC INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL MANAGEMENT OF A NEWLY FREED POPULATIONWE CAN OBSERVE BOTH A DIS COURSE OF SEXUALITY SPECIlC TO !FRICAN !MERICAN RACIAL FORMATIONS AND A
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GENEALOGY OF GOVERNMENTALITY WITHIN THE 5NITED 3TATES 4HIS DISCOURSE AND GENEALOGY WOULD SEEK TO CONSTRUCT THE !FRICAN !MERICAN MIDDLE CLASS AS THE ORIGINAL MODEL MINORITY )N THE ESSAY h'OVERNMENTALITY v &OUCAULT ARGUES 4HE ART OF GOVERNMENT AS BECOMES APPARENT IN THIS LITERATURE IS ESSENTIALLY CONCERNED WITH ANSWERING THE QUESTION OF HOW TO INTRODUCE ECONOMYTHAT IS TO SAY THE CORRECT MANNER OF MANAGING INDIVIDUALS GOODS AND WEALTH WITHIN THE FAMILY WHICH A GOOD FATHER IS EXPECTED TO DO IN RELATION TO HIS WIFE CHILDREN AND SERVANTS AND OF MAKING THE FAMILY FORTUNES PROSPERHOW TO INTRODUCE THIS METICULOUS ATTENTION OF THE FATHER TOWARDS HIS FAMILY INTO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE STATE
(ERE &OUCAULT SUGGESTS THAT THE TACTICS OF GOVERNMENTALITY HAVE THEIR GENESIS IN THE STRATEGIES NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THE HETEROPATRIARCHAL FAMILY 4HE MANAGEMENT OF STATE RESOURCES THEREFORE COMES FROM THE GENDERED AND SEXUALIZED MANAGEMENT OF FAMILIAL RESOURCES "UT &OUCAULT GOES ON TO SAY THAT THE FAMILY CEASES TO BE THE MODEL ON WHICH GOVERNMENTALITY IS BASED %VENTUALLY FAMILY IS REPLACED BY POPULATION (E STATES ;0OPULATION= IS THE POINT AROUND WHICH IS ORGANIZED WHAT IN SIXTEENTH CENTURY TEXTS CAME TO BE CALLED THE PATIENCE OF THE SOVEREIGN IN THE SENSE THAT THE POPULATION IS THE OBJECT THAT GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IN ALL ITS OBSERVATIONS AND SAVOIR IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GOVERN EFFECTIVELY IN A RATIONAL AND CONSCIOUS MANNER 4HE CONSTITUTION OF A SAVOIR OF GOVERNMENT IS ABSOLUTELY INSEPARABLE FROM THAT OF A KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THE PROCESSES RELATED TO POPULATION IN ITS LARGER SENSE THAT IS TO SAY WHAT WE NOW CALL ECONOMY
!S POPULATION SUPPLANTS FAMILY GOVERNMENTALITY CEASES TO BE ORGANIZED AROUND THE QUESTION OF HOW TO ECONOMIZE A HOUSEHOLD AND IS INSTEAD ORGANIZED ON HOW TO ECONOMIZE A POPULATION 4HE TRANSITION FROM HOUSE HOLD TO POPULATION HOWEVER DOES NOT NULLIFY THE GENDERED AND EROTICIZED TACTICS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DOMESTIC MODEL OF GOVERNMENTALITY )NDEED THAT TRANSITION BEGS THE QUESTION OF HOW THOSE GENDERED AND SEXUALIZED STRATEGIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAMILY WERE INSERTED INTO THE STRATEGIES APPROPRIATE TO ECONOMIZING A POPULATION 7E MIGHT IN FACT WITNESS THIS INSERTION THROUGH THE WIDER CONTEXTS SURROUNDING !FRICAN !MERICAN ENFRANCHISEMENT IN THE NINETEENTH CEN TURYTHE DISFRANCHISEMENT OF THE WHITE HETEROPATRIARCHAL SLAVE OWNING HOME THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN THE SOUTHERN 5NITED 3TATES FROM TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND WITH THAT ESTABLISHMENT THE EMERGENCE OF !FRICAN !MERICAN MIDDLE CLASS SUBJECTS AND THE RISE OF POSTBELLUM !FRICAN !MERICAN INTELLECTUAL FORMATIONS AND
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THE PROJECT OF 53 IMPERIAL EXPANSION TOWARD THE END OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 7E MIGHT OBSERVE THESE ELEMENTS IN THE WRITINGS OF "OOKER 4 7ASHINGTON AND IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION FOR !FRICAN !MERI CANS 7ASHINGTONS SPEECHES ARE SIGNIlCANT HERE AS THEY EXPLICITLY ATTEMPT TO POSITION BLACK COLLEGES AND IN PARTICULAR INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION AS RACIAL IZED CLASSED GENDERED AND SEXUALIZED SITES OF GOVERNMENTALITY !S AN ADVOCATE FOR INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION AND IN A SPEECH TITLED h)NDUSTRIAL 4RAIN ING FOR 3OUTHERN 7OMEN v 7ASHINGTON EVOKES DOMESTIC GOVERNMENTALITY AS NECESSARY FOR THE SOCIAL AND MORAL BETTERMENT OF !FRICAN !MERICAN WOMEN IN PARTICULAR BUT 3OUTHERN SOCIETY IN GENERAL (E WRITES (ERE AT THE 4USKEEGEE .ORMAL AND )NDUSTRIAL )NSTITUTE IN !LABAMA IN CONNECTION WITH TRAINING THREE HUNDRED GIRLS IN LITERARY BRANCHES SEWING COOKING LAUNDERING MILLINERYING GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SCIENCE FRUITCANNING ETC WE ARE GRADUALLY MOVING INTO THE lELDS OF INDUSTRY MENTIONED IN THE FOREGOING .EXT YEAR WE ARE PLANNING TO GIVE A LARGE NUMBER OF GIRLS TRAINING IN DAIRYING AND THE WORK WILL BE PUSHED ALL ALONG THE LINE JUST AS FAST AS WE CAN SECURE FUNDS WITH WHICH TO START AND PAY EXPENSES OF THESE DEPARTMENTS
&OR 7ASHINGTON INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION FOR BLACK GIRLS DID NOT SIMPLY HAVE COMMERCIAL BENElTS !S HE STATES 4HERE WILL BE THOSE WHO ARGUE THAT SUCH A COURSE OF TRAINING HAS MUCH OF THE UTILITARIAN IDEA IN VIEW AND DOES NOT LAY ENOUGH STRESS ON THE MENTAL AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT 2IGHT HERE IS WHERE THE AVERAGE MAN BLUNDERS 9OU CANNOT GIVE A HUNGRY MAN MUCH MORAL TRAINING 4O SECURE THE HIGHEST MORAL AND RELIGIOUS TRAINING AMONG THE POOR WHITE AND COLORED WOMEN IN THE 3OUTH WE HAVE GOT TO GET THEM TO THE POINT WHERE THEIR STOMACHS CAN BE REGULARLY lLLED WITH GOOD WELL COOKED FOOD
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!S THE SPEECH IMPLIES THE DOMESTIC SCIENCES WERE NOT SIMPLY A MEANS TO PRODUCE PROPER FEMALE SUBJECTS BUT ALSO TO BRING A RECENTLY ENFRANCHISED POPULATION INTO PROPER MORAL PARAMETERS )NDUSTRIAL EDUCATION AND INDEED INDUSTRY WERE MORAL VENTURES THAT COULD REARTICULATE THE MEANING OF BLACK RACIAL DIFFERENCE &OR INSTANCE 7ASHINGTON GOES ON TO ARGUE 0RODUCTION AND COMMERCE ARE TWO OF THE GREAT DESTROYERS OF RACE PREJUDICE )N PROPORTION AS THE BLACK WOMAN IS ABLE TO PRODUCE SOMETHING THAT THE WHITE OR OTHER RACES WANT IN THE SAME PROPORTION DOES PREJUDICE DISAPPEAR "UTTER IS GOING TO BE PURCHASED FROM THE INDIVIDUAL WHO CAN PRODUCE THE BEST BUTTER AND AT THE LOWEST PRICE AND THE PURCHASER CARES NOT WHETHER IT WAS MADE BY A BLACK WHITE BROWN OR YELLOW WOMAN 4HE BEST BUTTER IS WHAT IS WANTED 4HE !MERICAN DOLLAR HAS NOT AN OUNCE OF PREJUDICE IN IT
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2ECOGNITION AND CONlRMATION AS MORAL SUBJECT COULD BE SECURED THROUGH BLACK WOMENS PARTICIPATION IN INDUSTRY #OMMODITIES LIKE BUTTER COULD BE A METONYM OF BLACK INDUSTRY AND MORALITY 4HE COMMODITY WAS NEI THER THE GENERIC PRODUCT OF INDUSTRY NOR A DISCRETE OBJECT SEPARATED FROM THE SOCIAL WORLD OF THE EMANCIPATED 4HE COMMODITY WOULD REPRESENT THE PROOF OF INDUSTRYS BENEVOLENCE AND TUTELAGE AND THE EVIDENCE OF THE BLACK FEMALE SUBJECTS MORAL STATUS )N THIS LOGIC INDUSTRY WOULD PLAY A CRUCIAL PART IN REFORMING THE BLACK SUBJECT FROM DEGENERATE AND IMMORAL PRIMI TIVE TO THE NORMATIVE CITIZEN SUBJECT OF THE 5NITED 3TATES 7E CAN UNDERSTAND 7ASHINGTONS ADDRESS AS FORECASTING AND IDENTIFY ING A NEW AND EMERGENT MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL FORMATION THAT OF THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS 4HE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS AS 7ASHINGTON AVERS WOULD INHERIT MODERNITY BY ADHERING TO GENDER AND SEXUAL PROPRIETY 4HAT IS THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS WOULD BE THE lRST 53 MODEL MINORITY CHAMPIONING CIVIC IDEALS AROUND INDUSTRY CITIZENSHIP AND MORALITY !S A MODEL MINORITY THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS WOULD BE AT THE VANGUARD OF A NEW POLITICAL ECONOMY ONE BASED ON FREE LABOR INDUSTRY AND THE WIDENING EMBRACE OF !MERICAN CITIZENSHIP ) HAVE NOT EVOKED 7ASHINGTON AS A HISTORICAL PERSONA BUT AS THE SHORT HAND FOR A DISCOURSE 3O OFTEN WE ASSUME THE ISSUE OF INDUSTRIAL EDUCA TION TO HAVE BEGUN AND ENDED WITH "OOKER 4 7ASHINGTON /THER TIMES WE PRESUME INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION TO BE A DEBATE BETWEEN 7ASHINGTON AND 7 % " $U"OIS WITH THE LATTER AS INDUSTRIAL EDUCATIONS RADICAL ANTAGO NIST 7HAT DOES ALL OF THIS ASSUME 4HAT INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION SIMPLY ISSUED OUT OF ONE SUBJECT OR ONE OR TWO INSTITUTIONS IE 4USKEEGEE AND THE (AMPTON )NSTITUTE )T ASSUMES THAT INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE EITHER FOR OR AGAINST SOMETHING THAT FUNCTIONED AT THE LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND THAT OPERATED VERY MUCH AS AN IDENTITY )T ASSUMES A DICHOTOMY BETWEEN INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION AND HUMANISTIC TRAINING NEVER KNOWING THAT THIS DICHOTOMY MIGHT HAVE BEEN lCTITIOUS BECAUSE OF SHARED MORAL AND NORMATIVE INVESTMENTS )T ASSUMES THAT INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION IS SIMPLY A POLITICAL MATTER NOT REALLY APPRECIATING INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION AS THE NAME OF ALLIANCE BETWEEN SEXUAL NORMATIVITY AND CITIZENSHIP A UNION THAT WOULD RElNE AND ELABORATE POWER THROUGH TWIN PROCESSES OF NATION ALIZATION AND NORMALIZATION
%FQMPZNFOUBOE1FSWFSTF*NQMBOUBUJPOT 0ART OF THE MORAL FUNCTION OF THIS NEW MODEL MINORITY KNOWN AS !FRICAN !MERICAN WAS TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE THAT THE #IVIL 7AR DID TO THE #ON FEDERATE STATES TO THE NATION AND TO THE WHITE HETEROPATRIARCHAL FAMILY
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)N A SPEECH GIVEN ON -ARCH ON BEHALF OF THE 4USKEEGEE )NSTITUTE 7ASHINGTON STATES 4HEN CAME THE LONG YEARS OF WAR THEN FREEDOM THEN THE TRYING YEARS OF RECONSTRUCTION 4HE MASTER RETURNED FROM THE WAR TO lND THE FAITHFUL SLAVES WHO HAD BEEN THE BULWARK OF HIS HOUSEHOLD IN POSSESSION OF THEIR FREEDOM 4HEN THERE BEGAN THAT SOCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN THE 3OUTH WHICH IT IS HARD FOR ANY ONE WHO WAS NOT REALLY A PART OF IT TO APPRECIATE OR UNDERSTAND 'RADUALLY DAY BY DAY THIS EX MASTER BEGAN TO REALIZE WITH A FEELING ALMOST INDESCRIBABLE TO WHAT AN EXTENT HE AND HIS FAMILY HAD GROWN TO BE DEPENDENT UPON THE ACTIVITY AND FAITHFULNESS OF THEIR SLAVES BEGAN TO APPRECIATE TO WHAT AN EXTENT SLAVERY HAD SAPPED THE SINEWS OF STRENGTH AND INDEPENDENCE HOW THE DEPENDENCE UPON SLAVE LABOR HAD DEPRIVED HIM AND HIS OFFSPRING OF THE BENElT OF TECHNICAL AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AND WORST OF ALL HAD UNCONSCIOUSLY LED THEM TO SEE IN LABOR DRUDGERY AND DEGRADATION INSTEAD OF BEAUTY DIGNITY AND CIVILIZING POWER ,OWER AND LOWER SANK THE INDUSTRIAL lNANCIAL AND SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF THE HOUSEHOLD 7ITHIN A FEW MONTHS THE WHOLE MISTAKE OF SLAVERY SEEMED TO HAVE CONCENTRATED ITSELF UPON THIS HOUSEHOLD )F THERE WAS PROOF WANTING THAT SLAVERY WROUGHT ALMOST AS MUCH INJURY UPON THE 3OUTHERN WHITE MAN AS UPON THE BLACK MAN IT WAS FURNISHED IN THE CASE OF THIS FAMILY
4HE AFTERMATH OF THE #IVIL 7AR FOR 7ASHINGTON MAKES THE WHITE SLAVE MASTER AWARE OF HOW THE MASTERS HOUSEHOLD AND THE PLANTATION ECONOMY DEPENDED ON THE SLAVES 2ETURNING TO THE PLANTATION AFTER THE #IVIL 7AR THE WHITE SLAVE MASTER CAN SEE HOW THE CONDITIONS OF SLAVERY HAD EQUIPPED THE SLAVE WITH INDUSTRIAL AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND LEFT THE SLAVEHOLDING FAMILY WITHOUT THIS VITAL EDUCATION )N THE MOMENT OF INDUSTRIAL REVOLU TION WITHIN THE 3OUTH THE SLAVE MASTER PATRIARCH HAD TO CONFRONT HIS OWN TERRIBLE CASTRATION AND HIS RESULTANT INABILITY TO GOVERN AND MANAGE THE FAMILY &OR 7ASHINGTON THE 4USKEEGEE )NSTITUTE AND INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION FACILITATED NOT ONLY THE REFORMULATION OF !FRICAN !MERICAN SUBJECTIVITY AS THE SUBJECT FORMATION APPROPRIATE FOR AN INDUSTRIALIZING 3OUTH BUT ALSO REPAIRED THE WHITE HETEROPATRIARCHAL FAMILY AS IT WAS TORN ASUNDER BY THE CIVIL WAR AND CAUGHT UNAWARES BY INDUSTRIALIZATION !S 7ASHINGTON STATES h!ND JUST HERE MAY ) MENTION THAT ONE OF THE CHIEF CHARMS AND COMPEN SATIONS OF THE EFFORTS PUT FORTH AT 4USKEEGEE IS IN THE ABUNDANT EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE NOT ASSISTING IN LIGHTENING THE BURDENS OF ONE RACE BUT TWOIN HELPING TO PUT THAT SPIRIT INTO MEN THAT WILL MAKE THEM FORGET RACE AND COLOR IN EFFORTS TO LIFT UP AN UNFORTUNATE BROTHERv 7ASHINGTONS NARRATIVE OF UPLIFT RELATES TO &OUCAULTS THEORIZATION OF GOVERNMENTALITY $ISCUSSING GOVERNMENTALITY AS A DISCOURSE &OUCAULT
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ARGUES THAT hUPWARDS CONTINUITY MEANS THAT A PERSON WHO WISHES TO GOVERN THE STATE WELL MUST lRST LEARN HOW TO GOVERN HIMSELF HIS GOODS AND HIS PAT RIMONY AFTER WHICH HE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN GOVERNING THE STATEv 7E MIGHT REVISE &OUCAULTS ARGUMENT IN LIGHT OF 7ASHINGTONS ADDRESS BY ARGUING THAT THE SPECIlCALLY RACIALIZED CIRCUMSTANCES FOR GOVERNMENTALITY WITHIN THE 5NITED 3TATES AT THE END OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY MEANT THAT !FRICAN !MERICAN SUBJECTS SEEKING TO EMBODY THE IDEALS OF !MERICAN CITIZENSHIP HAD NOT ONLY TO GOVERN THEMSELVES AND THEIR HOUSEHOLDS BUT ALSO TO ASSIST IN THE MANAGEMENT AND RECUPERATION OF WHITE HETEROPATRIARCHY (ENCE IN THIS CONTEXT UPWARD CONTINUITY WAS NOT ONLY COMPOSED OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SELF AND HOUSEHOLD ONLY TO BE FOLLOWED BY lTNESS FOR SOCIETAL GOVERNANCE )N THE CONTEXT OF !FRICAN !MERICANS THE RECUPERATION OF WHITE HETEROPA TRIARCHY WAS THE INTERMEDIARY STEP BETWEEN GOVERNANCE AT THE MICROLEVEL AND GOVERNANCE AT THE MACROLEVEL !S 7ASHINGTON STATES !ND SO LAST OF ALL DID HE ;THE WHITE MAN= EXPECT HELP OR ENCOURAGEMENT FROM AN EDUCATED BLACK MAN BUT IT WAS JUST FROM THIS SOURCE THAT HELP CAME 3OON AFTER THE PROCESS OF DECAY BEGAN IN THIS WHITE MANS ESTATE THE EDUCATION OF A CERTAIN BLACK MAN BEGANBEGAN ON A LOGICAL SENSIBLE BASIS )T WAS AN EDUCATION THAT WOULD lT HIM TO SEE AND APPRECIATE THE PHYSICAL AND MORAL CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED IN HIS OWN FAMILY AND NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN THE PRESENT GENERATION AND WOULD lT HIM TO APPLY HIMSELF TO THEIR RELIEF
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'OVERNMENTALITY IN THIS INSTANCE IS ABOUT THE RACIALIZED SUPPRESSION OF ANTAGONISMS THAT ARISE OUT OF MATERIAL AND HISTORIC DISPARITIES 4HIS SUPPRESSION TOOK AS ITS GOAL THE SIMULTANEOUS NATIONALIZATION AND NORMAL IZATION OF BLACK SUBJECTS WITHIN THE STATES AND MOREOVER ATTACHED THESE MANEUVERS TO THE RECUPERATION OF WHITE HETEROPATRIARCHY 4HE APPRO PRIATENESS OF !FRICAN !MERICANS FOR THIS RECUPERATIVE TASK ACCORDING TO 7ASHINGTON COULD BE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THE VISIBILITY OF !FRICAN !MERICAN INDUSTRY AND DEPORTMENT $ISCUSSING THIS VISIBILITY AS OBJECT LESSONS 7ASHINGTON ARGUED h/BJECT LESSONS THAT SHALL BRING THE 3OUTH ERN WHITE MAN INTO DAILY VISIBLE TANGIBLE CONTACT WITH THE BENElTS OF .EGRO EDUCATION WILL GO MUCH FURTHER TOWARDS THE SOLUTION OF PRESENT PROBLEMS THAN ALL THE MERE ABSTRACT ARGUMENT AND THEORIES THAT CAN BE EVOLVED FROM THE HUMAN BRAINv $ISCOURSES OF GOVERNMENTALITY ARE FAR FROM BEING TOP DOWN THEORIES OF POWER SUGGESTING THE PASSIVITY OF THOSE CAUGHT UNDER REGIMES OF GOVERNMENTALITY 4HIS THEORY OF GOVERNMENTAL ITY COHERES WITH &OUCAULTS DESCRIPTION OF POWER IN THE lRST VOLUME OF 4HE (ISTORY OF 3EXUALITY )N THAT TEXT POWER ACHIEVES ITSELF NOT THROUGH INTERDICTION PREVENTION AND PROHIBITION BUT THROUGH ENCOURAGEMENT INCITEMENT AND EXHORTATION h7HAT SUSTAINS OUR EAGERNESS TO SPEAK OF SEX IN TERMS OF REPRESSION IS DOUBTLESS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST
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POWERS THAT BE TO UTTER TRUTHS AND PROMISE BLISS TO LINK ENLIGHTENMENT LIBERATION AND MANIFOLD PLEASURESv 7HILE THE !FRICAN !MERICAN MIDDLE CLASS WERE NOT EAGER TO SPEAK OF SEX IN THE WAYS THAT &OUCAULTS CONSTITU ENCY IS IN THE ABOVE QUOTE &OUCAULTS EMANCIPATED CONSTITUENCY AND THE !FRICAN !MERICAN MIDDLE CLASS DO INDEED CONVERGE OVER THEIR PRESUMP TIONS THAT AGENCYWHETHER SEXUAL OR MORALIS THE OVERTHROW OF PRIOR FORMS OF POWER RATHER THAN A NEW CIRCUITRY FOR POWER !S THE CASE OF THE !FRICAN !MERICAN MIDDLE CLASS ILLUSTRATES GOVERNMENTALITY ACTUALLY DESCRIBES POWERS ACTIVATION THROUGH THE CONSTITUTION OF AGENCY RATHER THAN THE ABOLITION OF IT
8BSBOE4FYVBM(PWFSONFOUBMJUZ 4HE DOMAIN OF !FRICAN !MERICAN SEXUALITYA DOMAIN PUNCTUATED WITH NOTIONS OF GENDER AND SEXUAL PROPRIETY MORALITY DOMESTIC HEALTH AND EDUCATION VIRILE MANHOOD AND GENTEEL FEMININITYIS AN ARENA WHOSE FOUNDATIONS ARE LAID BY !FRICAN !MERICAN INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE 7E MIGHT SAY THAT OBJECT LESSONS NOT ONLY REFER TO THE PRODUCTION OF LITERAL OBJECTS BUT ALSO TO THE PRODUCTION OF NORMATIVE GENDER AND SEXUALITY 4HE COMMODITY AND GENDERSEXUAL NORMATIVITY HAD SIMILAR FUNCTIONSBOTH PROVED THE BLACK SUBJECTS lTNESS FOR AN INDUSTRIAL ORDER ALL THE WHILE TRI ANGULATING THE NORMATIVE IMPERATIVES OF STATE CAPITAL AND !FRICAN !MER ICAN EDUCATION &OR &OUCAULT GOVERNMENTALITY ADDRESSES THE ARRANGEMENT OF THINGS )N THE GENDERED AND SEXUALIZED CONTEXT OF NINETEENTH CENTURY !FRICAN !MERICAN RACIAL FORMATIONS GOVERNMENTALITY WAS ALSO ABOUT THE PRODUCTION OF THINGS HERE GOVERNMENTALITY CONCERNS NOT ONLY THE STATE BUT LABOR AND INDUSTRY AS WELL 4HIS NEW SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENTAL ITY ENLISTED MINORITIZED SUBJECTS AS THE NEW ARRANGERS AND PRODUCERS OF THINGS 4HIS NEW ARRANGEMENT AND PRODUCTION ATTEMPTED TO RECUPERATE RACIALIZED HETEROPATRIARCHY IN A GENERAL EFFORT TO RESTORE THE 53 NATION )T IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS EFFORT AT RESTORATION WAS MUCH MORE THAN A NATIONAL PROJECT BUT ACTUALLY ENDEAVORED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE VIRILITY OF THE 53 IMPERIAL PROJECT 4HE REUNIlCATION OF THE 3OUTH WAS HENCE PART OF THE FORCIBLE UNIlCATION OF FORMER 3PANISH TERRITORIES !S 3HELLEY 3TREEBY NOTES IN !MERICAN 3ENSATIONS #LASS %MPIRE AND THE 0RODUCTION OF 0OPULAR #ULTURE h7E MIGHT CONSIDER THE 3OUTH NOT JUST AS THE 53 3OUTH BUT ALSO AS A TRANSBORDER CONTACT AND CONmICT ZONE ENCOMPASSING -EXICO #UBA THE #ARIBBEAN AND OTHER PARTS OF THE OLD 3PANISH EMPIRE IN #ENTRAL AND 3OUTH !MERICAv !FRICAN !MERICAN INTELLECTUAL FORMATIONS ARE TO A LARGE DEGREE PRODUCED OUT OF THIS GENEALOGY OF GOVERNMENTALITY )NDEED "OOKER 4 7ASHINGTONS TEXT ! .EW .EGRO FOR A .EW
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#ENTURY !N !CCURATE AND 5P TO $ATE 2ECORD OF THE 5PWARD 3TRUGGLES OF THE .EGRO 2ACE CONNECTS THE #IVIL 7AR TO THE 3PANISH !MERICAN 7AR 4HE TEXT DOES SO BY ARGUING THAT THE LATTER HELPED SEAL THE RIFTS THAT THE #IVIL 7AR DRAMATIZED !S THE INTRODUCTION STATES h3ECTARIANISM WHICH THREATENED THE DISRUPTION OF THE 5NION IN HAS BEEN BANISHED FOREVER 4HE CRIES OF AN ENTHRALLED AND AFmICTED PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ANSWERED AND HUMANITY HAS BEEN REDEEMEDv )N A CHAPTER TITLED h!FRO !MERICAN 6OLUNTEERS v 7ASHINGTON STATES h"UT THE DECLARATION OF WAR WITH 3PAIN WAS RESPONDED TO WITH A FERVOR AND ENTHUSIASM IN EVERY 3TATE OF THE 5NION AMONG ALL THE RACE ELEMENTS OF THE POPULATION THAT PUT AT REST FOREVER ANY LINGERING SUSPICION THAT THE 2EPUBLIC WOULD BE DIVIDED IN SENTIMENT IN THE FACE OF A FOREIGN FOEv 4HE BOOK IN ITS DISCUSSION OF WAR REPEATS A MANEUVER ENACTED IN THE SPEECHES ON INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION AS A MORAL IMPERATIVE )N ! .EW .EGRO FOR A .EW #ENTURY AND IN THE SPEECHES GOVERNMENTALITY BECOMES THE SYSTEM OF POWER THAT DRAFTS !FRICAN !MERICANS INTO WAR AND REGIMES OF SEXUAL NORMATIVITY !S THE CONSCRIPTED SUBJECTS OF WAR !FRICAN !MERICANS TES TIFY TO THE PERFECTABILITY OF THE STATE AS THAT SYSTEM THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE A PREVIOUSLY INADMISSIBLE POPULATION WHOSE NATURALIZATION AS CITIZEN IS DUBIOUS AT BEST !S THE CONSCRIPTED SUBJECTS OF SEXUAL NORMATIVITY !FRI CAN !MERICANS SWEAR ON BEHALF OF THE CAPACIOUS EMBRACE OF THE NATION AS THAT MORAL IDEAL THAT CAN AID A GROUP WHOSE STRUGGLE AGAINST PERVERSION IS TENUOUS TO BE SURE "OTH WAR AND SEXUAL NORMATIVITY CLAIMED TO BE ABLE TO DRAFT !FRICAN !MERICANS INTO CITIZENSHIP AND HUMANITY )NDEED THE SIMULTANEITY OF WAR AS WELL AS GENDER AND SEXUAL NORMATIV ITY MEANS THAT WE MIGHT REGARD THE PERIOD BETWEEN 2ECONSTRUCTION AND THE 3PANISH !MERICAN 7AR AS OCCASIONING THE EMERGENCE OF A RACIALIZED NETWORK OF POWER THAT SPEAKS IN ANTICIPATION OF A HUMANITY AND CITIZENSHIP THAT IS SECURED BY PERFORMING SEXUAL AND GENDER NORMATIVITY 4HE GENEAL OGY OF THIS NETWORK OF POWER LIES IN THE EMERGENCE OF !MERICAN NATIONALITY AS WELL AS IN THE SPECIlCITIES OF !FRICAN !MERICAN CITIZENSHIP NORMATIVITY AND INTELLECTUALITY AS THEY AROSE OUT OF 53 COLONIAL EXPANSION (OW MIGHT WE APPLY THIS VERY PRELIMINARY HERMENEUTIC ABOUT 53 GOVERNMENTALITY 4AKE FOR EXAMPLE AN ARTICLE BY AN ANONYMOUS PROPO NENT OF INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION h4HE &UTURE OF THE 2ACE $EPENDENT 5PON THE 2ESTRICTIONS AND (OME 4RAINING OF THE 5NIT OF THE 2ACE v WRITTEN CIRCA 4HERE IS A CRYING NEED IN THE CITY OF 2ICHMOND FOR SOME METHOD OR MEANS TO PUT AN END TO YOUTHFUL IMMORALITYYOUTHFUL OBSTREPEROUSNESS "OYS AT THE AGE OF TWELVE ARE MEN 'IRLS AT THE AGE OF TWELVE ARE WOMEN AND GROWN
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UP OLD MEN AND WOMEN RECOGNIZE THESE MIDGETS AS MEN AND WOMEN 7E WERE WALKING ALONG THE STREET THE OTHER DAY AND SAW A LITTLE GIRL COMING UP THE STREET 4HE GIRL WAS OF ROBUST PHYSIQUE AND IN SHORT SKIRTS 3HE WAS TO APPEARANCE A WELL RAISED CHILD AND WE CONSIDERED HER SUCH #OINCIDENTALLY SHE TURNED INTO THE SAME STREET IN WHICH WE TURNED "EFORE US GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WERE TWO YOUNG MEN APPARENTLY OF GOOD RAISING WELL DRESSED AND COMELY LADS THEY WERE "UT THEIR CONDUCT BELIED THEIR LOOKS 4HIS FACT THEIR LANGUAGE TO THE CHILD WOMAN ATTESTED 4HE CONDUCT OF THE TRIO WAS SUCH AS WOULD PAIN THE HEART OF ANY STUDENTS OF CONDITIONS AS RELATE TO OUR RACE .OW POSSIBLY ALL THREE OF THESE CHILDRENFOR CHILDREN THEY WOULD HAVE IN OTHER DAYS THAN THESE BEEN CONSIDEREDMAY HAVE BEEN SAVED TO THE RACE IF SOME MEANS OF RESTRAINT HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO BEAR TO HAVE IMPRESSED THEM OF THE FOLLY OF THEIR WAY AND THE ULTIMATE END OF THEIR CULTIVATED METHODS
4HE ARTICLE IS FOUND IN THE 4USKEEGEE )NSTITUTE 2ECORDS WE CAN ASSUME THAT IT IS A JUSTIlCATION OF AND ADVERTISEMENT FOR INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION )T JUSTIlES AND ADVERTISES INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION BY FRAMING IT AS THE MORAL ANTIDOTE TO THE IMMORALITY OF BLACK YOUTH AN IMMORALITY THAT ARISES OUT OF URBAN CONDITIONS )T IS A MATURITY INSCRIBED ON THE GIRLS BODY (ER hPHYSIQUEv SUGGESTS FULL WOMANHOOD RATHER THAN YOUTHFUL INEXPERIENCE (ER DRESS ISSUES INVITATIONS TOO GROWN FOR A GIRL TO MAKE 4HE BOYS SHARE A LANGUAGE WITH THE GIRL TOO RIBALD FOR THE ARTICLE TO REVEAL !S THE ARTICLE SUGGESTS INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION MIGHT PROVIDE THEM WITH MORE APPROPRIATE LANGUAGES AND CONDUCTS )N THE ABSENCE OF INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION WHAT WE HAVE IS CHILDREN WHO HAVE COME TO SEX TOO SOON 4HE CHILD ALSO POINTS TO SOCIAL CONDITIONS THAT UNDERMINE THE NORMAL PROGRESSION FROM YOUTH TO ADULTHOOD URBANIZATION AND INDUSTRIALIZATION PRINCIPALLY AMONG THEM )NDUSTRIAL EDUCATION COULD PROVIDE THE RESTRAINTS AGAINST THE ABOMINATIONS THAT THE CITY ENCOURAGED 4HE ARTICLE CONTINUES BY PRESENTING WHAT IS PRINCIPALLY AT STAKE FOR THE AUTHOR AND FOR THE RACE .OW THIS IS BUT ONE ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT REALLY EXISTS IN THIS AND OTHER CITIES )T IS A SHAME THAT SHOULD BE PUBLICLY CONDEMNED BY ALL DECENT PEOPLE THAT GROWN UP MEN HANG AROUND AND hCHINv LITTLE GIRLS WHO OF A RIGHT SHOULD AT THE TIME BE KNEELING BY THE KNEES OF THEIR MOTHERS SAYING THEIR h.OW ) LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEPv "UT THE MEN ARE NOT ALONE TO BE CONDEMNED &OR THE WOMEN TOO LINE UP WITH THE BOYS YET IN THEIR hTEENSv AND ALLOW THEM PRIVILEGES THAT EVEN MEN SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED 4HEY MAKE OF THESE BOYS MEN AFORETIME AND THUS ISSUE THEM INTO AVENUES WHICH BRING SENILITY TO YOUTH AND CONSEQUENTLYSTERILITY OF AGEA lNE PROCESS OF MURDERING BOTH THE PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATION OR PLACING UPON THE LATTER THE BRAND OF IMBECILITY AND WORTHLESSNESS
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4HIS SHOULD BE A MATTER OF GRAVE CONCERN TO EVERY .EGRO WHO HAS THE FUTURE OF THE RACE AT HEART 0ARENTS SHOULD PLACE THE hLIDv DOWN TIGHTER UPON THEIR CHILDREN 4HEY SHOULD RESTRICT THEIR OUTGOINGS AND THEIR INCOMINGS 4HEY SHOULD REGULATE THE CONDUCT OF THE YOUTH WITH THE OLD TIME REGULATOR 4HEY SHOULD BE CAREFUL OF THE COMPANY THEIR CHILDREN KEEP 4HIS SHOULD BE THE POINT THROUGH WHICH A SOCIAL DIVISION SHOULD BE DRAWN 0RIVILEGE SHOULD BE BASED UPON WORTH IN MORALS AND NOT UPON COLOR OR CREED &OR THAT PEOPLE WILL MOST EFFECTUALLY INHERIT THE EARTH WHO IN PROTECTION OF THEIR VIRTUE OF THEIR WOMEN AND OF THEIR BOYS AND GIRLS BUILD THE STRONGEST FENCES 4HEREFORE PUT THE BOOT TO THE IDLER THE hDUDE v THE WORTHLESS PLOTTER AGAINST THE HEARTH AND HOME AROUND WHICH AND IN WHICH THE JEWELS OF THE FAMILY CIRCLETHE COMELY GIRLS AND THE MANLY BOYS WHO ARE THE FUTURE OF THE RACE AND THE PERPETUATORS OF OUR HOPE OF THE YET TO BE
/F COURSE ONE WAY TO READ THIS PASSAGE WOULD BE TO SUGGEST THAT THESE ARE REGULATIONS PARTICULAR TO THIS MOMENT IN 2ICHMOND REGULATIONS THAT PERTAIN ONLY TO THE EARLY YEARS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 5NITED 3TATES )N OTHER WORDS WE MIGHT USE THIS ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT TO CLAIM THE BOUNDED NESS OF THE 5NITED 3TATES AND TO LOCATE !FRICAN !MERICAN RACIAL GENDER AND SEXUAL DISCOURSES lRMLY WITHIN THOSE BOUNDS !NOTHER WAY TO READ THE ARTICLE WOULD BE TO REFRAME THE DISCOURSE OF REGULATION LIFTING IT FROM PRESUMPTIONS THAT THIS DISCOURSE IS DISCRETELY !MERICAN OR !FRICAN !MERICAN )F WE PLACE THE ARTICLE UNDER A FORMULATION OF POWER DElNED AS POWERS MANIFESTATION THROUGH THE RACIALIZED COMPULSION TO GENDER AND SEXUAL NORMATIVITY A NORMATIVE COMPULSION THAT IS PART OF THE LANDMARKS OF WAR THEN THE REGULATIONS THAT THE EDITORIAL CALLS FOR CEASE TO BE LOCAL BUT TRANSLOCAL )N THE CITY WHAT WE SEE HERE IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN AN EMERGING INDIGENOUS BLACK ELITE AND STATE POWER OVER THE REGULATION OF A SUBALTERN BLACK POPULATION )N OTHER WORDS THE !MERICAN CITY ASSUMES THE DANGERS AND NECESSARY REGULATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLONIES 7E MIGHT ALSO CONJECTURE THAT AS !FRICAN !MERICAN NORMATIVE AND NATIONAL FORMATIONS AROSE OUT OF 53 IMPERIALISM !FRICAN !MERICAN ELITES LEARNED THE TACTICS OF SEXUAL AND GENDER REGULATION FROM THE ITINERARIES OF IMPE RIALISM IMPOSING THOSE TACTICS ONTO BLACK POOR AND WORKING CLASS FOLKS 4HAT IS SEXUAL AND GENDER NORMATIVITY REPEATED THE STRATEGIES OF NORMAL IZATION AND NATIONALIZATION THAT CONSTITUTED 2ECONSTRUCTION AND CHARAC TERIZED THE 3PANISH !MERICAN 7AR "Y ADOPTING NORMATIVE GENDER AND SEXUALITY !FRICAN !MERICAN ELITES WAGED WAR AGAINST THE STATES RACIALIZED EXCLUSIONS TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN THE SAME STRATEGIES )T WAS AS IF THE GOOD INDUSTRIOUS AND RESPECTABLE BLACK ELITES OF 2ICHMOND SCOLDED THE YOUTH BECAUSE OF THEIR FAST WAYS IN EFFECT SAYING h7E DIDNT lGHT AND DIE IN THOSE WARS FOR YOU TO ACT LIKE THISv 4HIS IS THE SILENCE THAT WHISPERS
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BETWEEN THE LINES OF THIS ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT THE BATTLE CRY OF WARS LONG PASSED AND UNCEASING ) ENDED !BERRATIONS IN "LACK BY CONSIDERING HOW WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINIST AND QUEER OF COLOR CRITICAL FORMATIONS MIGHT PROVIDE AND INSPIRE CRITIQUES OF REVOLUTIONARY AND CULTURAL NATIONALISMS AND THEIR RESIDENCES IN SOCIOLOGY AND !MERICAN STUDIES .OW WE MIGHT ASK OURSELVES HOW WE MIGHT USE QUEER OF COLOR AND WOMEN OF COLOR FORMATIONS TO INTERVENE IN QUEER STUDIES 4O THIS END ) HAVE TRIED TO USE THIS DISCUSSION OF NINETEENTH CENTURY BLACK INTELLECTUAL AND MIDDLE CLASS FORMATIONS AS AN OCCASION TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT IS FOR ME A VITAL AND HISTORIC INSIGHT OF WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISM 4HAT INSIGHT GOES SOMEWHAT LIKE THIS SEXUALITY HAS A VARIETY OF DEPLOYMENTS IN WHICH WE MIGHT OBSERVE ITS CONSTITUTION THROUGH DISCOURSES OF RACE GENDER AND CLASS %PISTEMOLOGICALLY THIS MEANS THAT WE MUST EMBARK ON CRITICAL JOURNEYS TO LOCATE AND EXPLICATE THOSE DEPLOYMENTS )NSTITUTIONALLY AND POLITICALLY IT INVOLVES ASSESSING THE RACIALIZED GENDERED AND CLASS FORMS OF POWER THAT ISSUE FROM SEXUALITYS MANY EXTENSIVE ROUTES 4O BE SURE IF THERE IS ANY POINT TO THE STUDY OF SEXUALITY AT ALL IT IS IN THE OBSERVATION AND CLARIlCATION OF THIS INSIGHT
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) CAME TO THE 5NITED 3TATES FROM 0AKISTAN IN AS A STUDENT ) HAD COME TO THE 5NITED 3TATES BECAUSE ) HAD A THOUGHT THAT COMING OUT AS A GAY MAN WOULD BE SAFER FOR ME IN THIS COUNTRY !FTER GRADUATING IN ) MOVED TO .EW 9ORK #ITY AND BECAME A MEMBER OF THE 3OUTH !SIAN ,ESBIAN AND 'AY !SSOCIATION 3!,'! ) HAD REALIZED THAT GOING BACK TO 0AKISTAN WAS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME ANYMORE ) WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE KINDS OF WORK THAT ) WANTED TO DO WITH SAFETY IN 0AKISTAN 4HERE IS NO INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE IN 0AKISTAN WHERE ) COULD OBTAIN LEGAL RECOURSE IF THREATENED FOR BEING QUEER !S QUEER IMMIGRANTS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE USUALLY PLACED OUTSIDE IMMIGRATION LAW APPLYING FOR ASYLUM SEEMED TO BE THE ONLY STRATEGY WHERE ) DID NOT FEEL THAT ) WAS COMPROMISING MYSELF AS A GAY MAN (ETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGE AND WORKING A JOB ) DID NOT LIKE FOR YEARS TO GET A GREEN CARD DID NOT SEEM LIKE ATTRACTIVE CHOICES #HOOSING TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM INSTEAD OF AVAILING MYSELF OF OTHER OPTIONS ALSO BECAME A POLITICAL CHOICE &URTHERMORE ) STRONGLY BELIEVED IN MY CLAIM AND FELT THAT UNDER 53 IMMIGRATION LAW ) lT THE CATEGORIES OF ASYLUM ) DID HAVE A GENUINE FEAR THAT IF ) LED LIFE AS AN OPENLY GAY MAN IN 0AKISTAN MY LIFE WOULD BE IN DANGER 3AEED 2AHMAN h3HIFTING 'ROUNDS FOR !SYLUM &EMALE 'ENITAL 3URGERY AND 3EXUAL /RIENTATION v #OLUMBIA (UMAN 2IGHTS ,AW 2EVIEW
4HE SEXUAL HISTORY OF !SIAN DIASPORAS IS BEING WRITTEN ACROSS NATIONS INSTITUTIONS THEIR PUBLICS )N THIS ESSAY ) WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT ONE PRIVILEGED SITE AND SET OF INSTITUTIONS IN WHICH THE hSEXUAL HISTORYv OF THE !SIAN DIASPORA IS PRODUCED ORGANIZED AND SUBJECTED TO REGULATION 4HAT IS ) WOULD LIKE TO INVESTIGATE THE hHISTORY OF SEXUALITYv FOR !SIAN DIASPO RAS WHOSE LINES OF DISPERSION CROSS 53 SPACE 7HAT KIND OF hHISTORY OF SEXUALITYv IS BEING WRITTEN IN THIS COLLISION OF DIASPORIC GROUPS AND 53 SPACE &OR NEARLY TWO CENTURIES THIS COLLISION HAS IN ACTUALITY PRODUCED A GENEALOGY OF SEX FOR BOTH THE 53 NATION STATE AND hMODERNIZEDv DIAS PORAS 4HE h#HINESE PROSTITUTEv CONSECRATED BY THE 0AGE ,AW OF AND THE h#HINESE BACHELORv FORMED IN THE RESIDUE OF SUCCESSIVE #HINESE %XCLUSION !CTS FROM TO ARE JUST SOME OF THE MOST FAMOUS lG URES TO EMERGE FROM THIS COLLISION "UT ) SET MY SIGHTS TODAY ON ONE OF THE NEWEST lGURES TO EMERGE FROM THE ANNALS OF THE SEXUAL HISTORY OF THE 3OCIAL 4EXT n 6OL .OS n &ALLn7INTER ¥ BY $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS
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!SIAN DIASPORA 4HIS lGURE LIKE HIS COUNTERPARTS IN PREVIOUS HISTORICAL PERIODS IS TO BE FOUND IN THE LEGAL TEXT AND ITS SUPPLEMENTARY GENRES SUCH AS PUBLIC HEALTH ANTHROPOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY 4HE lGURE IS NAMED THE hGAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT v AND HE IS FOUND IN IMMIGRATION PROCEEDINGS JURIDICAL CASES AND LEGAL JOURNALS 4HOUGH MURMURS OF HIS EXISTENCE HAVE BEEN HEARD BEFORE AND DEBATE AS TO WHETHER HE WAS REAL CONTINUED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS HE CROSSED A CERTAIN THRESHOLD OF REALITY IN THE MID S AND EMERGED ONTO THE LEGAL CULTURAL AND SOCIAL SCENE IN AN ATTIRE AND VOICE FULLY SUITED TO CLAIM EQUAL PERSONHOOD AT THE TABLE !ND LIKE HIS PREDECES SORS 53 IMMIGRATION LAW REMAINS THE DElNING APPARATUS FOR HIS JURIDICAL AND DISCURSIVE CONSTITUTION 4HE EPIGRAPH OFFERS A REPRESENTATIVE INSTANCE OF HIS SPEECH AS IT HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY AND DEPOSITED INTO THE ANNALS OF LAW )T COMES FROM THE NARRATIVE TESTIMONY OF 3AEED 2AHMAN RECORDED IN THE PAGES OF THE #OLUMBIA (UMAN 2IGHTS ,AW 2EVIEW IN 2AHMAN IS A hGAYv 3OUTH !SIAN IMMIGRANT LIVING IN .EW 9ORK #ITY WHO SUCCESSFULLY PETITIONED THE )MMIGRATION AND .ATURALIZATION 3ERVICE ).3 FOR hASYLEEv STATUS BASED ON HIS CLAIM OF hBELONGING TO A PERSECUTED SOCIAL GROUPv 2AHMANS EXPE RIENCE IS ONE OF ONLY A FEW HUNDRED CASES IN WHICH THE APPLICANTS hSEXUAL ORIENTATIONvTHAT IS HIS hHOMOSEXUALITYvQUALIlED HIM FOR MEMBERSHIP IN A hSOCIAL GROUPv "UT 2AHMANS DISCOURSE MARKS A CERTAIN LIMINALITY WITHIN BOTH NORMATIVE DIASPORIC FORMATIONS AND THE NATION STATE EACH OF WHICH DEPENDS ON THE RACIALIZED INSTITUTIONS OF KINSHIP AND FAMILY A POINT TO WHICH ) RETURN LATER IN THIS ESSAY 4HE VERY SITE IN WHICH 2AHMANS HOMOSEXUALITY IS RECORDED AND PROTECTED BY THE LAW IS ALSO A SITE PARTIALLY DETERRITORIALIZED FROM THE NATION STATE &OR WHILE ASYLUM LAW WITHIN THE 5NITED 3TATES IS GOVERNED BY THE )MMIGRATION AND .ATIONALITY !CT THE JUDGES WHO PRESIDE OVER THESE ADMINISTRATIVE CASES ARE GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD AS EXEMPT FROM SOME OF THE MANDATES OF NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW THAT OTHERWISE DElNE ADMISSION INTO THE 5NITED 3TATES )NSTEAD THESE JUDGES ARE BOUND TO BROADLY DElNED hINTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTSv STANDARDS AND INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW AS ESTABLISHED BY THE #ONVENTION 2ELATING TO THE 3TATUS OF 2EFU GEES (ENCE AS THE GLOBALIZATION SCHOLAR 3ASKIA 3ASSEN HAS ARGUED ASYLUM LAW IS ONE INSTANCE BY WHICH NONNATIONAL OR GLOBAL FORCES ARE CREATING A DE FACTO IMMIGRATION POLICY ONE THAT FAR FROM BINDING THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE NATION BEGINS TO DELINK SOVEREIGNTY AND THE NATION STATE IN IMPORTANT WAYS )N THIS WAY ASYLUM CASES REPRESENT hANOMALOUS STATESv FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF NATIONAL RIGHT MARKING INSTEAD THE EMERGENCE OF SUPPOSEDLY NEW CAPITALIST SOCIAL FORMATIONS THAT ARE PARASITICAL OF THE MODERN INSTITU TIONS OF THE STATE AND ITS FORMS OF POWER )F 2AHMAN AND THE FEW HUNDRED LEGAL CASES SIMILAR TO HIS ENTERS THE NATIONAL RECORD THROUGH THE LAW AND
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THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE BORDER SUCH AS THE ).3 COURTROOM THAT ENTRANCE BETRAYS A TRANSFORMATION OF THOSE VERY INSTITUTIONS )NDEED HIS DESIGNA TION AS A hHOMOSEXUALv WITHIN THE LEGAL RECORD IS AT ONCE A SYMPTOM OF THE CONTEMPORARY FORMS AND FORCES OF A CAPITALIST GLOBALIZATION )N THIS ESSAY ) ARGUE THAT THE JURIDICAL APPEARANCE OF THE hGAY 0AKI STANI IMMIGRANTv MUST BE SITUATED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE NEOLIBERAL RESTRUCTURING OF STATE POWER %XAMINING THE BROADER DISCURSIVE AND MATE RIAL REORGANIZATION OF 53 IMMIGRATION POLICY IN THE S THROUGH THE &AMILY 2EUNIlCATION !CT MOREOVER ) CLAIM THAT THE RECONSTITUTION OF STATE POWER THROUGH THE DEPLOYMENT OF hFAMILYv CONSTITUTES THE CONDITIONS OF POSSIBILITY FOR THE JURIDICAL RECOGNITION OF THE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT !S A lGURE AT THE LIMIT OF NATIONAL LAW THE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT MARKS IN FACT AN IMPORTANT AND CONSTITUTIVE TENSION WITHIN THE NATIONAL RECORD AND THE PRACTICE OF GOVERNANCE IT SUBTENDS &OR THE lGURE LIKE THE #HINESE PROSTITUTE AND #HINESE BACHELOR BEFORE IT IS PRODUCED IN THE CONmICTS AND CONTRADICTIONS EXPRESSED BY THE STATE 4HIS CRITIQUE REQUIRES US TO SITUATE THAT ENlGURING STATEMENT THE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF NEOLIBERALISM THE NAME FOR THE CONTEMPORARY MODE OF CAPITALIST ACCU MULATION AND THE LOGICS BROADLY SPEAKING THAT ORGANIZE CURRENT POLITICAL PRACTICE AND SOCIAL RULE ENFOLDING THE DISCURSIVE PRACTICE OF hFAMILYv
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7HILE NEOLIBERALISM ELABORATES A WORLD HISTORICAL CONTEXT IT HAS ARTICU LATED WITH THE NATION STATE DIFFERENTLY IN THE GLOBAL .ORTH AND THE GLOBAL 3OUTH )N BOTH CASES NEOLIBERAL ECONOMIC POLICIES AND PROGRAMS BEGUN IN THE LATE S HAVE STRESSED THE OPENING OF MARKETS THE lNANCIALIZA TION OF CURRENCY REGIMES THE PRIVATIZATION OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES SECTOR AND THE COMMODIlCATION AND CAPITALIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL LIFE #OMPOSED OF SUCH PRACTICES AND LOGICS NEOLIBERALISM HAS MOST POWERFULLY AFFECTED THE IMAGINED RELATION BETWEEN THE STATE AND CIVIL SOCIETY DISORGANIZING THE FANTASY STRUCTURE IF NOT THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE SO CALLED CLOSED WELFARE ECONOMIES HEGEMONIC DURING THE PERIOD OF NEOLIBERALISMS EMER GENCE !S 'AYATRI #HAKRAVORTY 3PIVAK HAS WRITTEN IN AN ESSAY ON THE POLITICS OF DIASPORIC STUDIES IN OUR TRANSNATIONAL TIMES hWITHIN THE DEl NITION OF AN IDEAL CIVIL SOCIETY IF THE STATE IS A WELFARE STATE IT IS DIRECTLY THE SERVANT OF THE INDIVIDUAL 7HEN INCREASINGLY PRIVATIZED AS IN THE .EW 7ORLD /RDER ;OF NEOLIBERALISM= THE PRIORITIES OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY ARE SHIFTED FROM SERVICE TO THE CITIZEN TO CAPITAL MAXIMIZATIONv 9ET WHILE hTHE UNDERMINING OF THE CIVIL STRUCTURES OF SOCIETY IS NOW A GLOBAL SITUA TION v 3PIVAK SUGGESTS THAT
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A GENERAL CONTRAST CAN BE MADE IN THE .ORTH WELFARE STRUCTURES LONG IN PLACE ARE BEING DISMANTLED 4HE DIASPORIC UNDERCLASS IS OFTEN THE WORST VICTIM )N THE 3OUTH WELFARE STRUCTURES CANNOT EMERGE AS A RESULT OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE TRANSNATIONAL AGENCIES 0OLITICAL ASYLUM AT lRST SIGHT SO DIFFERENT FROM ECONOMIC MIGRATION lNALLY lNDS IT MUCH EASIER TO RE CODE CAPITALISM AS DEMOCRACY )T TOO THEN INSCRIBES ITSELF IN THE NARRATIVE OF THE MANIPULATION OF CIVIL STRUCTURES IN THE INTEREST OF THE lNANCIALIZATION OF THE GLOBE
!S 3PIVAK ARGUES THE PARTICULAR STRUCTURAL ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS ON GLOBAL 3OUTHERN COUNTRIES THE POSTCOLONIAL AND DECOLONIZING COUNTRIES CONTINUE TO EFFECT A DISMANTLING OF THE STATE AND THE NATIONAL ECONOMY AS AGENCIES AND SITES FOR SOCIAL REDISTRIBUTION 5NDER SUCH CONSTRAINTS THE NATIONAL CITIZEN AS A lGURE OF RECENT DECOLONIZATION IS BY NECESSITY DISIN TERRED FROM THE STATE 4HIS CITIZEN THEN OPERATES AS THE PERSISTENT REMINDER OF THE STATES INABILITY AND FAILURE TO ACHIEVE SECURITY FOR ITS CITIZENRY AGAINST THE RAVAGES THAT DAILY ACCOMPANY NEOLIBERAL CAPITALISM )MPORTANTLY THE SEIZURE OF CITIZENSHIP DISCOURSE BY THE hNEW SOCIAL MOVEMENTSv IN THE GLOBAL 3OUTH REMAINS A COMPELLING CATACHRESIS IN THE GLOBALIZED lGHT FOR JUST LIFE IN PART BECAUSE IT NECESSARILY FOREGROUNDS THE SPLITTING OF NATION AND STATE FROM THEIR MODERNIST CONlGURATION AS THE hNATION STATEv BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURES OF NEOLIBERAL CAPITALISM 9ET AS 3PIVAK REMINDS US IMMIGRANT ADVOCACY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PROJ ECTS IN THE GLOBAL .ORTH THAT MAKE THEIR APPEALS TO THE STATE ARE IMPLICATED IN THE VERY STRUCTURE OF GLOBAL INEQUITY THAT CONTINUES TO SEPARATE NATION FROM STATE IN THE GLOBAL 3OUTH &OR IN THE GLOBAL .ORTH 3PIVAK REVEALS THE CITIZEN REMAINS CONSONANT WITH THE STATE NOT DESPITE BUT PRECISELY BECAUSE OF NEOLIBERALISM 7E MUST THEREFORE ASK AFTER HOW THE PROMULGATION OF A POLITICS OF CITIZENSHIPMOST OFTEN EXPRESSED AS THE DESIRE TO PARTAKE IN CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET DESIGNED BY THE WELFARE STATEMIGHT ONLY FURTHER THE ENDS OF NEOLIBERALISM RATHER THAN THWART IT )NDEED THIS OBSERVATION SUGGESTS THAT WE RESPECIFY WHAT HAS COLLOQUI ALLY BEEN UNDERSTOOD AS THE CONTEMPORARY hDISMANTLING OF THE WELFARE STATEv IN THE 5NITED 3TATES &OR IN ACTUALITY NEOLIBERALISM HAS NOT PRECIPI TATED ENTIRELY THE STATES DISMEMBERMENT OR THE EROSION OF ITS SOCIAL SAFETY NET 2ATHER IT HAS ENTAILED THE REORGANIZATION OF THE STATE THROUGH lRST THE CONSOLIDATION OF A WELFARE STATE FOR LOWER MIDDLE THROUGH UPPER CLASS 53 CITIZENS AND CITIZEN CLONES PROFESSIONAL GREEN CARD HOLDERS 4HIS CONSOLIDATION PROMISES NOT hSOCIAL REDISTRIBUTIONv BUT RATHER THE DISTRIBU TION OF ENTITLEMENTS AND THE SECURITY TO WIELD AND EXERCISE THOSE ENTITLEMENTS IN A NOW hINTERNATIONALIZEDv CIVIL SOCIETY )N THIS PROCESS THE REDISTRIBUTIVE FUNCTIONS TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE WELFARE STATE ARE INDISTINGUISH ABLE FROM THE SOCIAL REPRODUCTION AND GROWTH OF CAPITAL 0UT OTHERWISE WE
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CAN SAY THAT WHILE THE WELFARE STATE IS ORGANIZED TO REPRODUCE LABOR POWER AND SIMULTANEOUSLY REGULATECAPTURE LABOR THE CURRENT hPOSTWELFARE STATEv GOVERNMENTALITY IS ORGANIZED TO PRODUCE WEALTH THROUGH THE EXTENSION AND PRODUCTION OF NEW DOMAINS AND MODES OF VALORIZATION 4HE PRIVATIZATION AND PUBLIC INVESTMENT OF RETIREMENT FUNDS AND THE GROWTH OF THE K CAPITAL INVESTMENT SECTOR ARE A CASE IN POINT 3ECOND WE HAVE WITNESSED THE STATES REVOCATION OF THIS WELFARE STRUC TURE AND OF SOCIAL RIGHTS FOR THE RACIALIZED POOR AND THE NONCITIZEN CLASS ALSO IN THE NAME OF CITIZEN SECURITY 3INCE THE MID S THIS HAS BECOME A PARTICULARLY SALIENT PHENOMENON 4HE PASSAGE OF THREE LINKED FEDERAL LAWSTHE 7ELFARE 2EFORM !CT THE )LLEGAL )MMIGRATION 2EFORM !CT AND THE #OUNTERTERRORISM !CTTOGETHER WORKED TO POLITICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISENFRANCHISE THE NONCITIZEN AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TO REDI RECT CAPITALS SURPLUSES BACK INTO THE ECONOMY )N EACH INSTANCE SUCH ACTS WERE FACILITATED DISCURSIVELY THROUGH PRACTICES OF SECURITY -OREOVER THESE ACTS SPECIlCALLY DENIED IMMIGRANTS THE BASIC RIGHTS OF ALL WORKERS AT A TIME WHEN THE IMMIGRANT IS A CATEGORY PRIMARILY COMPOSED OF ,ATINO !SIAN AND #ARIBBEAN PEOPLE /R TAKE FOR EXAMPLE THAT THE ENDING OF AFlRMATIVE ACTION IN MAJOR REVENUE STATES SUCH AS #ALIFORNIA AND 4EXAS COINCIDED WITH THE BUILDUP OF THE hPRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXv IN THESE VERY SAME STATES )N BOTH CASES THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF THE RACIALIZED NONCITIZEN IMMIGRANT AND THE RACIALIZED CITIZEN POOR IS DEVISED IN THE NAME OF SECURITIZING CIVIL SOCIETY FOR ITS ENTITLED SUBJECT THE CITI ZEN AS CAPITALIST AND ITS JURIDICAL CLONES )N ADDITION THE CURRENT WAR ORIGINALLY JUSTIlED AS PROTECTING h!MERICANv LIVES HAS EXTENDED THIS GOV ERNMENTALITY CLARIFYING THAT THE SO CALLED QUALITY OF LIFE AND STANDARD OF LIVING THAT WE ATTACH TO 53 CITIZENSHIP IS LIKE #.. EMBEDDED DIRECTLY IN THE MACHINERY OF THE NEOLIBERAL IMPERIAL STATE IN THE OCCUPATION AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FRAGILE BUT STILL ACTIVE INFRASTRUCTURES OF !FGHANISTAN )RAQ 6ENEZUELA .ORTH +OREA AND ANY OTHER NON %UROPEAN OR NON :IONIST COUNTRY THAT CHALLENGES 53 POLICIES FOR THEIR REGION 4HE CURRENT WAR HAS ONLY MAGNIlED THE CONCEIT THAT TO OCCUPY THE PLACE AND LOGIC OF THE 53 CITIZEN IS TO SITUATE ONESELF STRUCTURALLY AND WILLY NILLY WITHIN AN IMPERIAL NEOLIBERAL STATE AND SOCIAL FORMATION )F THESE LATEST ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL WAR AND VIOLENCE BY WHICH THE CITI ZEN BECOMES THE SUBJECT OF BOTH NEOLIBERAL AND IMPERIAL FORMS OF POWER ARE RETROACTIVELY CODED AS A DEFENSE OF !MERICAN LIFE THAT CODING HAS FACILITATED THE CEMENTING OF A DISCOURSE OF SECURITY IN WHICH THE hTERRORISTv IS lGURED AS THE RACIALIZED AND SEXUALIZED hOTHERv OF THE CITIZEN 7ITHIN THE BINARY THAT ORGANIZES THIS DISCOURSE THE hTERRORISTv IS INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM ANY FORMATION THAT SEEKS TO CONTEST THE hWELFARE RIGHTSv OF THE 53 CITIZEN AS
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A BEARER OF CAPITAL IN WHOSE NAME THE STATE SURVIVES 4HROUGH PREEMPTIVE DEFENSE THE PRACTICES THAT ARE METALEPTICALLY hFOUNDEDv ON NATIONAL SECU RITY THE STATE HAS RELIED ON THE LOGICS OF RACIAL DISCOURSE TO SUTURE IMPERIAL AND !MERICAN MULTINATIONAL CORPORATE ENDEAVORS 4HE 53 CITIZENEVEN AND ESPECIALLY AS THE LIBERAL MULTICULTURAL SUBJECTIS IN FACT A RACIAL lGURE ON THE GLOBAL SCENE 3PLITTING THE TOTALITY OF POPULATIONS FOR WHICH THE 53 STATE OPERATES AS A TACTIC OF RULE INTO THE BIFURCATED CATEGORIES OF THE CITIZEN OR THE hINTERNATIONALv SUBJECT OF CIVILITY AND THE VARIETIES OF NON NATIONALS AND NONCITIZENS WHOSE IMPERATIVES TO REDIRECT THE STATE AS A lGURE OF REDISTRIBUTION AND SOCIAL DIFFERENCE DESIGNATES THEM AS hTERRORISTIC v THE 53 STATE HAS MADE hSECURITYv AN ASPECT GUARANTEED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY TO CAPITAL 5NDER SUCH CONDITIONS THE KEYWORDS OF MODERN POLITICAL LIFE DEMOCRACY CITIZENSHIP CIVIL SOCIETY AND RIGHTS BECOME THE VERY TERMS BY WHICH THE LIBERAL AND NOW NEOLIBERAL REPRESENTATIVE STATE LEGITIMATES IMPE RIALISM AND RACIAL EXPLOITATION AS THE SOCIALLY GOOD )F THE CONSTRUCT OF THE 53 CITIZEN AND MORE BROADLY THE SUBJECT OF INTERNATIONAL CIVILITY RATIlES THE CURRENT MODE OF PRODUCTION A MODE FOR WHICH THE STATE IS BOTH A FACILITATOR AND DECENTERED THAT CONSTRUCT UNDER THE POSTWELFARE STATE SYSTEM INAUGURATES THE VERY OPPOSITE OF WHAT IT IDEALLY REPRESENTS THE CITIZENS FREEDOM REQUIRES THE REDUCTION OF THE IMMIGRANT WORKER TO THE STATE OF CHANCE DEMOCRACY DESIGNATES MILITARY ORDER AND THE PROTECTION OF CIVIL RIGHTS RATIlES THE TORTURE OF THE ENEMY COMBATANT /R AS -ARX WROTE OF THE &RENCH %MPIRE UNDER ,OUIS "ONAPARTE DURING THE ERA OF MONOPOLY CAPITALIST COLONIALISM hONLY ONE THING WAS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE TRUE FORM OF THIS REPUBLIC THE ;0RESIDENTS= MOTTO LIBERTÏ ÏGALITÏ FRATERNITÏ MUST BE REPLACED WITH THE UNAMBIGUOUS WORDS INFANTRY CAVALRY ARTILLERYv 7E MIGHT SAY THAT THE 53 CITIZEN SUBJECT HAS BECOME THE TWENTY lRST CENTURY hCONSERVATIVE PEASANTv OF WHICH -ARX SPOKE SO SCORNFULLY IN THE %IGHTEENTH "RUMAIRE 0ETTY IN ITS INTERESTS HETEROGENEOUS TO THE FORMA TION OF SOCIAL CLASSES ON THE GLOBAL SCALE AND RESISTANT TO BEING POLITICALLY AND SOCIALLY REPRESENTED BY THE GLOBAL PROLETARIAT ON WHOSE BACK SOCIETY PROSPERS UNDER NEOLIBERALISM THE 53 CITIZEN IS NOT A lGURE FOR REmEXIVITY AND ENLIGHTENMENT )NDEED THE REGULATIVE DISCOURSE OF CITIZENSHIP WHICH CONTINUES TO OPERATE AS THE BEARER OF CAPITALIST RATIONALITY DECONSTITUTES THE VERY POSITIONS AND LOCATIONS FROM WHICH 53 BASED SUBJECTS MIGHT GRASP THE WORLD HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF NEOLIBERALISM AND THE ORDER BY WHICH THEY ARE BOTH RULED AND SUSTAINED
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'BNJMZ3JHIUTBOEUIF3FVOJmDBUJPOPGUIF4UBUF 4HE CURRENT CONDITIONS SUGGEST THAT IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE REFUSE THE lGURE OF THE CITIZEN AS THE SUBJECT OF KNOWLEDGE AND AS THE TROPE OF UNITY -OREOVER IN THE CONTEXT OF 53 ASYLUM CASES AS 3PIVAK ARGUES A NARRA TIVE THAT PROMOTES THE RACIALLY AND SEXUALLY EXCLUDEDS DESIRE TO ENTER INTO 53 CIVIL SOCIETY THAT ALSO FAILS TO SITUATE THAT DESIRE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF OTHER hDESIRESv OF THE GENDERED SUBALTERN FOR EXAMPLE THAT ARE STRUCTUR ALLY FORECLOSED VIOLENTLY REFUSED OR MADE IMPOSSIBLE BY THE hFULlLLMENTv OF THE FORMER TRAJECTORY IN NEOLIBERAL TIMES RISKS PRODUCING CURRENT STRUG GLES AS ALIBIS FOR EXPLOITATION )T ALSO RISKS FORECLOSING AND hFORGETTINGv THE CRITICAL DISRUPTIONS AND RADICAL POSSIBILITIES THESE VERY STRUGGLES OPEN UP )N ORDER THEN TO DEVELOP A CRITICAL READING OF 2AHMANS TESTIMONY ) SUGGEST EXAMINING THE CONDITIONS THAT PRODUCE THAT TESTIMONY BUT ARE NOT DIRECTLY VISIBLE IN THE TEXT IN WHICH THAT TESTIMONY APPEARS 4HAT IS ) WANT TO EXPLORE HOW hFAMILYv AS A REGULATIVE FORMATION IN THE CURRENT GOVERNMENTALITY ORGANIZES THE CONDITIONS FOR hGAY ASYLUMv (ENCE WE CAN RESITUATE THAT SUPPLEMENTARY lGURE AS THE SITE FOR A CRITIQUE OF THE REGULATIVE FUNCTION OF FAMILY )N A RECENT ARTICLE IN THE ,OS !NGELES 4IMES AS PART OF ITS DAILY REPORT ING ON THE RUSH OF GAYS AND LESBIANS SEEKING MARRIAGE PETITIONS FROM THE 3AN &RANCISCO #OUNTY BUREAUCRACY THE READER IS OFFERED THE FOLLOWING TESTIMONY h7E ARE ALREADY A FAMILY v SAID -ARA -C7ILLIAMS A YEAR OLD HEALTH WORKER FROM 3AN *OSE AS SHE WAITED IN LINE FOR HER TURN ;TO RECEIVE A MARRIAGE CERTIlCATE= IN THE CLERKS OFlCE 3UNDAY MORNING (ER YEAR OLD DAUGHTER 3ERENA CLUTCHED HER LEG h4HIS IS TO SHOW THE WORLD WE ARE ALREADY A FAMILY 7ERE NORMAL PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE 7ERE NOT HERE WITH OUR FREAK ONv
)N OUR CONTEMPORARY MOMENT IN THE 5NITED 3TATES WE ARE WITNESS ING A CERTAIN RECROSSING OF WHAT &OUCAULT HAS NAMED THE hDEPLOYMENT OF ALLIANCESv WITH THE hDEPLOYMENT OF SEXUALITYv (3 4HESE DIFFERENT HISTORICAL CURRENTS HAVE ONCE AGAIN FOUND THEIR POINT OF CONVERGENCE AND INTERSECTION IN THE SPACE OF hFAMILYv !ND MOREOVER THIS DOMAIN OF FAM ILY WHOSE CENTRALITY TO THE CURRENT GOVERNMENTALITY IS AS INDISPUTABLE AS IT IS UNSTABLE IS ALSO THE EFFECT OF NEW ARTICULATIONS OF RACE AND SEXUALITY ARTICULATIONS WHOSE INVESTIGATION POSES SPECIlC CHALLENGES AND CRITICAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE OF US WORKING IN THE DOMAIN OF QUEER STUDIES )N 4HE (ISTORY OF 3EXUALITY &OUCAULT ARGUES THAT THE RELATIONS OF SEX ORGANIZED BY A hDEPLOYMENT OF ALLIANCE A SYSTEM OF MARRIAGE OF lXATION
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AND DEVELOPMENT OF KINSHIP TIES OF TRANSMISSION OF NAMES AND POSSES SIONSv WERE GRADUALLY TRANSFORMED INCORPORATED BY THE DEPLOYMENT OF SEXUALITY INTO A NEW SET OF APPARATUSES WHOSE OBJECT IS THE INDIVIDUAL BODY 7HILE BOTH DEPLOYMENTS HAVE A CONSTITUTIVE RELATION TO ECONOMY THE SYSTEM OF ALLIANCES ARRANGED THE RELATIONS OF SEX TO DElNITE STATUSES IN ORDER TO DIRECT THE PROPER TRANSMISSION AND CIRCULATION OF WEALTH )N CONTRAST THE DEPLOYMENT OF SEXUALITY &OUCAULT ARGUES hIS LINKED TO THE ECONOMY THROUGH NUMEROUS AND SUBTLE RELAYS PROLIFERATING INNOVATING ANNEX ING CREATING AND PENETRATING BODIES IN AN INCREASINGLY DETAILED WAY AND IN CONTROLLING POPULATIONS IN AN INCREASINGLY COMPREHENSIVE WAYv (3 )F THE DEPLOYMENT OF ALLIANCE WANED IN IMPORTANCE BECAUSE OF SHIFTS IN THE MODE OF PRODUCTION BY THE LATE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY &OUCAULT ARGUES THAT ITS MAIN INSTITUTIONTHE FAMILYWAS PRESERVED AND EVEN EXTENDED BY THE NEW DEPLOYMENT WHICH EMERGED FROM WITHIN THE PERIPHERALIZED APPARATUSES THAT SUBTENDED THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM OF SEXUAL RELATIONS 3INCE THEN hTHE FAMILY v IN THE h7EST v HAS REMAINED hTHE INTERCHANGE OF SEXU ALITY AND ALLIANCE IT CONVEYS THE LAW AND THE JURIDICAL DIMENSION IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF SEXUALITY AND IT CONVEYS THE ECONOMY OF PLEASURE AND THE INTENSITY OF SENSATIONS IN THE REGIME OF ALLIANCESv 4HIS INCORPORATION IN WHICH ALLIANCE IS SEXUALIZED AND SATURATED BY DESIRE IS ALSO THE MODE BY WHICH A NEW FORM OF POWER LINKS THE hSTATEv AND THE hFAMILYv !S OUR CURRENT MOMENT ATTESTS IN WHICH REPRESENTATIONS OF SAME SEX MARRIAGE RECONCILE HOMOSEXUALITY WITH THE FAMILY THE STATE HAS EMERGED AS A CENTRAL LOCUS BY WHICH CERTAIN hNONNORMATIVE SEXUALITIESv HAVE SOUGHT TO MAKE IT A TERRAIN OF FREEDOM DESTIGMATIZATION AND NORMALITY )N DOING SO SEXUALITY HAS ONCE AGAIN BECOME QUITE POWERFULLY ORGANIZED AROUND QUES TIONS OF LEGITIMACY AND ILLEGITIMACY INTENSIFYING THE LIBIDINAL ATTACHMENTS TO LEGAL lGURES AND SUBJECTHOOD AND DISPLACING MANY OF THE DIVERSE KNOWL EDGES AND PRACTICES OF SEXUALITY WHOSE AIMS AND MODES OF EXISTENCE ARE IN EXCESS OF OR RELATIVELY AUTONOMOUS FROM CONCERNS ABOUT LEGAL RATIlCATION )T WOULD APPEAR THAT THE CURRENT MOMENT WOULD REQUIRE US TO THINK ALSO ABOUT HOW THE DEPLOYMENT OF SEXUALITY SUBTENDS AND IS ANCHORED BY THE CONTEMPORARY CAPITALIST MODE OF PRODUCTION )N THE 5NITED 3TATES THAT MODE OF PRODUCTION CONTINUES TO RELY ON NONNATIONAL DIFFERENCES OF GENDER RACE AND SEXUALITY TO EXPAND THE PROLETARIAN CLASS $IASPORA AND MIGRATION HAVE INCREASINGLY COME TO DElNE AND RESTRUCTURE THESE DIFFER ENCES SUBTENDING NEW FORMATIONS OF NONNORMATIVE SEXUALITIES (OW MIGHT WE ENTER THE hFOCUS ON FAMILY v AS THE 53 #HRISTIAN 2IGHT NAMES IT IN ORDER TO PURSUE AN INQUIRY INTO THE FUNCTIONS OF CAPITAL THE 53 STATE AND CONTEMPORARY STRATEGIES OF ACCUMULATION )N PARTICULAR WHAT MIGHT BE THE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONINGS OF FAMILY IN THE CURRENT ELABORATION OF RACIAL AND NEOLIBERAL CAPITALISM
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&OR THE LAST THREE YEARS THE !UDRE ,ORDE 0ROJECT !,0 A QUEER PEOPLE OF COLOR ORGANIZING CENTER IN .EW 9ORK #ITY HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN DEVELOP ING A REPORT ON QUEER IMMIGRANTS OF COLOR AND THE POLITICS OF IMMIGRATION 4HE REPORT REVEALS THAT SINCE THE S THE STATE HAS ACTIVELY WORKED TO PRODUCE A RACIALIZED AND GENDERED LABOR MIGRATION THROUGH THE RUBRIC OF FAMILY REUNIlCATION $ESIGNED TO ASSESS HOW CURRENT IMMIGRATION POLICY CREATES THE CONDITIONS FOR A CERTAIN hHOMOPHOBIAv WITHIN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND YET REMAINS UNADDRESSED BY BOTH GAY AND LESBIAN AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS GROUPS THE REPORT AND THE BROADER ORGANIZING INITIATIVE SOUGHT TO REVEAL HOW THE DEPOLITICIZATION OF CERTAIN SOCIAL FORMS SUCH AS THE hFAMILYv DEPLOYED BY THE STATE AT THE CURRENT MOMENT BECAME THE VERY MEANS BY WHICH THE STATE RACIALLY STRATIlED IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN RELA TION TO THE BROADER CITIZENRY AND ACTIVELY ORGANIZED A SOCIAL STRUCTURE FOR GLOBAL CAPITAL IN THE CITY WHILE APPEARING TO BE PURSUING FACIALLY hNEUTRAL v AND EVEN JUST SOCIAL POLICYONE THAT CORRECTED HISTORICAL EXCLUSIONS 3INCE A LARGE QUOTIENT OF LOW WAGE IMMIGRANT WORKERS CAME TO .EW 9ORK #ITY THROUGH THE &AMILY 2EUNIlCATION PROGRAM &OR EXAMPLE THOUGH MANY SCHOLARS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE MAJOR PULL FACTOR FOR IMMI GRATION IN THE S WAS A SHORTAGE WITHIN THE 5NITED 3TATES OF WORK ERS ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE LOCATED WITHIN THE DOMESTIC LOW END SERVICES AND hUNSKILLEDv LABOR MARKETS THE )MMIGRATION !CT OF CAPPED THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRANT VISAS FOR SO CALLED UNSKILLED WORKERS AT A PALTRY TEN THOUSAND WHILE IT INCREASED FAMILY BASED IMMIGRANT VISAS TO ANNUALLY BEGINNING IN 7HILE FAMILY IMMIGRATION OBVIOUSLY INCLUDES MINORS AND SENIORS WHO ARE EITHER LEGALLY OR FUNCTIONALLY UNABLE TO ENTER THE LABOR MARKET FAMILY BASED IMMIGRATION OFFERS BY FAR THE LARGEST POOL OF IMMIGRANT VISAS FOR SO CALLED UNSKILLED WORKERS )N OTHER WORDS WHILE IMMIGRANTS ARE RECRUITED BY THE PERSISTENCE OF ENTRY LEVEL JOBS IN THE SERVICES INDUSTRIAL AND INFORMAL SECTORS OF .EW 9ORK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO RECRUIT SUCH WORKERS THROUGH THE LANGUAGE AND NETWORKS OF FAMILY REUNIlCATION 4HE EFFECT OF CREATING ECONOMIC PULL FACTORS THAT RECRUIT IMMIGRANTS TO THE 5NITED 3TATES WHILE USING BUREAUCRATIC CATEGORIES LIKE hFAMILY REUNIlCATIONv TO CODE THAT MIGRATION AS ESSENTIALLY PRODUCED BY THE PETITIONING ACTIVITY OF RESIDENT IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN THE 5NITED 3TATES IS TO ENABLE THE APPEASEMENT OF CAPITALS NEED FOR IMMIGRANT WORKERS WHILE PROJECTING THE STATE AS EITHER A BENEVOLENT ACTOR REUNITING BROKEN FAMILIES OR AN OVERBURDENED AND EFFETE AGENT UNABLE TO PREVENT IMMIGRANTS MANIPULATIONS OF ITS MANDATORY DEMOCRATIC AND FAIR LAWS )N EITHER CASE THE RECRUITMENT OF LOW WAGE WORKERSWHO COMPOSE THE MAJORITIES OF THE IMMIGRANT OF COLOR POPULA TIONS IN .EW 9ORK #ITYIS DISPLACED FROM THE STATES RESPONSIBILITY AND RELOCATED BACK ONTO IMMIGRANTS THEMSELVES )N THIS MANNER THE STATE IS
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ABSOLVED POLITICALLY FROM HAVING CREATED AND EXPANDED THE CONDITIONS OF NONCITIZEN LIFE WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL PARAMETERS OF THE 5NITED 3TATES AND AT THE SAME TIME DISTINGUISHES ITSELF AS THE APOTHEOSIS OF 7ESTERN $EMOCRACY BY ACHIEVING THE STATUS OF DEPOLITICIZED NEUTRALITY )NDEED SINCE ITS ORIGINAL PASSAGE OF THE &AMILY 2EUNIlCATION !CT IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS INCREASINGLY ELECTED TO ATTACH THE WARD SHIP OF THE WELFARE OF ALL INCOMING IMMIGRANTS TO THE PETITIONING FAMILIES THEMSELVES )N A RATHER STUNNING MOVE THAT HAS EFFECTIVELY DESTROYED THE STATES REDISTRIBUTIVE FUNCTION WITHIN A MANAGED ECONOMY THE GOVERNMENTS MANDATE THAT PETITIONING FAMILIES MUST NOW ABSORB THE STATES WELFARE FUNC TIONS FOR IMMIGRANTS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GOVERNMENTS CONTINUING BID TO DISMANTLE THE WELFARE ECONOMY HAS MEANT THAT IT IS NOW THE ROLE OF THE POOR TO ABSORB THE SOCIAL COSTS OF POVERTY AND A hHEALTHYv UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 4HE STATE HAS EFFECTIVELY MANAGED TO BOTH INCREASE THE NUMBERS OF IMMIGRANTS ARRIVING INTO THE 5NITED 3TATES AS THE ECONOMY CONTINUES TO DEMAND LOW WAGE NONCITIZEN LABOR AND AT THE SAME TIME TO USE IMMIGRA TION AS THE VEHICLE TO DISMANTLE ITS WELFARE RESPONSIBILITIES )N ADDITION TO THE BENElTS THE STATE ACCRUES THROUGH THE RECRUITMENT OF LABOR UNDER FAMILY REUNIlCATION THESE GOVERNMENTAL PRACTICES ALSO ENGENDER CONDITIONS WITHIN WHICH THE FAMILY UNIT IS NOW A SITE AND APPA RATUS WILLY NILLY OF STATE REGULATORY AND CAPITALIST POWER &OR IMMI GRANTS RECRUITED THROUGH FAMILY REUNIlCATION PATRIARCHAL AND HETEROSEXUAL MANDATES HAVE OFTEN BECOME PREREQUISITES TO GAINING FAMILY OR WELFARE SUPPORT 7ITH THE EFFECTIVE DISMANTLING OF WELFARE BENElTS OF NONCITIZEN RACIALIZED WORKERS WORKERS BROUGHT IN THROUGH FAMILY REUNIlCATION HAVE INCREASINGLY BEEN FORCED TO DEPEND ON FAMILY TIES FOR ACCESS TO ROOM AND BOARD EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS WHAT AMOUNTS TO WORK PLACE INJURY INSURANCE HEALTH CARE CHILD CARE ETC )N OTHER WORDS FEDERAL IMMIGRATION POLICIES SUCH AS &AMILY 2EUNIlCATION EXTEND AND INSTITUTE HETERONORMATIVE COMMUNITY STRUCTURES AS A REQUIREMENT FOR ACCESSING WELFARE PROVISIONS FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS BY ATTACHING THOSE PROVISIONS TO THE FAMILY UNIT )N SUM THE NEW FEDERAL STRUCTURE HAS INCREASED IMMIGRANTS EXPOSURE AND STRUCTURAL DEPENDENCE ON HETEROPATRIARCHAL RELATIONS AND REGULA TORY STRUCTURES -ANY QUEER IMMIGRANT INTERVIEWEES SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF hBEING GAYv IN A CONTEXT IN WHICH ONES DEPENDENCE ON hFAMILYvBROADLY DElNEDIS DElNITIONAL TO LIVING AS AN IMMIGRANT IN THE #ITY 7HILE THIS IS SOMETHING SPOKEN ABOUT COMMONLY ENOUGH IN PROGRESSIVE CIRCLES THE TENDENCY IS TO IMMEDIATELY ASSUME THE SUPPOSEDLY MORE ESSENTIAL HOMOPHOBIC NATURE OF IMMIGRANT CULTURES OVER h!MERICANv CULTURE OR TO BLAME THE EXTRAORDINARY WILLINGNESS OF QUEER IMMIGRANTS TO ACCEPT HOMOPHOBIC SILENCING AND CLOSETING (OWEVER SUCH hCULTURALISTv
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ARGUMENTS ONLY FURTHER MASK THE STATES ROLE AS ) HAVE DESCRIBED IT IN EXACTLY ENGENDERING AND ENFORCING THE VERY IMMIGRANT HOMOPHOBIAS THAT MANY CLAIM ARE BROUGHT OVER BY IMMIGRANTS FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIES "OTH THE INTENSITY AND SPECIlCITY OF HOMOPHOBIA IN QUEER IMMIGRANTS OF COLORS LIVES ARE FOUNDED ON LOCAL CONDITIONS AND NOT BECAUSE OF THE hCULTUREv THAT THEY BRING FROM ABROAD AS SO MANY SCHOLARS ARE QUICK TO SUGGEST AND ARE PRODUCED AT THE INTERSECTION OF STATE IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND THEIR lXATION ON THE HETEROPATRIARCHAL FAMILY UNIT 2ATHER THE CATEGORY OF hGAYv PRESUMES A PARTICULAR LIBERAL ORDER OF hFAMILY v hCIVIL SOCIETY v AND THE hSTATEv DISCURSIVELY AND IDEOLOGICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR QUEER IMMIGRANTS DEFERRING THE QUEER OF COLOR INTO THE STATUS OF THE NONNATIONAL PRODUCED AT THE LIMIT OF CIVIL SOCIETY -ORE POINTEDLY THE LIBERAL ISOMORPHISM OF FAMILY SOCIETY AND STATE REQUIRES AS ITS CONDITION OF POSSIBILITY THE hQUEER OF COLORv IMMIGRANT AS A NONINDIVIDUATED NONRIGHTS BEARING hSUBJECT v WHOSE CONDITIONS OF EXISTENCE CONFOUNDS THAT ISOMORPHISM )N ADDITION TO THE STATES OFlCIAL IMMIGRATION POLICY FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS SINCE THE #LINTON YEARS ALSO HAVE BEEN EMPOWERED TO SHIFT THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES AWAY FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NONPROlT SECULAR PROVIDERS AND TOWARD RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS )N .EW 9ORK #ITY RISING NUMBERS OF CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS PETITION FOR GOVERNMENT MONEY AND AN INCREASING NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS ACCESS CHURCH SERVICES AS THEIR PRIMARY SERVICE PROVIDER !GAIN IT IS THE DISLOCATING OF THE STATES FUNCTION AS A WELFARE AGENT THAT HAS EXPOSED QUEER IMMIGRANTS OF COLOR IN PARTICULAR TO REMARKABLE HETEROPATRIARCHAL COERCION AND THAT PRODUCES THE DISPROPORTIONATE ENFORCEMENT OF HETEROPATRIARCHAL RELATIONS WITHIN IMMIGRANT OF COLOR COMMUNITIES 3OME SCHOLARS HAVE POINTED TO WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS A POTENTIAL SILVER LINING IN THE END OF THE TRADITIONAL WELFARE STATE THE DIMINISHING IMPOR TANCE OF THE STATE IN THE PRIVATE AND SOCIAL LIVES OF CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS (OWEVER AS ) HAVE ARGUED THE EROSION OF THE WELFARE STATE HAS NOT ONLY BEEN MANIFESTED BY THE WITHDRAWAL OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESOURCES TO WORKING AND POOR PEOPLE )N FACT AND IN ADDITION THE CONTINUED DETERIORATION OF THE WELFARE SYSTEM WILL NOT RESULT IN THE WITHDRAWAL OF STATE POWER FROM THE LIVES OF IMMIGRANTS OF COLOR OR QUEER IMMIGRANTS OF COLOR IN PARTICULAR BUT WILL INSTEAD FOSTER THE EXPANSION OF SOCIAL REGULATION THROUGH A GROWING RELIANCE ON STATE CIRCUMSCRIBED OR SPONSORED SOCIAL FORMS SUCH AS FAMILY AND RELIGION -OREOVER THE STATES DEPENDENCE ON THESE FORMS FOR SOCIAL REGULATION AND POLITICAL ECONOMIC REPRODUCTION SUGGESTS THAT THESE FORMS WILL INCREASINGLY BE BURDENED BY AND RESTRUCTURED BY THE STATES INTEREST AND DEMANDS DISTANCING THEM FROM THEIR HISTORICAL SOCIAL FORMS COMPEL LING THEM INSTEAD TO CONFORM TO THE STATES REPRESENTATION OF THEIR LIMITS FUNCTIONS AND MODALITIES
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2ECRUITING AND SOCIALIZING LABOR THROUGH THE CATEGORY OF FAMILY REUNI lCATION EXTENDED THE STATES REGULATORY POWER WHILE DISESTABLISHING A WELFARE STATE FOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES -OREOVER BY POSING THE DENIAL OF FAMILY REUNIlCATION AS HISTORICALLY A RACIALLY RESTRICTIVE AND ASCRIP TIVE STATE PRACTICE THAT DENIED EQUAL CITIZENSHIP TO IMMIGRANT OF COLOR COMMUNITIES THE STATE WAS ABLE TO PRODUCE A RACIALIZED AND GENDERED DIFFERENTIATED CLASS OF WORKERS VIA ITS PURSUIT OF EQUALITY AND SUPPOSED hRACIAL REDRESSv OF PAST DISCRIMINATION IN IMMIGRATION POLICY 4HE STATES RECOURSE TO hFAMILYv TO RECRUIT NONCITIZEN RACIALIZED LABOR AND SIMULTANE OUSLY DISTANCE THAT LABOR FROM SOCIAL RIGHTS THE !,0 REPORT SUGGESTS ALSO BECAME THE VERY CONDITIONS FOR A STATE ENFORCED HETERONORMATIVITY THAT PROJECTED IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AS ANTILIBERAL AND SEXUALLY CONSERVA TIVE ,ASTLY THE STATE BEGAN THROUGH ASYLUM LAWIN WHICH GENDER AND SEXUALITY WERE RECOGNIZED AS hMEMBERSHIP IN A SOCIAL GROUPvIN THE VERY SAME DECADE TO DRAFT 53 CITIZENSHIP AS A FORMALLY PROTECTIVE APPARATUS AGAINST PATRIARCHY HOMOPHOBIA AND SUPPOSED hILLIBERALv CULTURES )N OTHER WORDS FAMILY REUNIlCATION ENABLED STATE POWER TO SIMULTANEOUSLY CREATE HETEROPATRIACHIAL RELATIONS FOR THE RECRUITMENT AND SOCIALIZATION OF LABOR WHILE JUSTIFYING THE EXCLUSION OF IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES FROM STATE POWER THROUGH A LIBERAL LANGUAGE OF 53 CITIZENSHIP AS THE GUARANTOR OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND SEXUAL FREEDOM
)PNPTFYVBM"TZMVNBOEUIF$SJUJRVFPG-BX 2ETURNING TO 2AHMANS TESTIMONY ) WOULD LIKE TO USE THE PRECEDING DIS CUSSION OF NEOLIBERAL POLITICAL ECONOMIES OF THE FAMILY TO PURSUE A hQUEER OF COLORv CRITIQUE OF HIS PETITION FOR ASYLUM )N !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 4OWARD A 1UEER OF #OLOR #RITIQUE THE THEORIST 2ODERICK &ERGUSON ARGUES THAT THE hSEXUAL v AS THE EXPRESSION OF hRACIALLY GENDERED RELATIONS v EMERGES IN THE 5NITED 3TATES IN THE CONmICT BETWEEN CAPITAL AND THE POLITICAL STATE ESPECIALLY PROTRACTED SINCE THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 7HILE INDUSTRIAL CAPITAL &ERGUSON ARGUES SEEKS LABOR REGARDLESS OF ITS ORIGINS THE POLITICAL STATE QUALIlES ITS BODY POLITIC THROUGH A SET OF RACIALIZED AND GENDER IDEALS THAT IT NARRATES AS FUNDAMENTAL &ERGUSON WRITES h#APITAL IS BASED ON A FUNDAMENTALLY AMORAL LOGIC #APITAL WITHOUT PRESSURES FROM THE STATE OR CITIZENRY WILL ASSEMBLE LABOR WITHOUT REGARD FOR NORMATIVE PRESCRIPTIONS OF RACE AND GENDERv 9ET hTHE MODERN NATION STATE HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN ORGANIZED AROUND AN ILLUSORY UNIVERSALITY PARTICULARIZED IN TERMS OF RACE GENDER SEXUALITY AND CLASS ;AND AS SUCH = STATE FORMA TIONS HAVE WORKED TO PROTECT AND GUARANTEE THIS UNIVERSALITYv
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3UCH IMPERATIVES COME INTO CONmICT WITH ONE ANOTHER AS CAPITAL TENDS TOWARD THE ACCUMULATION OF hHETEROGENEITIES v DISRUPTING SOCIAL HIER ARCHIES WHILE THE STATE TENDS TOWARD A hHETERONORMATIVITY v MULTIPLY ING RACIAL GENDER AND SEXUAL DIFFERENCES AND PARTICULARITIES AS IT SEEKS UNIVERSALITY WITHIN THE MATERIAL CONDITIONS OF HETEROGENEITY )N THIS WAY INDUSTRIAL CAPITAL ALSO DISRUPTS MODERN POLITICAL ONTOLOGIES OF RULE h7HILE CAPITAL CAN ONLY REPRODUCE ITSELF BY ULTIMATELY TRANSGRESSING THE BOUNDARIES OF NEIGHBORHOOD HOME AND REGION THE STATE POSITIONS ITSELF AS THE PROTEC TOR OF THOSE BOUNDARIESv 2EADING SOCIOLOGY AS AN ARCHIVE OF THE ARTS OF GOVERNANCE &ERGUSON ARGUES THAT THIS TENSE CONTRADICTION IS EXPRESSED IN THE RISE OF CERTAIN STOCK lGURES IN THE SOCIOLOGICAL ARCHIVE ACROSS THE TWENTIETH CENTURY SUCH AS THE hTRANSGENDERED MULATTO v THE .EGRO AS THE h,ADY AMONG THE 2ACES v AND THE hOUT OF WEDLOCK MOTHERv 4HESE lGURES AND OTHERS CONSTITUTE THE GENEALOGY AND LIMIT OF hCOMMUNITY v hFAMILY v AND hNATIONv 4HE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT EXTENDS THAT GENEALOGY AS INDUSTRIAL CAPITALISM IS RECONSTITUTED BY TRANSNATIONALITY NEOLIBERALISM AND THE DOMINANCE OF lNANCE CAPITAL IN OUR CONTEMPORARY MOMENT )N PARTICULAR WORKING THROUGH &ERGUSONS FRAMEWORK WE MIGHT SUGGEST THAT THE lGURE OF THE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT OFFERS A GENEALOGY OF hFAMILYv WITHIN THE CONTEMPORARY 5NITED 3TATES )NDEED THE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT AS PRODUCED BY THE LAW IS A SUPPLEMENT WITHIN THE DISCOURSE OF FAMILY AND KINSHIP AS THE STATE SEEKS TO SURVIVE IN A hPOST STATE CLASS SYSTEMv (ENCE ) WOULD LIKE TO TAKE UP A hQUEER OF COLORv CRITIQUE OF THE CURRENT 53 SOCIAL FORMATION AND PLACE THAT CRITIQUE IN CRITICAL OPPOSITION TO CITIZENSHIP PARTICULARLY AS THAT PRACTICE IS ORGANIZED BY THE DISCOURSE OF SECURITY TO hFREEv CAPITAL 3ITUATED WITHIN THE SHIFT FROM THE WELFARE TO THE POSTWELFARE NEOLIBERAL GOVERNMENTALITY SUCH A READING WOULD ESCHEW AN INTERPRETATION OF HIS PETITION AS SEEKING THE SECURITY OF 53 CITIZENSHIP TO PROTECT GAY LIBERTY OR SEXUAL FREEDOM OR A READING THAT POSED THE EMERGENCE OF THE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT WITHIN THE LEGAL TEXT AS A VICTORY FOR GAY VISIBILITY IN THE ARCHIVE 2ATHER THIS READING WOULD DISCOVER AND NAME IN THE LEGAL RECORD THE STRATEGIES OF REPRESSIVE MANAGEMENT THAT SEEK TO DElNE FOR THEIR OWN ENDS WHAT IS KNOWABLE AND THINKABLE ABOUT THE lGURES ENSNARED IN ITS WEB 3UCH A READING WOULD RESIST THE NATIONAL ARCHIVE WE CALL THE LAW WHOSE REGIME OF TRUTH DEMANDS THE DAILY CONQUEST OF MULTIPLE PASTS AND OF THE HISTORI CAL DIFFERENCES IRRECONCILABLE WITH THAT REGIME )T WOULD READ THE lGURE OF THE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT AS FORMED IN THE CONTRADICTION BETWEEN HETERONORMATIVE SOCIAL RELATIONS MANDATED FOR IMMIGRANTS OF COLOR BY THE STATES POLICIES AND THE LIBERAL STATES IDEOLOGY OF UNIVERSAL SEXUAL FREEDOM AS A MASK FOR GROWING THESE SOCIAL RELATIONS )N THE ANNALS OF THE SEXUAL
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HISTORY OF THE !SIAN DIASPORA SEXUALITY MATERIALIZES THE CONmICT BETWEEN AN EMERGENT GOVERNMENTALITY AND THE STATES DESIRE TO PERPETUATE ITSELF BEYOND ITS POINT OF EXPIRATION IN WHICH hFAMILYv IS THEIR SITE OF INTERSECTION )F AS %THNE ,UIBHEID HAS ARGUED THE 53 NATION STATE HAS HISTORI CALLY ASCRIBED SEXUALITY TO ITS POPULACE THROUGH THE TECHNOLOGIES OF THE BORDER THEN ASYLUM LAW BOTH EXTENDS AND BREAKS WITH THAT HISTORICAL PRAC TICE &OR IN THIS CASE THE SET OF LOGICS DISCOURSES REGIMES OF TRUTH AND IMPERATIVES THAT ESTABLISH AND IDENTIFY HOMOSEXUALITY AS A hSOCIAL GROUPv AND THE GAY 0AKISTANI AS A VICTIMIZED MEMBER OF THAT SOCIAL GROUP AVAIL ABLE FOR THE NATION STATES PROTECTION IS PARADOXICALLY THE EXPRESSION OF A TRANSFORMATION IN CONTEMPORARY GOVERNMENTALITY 4HAT IS THE lGURE OF THE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT IS BOTH A SYMPTOM OF GLOBALIZATION AND THE TRANSNATIONALIZATION OF 53 CAPITAL AND A NEW FORMATION DEVELOPED IN THE INTERSTICES OF THE NATION STATE 4HIS lGURE EMERGES IN THE BREACH BETWEEN THE NATION STATE AND THE POLITICAL ECONOMY 2ETURNING THEN TO 2AHMANS NARRATIVE WE WITNESS CERTAIN COMPLEXI TIES &OR ON THE ONE HAND IT NAMES THE LEGAL AND CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE 5NITED 3TATES AS A PROTECTIVE SPACE FOR FREELY CONDUCTING WORK OR PURSU ING PRIVATE ENTERPRISE A WORK AND ENTERPRISE THAT PRESUMABLY CONNOTES HOMOSEXUALITY OR THAT SUBTENDS A HOMOSEXUAL EXISTENCE /N THE OTHER HAND THESE VERY NOTIONS OF FREEDOM AND SECURITY ARE NEGATED OR DENIED FOR 2AHMAN BY THE SAME LEGAL AND CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT DENIES hQUEER IMMIGRANTSv THROUGH THE APPARATUS OF IMMIGRATION PERMANENT ACCESS TO THAT CIVIL AND LEGAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE 53 NATION STATE )F HIS APPLICATION OF ASYLUM hRESOLVEDv THAT CONTRADICTION IT ALSO BECAME A POINT OF POLITICIZA TION ONE WHOSE TRAJECTORY HOWEVER WE ARE NOT GIVEN AN ACCOUNT OF HERE )N THIS WAY 2AHMANS POLITICIZATION IS APPROPRIABLE FOR A NUMBER OF GROUPS AND INTERESTS &OR EXAMPLE IT COULD BE USED BY GAY AND LESBIAN hHUMAN RIGHTSv GROUPS TO CLAIM THE IMPORTANCE OF SEXUALITY AS A HUMAN RIGHT AND OF HUMAN RIGHTS AS INCUBATORS OF POLITICAL SUBJECTIVITY A PRESUPPOSITION OF FULL PERSONHOOD )T COULD BE USED BY 53 BASED GAY AND LESBIAN SO CALLED CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS SUCH AS THE (UMAN 2IGHTS #AMPAIGN (2# TO EXPOSE THE UNFAIRNESS OF IMMIGRATION LAWS THAT DENY GAYS AND LESBIANS EQUAL RIGHTS AS CITIZENS !LTERNATIVELY IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATED BY !SIAN !MERICAN POLITICAL AND CULTURAL GROUPS TO ESTABLISH THE AUTHENTICITY AND LEGITIMACY OF QUEER !SIANS 9ET ) WANT TO ASK HOW ELSE WE MIGHT READ THIS STATEMENT THIS RACIALIZED AND SEXUALIZED hlGURE OF SPEECHv )N DOING SO ) WANT TO POSE THE LAW AS MORE THAN A MEDIUM AND TERRAIN IN WHICH PRESSING SOCIAL RELATIONS AND THE ASYMMETRIES AND INEQUALITIES THAT SUBTEND THOSE RELATIONS ARE STRUCTURED ADJUDICATED AND hRESOLVEDv )NSTEAD ) SITUATE THE LAW BY WHICH ) MEAN MORE BROADLY THE LEGAL SPHERE AS AN hARCHIVE v IN THIS INSTANCE AN ARCHIVE
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OF RACIALIZED SEXUALITY 4HAT IS THE LEGAL SPHERE MIGHT BE APPROACHED AS ONE SITE IN WHICH THE NATIONS OFlCIAL RECORDS ARE MAINTAINED AND REPRODUCED GIVING THOSE WHO SEEK IDENTITY THROUGH THE LAW A HISTORY OF THEIR KIN "Y NAMING THE LAW AN hARCHIVEv ) MEAN TO OBSERVE HOW THE LAW SEEKS TO BE THE RECORD OF THE CONFRONTATION OF SOCIAL GROUPS WITH THE UNIVERSAL ITY OF hCOMMUNITYv AND THE hSTATEv POSITED BY LIBERAL POLITICAL THEORY AND EPISTEMOLOGIES .OT JUST THE LAW OF RECORD THE LAWS TEXTUALITY IS ALSO THE EXPRESSION OF THE LAW AS RECORD !ND AS AN ARCHIVE OR MODE OF RECORD KEEPING THE LAW SEEKS TO PRODUCE AN ACCOUNT OF SOCIAL DIFFERENCES THAT PRESERVES THE CONDITIONS FOR UNIVERSALITY 0UT OTHERWISE HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL DIFFERENCES OF GENDER RACE SEXUALITY ETC ARE SUBJUGATED BY THE LAW AS A PRECONDITION OF THEIR ENTRANCE INTO THE NATIONAL RECORD FORCED TO PRESERVE THE LIBERAL NARRATIVE OF UNIVERSALITY ON WHICH THE LEGAL SPHERE BASES ITS NOTION OF JUSTICE AND THE NATION IS SAID TO BE FOUNDED !S AN ARCHIVE THE LAW ORGANIZES SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL DIFFERENCES IN WAYS THAT PROMISE BOTH KNOWLEDGE OF DIFFERENCE AND MEMBERSHIP )N THIS WAY THE LAW AS AN ARCHIVE IS NOT A DISPASSIONATE OR DISINTERESTED SPACE OF RECORDS 2ATHER IT IS THE PRIVILEGED LEDGER BY WHICH KNOWLEDGE IDEALIZED AS DISPASSIONATE AND DISINTERESTED IS PARADOXICALLY MADE COINCIDENT WITH COMMUNITY IDEAL IZED AS NONALIENATED EXPERIENCE PRODUCING THAT PECULIAR EPISTEMO AFFECT ASSOCIATED WITH THE hCITIZENv ,IKE ALL ARCHIVES THE LAW AND THE BROADER TEXTUAL LEGAL SPHERE AS AN ARCHIVE IS NOT SIMPLY AN INSTITUTIONAL SITE FOR THE RECORDING OF THE PAST AND OF HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL DIFFERENCE 2ATHER IT IS A FRAMEWORK THAT IRONICALLY PROMISES ITS READER AGENCY ONLY THROUGH THE PERPETUAL SUBJUGATION OF DIF FERENCES A SUBJUGATION THEN THAT TARGETS NOT ONLY THE PAST BUT ALSO THE FUTURE )NDEED THE LAW AS AN ARCHIVE ADDRESSED TO THE CITIZEN OR POTENTIAL SUBJECT OF hCIVILITYv SEEKS ABOVE ALL TO BE AN ARCHIVE OF THE FUTURE )F AS &OUCAULT ARGUES THE ARCHIVE MUST BE CONSTRUED AS hTHE LAW OF WHAT CAN BE SAID v IN A PARTICULAR SOCIAL FORMATION THEN THAT WHICH WE UNDERSTAND AS THE LAW IN A MORE LIMITED SENSE IS AN ARCHIVE OF HOW THE STATE HAS COME TO BE ORGANIZED NECESSARILY ON AND WITHIN THAT BROADER SOCIAL AND MATERIAL FORMATION (ENCE THE ARCHIVE IS NOT A PASSIVE DOMAIN IN WHICH DIFFERENCES SUCH AS THE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT CAN BE FOUND EXTRACTED AND RESTORED TO THEIR FULLNESS IF NECESSARY )T IS THE ACTIVE TECHNIQUE BY WHICH SEXUAL RACIAL GENDERED AND NATIONAL DIFFERENCES BOTH HISTORICAL AND FUTURAL ARE SUP PRESSED FROZEN AND REDIRECTED AS THE OCCASION FOR A UNIVERSAL KNOWLEDGE )T IS THE TECHNIQUE BY WHICH THE MODERN 53 STATE PROMOTES THE CITIZEN AS A UNIVERSAL AGENT THROUGH THAT KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTIONTO WOMEN QUEERS PEOPLE OF COLOR ETCDEMANDING THAT WE TAKE UP ITS FRAMEWORK FOR DIFFER ENCE BOTH HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL AS A PREREQUISITE FOR A VALIDATED AGENCY
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53 CAPITALIST SOCIETY AS A DIFFERENTIATED SOCIAL FORMATION IS MEDIATED BY THE LAW WHICH OPERATES AS THE REGULATIVE STRUCTURE AND ARCHIVE FOR THAT VERY DIFFERENTIATION 4HE LEGAL ARCHIVE SUBJUGATES PASTS AND FUTURES IN THE NAME OF RECORDING SUPPOSEDLY BOTH DIFFERENCE AND COMMUNITY #ONTENDING WITH THE LAW AS AN ACTIVE ARCHIVE OR TECHNIQUE OF SELF MAKING AND THE MAKING OF SELVES AS ) DO HERE REQUIRES THAT WE NOT SIM PLY hTAKE UPv ITS NARRATIVE AND FRAMEWORK )NSTEAD WE NEED TO ASK HOW REGULATION MARKS ITS INTEREST IN DIFFERENCE !SKING AFTER THIS REGULATION REQUIRES READING THESE lGURES AGAINST THE GRAIN OF THE ARCHIVE SITUATING THAT ARCHIVE WITHIN AND AGAINST THE SOCIAL FORMATIONTHE FORCES AND RELA TIONS THAT CONSTITUTE ITWHICH BOURGEOIS LAW CITES BUT WHICH IT HAPLESSLY CANNOT COMPREHEND )N OTHER WORDS WE NEED TO READ THE lGURE AS THE LIMIT OF THE ARCHIVE THE POINT AT WHICH THE ARCHIVES OWN CONDITIONS FOR EXISTENCE MIGHT BE RETRACED
/PUFT 4HIS ESSAY WAS SUPPORTED BY A GRANT FROM THE 3IMPSON #ENTER FOR THE (UMANI TIES AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF 7ASHINGTON 3EATTLE AND A RESIDENCY FELLOWSHIP AT THE (UMANITIES 2ESEARCH )NSTITUTE AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF #ALIFORNIA )RVINE 4HE AUTHOR GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THEIR SUPPORT "Y A hHISTORY OF SEXUALITYv ) MEAN TO REFERENCE -ICHEL &OUCAULTS ARGU MENT THAT MODERN SOCIAL POWER CONSTITUTES THE VERY OBJECT hSEXv THAT IT THEN SEEKS TO REGULATE ! HISTORICIST INSPECTION OF THE REPRESSION OF SEXUALITY AND ITS GRADUAL EMERGENCE FROM REPRESSIVE LAW &OUCAULT ARGUES NATURALIZES AND DISAPPEARS THE DIVERSE PROCESSES THAT AFlX hSEXv AS A UNITARY IDEAL 3EE -ICHEL &OUCAULT (ISTORY OF 3EXUALITY VOL !N )NTRODUCTION TRANS 2OBERT (URLEY .EW 9ORK 6INTAGE "OOKS HEREAFTER CITED AS (3 IN THE TEXT /N THE #HINESE PROSTITUTE AND #HINESE BACHELOR AS RACIALIZED AND SEXUAL IZED lGURES CONSTITUTED BY 53 LEGAL TERRITORY AND ITS APPARATUSES SEE .AYAN 3HAH #ONTAGIOUS $IVIDES %PIDEMICS AND 2ACE IN 3AN &RANCISCOS #HINATOWN "ERKE LEY 5NIVERSITY OF #ALIFORNIA 0RESS 3EE ALSO ,ISA ,OWE )MMIGRANT !CTS /N !SIAN !MERICAN #ULTURAL 0OLITICS $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n 3EE THE SYMPOSIUM h3HIFTING 'ROUNDS FOR !SYLUM &EMALE 'ENITAL 3UR GERY AND 3EXUAL /RIENTATION v .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY 3CHOOL OF ,AW /CTOBER 4HE PROCEEDINGS HAVE BEEN TRANSCRIBED EDITED AND PUBLISHED IN #OLUMBIA (UMAN 2IGHTS ,AW 2EVIEW 3EE 3ASKIA 3ASSEN ,OSING #ONTROL 3OVEREIGNTY IN AN !GE OF 'LOBALIZATION .EW 9ORK #OLUMBIA 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n 3EE $AVID , %NG h4RANSNATIONAL !DOPTION AND 1UEER $IASPORAS v 3OCIAL 4EXT NO n 3EE 'AYATRI #HAKRAVORTY 3PIVAK h$IASPORAS /LD AND .EW 7OMEN IN THE 4RANSNATIONAL 7ORLD v 4EXTUAL 0RACTICE
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)BID /N THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN POSTCOLONIAL AND POSTIMPERIAL OR GLOBAL 3OUTH ERN AND GLOBAL .ORTHERN STATE FORMATIONS UNDER NEOLIBERALISM SEE - *ACQUI !LEXANDER h%ROTIC !UTONOMY AS A 0OLITICS OF $ECOLONIZATION !N !NATOMY OF &EMINIST AND 3TATE 0RACTICE IN THE "AHAMAS 4OURIST %CONOMY v IN &EMINIST 'ENE ALOGIES #OLONIAL ,EGACIES $EMOCRATIC &UTURES ED - *ACQUI !LEXANDER AND #HAN DRA 4ALPADE -OHANTY .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE n /N THE SPLITTING OF NATION AND STATE IN THE COMPOUND ABSTRACTION hNATION STATE v SEE 3PIVAK h$IASPO RAS /LD AND .EW v n /N THE POSSIBILITIES OF POSTCOLONIAL RESIGNIlCATION OF CITIZENSHIP AND MORE GENERALLY ON THE CATECHRESIS OF 7ESTERN REGULATIVE GOV ERNMENTAL TERMS IN POSTCOLONIAL SPACE SEE 3PIVAK h0OSTCOLONIALITY -ARGINALITY 6ALUE v IN /UTSIDE THE 4EACHING -ACHINE .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE 3EE 2UTHIE 'ILMORE h'LOBALIZATION AND 53 0RISON 'ROWTH &ROM -ILI TARY +EYNESIANISM TO POST +EYNESIAN -ILITARISM v 2ACE AND #LASS n n /N THE RACIALIZATION OF THE hTERRORIST v THE ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE THROUGH THE DISCOURSE OF SECURITY AND THE RISE OF NEW hRACIAL FORMATIONS v SEE ,ETI 6OLPP h4HE #ITIZEN AND THE 4ERRORIST v 5#,! ,AW 2EVIEW n AND -UNEER !HMED h(OMELAND )NSECURITIES 2ACIAL 6IOLENCE THE $AY AFTER 3EP TEMBER v 3OCIAL 4EXT NO n /N THE RACIALIZED SEXUALIZATION OF THE lGURES OF hTERRORISM v SEE *ASBIR 0UAR AND !MIT 2AI h-ONSTER 4ERRORIST &AG 4HE 7AR ON 4ERRORISM AND THE 0RODUCTION OF $OCILE 0ATRIOTS v 3OCIAL 4EXT NO n %TIENNE "ALIBAR FOR EXAMPLE PURSUES THE ALLEGORICAL READING OF PSY CHOANALYSIS IN HIS THEORY OF THE NATION STATE AND THE CITIZEN SUBJECT IN HIS ESSAY h.ATION &ORMv "ALIBAR DISAGGREGATES THE NATION AND THE STATE AS NAMING DIFFER ENT PROCESSES AND HENCE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF THE SUBJECTS INTERPELLATION 7HILE THE NATION lGURES AS AN hIDEAL NATIONv AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUBJECTS PATRIOTISM ENSURING THE COLLECTIVE PROMISE TO FACE DEATH FOR THE NATION IT IS THE STATE AS A MYTHICIZED ABSTRACTION THAT PRElGURES THE UNITY BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS AND BETWEEN AN INDIVIDUAL AND THE COLLECTIVITY CEMENTINGCASTING INDIVIDUALITY ON THE MODEL OF CITIZENSHIP 4HIS LATTER FEATURE IS NAMED hlCTIVE ETHNICITYv AND IS CRITICAL IN FUSING THE INDIVIDUAL WITH THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY 2ECASTING THE NOTION OF IDENTIlCATION "ALIBAR ARGUES THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE hINTERPELLATEDv THROUGH THE STRUCTURES OF LANGUAGE AND RACE INTO CITIZENS WHO SHARE AN hETHNICITYv 7HILE WHITENESS HAS HISTORICALLY OPERATED AS THE FORM OF RACIALIZATION THAT HAS SECURED THE hlCTIVE ETHNICITYv OF THE 53 NATIONAL CITIZEN IN THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD IT IS hMULTICULTURALISMv THAT SECURES THE lCTIVE ETHNICITY OF THE 53 NATIONAL CITIZEN AS MULTICULTURAL CITIZEN 4HE MULTICULTURAL SUBJECT IS THE RACIAL FORMATION OF THE NATIONAL CITIZEN PRElGURING AND PROMISING THE CITIZENS ABILITY TO CLAIM UNIVERSAL ITY FOR WHICH THE STATE lGURES AS A SYNECDOCHE OF THE UNIVERSAL 4HIS IS NOWHERE MORE POWERFULLY ARTICULATED THAN IN OUR CURRENT SOCIAL FORMATION IN WHICH THE 53 CITIZEN OF !RAB DESCENT OR PERSON OF h-USLIM FAITHv IS PROMOTED AS A lGURE OF MULTICULTURALISM WHILE THE !RAB CITIZEN OF AN !RAB STATE OR A -USLIM CITIZEN OF AN !RAB OR -USLIM STATE IS PROMOTED AS A lGURE OF A MONSTROUS MONOCULTURALISM THAT THREATENS THE UNIVERSALITY REPRESENTED BY THE 53 hMULTICULTURALv STATE AND MUST BE REPUDIATED EXPELLED PERSISTENTLY VIOLATED OR hPREEMPTIVELYv ASSAULTED OR KILLED 4HE RACIALIZATION OF THE !RAB AND -USLIM 53 CITIZEN SUBJECT AS A 53 MULTICULTURAL SUBJECT WHO HAS AVAILABLE THE POSSIBILITY OF MEMBERSHIP IN UNIVER
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SAL CULTURE IS CONSTITUTIVELY LINKED TO THE hNEGATIVEv RACIALIZATION OF THE !RAB OR -USLIM IMMIGRANT NONIMMIGRANT RESIDENT AND NON 53 NATIONAL AS A SOCIAL ANACHRONY WHOSE VERY PRESENCE INVITES VIOLENCE AND VIOLATION A VIOLATION CODED AS VIOLENT HUMANIZATION 2EWRITING THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY %NGLISH JURIST PROC LAMATION h4HE KING IS DEAD LONG LIVE THE KINGvWHICH DISTINGUISHED BETWEEN THE CROWN AND THE KINGS BODY KILLING THE BODY WHEN IT DID NOT CONFORM TO THE SOVEREIGN SUBJECT OF THE CROWNWE CAN ARGUE THAT AS THE MULTICULTURAL CITIZEN SUBJECT IS NOW INSTALLED AS THE SOVEREIGN IT IS POSSIBLE FOR 'EORGE 7 "USH TO SAY h4HE !RABS AND -USLIMS ARE DEAD LONG LIVE OUR 53 MULTICULTURAL !RAB AND -USLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERSv 3EE %TIENNE "ALIBAR h4HE .ATION &ORM (ISTORY AND )DEOLOGY v IN 2ACE .ATION #LASS !MBIGUOUS )DENTITIES BY %TIENNE "ALIBAR AND )MMANUEL 7ALLERSTEIN .EW 9ORK 6ERSO n /N THE SOVEREIGNS TWO BODIES SEE %RNST ( +ANTOROWICZ 4HE +INGS 4WO "ODIES 0RINCETON .* 0RINCE TON 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 3EE ALSO $AVID ,LOYD h%THNIC #ULTURES -INORITY $ISCOURSE AND THE 3TATE v IN #OLONIAL $ISCOURSE0OSTCOLONIAL 4HEORY ED &RANCIS "ARKER 0ETER (ULME AND -ARGARET )VERSON -ANCHESTER 5NIVERSITY OF -ANCHES TER 0RESS n 3EE +ARL -ARX 4HE %IGHTEENTH "RUMAIRE OF ,OUIS "ONAPARTE TRANS "EN &OWKES IN 3URVEYS FROM %XILE 0OLITICAL 7RITINGS 6OL ED $AVID &ERBACH .EW 9ORK 0ENGUIN "OOKS EMPHASIS IN ORIGINAL )BID 3EE .ICHOLAS 2ICCAREI h3AME 3EX -ARRIAGES /FTEN A &AMILY !FFAIR v ,OS !NGELES 4IMES &EBRUARY *UDITH "UTLER CHARACTERISTICALLY PRESCIENT AND PERCEPTIVE ARGUED THAT THE IDEA OF GAY MARRIAGE ALWAYS ALREADY INVOKES THE IDEA OF KINSHIP IN THE 5NITED 3TATES &RANCE AND ELSEWHERE &AMILY IS THE SPACE OF THEIR INTERSECTION 3EE *UDITH "UTLER h)S +INSHIP !LWAYS !LREADY (ETEROSEXUAL v $IFFERENCES ! *OURNAL OF &EMI NIST #ULTURAL 3TUDIES NO n )BID n 3EE 2ODERICK ! &ERGUSON !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 4OWARD A 1UEER OF #OLOR #RITIQUE -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS n n 4HIS REPORT IS FORTHCOMING FROM THE !UDRE ,ORDE 0ROJECTS )MMIGRANT 2IGHTS 7ORKING 'ROUP ,EAD INVESTIGATORS WERE #HANDAN 2EDDY AND .ATALIE "ENNETT 3EE 0AUL 7ICKHAM 3CHMIDT ED 5NDERSTANDING THE )MMIGRATION !CT OF !),!S .EW ,AW (ANDBOOK 7ASHINGTON $# !MERICAN )MMIGRATION ,AWYERS !SSOCIATION n 3EE ALSO AND IN PARTICULAR THE ESSAYS h&AMILY 3PONSORED )MMIGRATION 4HE .UMBERS 'AME v BY (ARRY 'EE *R AND h/VERVIEW OF %MPLOYMENT "ASED )MMIGRATION4HE &IRST 4HREE 0REFERENCESv BY ,ENNI " "ENSON IN THIS COMPILATION /N THE EXPANSION OF THE LABOR MARKET IN LOW END SER VICES AND UNSKILLED LABOR SEE 3ASKIA 3ASSEN 'LOBALIZATION AND )TS $ISCONTENTS .EW 9ORK &REE 0RESS SEE ALSO HER EARLIER BOOK 4HE 'LOBAL #ITY 0RINCETON .* 0RINCETON 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 3EE THE )MMIGRATION 2EFORM !CT OF THAT STIPULATES THAT PETITIONING FAMILIES MUST AGREE TO SHOULDER THE POSSIBLE SOCIAL COST OF ADMITTED IMMIGRANTS -OREOVER THIS WAS EFFECTED BY IDEOLOGICALLY CENTERING A hMIDDLE CLASSv SUBJECT OF MIGRATION WITHIN IMMIGRATION LAW 3EE THE INTERVIEWS WITH ,'"4 IMMIGRANTS OF COLOR COLLECTED FOR THIS STUDY ALL ARCHIVED AT THE !UDRE ,ORDE 0ROJECT
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)N PURSUING THIS READING ) HAVE BEEN AIDED BY 7ENDY "ROWNS h,IBER ALISMS &AMILY 6ALUES v IN 3TATES OF )NJURY 0RINCETON .* 0RINCETON 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n 4HIS HAS ALSO BEEN TRUE OF THE lGURE OF THE h$,v DOWN LOW AS IT IS CUR RENTLY USED BY THE #ENTERS FOR $ISEASE #ONTROL AND 0REVENTION AND THE NEWS MEDIA FOR NAMING CERTAIN !FRICAN !MERICAN NONHETERONORMATIVE FORMATIONS THAT CANNOT hBECOMEv HOMOSEXUAL 3EE WWWCDCGOVHIVPUBSFAQDOWNLOWHTM &OR A REVIEW OF THIS LITERATURE SEE h)NTRODUCTION &REEDOM AND THE 0LASTIC #AGE v IN "ROWN 3TATES OF )NJURY n &ERGUSON !BERRATIONS IN "LACK *AMES &AUBION WRITES OF THE SUPPLEMENT IN RELATION TO CONTEMPORARY THEO RIES OF KINSHIP h)F THE OLDER ANTHROPOLOGY OF KINSHIP IS THUS STILL WITH US IT HAS ALSO HAD TO ENDURE THE PERTURBATIONS OF AN EVER MORE UNRULY @SUPPLEMENT A TERM ) USE IN THE $ERRIDIAN SENSE TO DENOTE THE NECESSARY AND PERHAPS ANTITHETICAL RESOLUTION OF A PRIMARY A HEGEMONIC AN INTELLECTUALLY COMFORTABLE CATEGORY v 3EE *AMES &AUBION INTRODUCTION TO 4HE %THICS OF +INSHIP %THNOGRAPHIC )NQUIRIES ED &AUBION ,ANHAM -$ 2OWMAN AND ,ITTLElELD n 3EE ALSO *OHN "ORNEMANS CONTRIBUTION TO THIS ANTHOLOGY TITLED h#ARING AND "EING #ARED &OR $ISPLACING -ARRIAGE +INSHIP 'ENDER AND 3EXUALITYv !S A hSUPPLEMENT v THE GAY 0AKISTANI IMMIGRANT MUST BE DISTINGUISHED FROM THE #HINESE PROSTITUTE AND #HINESE BACHELOR OF THE NINETEENTH AND EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY WHICH WERE PRO DUCED BOTH MATERIALLY AND DISCURSIVELY IN THE 5NITED 3TATES AS CONSTITUTIVE EXCLU SIONS AND HENCE AS CONSTITUTIVELY EXCLUDED /N THE POST STATE CLASS SYSTEM SEE 3PIVAK h$IASPORAS /LD AND .EW v n SEE ALSO -ICHAEL (ARDT AND !NTONIO .EGRIS USE OF THE TERM EMPIRE TO DESCRIBE THIS FORMATION IN %MPIRE #AMBRIDGE -! (ARVARD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 3EE %THNE ,UIBHEID %NTRY $ENIED #ONTROLLING 3EXUALITY AT THE "ORDER -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS 3EE FOR EXAMPLE THE h!SYLUM 0ROJECTv AT THE )NTERNATIONAL 'AY AND ,ES BIAN (UMAN 2IGHTS #OMMISSION WWWIGLHRCORGSITEIGLHRC 4HIS IS IN FACT HOW THE (2# HAS hADDRESSEDv QUEER IMMIGRANT FORMA TIONS AND POLITICS SEEKING TO PASS THE 0ERMANENT 0ARTNERS )MMIGRATION !CT OF THROUGH 53 LEGISLATORS OFlCES 4HE ACT WOULD EXTEND THE SAME LEGAL RIGHTS TO GAYS AND LESBIANS AS HETEROSEXUAL CITIZENS POSSESS IN IMMIGRATION MATTERS 3EE $AVID #RARY h53 )MMIGRATION ,AW .OT &RIENDLY TO 'AY #OUPLES v 3EATTLE 4IMES .OVEMBER SEE ALSO WWWHRCORG4EMPLATECFM 3ECTION 0ERMANENT? 0ARTNERS?)MMIGRATION?!CT 3EE -ICHEL &OUCAULT h4HE 3TATEMENT AND THE !RCHIVE v IN 4HE !RCHAEOL OGY OF +NOWLEDGE AND THE $ISCOURSE ON ,ANGUAGE TRANS ! - 3HERIDAN 3MITH .EW 9ORK 0ANTHEON
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4HESE ARE QUEER TIMES INDEED 4HE WAR ON TERROR IS AN ASSEMBLAGE HOOKED INTO AN ARRAY OF ENDURING MODERNIST PARADIGMS CIVILIZING TELEOLOGIES ORI ENTALISMS XENOPHOBIA MILITARIZATION BORDER ANXIETIES AND POSTMODERN IST ERUPTIONS SUICIDE BOMBERS BIOMETRIC SURVEILLANCE STRATEGIES EMERGENT CORPOREALITIES COUNTERTERRORISM GONE OVERBOARD 7ITH ITS EMPHASES ON BODIES DESIRES PLEASURES TACTILITY RHYTHMS ECHOES TEXTURES DEATHS MORBIDITY TORTURE PAIN SENSATION AND PUNISHMENT OUR NECROPOLITICAL PRESENT FUTURE DEEMS IT IMPERATIVE TO REARTICULATE WHAT QUEER THEORY AND STUDIES OF SEXUALITY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE METATHEORIES AND THE hREAL POLITIKSv OF %MPIRE OFTEN UNDERSTOOD AS *OAN 3COTT OBSERVES AS hTHE REAL BUSINESS OF POLITICSv 1UEER TIMES REQUIRE EVEN QUEERER MODALITIES OF THOUGHT ANALYSIS CREATIVITY AND EXPRESSION IN ORDER TO ELABORATE ON NATIONALIST PATRIOTIC AND TERRORIST FORMATIONS AND THEIR INTERTWINED FORMS OF RACIALIZED PERVERSE SEXUALITIES AND GENDER DYSPHORIAS 7HAT ABOUT THE WAR ON TERRORISM AND ITS ATTENDANT ASSEMBLAGES OF RACISM NATIONAL ISM PATRIOTISM AND TERRORISM IS ALREADY PROFOUNDLY QUEER 4HROUGH AN EXAMINATION OF QUEERNESS IN VARIOUS TERRORIST CORPOREALITIES ) CONTEND THAT QUEERNESSES PROLIFERATE EVEN OR ESPECIALLY AS THEY REMAIN DENIED OR UNACKNOWLEDGED ) TAKE UP THESE TYPES OF INQUIRIES NOT ONLY TO ARGUE THAT DISCOURSES OF COUNTERTERRORISM ARE INTRINSICALLY GENDERED RACED SEXUALIZED AND NATIONALIZED BUT ALSO TO DEMONSTRATE THE PRODUCTION OF NORMATIVE PATRIOT BODIES THAT COHERE AGAINST AND THROUGH QUEER TERROR IST CORPOREALITIES )N THE SPECULATIVE EXPLORATORY ENDEAVOR THAT FOLLOWS ) FOREGROUND THREE MANIFESTATIONS OF THIS IMBRICATION /NE ) EXAMINE DISCOURSES OF QUEERNESS WHERE PROBLEMATIC CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF QUEER CORPOREALITIES ESPECIALLY VIA -USLIM SEXUALITIES ARE REPRODUCED IN THE SERVICE OF DISCOURSES OF 53 EXCEPTIONALISMS 4WO ) REARTICULATE A TER RORIST BODY IN THIS CASE THE SUICIDE BOMBER AS A QUEER ASSEMBLAGE THAT RESISTS QUEERNESS AS SEXUAL IDENTITY OR ANTI IDENTITY IN OTHER WORDS INTERSECTIONAL AND IDENTITARIAN PARADIGMSIN FAVOR OF SPATIAL TEMPORAL AND CORPOREAL CONVERGENCES IMPLOSIONS AND REARRANGEMENTS 1UEER NESS AS AN ASSEMBLAGE MOVES AWAY FROM EXCAVATION WORK DEPRIVILEGES A BINARY OPPOSITION BETWEEN QUEER AND NOT QUEER SUBJECTS AND INSTEAD OF
3OCIAL 4EXT n 6OL .OS n &ALLn7INTER ¥ BY $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS
+BTCJS,1VBS
RETAINING QUEERNESS EXCLUSIVELY AS DISSENTING RESISTANT AND ALTERNATIVE ALL OF WHICH QUEERNESS IMPORTANTLY IS AND DOES IT UNDERSCORES CONTIN GENCY AND COMPLICITY WITH DOMINANT FORMATIONS &INALLY ) ARGUE THAT A FOCUS ON QUEERNESS AS ASSEMBLAGE ENABLES ATTENTION TO ONTOLOGY IN TANDEM WITH EPISTEMOLOGY AFFECT IN CONJUNCTION WITH REPRESENTATIONAL ECONOMIES WITHIN WHICH BODIES SUCH AS THE TURBANED 3IKH TERRORIST INTERPENETRATE SWIRL TOGETHER AND TRANSMIT AFFECTS TO EACH OTHER 4HROUGH AFFECT AND ONTOLOGY THE TURBANED 3IKH TERRORIST IN PARTICULAR ) ARGUE AS A QUEER ASSEMBLAGE IS RESHAPING THE TERRAIN OF 3OUTH !SIAN QUEER DIASPORAS
2VFFS/BSSBUJWFTPG64&YDFQUJPOBMJTN !S A CRITIQUE hQUEER LIBERALISMv NOTES AN UNSETTLING BUT NOT ENTIRELY UNEXPECTED RECONCILIATION OF THE RADICAL CONVICTIONS OF QUEERNESS AS A POST STRUCTURALIST ANTI AND TRANSIDENTITY CRITIQUE WITH THE LIBERAL DEMANDS OF NATIONAL SUBJECT FORMATION 7E CAN MAP OUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT YET OVERLAPPING GENEALOGIES OF QUEER LIBERAL SUBJECTS 4HE lRST IS THE RISE OF THE QUEER CONSUMER CITIZEN HAILED WITH FORCE IN THE LATE S AND EARLY S FUELED BY THE FANTASY OF ENORMOUS DISPOSABLE INCOMES FOR UNBUR DENED BY KINSHIP GAYS AND LESBIANS 4HE SECOND GENEALOGY OF THE QUEER LIBERAL SUBJECT BEFORE THE LAW CULMINATES WITH THE DECRIMINALIZING OF SODOMY THROUGH ,AWRENCE AND 'ARNER V 4EXAS 7HILE BOTH CONSUMPTIVE AND JURIDICAL LINEAGES REmECT HEAVILY ON THE STATUS OF THE NATION ) ARGUE THAT ONE VERY CONCISE WAY QUEER LIBERALISM IS INHABITED IS THROUGH STAG INGS OF 53 NATIONALISM VIA A PRAXIS OF SEXUAL OTHERING THAT UNWITTINGLY EXCEPTIONALIZES THE IDENTITIES OF 53 QUEERNESSES VIS Ì VIS )SLAMOPHO BIC CONSTRUCTIONS OF SEXUALITY IN THE -IDDLE %AST 4HIS IS NOT A CRITIQUE OF THE RACISMS AND OTHER CONSTITUTIVE EXCLUSIONS OF CONSERVATIVE LESBIAN GAY BISEXUAL TRANSGENDER QUEER AND QUESTIONING ,'"41 DISCOURSES 2ATHER ) AM TAKING ISSUE WITH QUEER THEORIZING THAT DESPITE AND PERHAPS BECAUSE OF A COMMITMENT TO AN INTERSECTIONAL ANALYTIC FAILS TO INTER ROGATE THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL WILL TO KNOWLEDGE THAT INVARIABLY REPRODUCES THE DISCIPLINARY INTERESTS OF THE 53 NATION STATE &ORMS OF 53 SEXUAL EXCEPTIONALISM FROM PURPORTEDLY PROGRESSIVE SPACES HAVE HISTORICALLY SUR FACED THROUGH FEMINIST CONSTRUCTIONS OF hTHIRD WORLDv WOMEN WHAT WE HAVE NOW HOWEVER IS THE PRODUCTION OF A SEXUAL EXCEPTIONALISM THROUGH NORMATIVE AS WELL AS NONNORMATIVE QUEER BODIES 4HAT IS QUEERNESS IS PROFFERED AS A SEXUALLY EXCEPTIONAL FORM OF !MERICAN NATIONAL SEXUALITY THROUGH A RHETORIC OF SEXUAL MODERNIZATION THAT IS SIMULTANEOUSLY ABLE TO CASTIGATE THE OTHER AS HOMOPHOBIC AND PERVERSE AND CONSTRUCT THE IMPE RIALIST CENTER AS hTOLERANTv BUT SEXUALLY RACIALLY AND GENDERED NORMAL
+BTCJS,1VBS
1UEERNESS COLLUDES WITH 53 EXCEPTIONALISMS EMBEDDED IN NATIONALIST FOREIGN POLICY VIA THE ARTICULATION AND PRODUCTION OF WHITENESS AS A QUEER NORM AND THE TACIT ACCEPTANCE OF 53 IMPERIALIST EXPANSION &OR EXAMPLE NATIONAL ,'"41 ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE .ATIONAL 'AY AND ,ESBIAN 4ASK &ORCE .',4& AND THE (UMAN 2IGHTS #OMMISSION (2# HAVE BEEN FAR MORE PREOCCUPIED WITH GAY MARRIAGE AND GAYS IN THE MILITARY THAN THE WAR ON TERRORISM OR EVEN THE hHOMOSEXUAL SEXv TORTURE SCANDAL AT !BU 'HRAIB )N FACT -UBARAK $AHIR SUGGESTS THAT SOME ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ACTUALLY HARNESSED THE OPPRESSION OF ,'"41 !RABS TO JUSTIFY THE WAR AND CALLS ON GAYS AND LESBIANS WHO SUPPORT THE WAR IN )RAQ TO hSTOP USING THE GUISE OF CARING ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF GAY !RABS TO RATIONALIZE THEIR SUPPORTv &OR 1UEER ,EFT ORGANIZING NOT TO CENTER PEOPLE OF COLOR BORDERS DANGEROUSLY ON ELIDING A CRITIQUE OF THE RACIST IMPERIALIST WAR OR CONVERSELY REENACTING FORMS OF COLONIAL AND MULTICULTURALIST FETISHISMS FOR EXAMPLE IN RELATION TO QUEER &ILIPINO WAR RESISTER 3TEPHEN &UNK WHO HAS BECOME THE POSTER QUEER FOR ,'"41 ANTIWAR SLOGANEERING !RE ,'"41 COM MUNITIES ADDRESSING THE WAR ON TERRORISM AS A hGAY ISSUEv )F SO ARE THEY ARTICULATING A POLITICS OF RACE EMPIRE AND GLOBALIZATION 4HE MOST EXPLICIT PRODUCTION OF THIS QUEER EXCEPTIONALISM CAN BE FOUND IN NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF THE RESPONSIVE COMMENTARY TO THE !BU 'HRAIB hSEXUAL TORTURE SCANDALv 4HE !BU 'HRAIB SAGA DEMONSTRATES THAT SEXUALITY IS AT ONCE ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL TO THE PRODUCTION OF THE GEOPOLITICS OF !MERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM AND DESPITE THIS CRITICAL ROLE OR PERHAPS BECAUSE OF IT IT IS AN UNDERTHEORIZED UNDERRATED AND OFTEN AVOIDED ASPECT OF THE DEBATE ON THE WAR ON TERROR 6ERY SHORTLY AFTER THE lRST RELEASE OF THE PHOTOS IN -AY THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE TORTURE CATHECTED WITHIN THE SPECTER OF hHOMOSEXUAL ACTS v PROMPTING A mURRY OF INTERVIEWS WITH QUEER THEORISTS ORGANIZATIONAL PRESS RELEASES FROM ,'"41 ASSOCIATIONS AND ARTICLES WITHIN THE GAY PRESS ALL OF WHICH INCREDIBLY ENOUGH DEMON STRATED NO HESITATIONS ABOUT SPEAKING KNOWLEDGEABLY OF h-USLIM SEXUAL ITYv )N THE GAY PRESS THE !BU 'HRAIB PHOTOS WERE HAILED AS hEVIDENCE OF RAMPANT HOMOPHOBIA IN THE ARMED FORCES v WITH SCARCE MENTION OF THE LINKED PROCESSES OF RACISM AND SEXISM %VEN MORE TROUBLING WAS THE REA SON GIVEN FOR THE PARTICULAR EFlCACY OF THE TORTURE THE TABOO OUTLAWED BANNED DISAVOWED STATUS OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN )RAQ AND THE -IDDLE %AST COMPLEMENTED BY AN AVERSION TO NUDITY MALE ON MALE CONTACT AND SEXUAL MODESTY WITH THE RARELY SEEN OPPOSITE SEX )T IS EXACTLY THIS UNSOPHISTI CATED NOTION OF !RAB-USLIM)SLAMIC DOES IT MATTER WHICH ONE CULTURAL DIFFERENCE THAT MILITARY INTELLIGENCE CAPITALIZED ON TO CREATE WHAT THEY BELIEVED TO BE A CULTURALLY SPECIlC hEFFECTIVEv MATRIX OF TORTURE TECHNIQUES 7HAT WE HAVE HERE THEN IS THE PARALLELING OF THE 0ENTAGONS STRATEGIES WHICH USED AMONG OTHER MATERIALS AN ANTHROPOLOGY STUDY 4HE !RAB -IND
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5IFNPTUFYQMJDJU QSPEVDUJPO PGUIJTRVFFS FYDFQUJPOBMJTN DBOCFGPVOE JOOVNFSPVT JOTUBODFTPG UIFSFTQPOTJWF DPNNFOUBSZUP UIF"CV(ISBJC iTFYVBMUPSUVSF TDBOEBMw
AND THE DISCOURSES THAT EMANATE FROM PROGRESSIVE QUEERS &OR EXAMPLE &AISAL !LAM FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL -USLIM LESBIAN GAY BISEXUAL TRANSGENDER INTERSEX QUEER AND QUESTIONING ,'"4)1 ORGANIZATION !L &ATIHA STATES THAT hSEXUAL HUMILIATION IS PERHAPS THE WORST FORM OF TORTURE FOR ANY -USLIMv 4HE PRESS RELEASE FROM !L &ATIHA CONTINUES h)SLAM PLACES A HIGH EMPHASIS ON MODESTY AND SEXUAL PRIVACY )RAQ MUCH LIKE THE REST OF THE !RAB WORLD PLACES GREAT IMPORTANCE ON NOTIONS OF MASCULINITY &ORCING MEN TO MASTURBATE IN FRONT OF EACH OTHER AND TO MOCK SAME SEX ACTS OR HOMOSEXUAL SEX IS PERVERSE AND SADISTIC IN THE EYES OF MANY -USLIMSv )N ANOTHER INTERVIEW !LAM REITERATES THE FOCUS ON THE VIOLATION OF PROPER GENDER NORMS MAINTAINING THAT THE TORTURE IS AN hAFFRONT TO THEIR MASCULINITYv ) TAKE ISSUE WITH !L &ATIHAS STATEMENTS AS THEY ALONG WITH MANY OTHER STATEMENTS RELIED ON AN ORIENTALIST NOTION OF h-USLIM SEXUALITYv THAT FORE GROUNDED SEXUAL REPRESSION AND UPHELD VERSIONS OF NORMATIVE MASCULIN ITYTHAT IS THE FEMINIZED PASSIVO POSITIONING IS NATURALIZED AS HUMILIATING PRODUCING A MUSCULAR NATIONALISM OF SORTS )N DISPLAYS OF SOLIDARITY !L &ATIHAS COMMENTS WERE UNCRITICALLY EMBRACED BY VARIOUS QUEER SECTORS THE #ENTER FOR ,ESBIAN AND 'AY 3TUDIES NEWSLETTER USED THEM TO AUTHENTICATE ITS PERSPECTIVE THROUGH THAT OF THE NATIVE INFORMANT WHILE THE GAY PRESS ENDLESSLY REPRODUCED THE APPROPRIATE MASCULINITY AND SEXUAL CONSERVATISM LINES ) WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE COMPLEX DANCE OF POSITIONALITY THAT -USLIM AND !RAB GROUPS SUCH AS !L &ATIHA MUST PERFORM IN THESE TIMES WHEREBY A DEFENSE OF h-USLIM SEXUALITYv THROUGH THE LENS OF CULTURE IS EASILY CO OPTED INTO RACIST AGENDAS 'IVEN THEIR PLACE AT THE CROSSROADS OF QUEERNESS AND !RABNESS !L &ATIHA WAS AND STILL IS UNDER THE MOST DURESS TO AUTHENTICATE ORIENTALIST PARADIGMS OF -USLIM SEXUALITY THUS REPRODUCING NARRATIVES OF 53 SEXUAL EXCEPTIONALISM 2EINFORCING A HOMOGENOUS NOTION OF -USLIM SEXUAL REPRESSION VIS Ì VIS HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE NOTION OF hMODESTYv WORKS TO RESITUATE THE 5NITED 3TATES IN CONTRAST AS A PLACE FREE OF SUCH SEXUAL CONSTRAINTS &OR !L &ATIHA TO HAVE ELABORATED ON THE ISSUES OF )SLAM AND SEXUALITY MORE COMPLEXLY WOULD HAVE NOT ONLY MISSED THE ORIENTALIST RESONANCE SO EAGERLY AWAITED BY THE MASS MEDIATHAT IS THERE IS ALMOST NO WAY TO GET MEDIA ATTENTION UNLESS THIS RESONANCE IS METIT WOULD HAVE ALSO CONSIDERABLY ENDANGERED A POPULATION ALREADY NAVIGATING THE PERNI CIOUS RACIST EFFECTS OF THE 0ATRIOT !CT SURVEILLANCE DEPORTATIONS DETENTIONS REGISTRATIONS PREEMPTIVE MIGRATIONS AND DEPARTURES 4HUS !L &ATIHAS PERFORMANCE OF A PARTICULAR ALLEGIANCE WITH !MERICAN SEXUAL EXCEPTIONAL ISM IS THE RESULT OF A DEMAND NOT A SUGGESTION 4HE PROLIFERATION OF DIVERSE 53 SUBJECTS SUCH AS THE -USLIM !MERICAN AND THEIR EPISTEMOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF EXISTENCE ARE MANDATES OF HOMELAND SECURITY 4HE POINT TO BE ARGUED IS NOT HOW TO QUALIFY THE STATUS OF HOMOSEXU
+BTCJS,1VBS
ALITY ACROSS THE BROAD HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHIC NOT TO MENTION RELIGIOUS REGIONAL CLASS NATIONAL AND POLITICAL VARIANCES OF THE -IDDLE %AST A TERM ) HESITATE TO USE GIVEN ITS AREA STUDIES IMPLICATIONS 7E MUST CONSIDER INSTEAD HOW THE PRODUCTION OF hHOMOSEXUALITY AS TABOOv IS SITUATED WITHIN THE HISTORY OF ENCOUNTER WITH THE 7ESTERN GAZE 4HE /RIENT ONCE CON CEIVED IN &OUCAULTS ARS EROTICA AND 3AIDS DECONSTRUCTIVE WORK AS THE PLACE OF ORIGINAL RELEASE UNFETTERED SIN AND ACTS WITH NO ATTENDANT IDENTITIES OR CONSEQUENCES NOW SYMBOLIZES THE SPACE OF REPRESSION AND PERVERSION AND THE SITE OF FREEDOM HAS BEEN RELOCATED TO 7ESTERN IDENTITY &OR EXAMPLE THE QUEER THEORIST 0ATRICK -OORE AUTHOR OF "EYOND 3HAME 2ECLAIMING THE !BANDONED (ISTORY OF 2ADICAL 'AY 3EX OPINES "ECAUSE hGAYv IMPLIES AN IDENTITY AND A CULTURE IN ADDITION TO DESCRIBING A SEXUAL ACT IT IS DIFlCULT FOR A GAY MAN IN THE 7EST TO COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE LEVEL OF DISGRACE ENDURED BY THE )RAQI PRISONERS "UT IN THE !RAB WORLD THE HUMILIATING TECHNIQUES NOW ON DISPLAY ARE PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE BECAUSE OF )SLAMS TROUBLED RELATIONSHIP WITH HOMOSEXUALITY 4HIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT SEX BETWEEN MEN DOES NOT OCCUR IN )SLAMIC SOCIETYTHE SHAME LIES IN THE GAY IDENTITY RATHER THAN THE ACT ITSELF !S LONG AS A MAN DOES NOT ACCEPT THE SUPPOSEDLY FEMALE PASSIVE ROLE IN SEX WITH ANOTHER MAN THERE IS NO SHAME IN THE BEHAVIOR 2EPORTS INDICATE THAT THE PRISONERS WERE NOT ONLY PHYSICALLY ABUSED BUT ALSO ACCUSED OF ACTUALLY BEING HOMOSEXUALS WHICH IS A FAR GREATER DEGRADATION TO THEM
4HE ACT TO IDENTITY TELOS SPUN OUT BY -OORE DELINEATES THE 7EST AS THE SPACE OF IDENTITY DISREGARDING THE CONFUSION OF ACT IDENTITY RELATIONS AT THE HEART OF 53 HOMOSEXUALITIES WHILE THE !RAB WORLD IS RELEGATED APPARENTLY BECAUSE OF h)SLAMS TROUBLED RELATIONSHIP TO HOMOSEXUALITY v TO THE BACK WARD REALM OF ACTS 4HE PRESENCE OF GAY AND LESBIAN IDENTIlED -USLIMS IN THE h!RAB WORLDv IS INCONCEIVABLE 'IVEN THE LACK OF ANY EVIDENCE THAT BEING CALLED A HOMOSEXUAL IS MUCH MORE DEGRADING THAN BEING TORTURED -OORES RATIONALIZATION READS AS AN ORIENTALIST PROJECTION THAT CONVEYS MUCH MORE ABOUT THE CONSTRAINTS AND IMAGINARIES OF IDENTITY IN THE h7ESTv THAN ANYTHING ELSE &URTHERMORE IN THE UNCRITICAL FACE VALUE ACCEPTANCE OF THE NOTION OF )SLAMIC SEXUAL REPRESSION WE SEE THE TRENCHANT REPLAY OF WHAT &OUCAULT TERMED THE hREPRESSIVE HYPOTHESISv THE NOTION THAT A LACK OF DISCUSSION OR OPENNESS ABOUT SEXUALITY REmECTS A REPRESSIVE CENSORSHIP DRIVEN APPARATUS OF DEmATED SEXUAL DESIRE 7HILE IN 3AIDS /RIENTALISM THE ILLICIT SEX FOUND IN THE /RIENT WAS SOUGHT OUT IN ORDER TO LIBERATE THE /CCIDENT FROM ITS OWN PERFORMANCE OF THE REPRESSIVE HYPOTHESIS IN THE CASE OF !BU 'HRAIB CONVERSELY IT IS THE REPRESSION OF THE !RAB PRISONERS THAT IS HIGHLIGHTED IN ORDER TO EFFACE THE RAMPANT HYPERSEXUAL EXCESSES OF THE 53 PRISON GUARDS
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'IVEN THE UNBRIDLED HOMOPHOBIA RACISM AND MISOGYNY DEMONSTRATED BY THE 53 GUARDS IT IS INDEED IRONIC YET PREDICTABLE THAT THE 5NITED 3TATES NONETHELESS EMERGES EXCEPTIONALLY AS MORE TOLERANT OF HOMOSEXUAL ITY AND LESS TAINTED BY MISOGYNY AND FUNDAMENTALISM THAN THE REPRESSED MODEST NUDITY SHY h-IDDLE %ASTv 7E HAVE A CLEAR VIEW OF THE PERFOR MATIVE PRIVILEGES OF &OUCAULTS hSPEAKERS BENElTv THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO ARTICULATE SEXUAL KNOWLEDGE ESPECIALLY OF ONESELF BUT IN THIS CASE ALSO OF OTHERS THEN APPEAR TO BE FREED THROUGH THE ACT OF SPEECH FROM THE SPACE OF REPRESSION 4HROUGH THE INSISTENT AND FRANTIC MANUFACTURING OF hHOMOSEXUALITYv AND h-USLIMv AS MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE DISCRETE CATEGORIES QUEERNESS COLLUDES WITH THE DELINEATION OF EXCEPTIONAL 53 SEXUAL NORMS PRODUCED AGAINST THE INTOLERABLE FORMS OF THE SEXUALITIES OF hTERRORISTv BOD IES &URTHERMORE QUEER EXCEPTIONALISM WORKS TO SUTURE 53 NATIONALISM THROUGH THE PERPETUAL lSSURING OF RACE FROM SEXUALITYTHE RACE OF THE PRESUMPTIVELY SEXUALLY REPRESSED PERVERSE OR BOTH TERRORIST AND THE SEXUALITY OF THE NATIONAL PRESUMPTIVELY WHITE GENDER NORMATIVE QUEER THE TWO DARE NOT CONVERGE
5FSSPSJTU$PSQPSFBMJUJFT *OSÏ %STEBAN -U×OZS WRITING ON THE hTERRORIST DRAGv OF THE ,OS !NGE LESnBASED PERFORMANCE ARTIST 6AGINAL $AVIS HARKS BACK TO ANOTHER POLITI CAL ERABIZARRELY AS IF IT WERE LONG AGO ALTHOUGH IN MEASURED TIME WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE MID SWHEN THE NOTION OF THE TERRORIST HAD A TRENCHANT BUT DISTANT QUALITY TO IT -U×OZ ARGUES THAT $AVISS DRAG PER FORMANCES ENCOMPASSING hCROSS SEX CROSS RACE MINSTRELSY v IS TERRORIST ON TWO LEVELS !ESTHETICALLY $AVIS REJECTS GLAMOUR GIRL FEMININE DRAG IN FAVOR OF hGROUND LEVEL GUERRILLA REPRESENTATIONAL STRATEGIESv SUCH AS WHITE SUPREMACIST MILITIAMEN AND BLACK WELFARE QUEEN HOOKERS WHAT -U×OZ CALLS hTHE NATIONS MOST DANGEROUS CITIZENSv 4HIS ALLUDES TO THE SECOND PLANE OF MEANING THE REENACTMENT OF THE hNATIONS INTERNAL TERRORS AROUND RACE GENDER AND SEXUALITYv )T IS IMPERATIVE IN A POST CLIMATE OF COUNTERTERRORISM TO NOTE THAT GUERRILLAS AND TERRORISTS HAVE VASTLY DIFFERENT RACIAL VALENCES THE FORMER BRINGING TO MIND THE PHANTASMIC LANDSCAPES OF #ENTRAL AND 3OUTH !MERICA WHILE THE LATTER THE ENDURING LEGACY OF ORIENTALIST IMAGINARIES )N THE CONTEXT OF THESE GEOGRAPHIES IT IS NOTABLE THAT $AVIS AS THE WHITE MILITIAMAN ASTUTELY BRINGS TERRORISM HOME TO /KLAHOMA #ITY IN FACTAND IN DOING SO DISLODGES AT LEAST MOMEN TARILY THIS ORIENTALIST LEGACY -U×OZS DESCRIPTION OF THIS TERRORIST DRAG POINTS TO THE HISTORICAL CON
+BTCJS,1VBS
VERGENCES BETWEEN QUEERS AND TERRORHOMOSEXUALS HAVE BEEN THE TRAITORS TO THE NATION lGURES OF ESPIONAGE AND DOUBLE AGENTS ASSOCIATED WITH #OM MUNISTS DURING THE -C#ARTHY ERA AND AS WITH SUICIDE BOMBERS BRING ON AND DESIRE DEATH BOTH ARE lGURED AS ALWAYS ALREADY DYING ALTHOUGH FOR HOMOSEXUALS IT IS THROUGH THE !)$3 PANDEMIC -ORE RECENT EXHORTATIONS PLACE GAY MARRIAGE AS hTHE WORST FORM OF TERRORISMv AND GAY COUPLES AS hDOMESTIC TERRORISTSv #LEARLY ONE CAN ALREADY ASK WHAT IS TERRORIST ABOUT THE QUEER "UT THE MORE SALIENT AND URGENT QUESTION IS WHAT IS QUEER ABOUT THE TERRORIST !ND WHAT IS QUEER ABOUT TERRORIST CORPOREALITIES 4HE DEPIC TIONS OF MASCULINITY MOST RAPIDLY DISSEMINATED AND GLOBALIZED THROUGH THE WAR ON TERRORISM ARE TERRORIST MASCULINITIES FAILED AND PERVERSE THESE EMASCULATED BODIES ALWAYS HAVE FEMININITY AS THEIR REFERENCE POINT OF MAL FUNCTION AND ARE METONYMICALLY TIED TO ALL SORTS OF PATHOLOGIES OF THE MIND AND BODYHOMOSEXUALITY INCEST PEDOPHILIA MADNESS AND DISEASE 7E SEE FOR EXAMPLE THE QUEER PHYSICALITY OF TERRORIST MONSTERS HAUNTING THE 53 3TATE $EPARTMENT COUNTERTERRORISM 7EB SITE 7ITH THE UNFURLING VIRUSLIKE EXPLOSIVE MASS OF THE TERRORIST NETWORK TENTACLES EVER REGENERAT ING DESPITE EFFORTS TO TRUNCATE THEM THE TERRORIST IS CONCURRENTLY AN UNFATH OMABLE UNKNOWABLE AND HYSTERICAL MONSTROSITY AND YET ONE THAT ONLY THE EXCEPTIONAL CAPACITIES OF 53 INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY SYSTEMS CAN QUELL 4HIS UNKNOWABLE MONSTROSITY IS NOT A CASUAL BYSTANDER OR PARASITE THE NATION ASSIMILATES THIS EFFUSIVE DISCOMFORT WITH THE UNKNOWABILITY OF THESE BODIES THUS AFFECTIVELY PRODUCING NEW NORMATIVITIES AND EXCEPTIONALISMS THROUGH THE CATALOGING OF UNKNOWABLES )T IS NOT THEN THAT WE MUST ENGAGE IN THE PRACTICE OF EXCAVATING THE QUEER TERRORIST OR QUEERING THE TERRORIST RATHER QUEERNESS IS ALWAYS ALREADY INSTALLED IN THE PROJECT OF NAMING THE TERRORIST THE TERRORIST DOES NOT APPEAR AS SUCH WITHOUT THE CONCURRENT ENTRANCE OF PERVERSION DEVIANCE DEFORMITY 4HE STRATEGY OF ENCOURAGING SUBJECTS OF STUDY TO APPEAR IN ALL THEIR QUEERNESSES RATHER THAN PRIMAR ILY TO QUEER THE SUBJECTS OF STUDY PROVIDES A SUBJECT DRIVEN TEMPORALITY IN TANDEM WITH A METHOD DRIVEN TEMPORALITY 0LAYING ON THIS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SUBJECT BEING QUEERED VERSUS QUEERNESS ALREADY EXISTING WITHIN THE SUBJECT AND THUS DISSIPATING THE SUBJECT AS SUCH ALLOWS FOR BOTH THE TEMPORALITY OF BEING AND THE TEMPORALITY OF ALWAYS BECOMING !S THERE IS NO ENTITY NO IDENTITY TO QUEER RATHER QUEERNESS COMING FORTH AT US FROM ALL DIRECTIONS SCREAMING ITS DElANCE SUGGESTS TO ME A MOVE FROM INTERSECTIONALITY TO ASSEMBLAGE 4HE $ELEUZIAN ASSEMBLAGE AS A SERIES OF DISPERSED BUT MUTUALLY IMPLICATED NETWORKS DRAWS TOGETHER ENUNCIATION AND DISSOLUTION CAUSALITY AND EFFECT !S OPPOSED TO AN INTER SECTIONAL MODEL OF IDENTITY WHICH PRESUMES COMPONENTSRACE CLASS GENDER SEXUALITY NATION AGE RELIGIONARE SEPARABLE ANALYTICS AND CAN
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BE THUS DISASSEMBLED AN ASSEMBLAGE IS MORE ATTUNED TO INTERWOVEN FORCES THAT MERGE AND DISSIPATE TIME SPACE AND BODY AGAINST LINEARITY COHER ENCY AND PERMANENCY )NTERSECTIONALITY DEMANDS THE KNOWING NAMING AND THUS STABILIZING OF IDENTITY ACROSS SPACE AND TIME GENERATING NARRA TIVES OF PROGRESS THAT DENY THE lCTIVE AND PERFORMATIVE OF IDENTIlCATION YOU BECOME AN IDENTITY YES BUT ALSO TIMELESSNESS WORKS TO CONSOLIDATE THE lCTION OF A SEAMLESS STABLE IDENTITY IN EVERY SPACE !S A TOOL OF DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT AND A MANTRA OF LIBERAL MULTICULTURALISM INTERSECTIONALITY COLLUDES WITH THE DISCIPLINARY APPARATUS OF THE STATECENSUS DEMOGRA PHY RACIAL PROlLING SURVEILLANCEIN THAT hDIFFERENCEv IS ENCASED WITHIN A STRUCTURAL CONTAINER THAT SIMPLY WISHES THE MESSINESS OF IDENTITY INTO A FORMULAIC GRID $ISPLACING QUEERNESS AS AN IDENTITY OR MODALITY THAT IS VISIBLY AUDIBLY LEGIBLY OR TANGIBLY EVIDENT ASSEMBLAGES ALLOW US TO ATTUNE TO INTENSITIES EMOTIONS ENERGIES AFFECTIVITIES TEXTURES AS THEY INHABIT EVENTS SPATIALITY AND CORPOREALITIES )NTERSECTIONALITY PRIVILEGES NAMING VISUALITY EPISTEMOLOGY REPRESENTATION AND MEANING WHILE ASSEMBLAGE UNDERSCORES FEELING TACTILITY ONTOLOGY AFFECT AND INFORMATION -OST IMPORTANT GIVEN THE HEIGHTENED DEATH MACHINE ASPECT OF NATIONALISM IN OUR CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL TERRAINA HEIGHTENED SENSORIAL AND ANATOMICAL DOMINATION DESCRIBED BY !CHILLE -BEMBE AS hNECROPOLITICSvASSEM BLAGES WORK AGAINST NARRATIVES OF 53 EXCEPTIONALISM THAT SECURE EMPIRE CHALLENGING THE lXITY OF RACIAL AND SEXUAL TAXONOMIES THAT INFORM PRACTICES OF STATE SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL AND BEFUDDLING THE hUS VERSUS THEMv OF THE WAR ON TERROR &OR WHILE INTERSECTIONALITY AND ITS UNDERPINNINGSAN UNRELENTING EPISTEMOLOGICAL WILL TO TRUTHPRESUPPOSES IDENTITY AND THUS DISAVOWS FUTURITY ASSEMBLAGE IN ITS DEBT TO ONTOLOGY AND ITS ESPOUSAL OF WHAT CANNOT BE KNOWN SEEN OR HEARD OR HAS YET TO BE KNOWN SEEN OR HEARD ALLOWS FOR BECOMINGS BEYOND BEINGS 1UEER ASSEMBLAGES APPEAR IN -BEMBES DEVASTATING AND BRILLIANT MEDITATION ON THE NECROPOLITICS OF OUR CURRENT INlNITE WAR POSITIONING -BEMBE ARGUES FOR A SHIFT FROM BIOPOWER TO NECROPOLITICS THE SUBJUGATION OF LIFE TO THE POWER OF DEATH NOTING THAT THE HISTORICAL BASIS OF SOVEREIGNTY THAT IS RELIANT ON A NOTION OF 7ESTERN POLITICAL RATIONALITY BEGS FOR A MORE ACCURATE FRAMING THAT OF LIFE AND DEATH (E ASKS h7HAT PLACE IS GIVEN TO LIFE DEATH AND THE HUMAN BODY ESPECIALLY THE WOUNDED OR SLAIN BODY v -BEMBE ATTENDS TO THE INFORMATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY OF THE 0ALESTINIAN SUICIDE BOMBER )N PONDERING THE QUEER MODALITIES OF THIS KIND OF TERROR IST ONE NOTES A PASTICHE OF ODDITIES A BODY MACHINED TOGETHER THROUGH METAL AND mESH AN ASSEMBLAGE OF THE ORGANIC AND THE INORGANIC A DEATH NOT OF THE SELF OR OF THE OTHER BUT BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY SELF ANNIHILATION AS THE ULTIMATE FORM OF RESISTANCE AND SELF PRESERVATION 4HIS BODY FORCES A RECONCILIATION OF OPPOSITES THROUGH THEIR INEVITABLE COLLAPSEA PERVERSE
+BTCJS,1VBS
HABITATION OF CONTRADICTION !S A lGURE IN THE MIDST OF ALWAYS ALREADY DYING EVEN AS IT IS IN THE MIDST OF BECOMING LIKE THE HOMOSEXUAL AFmICTED WITH ()6 THE SUICIDE BOMBER SUTURES HIS OR HER STATUS AS SEXUALLY PERVERSE -BEMBE ALSO POINTS TO THE QUEER BECOMINGS OF A SUICIDE BOMBERA COR POREAL EXPERIENTIAL OF hBALLISTICSv 4HE DYNAMITE STRAPPED ONTO THE BODY OF A SUICIDE BOMBER IS NOT MERELY AN APPENDAGE THE hINTIMACYv OF WEAPON WITH BODY REORIENTS THE ASSUMED SPATIAL INTEGRITY COHERENCE AND CONCRETE NESS AND INDIVIDUALITY OF THE BODY THAT IS THE MANDATE OF INTERSECTIONAL IDENTITIES INSTEAD WE HAVE THE BODY WEAPON 4HE ONTOLOGICAL AFFECT OF THE BODY RENDERS IT A NEWLY BECOMING BODY QUEERLY 4HE CANDIDATE FOR MARTYRDOM TRANSFORMS HIS OR HER BODY INTO A MASK THAT HIDES THE SOON TO BE DETONATED WEAPON 5NLIKE THE TANK OR THE MISSILE THAT IS CLEARLY VISIBLE THE WEAPON CARRIED IN THE SHAPE OF THE BODY IS INVISIBLE 4HUS CONCEALED IT FORMS PART OF THE BODY )T IS SO INTIMATELY PART OF THE BODY THAT AT THE TIME OF ITS DETONATION IT ANNIHILATES THE BODY OF ITS BEARER WHO CARRIES WITH IT THE BODIES OF OTHERS WHEN IT DOES NOT REDUCE THEM TO PIECES 4HE BODY DOES NOT SIMPLY CONCEAL A WEAPON 4HE BODY IS TRANSFORMED INTO A WEAPON NOT IN A METAPHORICAL SENSE BUT IN A TRULY BALLISTIC SENSE
4EMPORAL NARRATIVES OF PROGRESSION ARE UPTURNED AS DEATH AND BECOMING FUSE INTO ONE AS ONES BODY DIES ONES BODY BECOMES THE MASK THE WEAPON THE SUICIDE BOMBER NOT BEFORE .OT ONLY DOES THE BALLISTIC BODY COME INTO BEING WITHOUT THE AID OF VISUAL CUES MARKING ITS TRANSFORMATION IT ALSO hCARRIES WITH IT THE BODIES OF OTHERSv )TS OWN PENETRATIVE ENERGY SENDS SHARDS OF METAL AND TORN mESH SPINNING OFF INTO THE ETHER 4HE BODY WEAPON DOES NOT PLAY AS METAPHOR OR IN THE REALM OF MEANING AND EPIS TEMOLOGY BUT RATHER FORCES US ONTOLOGICALLY ANEW TO ASK WHAT KINDS OF INFORMATION DOES THE BALLISTIC BODY IMPART 4HESE BODIES BEING IN THE MIDST OF BECOMING BLUR THE INSIDES AND THE OUTSIDES INFECTING TRANS FORMATION THROUGH SENSATION ECHOING KNOWLEDGE VIA REVERBERATION AND VIBRATION 4HE ECHO IS A QUEER TEMPORALITY IN THE RELAY OF AFFECTIVE INFOR MATION BETWEEN AND AMID BEINGS THE SEQUENCE OF REmECTION REPETITION RESOUND AND RETURN BUT WITH A DIFFERENCE AS IN MIMICRY AND BRINGS FORTH WAVES OF THE FUTURE BREAKING INTO THE PRESENT 'AYATRI 3PIVAK PRE SCIENT IN DRAWING OUR ATTENTION TO THE MULTIVALENT TEXTUALITY OF SUICIDE IN h#AN THE 3UBALTERN 3PEAK v REMINDS US IN HER LATEST RUMINATIONS THAT SUICIDE TERRORISM AS A RELAY OF AFFECTIVE INFORMATION IS A MODALITY OF EXPRESSION AND COMMUNICATION FOR THE SUBALTERN
"TBmHVSFJO UIFNJETUPG BMXBZTBMSFBEZ EZJOHFWFOBTJU JTJOUIFNJETUPG CFDPNJOH MJLF UIFIPNPTFYVBM BGnJDUFEXJUI )*7 UIFTVJDJEF CPNCFSTVUVSFT IJTPSIFSTUBUVT BTTFYVBMMZ QFSWFSTF
3UICIDAL RESISTANCE IS A MESSAGE INSCRIBED ON THE BODY WHEN NO OTHER MEANS WILL GET THROUGH )T IS BOTH EXECUTION AND MOURNING FOR BOTH SELF AND OTHER &OR YOU DIE WITH ME FOR THE SAME CAUSE NO MATTER WHICH SIDE YOU ARE ON
2VFFS5JNFT 2VFFS"TTFNCMBHFT
"ECAUSE NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE THERE ARE NO DESIGNATED KILLEES IN SUICIDE BOMBING .O MATTER WHAT SIDE YOU ARE ON BECAUSE ) CANNOT TALK TO YOU YOU WONT RESPOND TO ME WITH THE IMPLICATION THAT THERE IS NO DISHONOR IN SUCH SHARED AND INNOCENT DEATH
7E HAVE THE PROPOSAL THAT THERE ARE NO SIDES AND THAT THE SIDES ARE FOREVER SHIFTING CRUMPLING AND MULTIPLYING DISAPPEARING AND REAPPEAR INGUNABLE TO SATISFACTORILY DELINEATE BETWEEN HERE AND THERE 4HE SPATIAL COLLAPSE OF SIDES IS DUE TO THE QUEER TEMPORAL INTERRUPTION OF THE SUICIDE BOMBER PROJECTILES SPEWING EVERY WHICH WAY !S A QUEER ASSEMBLAGEDIS TINCT FROM THE hQUEERINGv OF AN ENTITY OR IDENTITYRACE AND SEXUALITY ARE DENATURALIZED THROUGH THE IMPERMANENCE THE TRANSIENCE OF THE SUICIDE BOMBER THE mEETING IDENTITY REPLAYED BACKWARD THROUGH ITS DISSOLUTION 4HIS DISSOLUTION OF SELF INTO OTHERS AND OTHERS INTO SELF NOT ONLY EFFACES THE ABSOLUTE MARK OF SELF AND OTHERS IN THE WAR ON TERROR IT PRODUCES A SYSTEMIC CHALLENGE TO THE ENTIRE ORDER OF -ANICHAEAN RATIONALITY THAT ORGANIZES THE RUBRIC OF GOOD VERSUS EVIL $ELIVERING hA MESSAGE INSCRIBED ON THE BODY WHEN NO OTHER MEANS WILL GET THROUGH v SUICIDE BOMBERS DO NOT TRANSCEND OR CLAIM THE RATIONAL OR ACCEPT THE DEMARCATION OF THE IRRATIONAL 2ATHER THEY FOREGROUND THE mAWED TEMPORAL SPATIAL AND ONTOLOGICAL PRESUMPTIONS ON WHICH SUCH DISTINCTIONS mOURISH 4HE BODY OF -BEMBES SUICIDE BOMBER IS STILL HOWEVER A MALE ONE AND IN THAT UNIVERSALIZED MASCULINITY ONTOLOGICALLY PURE REGARDLESS OF LOCATION HISTORY AND CONTEXT 7HEREAS FOR -BEMBE SEXUALITYAS THE DISSOLUTION OF BODILY BOUNDARIESIS ELABORATED THROUGH THE BALLISTIC EVENT OF DEATH FOR FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBERS SEXUALITY IS ALWAYS ANNOUNCED IN ADVANCE THE PETITE MANICURED HANDS MYSTICAL BEAUTY hBEAUTY MIXED WITH VIOLENCEv AND FEATURES OF HER FACE AND BODY ARE COMMENTED ON IN A MANNER NOT REQUISITE FOR MALE SUICIDE BOMBERS THE POLITICAL IMPORT OF THE FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBERS ACTIONS ARE GENDERED OUT OR INTO DELUSIONS ABOUT HER PURPORTED IRRATIONAL EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL DISTRESS &EMALE SUICIDE BOMBERS DISRUPT THE PROSAIC PROPOSITION THAT TERRORISM IS BRED DIRECTLY OF PATRIARCHY AND THAT WOMEN ARE INTRINSICALLY MANIFESTING PEACE 4HIS RATIONALE IS REINSCRIBED HOWEVER WHEN OBSERVERS PROCLAIM THAT WOMEN CAST OUT OF OR SHUNNED BY TRADITIONAL COMPOSITIONS OF GENDER AND SEXUAL ITY OFTEN ACCUSED OF BEING LESBIANS ARE MOST LIKELY PREDISPOSED TOWARD VIOLENCE 4HESE DISCURSIVE AND BODILY IDENTITY MARKERS REmECT THE ENDURING CAPACITIES OF INTERSECTIONALITYWE CANNOT LEAVE IT COMPLETELY BEHINDBUT ALSO ITS LIMITATIONS -BEMBE AND 3PIVAK EACH ARTICULATE IMPLICITLY HOW QUEERNESS IS CONSTITUTIVE OF THE SUICIDE BOMBER DELINKED FROM SEXUAL IDENTITY TO SIGNAL INSTEAD TEMPORAL SPATIAL AND CORPOREAL SCHISMS QUEERNESS IS INSTALLED WITHIN AS A PREREQUISITE FOR THE BODY TO FUNCTION SYMBOLICALLY PEDAGOGI
+BTCJS,1VBS
CALLY AND PERFORMATIVELY AS IT DOES 4HE DISPERSION OF THE BOUNDARIES OF BODIES FORCES A COMPLETELY CHAOTIC CHALLENGE TO NORMATIVE CONVENTIONS OF GENDER SEXUALITY AND RACE DISOBEYING NORMATIVE CONVENTIONS OF hAPPRO PRIATEv BODILY PRACTICES AND THE SANCTITY OF THE ABLE BODY (ERE THEN IS A POSSIBLE REREADING OF THESE TERRORIST BODIES TYPICALLY UNDERSTOOD AS CUL TURALLY ETHNICALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY NATIONALIST FUNDAMENTALIST PATRIARCHAL AND OFTEN EVEN HOMOPHOBIC AS QUEER CORPOREALITIES 4HE POLITICAL IMPORT OF THIS QUEER REREADING SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED IN THE UPHEAVAL OF THE hWITH US OR AGAINST USv RHETORIC OF THE WAR ON TERROR QUEER PRAXIS OF ASSEMBLAGE ALLOWS FOR A SCRAMBLING OF SIDES THAT IS ILLEGIBLE TO STATE PRACTICES OF SURVEILLANCE CONTROL BANISHMENT AND EXTERMINATION 4HESE NONEX CEPTIONAL TERRORIST BODIES ARE NONHETERONORMATIVE IF WE CONSIDER NATION AND CITIZENSHIP TO BE IMPLICIT IN THE PRIVILEGE OF HETERONORMATIVITY AS WE SHOULD &OLLOWING FROM #ATHY #OHENS ARGUMENT THAT HETERONORMATIVITY IS AS MUCH ABOUT WHITE RACIAL AND MIDDLE TO UPPER CLASS PRIVILEGE AS IT IS ABOUT SEXUAL IDENTITIES IDENTIlCATIONS AND ACTS THE !MERICAN IMPERIALIST NATION ALSO lGURES AS AN IMPORTANT AXIS OF PSYCHIC AND MATERIAL IDENTIlCATION REPEATEDLY CASTING THESE BODIES INTO THE SPOTLIGHT OF SEXUAL PERVERSITY 4HROUGH THE RECLAMATION OF THE NATIONS PERVERSE BEINGS ACROSS HOMO HETERO DIVIDES THE TENOR OF QUEERNESS IS INTRINSICALLY ANTINATIONAL IST )N ATTENDING TO AFFECTIVE CORPOREAL QUEERNESSES ONES THAT FOREGROUND NORMATIVIZING AND RESISTANT BODILY PRACTICES BEYOND SEX GENDER AND SEXUAL OBJECT CHOICE QUEERNESS IS EXPANDED AS A lELD A VECTOR A TERRAIN ONE THAT MUST CONSISTENTLY NOT SPORADICALLY ACCOUNT FOR NATIONALISM AND RACE WITHIN ITS PURVIEW AS WELL AS INSISTENTLY DISENTANGLE THE RELATIONS BETWEEN QUEER REPRESENTATION AND QUEER AFFECTIVITY 7HAT DOES THIS REREADING AND REARTICULATION DO TO #OHENS ALREADY EXPANSIVE NOTION OF QUEER COALITIONAL POLITICS 7HAT TYPES OF AFlLIATIVE NETWORKS COULD BE IMAGINED AND SPAWNED IF WE EMBRACE THE ALREADY QUEER MECHANICS AND ASSEMBLAGESTHREATS TO NATION TO RACE TO SANCTIONED BODILY PRACTICESOF TERRORIST BODIES
"GGFDUJWF2VFFSOFTT 4HESE BODIES ARE OLD NO DOUBT BUT THEIR QUEERNESSES ARE SUGGESTED BY THE INTENSE ANXIETIES THEY PROVOKE THEY TROUBLE THE NATIONS PERIMETERS FROM WITHIN AND ALSO FROM THE OUTSIDE AND APPEAR TO BE RIFE WITH AS WELL AS GENERATIVE OF FEAR AND DANGER 7HY IN THE NAME OF A SECULAR STATE BAN THE USE OF HEAD SCARVES FOR -USLIM WOMEN IN &RANCE WITH ALLUSIONS TO THE NEXT TARGETS TURBANS AND BEARDS 7HAT KINDS OF MONSTROUS BOD IES ARE VISUALIZED WHEN DAILY THE PAPERS ARE PLASTERED WITH TURBANED AL 1AEDA OPERATIVES 7HY SCREAM h4AKE THAT TURBAN OFF YOU FUCKING TER
2VFFS5JNFT 2VFFS"TTFNCMBHFT
RORISTv 7HAT IS LOST GAINED AND RETAINED IN THE ACT OF SHAVING 3ADDAM (USSEINS BEARD OFF JUST HOURS AFTER HIS PURPORTED CAPTURE 3EE ALSO THE PICTURE h3ADDAMS 1UEER %YE -AKEOVERv AND h1UEER %YE FOR 3ADDAM v AKA h1UEER %YE FOR THE (OPELESS 'UYv 7HO IS APPEASED THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF SHAVING THE FACIAL AND HEAD HAIR OF PRISONERS BEFORE THEY ARE TAKEN TO 'UANTÉNAMO "AY 4HESE BODIES ARE NOT ONLY BEING COMMANDED TO THE RESTORATION OF THE PROPERLY VISIBLE 4HE NAME OF THE DETENTION SITE #AMP 8 2AY SUGGESTS IN ITSELF A PROFOUND YEARNING FOR THE TRANSPARENCY OF THESE BODIES THE CAPACITY TO SEE THROUGH THEM AND RENDER THEM KNOWN TACITURN DISEMBODIED )N THE ACT OF REMOVING (USSEINS BATTERED OVER GROWN BEARD (USSEINS MONSTROSITY IS RENEWED 7E DO NOT RECOGNIZE IN HIM THE DECREPIT WORN TIRED MAN FOUND IN A HOLE A MAN WHOSE CAPTURE HAS MORE SYMBOLIC THAN MATERIAL UTILITY AND ENTAILS THE ERASURE OF DECADES OF 53 IMPERIALIST VIOLENCE IN THE h-IDDLE %ASTv "UT DO NOT LOOK TOO CLOSELY AT HIS EYES FOR HIS FAMILIARITY MAY BE LOST !ND IT IS THE RETERRITORI ALIZATION OF THE BODY THAT MUST BE PERFORMED THROUGH THE RITUAL OF CUTTING AND SHAVING HAIR THE PRODDING MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS THE PRAYER QUARTERS PROXIMATE TO ARROWS POINTING TO -ECCA AND OTHER FORMS OF APPARENTLY hHUMANEv INCARCERATION TACTICS THAT SUPPLEMENT THOSE OF TORTURE 4HE hDETAINED BODYv IS THUS A MACHINATION OF CEREMONIAL SCRUTINY AND SHEER DOMINATION 4ERRORIST LOOK ALIKE BODIES MAY ALLUDE TO THE ILLEGIBLE AND INCOM MENSURABLE AFFECT OF QUEERNESSBODIES THAT ARE IN SOME SENSE MACHINED TOGETHER REMARKABLE BEYOND IDENTITY VISUALITY AND VISIBILITY TO THE REALMS OF AFFECT AND ONTOLOGY THE TACTILE AND THE SENSORIAL "RIAN -ASSUMI CON CISELY PINPOINTS THE EFFECT OF AFFECT h4HE PRIMACY OF THE AFFECTIVE IS MARKED BY A GAP BETWEEN CONTENT AND EFFECT IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE STRENGTH OR DURATION OF AN IMAGES EFFECT IS NOT LOGICALLY CONNECTED TO THE CONTENT IN ANY STRAIGHTFORWARD WAY 4HIS IS NOT TO SAY THERE IS NO CONNECTION AND NO LOGICv "EYOND WHAT THE BODY LOOKS LIKE THEN THIS IS ALSO ABOUT WHAT THE QUEER BODY FEELS LIKE FOR THE EMBODIED AND FOR THE SPECTATOR 2EWORKING -ICHAEL 4AUSSIGS NOTION OF hTACTILE KNOWING v -AY *OSEPH ELOQUENTLY ASSERTS &OR CULTURES WHOSE FORMS OF SOCIAL KNOWLEDGE HAVE BEEN FRAGMENTED AND MUTATED BY MULTIPLE EXPERIENCES OF CONQUEST AND CULTURAL CONTACT TACTILE PRACTICES ARE DIFlCULT TO READ AND CONTAIN MULTIPLE MEANINGS 3UCH EXCHANGES ARE FREQUENTLY INFORMAL EVENTS INTRINSIC TO EVERYDAY LIFE THROUGH WHICH CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE GETS CITED TRANSMITTED OR RE APPROPRIATED 4HE SENSES ACQUIRE TEXTURE
!S THAT WHICH hIMMERSES THE SENSES BEYOND THE STRUCTURING LOGIC OF VISION AND DISLODGES MEMORY AS THE FASCIA OF HISTORY v TACTILE KNOWLEDGES INSTALL
+BTCJS,1VBS
NORMATIVIZING TRACES OF DANGER FEAR AND MELANCHOLIA INTO THE BODIES OF RACIALIZED TERRORIST LOOK ALIKES 4HE TURBAN FOR EXAMPLE IS NOT MERELY AN APPENDAGE TO THE BODY )T IS ALWAYS IN THE STATE OF BECOMING THE BECOM ING OF A TURBANED BODY THE TURBAN BECOMING PART OF THE BODY 4HE HEAD SCARF SIMILARLY ALONG WITH THE BURKA AND THE HIJAB OFTEN DECRIED AS MASKS HAS BECOME A PERVERSE FETISH OBJECTA POINT OF lXATIONA KIND OF CENTRIPETAL FORCE A STRANGE ATTRACTOR THROUGH WHICH THE DENSITY OF ANXI ETY ACCRUES AND ACCUMULATES &OR THE WEARER THE RITUALS AND SENSATIONS ATTACHED TO THESE PARTS OF THE BODYTHE SMELLS DURING THE WEEKLY STARCH ING OF THE LINENS THE STRETCHING OF YARDS OF COARSE FABRIC TO INDUCE SOME SOFTENING THE WRAPPING AND PINNING OF THE TURBAN INTO PLACETHESE ARE EXPERIENCES IN THE MIDST OF BECOMING QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE 4HROUGH QUEERLY AFFECTIVE AND TACTILE REALMS THE 3IKH PAGRI OR TURBAN IS ACQUIRING THE INSCRIPTIONS OF A TERRORIST MASCULINITY MUCH IN THE WAY THAT VEILING HAS BEEN READ AS INDICATIVE OF AN OTHER FEMININITY 4HE TURBANED MAN NO LONGER MERELY THE MARK OF A DURABLE AND MISGUIDED TRADITION A RESISTANT ANTIASSIMILATIONIST ALBEIT PATRIARCHAL STANCE NOW INHABITS THE SPACE AND HISTORY OF MONSTROSITY THAT WHICH CAN NEVER BECOME CIVILIZED 4HE TURBAN IS NOT ONLY IMBUED WITH THE NATIONALIST RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL SYMBOLICS OF THE OTHER 4HE TURBAN BOTH REVEALS AND HIDES THE TERRORIST $ESPITE THE TAXONOMIES OF TURBANS THEIR SPECIlC REGIONAL AND LOCATIONAL GENEALOGIES THEIR PLACEMENT IN TIME AND SPACE THEIR SINGULARITY AND THEIR MULTIPLICITY THE TURBAN AS MONOLITH PROFOUNDLY TROUBLES AND DISTURBS THE NATION AND ITS NOTIONS OF SECURITY 3INCE 3IKH MEN WEARING TURBANS AND MISTAKEN FOR KIN OF /SAMA BIN ,ADEN HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY BACKLASH RACIST HATE CRIMES TARGETING -USLIMS AND OTHER 3OUTH !SIANS !S A SIGN OF GUILT AND ALSO THE POTENTIAL REDEMPTION OF THAT GUILT THE ELUSIVE DUBIOUS CHARACTER OF THE TURBANED MAN OR WOMAN COULD DRIVE THE ONLOOKER CRAZY )T IS NOT FOR NOTHING THAT IN ONE HATE CRIME INCIDENT AFTER ANOTHER TURBANS ARE CLAWED AT VICIOUSLY AND HAIR IS PULLED OCCA SIONALLY EVEN CUT OFF 4HE INTIMACY OF SUCH VIOLENCE CANNOT BE OVERSTATED 4HE ATTACK FUNCTIONS AS A DOUBLE EMASCULATION THE DISROBING IS AN INSULT TO THE USUALLY MALE REPRESENTATIVE 3IKH OR -USLIM OF THE COMMUNITY WHILE THE REMOVAL OF HAIR ENTAILS SUBMISSION BY AND TO NORMATIVE PATRIOTIC MASCULINITIES 4HE TURBAN INSINUATES THE CONSTANT SLIDING BETWEEN THAT WHICH CAN BE DISCIPLINED AND THAT WHICH MUST BE OUTLAWED 3OMETIMES DEATH ENSUES )N RELATION TO 3IKHS MISNAMED h(INDOOv DURING THE lRST MIGRATIONS OF 3IKHS TO THE .ORTHWEST AND #ALIFORNIA IN THE EARLY S AND NOW MIS TAKEN AS -USLIM THE HYPOTHESIS OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY AS THE MAIN CAUSAL FACTOR FOR POST HATE CRIMES HAS BEEN EMBRACED BY CONSERVATIVE AND PROGRESSIVE FACTIONS ALIKE 4HE "USH ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRESSIVE 3IKH
2VFFS5JNFT 2VFFS"TTFNCMBHFT
5ISPVHIRVFFSMZ BGGFDUJWFBOE UBDUJMFSFBMNT UIF4JLIQBHSJ PSUVSCBO JT BDRVJSJOHUIF JOTDSJQUJPOT PGB UFSSPSJTU NBTDVMJOJUZ NVDI JOUIFXBZUIBU WFJMJOHIBTCFFO SFBEBTJOEJDBUJWF PGBOPUIFS GFNJOJOJUZ
ADVOCACY GROUPS HAVE PROMOTED EDUCATION AS THE PRIMARY VEHICLE THROUGH WHICH TO AMELIORATE THIS SITUATION 4HE NOTION OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY RELIES ON MULTIPLE PREMISES THAT THE VIEWER IS OPEN TO AND WILLING TO DISCERN THE VISUAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 3IKH TURBANS AND -USLIM TURBANS THAT THE IDE ALS OF MULTICULTURALISM AS PROMULGATED BY LIBERAL EDUCATION ACKNOWLEDGES THAT DIFFERENCES WITHIN DIFFERENCE MATTER 4HE FOCUS ON MISTAKEN IDENTITY FAVORS THE VISUAL EXPERIENCE OF THE TURBAN OVER ITS AFFECTIVE EXPERIENCE ONE THAT HAILS HISTORICAL FORMATIONS OF ORIENTALISM AND ELICITS FEAR LOATHING AND DISGUST 4ACTILE ECONOMIES REASSERT ONTOLOGICAL RATHER THAN EPISTEMOLOGICAL KNOWING AND HIGHLIGHT TOUCH TEXTURE SENSATION SMELL FEELING AND AFFECT OVER WHAT IS ASSUMED TO BE LEGIBLE THROUGH THE VISIBLE &URTHERMORE THE TURBAN WEARER USUALLY MALE BEARS THE TYPICALLY FEMALE BURDEN OF SAFE GUARDING AND TRANSMITTING CULTURE AND OF SYMBOLIZING THE PURITY OF NATION "UT THIS DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY OR ONLY FEMINIZE HIM INSTEAD THE FUSION OF HAIR OIL CLOTH SKIN THE ORGANIC WITH THE NONORGANIC RENDERS THE TURBAN A QUEER PART OF THE BODY )T IS THIS ASSEMBLAGE OF VISUALITY AFFECT FEMINIZED POSITION AND BODILY NONORGANICITY THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ITS QUEER lGURATION IN THE EXECUTION OF A HATE CRIME 4HIS QUEER ASSEMBLAGE OF THE TURBANED TERRORIST SPEAKS TO THE PROLIlC FERTILIZATION AND CROSSHATCHING OF TERRORIST CORPOREALITIES AMID QUEER 3OUTH !SIAN DIASPORAS BODIES THAT MUST BE RECLAIMED AS QUEER 3OUTH !SIAN QUEER DIASPORAS MAY MIMIC FORMS OF 53 MODEL MINORITY EXCEPTIONALISM THAT POSIT QUEERNESS AS AN EXEMPLARY OR LIBRATORY SITE DEVOID OF NATIONAL IST IMPULSES AN EXCEPTIONALISM THAT NARRATES QUEERNESS AS EMULATING THE HIGHEST TRANSGRESSIVE POTENTIAL OF DIASPORA "UT THE TENSIONSAND OVER LAPSBETWEEN THE NOW FETISHIZED DESI DRAG QUEEN AND THE TURBANED OR OTHERWISE 3IKH OR -USLIM TERRORIST TEMPER THIS EXCEPTIONALISM "RIAN +EITH !XEL IN HIS GROUND CLEARING ESSAY h4HE $IASPORIC )MAGINARY v POSES TWO RADICAL MODIlCATIONS TO THE STUDY OF DIASPORA AS IT HAS BEEN CONCEIVED IN ANTHROPOLOGY CULTURAL STUDIES AND INTERDISCIPLINARY FORUMS 2EFERENCING HIS STUDY OF 3IKH DIASPORAS HE ARGUES THAT hRATHER THAN CONCEIVING OF THE HOMELAND AS SOMETHING THAT CREATES THE DIASPORA IT MAY BE MORE PRODUC TIVE TO CONSIDER THE DIASPORA AS SOMETHING THAT CREATES THE HOMELANDv !XEL IS GESTURING BEYOND THE MATERIAL LOCATIONAL PRAGMATICS OF THE MYTH OF RETURN THE ECONOMIC AND SYMBOLIC IMPORTANCE OF THE .2) NONRESI DENT )NDIAN +HALISTAN AND (INDUTVA NATIONALIST MOVEMENTS FUNDED BY DISAPORIC MONEY OR THE MODALITIES OF HOMELAND THAT ARE RE CREATED IN THE DIASPORA 4HE HOMELAND HE PROPOSES hMUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS AN AFFECTIVE AND TEMPORAL PROCESS RATHER THAN A PLACEv "UT IF NOT THE FACT OF PLACE WHAT IMPELS A DIASPORIC SENSIBILITY OR COLLECTIVITY )N SITUATING hDIFFERENT BODIES OR CORPOREAL IMAGES AND HISTORICAL FORMA TIONS OF SEXUALITY GENDER AND VIOLENCEv AS DEEPLY AND EQUALLY CONSTITUTIVE
+BTCJS,1VBS
OF THE DIASPORIC IMAGINARY AS THE PLACE OF THE HOMELAND !XELS FORMULATION CAN BE PRODUCTIVELY REWORKED TO FURTHER QUEER THE HABITUS OF NATION AND ITS GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES 4HE NOTION OF QUEER DIASPORA RETOOLS DIASPORA TO ACCOUNT FOR CONNECTIVITY BEYOND OR DIFFERENT FROM SHARING A COMMON ANCESTRAL HOMELAND 4HAT IS TO SHIFT AWAY FROM ORIGIN FOR A MOMENT ALLOWS OTHER FORMS OF DIASPORIC AFlLIATIVE AND CATHARTIC ENTITIES FOR !XEL AND ALSO -BEMBE PRIMARILY THAT OF BODIES AND THE TRAUMAS THAT HAUNT THEM TO SHOW THEIR AFlLIATIVE POWERS &URTHERMORE AN UNSETTLING OF THE SITE OF ORIGIN THAT IS NATION AS ONE OF THE TWO BINDING TERMS OF DIASPORA DE FACTO PUNCTURES THE HOMELAND TO DIASPORA TELOS AND WRENCHES ANCESTRAL PROGRESSION OUT OF THE AUTOMATIC PURVIEW OF DIASPORA ALLOWING FOR QUEER NARRATIVES OF KINSHIP BELONGING AND HOME 4HE SENSATION OF PLACE IS THUS ONE OF MANIFOLD INTENSITIES CATHECTED THROUGH DISTANCE 4HE DIASPORA THEN FOR !XEL IS NOT REPRESENTED ONLY AS A DEMOGRAPHIC A GEOGRAPHIC PLACE OR PRIMARILY THROUGH HISTORY MEMORY OR EVEN TRAUMA )T IS COHERED THROUGH SENSATION VIBRATIONS ECHOES SPEED FEEDBACK LOOPS AND RECURSIVE FOLDS AND FEELINGS COALESCING THROUGH CORPOREALITIES AFFECTIVITIES AND ) WOULD ADD MULTIPLE AND CONTINGENT TEMPORALITIES NOT THROUGH AN IDENTITY BUT AN ASSEMBLAGE 4HE CORPOREAL IMAGES IN QUESTION FOR !XEL ARE THE TORTURED BODIES NOT UNLIKE THOSE OF !BU 'HRAIB OF 3IKH MALE !MRITDHARIES THOSE CAUGHT IN CIVIL UNREST IN 0UNJAB IN THE MID S TO EARLY S AND ARBITRARILY INCARCERATED BY THE )NDIAN GOVERNMENT !GAIN WE HAVE THE APPEARANCE OF THE TURBANED 3IKH MALE !XEL DETAILS THE MECHANICS OF THE TORTURE
5IFUVSCBOFE NBMFCPEZ OPX UIFUPSUVSFE EFUVSCBOFECPEZ JTFGGFDUJWFMZ SFOEFSFE SFMJHJPVTMZ JNQPUFOUBOE VOBCMFUP SFQFBUJUTUISFBU UPOBUJPOBM CPVOEBSJFT
/FTEN THE lRST ACT IS TO CAST OFF THE DETAINEES TURBAN &OR MANY VICTIMS THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE TURBAN ALONG WITH THE USE OF THE HAIR TO TIE THE VICTIM DOWN IS ONE OF THE DEEPEST GESTURES OF DISHONOR BEIZATTI "UT AFTER SURRENDER AND DISHONOR ARE ENACTED ON THE HEAD FOCUS SHIFTS TO THE GENITALS AND ANUS WHICH BECOME THE OBJECTS OF TAUNTS AND VIOLATION
#OLLECTIVELY THE TURBAN GENITALS AND ANUS TAKE ON THE FORCE OF THE PHAL LUS THE SEXUAL SHAMING BEGINS WITH THE NAKEDNESS OF THE HEAD AND USE OF THE OTHERWISE PRIDE ENGENDERING HAIR TO SUBJUGATE THEN CONTINUES ON TO THE HABITUAL OBJECTS OF SEX )N PARTICULAR TORTURE OF THE ANUS SEEKS TO SIMULATE ANAL SEX AND THUS AROUSE THE SPECTER OF HOMOSEXUALITY 4HE TURBANED MALE BODY NOW THE TORTURED DETURBANED BODY IS EFFECTIVELY RENDERED RELIGIOUSLY IMPOTENT AND UNABLE TO REPEAT ITS THREAT TO NATIONAL BOUNDARIES .ATIONAL NORMATIVE SEXUALITY PROVIDES THE SANCTIONED HETEROSEXUAL MEANS FOR REPRODUCING THE NATIONS COMMUNITY WHEREAS ANTINATIONAL SEXUALITY INTERRUPTS AND THREATENS THAT COMMUNITY 4ORTURE CASTS NATIONAL NORMATIVE
2VFFS5JNFT 2VFFS"TTFNCMBHFT
SEXUALITY AS A FUNDAMENTAL MODALITY OF CITIZEN PRODUCTION IN RELATION TO AN ANTINATIONAL SEXUALITY THAT POSTULATES SEX AS A hCAUSEv OF NOT ONLY SEXUAL EXPERIENCE BUT ALSO OF SUBVERSIVE BEHAVIOR AND EXTRATERRITORIAL DESIRE hNOW YOU CANT BE MARRIED YOU CANT PRODUCE ANY MORE TERRORISTSv
3EXUAL VIOLENCE NOT PLACE IS THE DOMINANT CONSTITUTIVE FACTOR OF !XELS DIASPORIC IMAGINARY 4HIS VIOLENCE IS PERFORMATIVE IN THAT QUEERNESS OF THE BODY IS CONlRMED ON SEVERAL FRONTS lRST THERE IS THE QUEER INVER SION OF REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY TO THE MALE TERRORIST BODY AWAY FROM THE NORMATIVE FOCUS ON WOMEN AS REPRODUCERS OF NATION AND CULTURE SEC OND THE BODY IS SYMBOLICALLY STRIPPED OF ITS REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITIES PRO PELLED INTO THE QUEER REALM OF AN ANTINATIONAL SEXUALITY TEMPORALITY IS RE PLANED BECAUSE THE ASSUMPTION OF NORMATIVE FAMILIAL KINSHIP FORMS AS ENGENDERED BY GENERATIONAL CONTINUITY IS RUPTURED "UT THIRD IN LINE WITH THE QUEER lGURATION OF THE TURBANED 3IKH BODY THIS BODY ALREADY APPEARS AS QUEER AND THUS THE TORTURE PERFORMS IN THE CITATIONAL SENSE THE VERY QUEER ASSEMBLAGE THAT INSTANTIATES IT 4HE ASSEMBLAGE IS POS SIBLE NOT THROUGH THE IDENTITY MARKERS THAT ENCAPSULATE THIS BODY3IKH MALE TURBANED HETEROSEXUAL BUT PERVERSEBUT RATHER THE TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL REORDERINGS THAT THE BODY REITERATES AS IT IS TORTURED 4HERE IS THE DOUBLING OF TIME AND SPACE AS THE BODY IS SIMULTANEOUSLY REFASHIONED FOR NORMATIVE )NDIAN NATIONAL AESTHETICS YET CAST FROM THE NATION AS ITS REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY IS CASTRATED 3PATIALLY SITUATED BOTH WITHIN AND OUT SIDE NATION TEMPORALLY ALWAYS BECOMING BOTH NATIONAL AND ITS ANTITHESIS THE ASSEMBLAGE IS MOMENTARY mEETING EVEN AND GIVES WAY TO NORMATIVE IDENTITY MARKERS EVEN IN THE MIDST OF ITS NEWLY BECOMING STATE )T IS THIS SHIFT FROM NATIONAL AND REGIONAL ORIGIN TO CORPOREAL AFFEC TIVITYFROM 3OUTH !SIA AS UNIFYING HOMELAND TO THE ASSEMBLAGE OF THE MONSTER TERRORIST FAG IN 3OUTH !SIA AND IN THE DIASPORAS AS THEY WORK TOGETHER THAT DISLODGES IDENTITY BASED NOTIONS OF QUEERNESS THUS PROB LEMATIZING QUEER DIASPORIC EXCEPTIONALISMS BUT ALSO MOTIVATING THEIR EXPO NENTIAL FORTIlCATION AND PROLIFERATION IN THE lRST PLACE 1UEER OCCUPA TION OF THE TURBANED 3IKH MALE AND OTHER TERRORIST ASSEMBLAGES NOT ONLY COUNTERS SEXUAL EXCEPTIONALISMS BY RECLAIMING PERVERSIONTHE NONEX CEPTIONALWITHIN THE GAZE OF NATIONAL SECURITY )N THE COMINGLING OF QUEER MONSTROSITY AND QUEER MODERNITY IT ALSO CREATIVELY POWERFULLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY SCRAMBLES THE TERRAIN OF THE POLITICAL WITHIN ORGANIZING AND INTELLECTUAL PROJECTS 4HESE TERRORIST ASSEMBLAGES A CACOPHONY OF INFOR MATIONAL mOWS ENERGETIC INTENSITIES BODIES AND PRACTICES THAT UNDERMINE COHERENT IDENTITY AND EVEN QUEER ANTI IDENTITY NARRATIVES BYPASS ENTIRELY THE &OUCAULDIAN hACT TO IDENTITYv CONTINUUM THAT INFORMS MUCH GLOBAL ,'"4)1 ORGANIZING A CONTINUUM THAT PRIVILEGES THE POLE OF IDENTITY AS THE
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EVOLVED FORM OF 7ESTERN MODERNITY 9ET RECLAIMING THE NONEXCEPTIONAL IS ONLY PARTIALLY THE POINT FOR ASSEMBLAGES ALLOW FOR COMPLICITIES OF PRIVILEGE AND THE PRODUCTION OF NEW NORMATIVITIES EVEN AS THEY CANNOT ANTICIPATE SPACES AND MOMENTS OF RESISTANCE /PENING UP TO THE FANTASTICAL WONDERS OF FUTURITY IS THE MOST POWERFUL OF POLITICAL AND CRITICAL STRATEGIES WHETHER IT BE THROUGH ASSEMBLAGE OR TO SOMETHING AS YET UNKNOWN PERHAPS EVEN FOREVER UNKNOWABLE
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AT FACE VALUE THE DISCOURSE OF )SLAMIC SEXUAL REPRESSION 4HAT IS NOT TO IMPLY THAT &OUCAULTS WORK SHOULD BE TRANSPARENTLY APPLIED TO OTHER CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXTS ESPECIALLY AS HE HIMSELF PERPETUATES A PERNICIOUS FORM OF ORIENTALISM IN HIS FORMULATION OF THE ARS EROTICA 2ATHER &OUCAULTS INSIGHTS DESERVE EVALUATION AS A METHODOLOGICAL HYPOTHESIS ABOUT DISCOURSE "UT ARE THE ACTS SPECIlCALLY AND ONLY REFERENTIAL OF GAY SEX AND HERE GAY MEANS SEX BETWEEN MEN #ERTAINLY THIS RENDITION EVADES A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY CONSTITUTES THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN GAY SEX AND STRAIGHT SEX AND ALSO PRESUMES SOME STATIC NORMATIVITY ABOUT GENDER ROLES AS WELL !MNESTY )NTERNA TIONAL IS AMONG THE FEW THAT DID NOT MENTION HOMOSEXUALITY HOMOSEXUAL ACTS OR SAME SEX SEXUALITY IN ITS PRESS RELEASE CONDEMNING THE TORTURE 3EE h53! 0ATTERN OF "RUTALITY AND #RUELTY7AR #RIMES AT !BU 'HRAIB v WEBAMNESTYORGLIBRARY INDEX%.'!-2 *OSÏ %STEBAN -U×OZ $ISIDENTIlCATIONS 1UEERS OF #OLOR AND THE 0ERFORMANCE OF 0OLITICS -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS h"AUER #OMPARES 6ERMONT 'AY 2IGHTS $ECISION TO 4ERRORISM v $ECEMBER WWWCNNCOM!,,0/,)4)#3STOREISCAMPAIGN WRAP#ONCERNED 7OMEN OF !MERICA ACCESSED !PRIL THIS SITE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE 3EE USINFOSTATEGOVTOPICALPOLTERROR &OR A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THIS 7EB SITE SEE *ASBIR + 0UAR AND !MIT 3 2AI h4HE 2EMAKING OF A -ODEL -INORITY 0ERVERSE 0ROJECTILES UNDER THE 3PECTRE OF #OUNTER 4ERRORISM v 3OCIAL 4EXT NO n 4HIS IS NOT TO DISAVOW OR MINIMIZE THE IMPORTANT INTERVENTIONS THAT INTER SECTIONAL THEORIZING MAKES POSSIBLE AND CONTINUES TO STAGE OR THE FEMINIST CRITICAL SPACES THAT GAVE RISE TO INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSES !CHILLE -BEMBE h.ECROPOLITICS v 0UBLIC #ULTURE n *UDITH "UTLER IN h3EXUAL )NVERSIONS v WRITES h4HE MALE HOMOSEXUAL IS lGURED TIME AND TIME AGAIN AS ONE WHOSE DESIRE IS SOMEHOW STRUCTURED BY DEATH EITHER AS THE DESIRE TO DIE OR AS ONE WHOSE DESIRE IS INHERENTLY PUNISHABLE BY DEATHv "UTLER h3EXUAL )NVERSIONS v IN $ISCOURSES OF 3EXUALITY &ROM !RISTOTLE TO !)$3 ED $ONNA 3TANON ;!NN !RBOR 5NIVERSITY OF -ICHIGAN 0RESS = -BEMBE h.ECROPOLITICS v 'AYATRI 3PIVAK h#LASS AND #ULTURE IN $IASPORAv CONFERENCE KEYNOTE ADDRESS h4RANSLATING #LASS !LTERING (OSPITALITY v ,EEDS 5NIVERSITY %NGLAND *UNE 3UDHA 2AMACHANDRAN h7OMEN 3UICIDE "OMBERS $EFY )SRAEL v !SIA 4IMES /CTOBER WWWATIMESCOMATIMES-IDDLE?%AST%*!KHTML WWWGUARDIANCOUKISRAEL3TORY HTML #ATHY * #OHEN h0UNKS "ULLDAGGERS AND 7ELFARE 1UEENS 4HE 2ADICAL 0OTENTIAL OF 1UEER 0OLITICS v ',1 n 4IMES OF )NDIA *ANUARY &ROM 4ARGETING THE 4URBAN 3IKH !MERICANS AND THE !VERSION 3PIRAL AFTER 3EPTEMBER A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT HATE CRIMES AGAINST 3IKH !MERICANS SINCE DIRECTED BY 6ALARIE +AUR "RAR 3EE POLITICALHUMORABOUTCOMLIBRARYIMAGESBLSADDAMQUEEREYEHTM "RIAN -ASSUMI 0ARABLES FOR THE 6IRTUAL -OVEMENT !FFECT 3ENSATION $UR HAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS -ICHAEL 4AUSSIG -IMESIS AND !LTERITY .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE
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4HE CITY HAS BECOME THE SIGN OF DESIRE 0AT #ALIlA h3AN &RANCISCO 2EVISITING THE @4HE #ITY OF $ESIRE v
7HAT DOES IT MEAN TO CLAIM A SPACE FOR QUEERS OF COLOR IN THE GLOBAL CITY OF .EW 9ORK (OW DO QUEER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR STAKE OUT A TERRITORY BEYOND GHETTOS AND ENCLAVES AND BEYOND DEMARCATED MOMENTS SUCH AS 0RIDE $AYS AND ETHNIC CELEBRATIONS 4HESE QUESTIONS HAUNT THE STRUGGLES RITUALS AND PRACTICES OF !FRICAN !MERICAN ,ATINO AND !SIAN !MERICAN QUEERS AS THEY ENGAGE WITH THE TRAVAILS OF URBAN LIFE TODAY 9ET DESPITE THE CENTRALITY OF THE CITY AS THE SITE OF QUEER CULTURAL SETTLEMENT IMAGINA TION AND EVOLUTION IN THE LATE TWENTIETH AND EARLY TWENTY lRST CENTURIES LARGER ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL FORCES HAVE INCREASINGLY AND VOCIFEROUSLY SHAPED FRAGMENTED DISPERSED AND ALTERED MANY QUEERS OF COLORS DREAMS AND DESIRES 4HESE FORCES CAN BE TRACED TO THE EMERGENCE OF POST &ORDIST CAPITALISM AND ITS CONCOMITANT NEOLIBERAL POLICIES AND ARE MOST PALPABLE IN CITIES WORLDWIDE )N THE PAST FEW DECADES NEW FORMS OF URBAN GOVERNANCE HAVE TAKEN ROOT IN MANY CITIES AND IN PARTICULAR GLOBAL CITIES LIKE .EW 9ORK .EO LIBERAL POLICIES SEEK TO DELIMIT GOVERNMENTAL INTERVENTION INCREASE PRIVA TIZATION AND REMOVE THE SAFEGUARDS OF WELFARE SERVICES CREATING A VIRTUAL FREE FOR ALL ARENA FOR ECONOMIC MARKET COMPETITION 3UCH POLICIES HAVE REDRAWN BOUNDARIES NEIGHBORHOODS AND LIVES AND GIVEN RISE TO INSIDIOUS FORMS OF SURVEILLANCE OF AND VIOLENCE IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR 4HIS ESSAY CRITICALLY EXAMINES AND DOCUMENTS THE VIOLENT REMAPPING OF LIVES BODIES AND DESIRES OF QUEERS OF COLOR IN CONTEMPORARY .EW 9ORK CAUSED BY NEOLIBERAL PRACTICES 4HIS REMAPPING IS THE RESULT OF EXPANSION OF PRIVATE BUSINESSES AS WELL AS CITY STATE AND FEDERAL EFFORTS NOT ONLY IN SO CALLED CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS AND hQUALITY OF LIFEv CAMPAIGNS SINCE THE EARLY NINETIES BUT ALSO IN WHAT HAS COME TO BE CALLED HOMELAND SECURITY AFTER 3EPTEMBER 5SING TWO .EW 9ORK #ITY SPACES THE #HRISTOPHER 3TREET PIERS IN -ANHATTANS 'REENWICH 6ILLAGE AND THE *ACKSON (EIGHTS NEIGHBORHOODS IN 1UEENS ) ASSESS HOW VARIOUS NEOLIBERAL AGENTS AND INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS MASS MEDIA PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND THE STATE INCLUD ING THE POLICE MEDIATE DISCOURSES ABOUT CHANGING URBAN SPACE "Y MASS
3OCIAL 4EXT n 6OL .OS n &ALLn7INTER ¥ BY $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS
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MEDIA ) INCLUDE NOT ONLY MAINSTREAM ONES BUT ALSO VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS THAT PURPORT TO SERVE THE hGAY COMMUNITYv %XAMPLES FROM RECENT GAY PRINT MEDIA SHOW THAT A SIGNIlCANT NUMBER OF GAY JOURNALISTS AND SCHOLARS ARE IN FACT COMPLICIT WITH NEOLIBERAL INTERESTS 4O FURTHER ELUCIDATE THIS CONTENTION IT IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NEOLIB ERAL PROCESSES ARE PARTLY CONSTITUTED BY A PARTICULAR KIND OF SEXUAL POLITICS THAT ,ISA $UGGAN HAS RIGHTLY CALLED HOMONORMATIVITY (OMONORMATIVITY IS A CHAMELEON LIKE IDEOLOGY THAT PURPORTS TO PUSH FOR PROGRESSIVE CAUSES SUCH AS RIGHTS TO GAY MARRIAGE AND OTHER hACTIVISMS v BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT CREATES A DEPOLITICIZING EFFECT ON QUEER COMMUNITIES AS IT RHETORICALLY REMAPS AND RECODES FREEDOM AND LIBERATION IN TERMS OF PRIVACY DOMES TICITY AND CONSUMPTION )N OTHER WORDS HOMONORMATIVITY ANESTHETIZES QUEER COMMUNITIES INTO PASSIVELY ACCEPTING ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF INEQUALITY IN RETURN FOR DOMESTIC PRIVACY AND THE FREEDOM TO CONSUME 4HROUGH ETHNOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS AND ANALYSIS OF EVERYDAY LIVES AND PUBLIC SPACES IN THE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS ) DESCRIBE HOW HOMONORMATIVITY CREATES VIOLENT STRUGGLES AROUND URBAN SPACE BY QUEERS OF COLOR 4HESE FORMS OF VIOLENCE ARE CHARACTERIZED BY THEIR STRUCTURAL CHARACTER SPAWNED BY NEOLIBERAL ECONOMIC POLITICAL AND CULTURAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES "Y STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE ) MEAN THE INFORMAL AND FORMAL PROCESSES BY WHICH INSTITUTIONS PROMOTE WHAT THE SOCIAL THEORIST 2ODERICK &ERGUSON HAS CALLED hIDEOLOGIES OF DISCRETENESS v OR PRACTICES THAT SEEK TO DEMARCATE AND POLICE RACIAL ETHNIC CLASS AND SEXUAL SPACES AND BOUNDARIES WHILE CRE ATING PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL AND SYMBOLIC BRUTALITIES AND CRUELTIES TOWARD MARGINALIZED PEOPLES 4HIS KIND OF VIOLENCE TRANSFORMS THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ERADICATING SPACES IMBUED WITH MEANINGS THAT COALESCE AROUND MARGINALIZED IDENTI TIES &OR EXAMPLE 3AMUEL $ELANY ELOQUENTLY CHRONICLED HOW NEW URBAN POLICIES AROUND 4IMES 3QUARE HAVE CREATED NEW FORMS OF POLICING THAT NOT ONLY TRANSFORMED THE ARCHITECTURAL LANDSCAPE OR BUILT ENVIRONMENT BUT ALSO ALTERED THE LIFEWAYS OF NUMEROUS GROUPS OF PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO USED TO HANG OUT ON THE SIDEWALKS AND CORNERS OF THE AREA FOR SEX LEISURE AND OTHER FORMS OF COMMERCE .OT ONLY ARE THESE GROUPS VISIBLY DISCIPLINED THEY ARE ALSO SEQUESTERED AT A SAFE DISTANCE AND ARE TYPICALLY DISPERSED WHEN THEY ARE SEEN TO BE A hNUISANCEv OR ARE SUSPECTED OF CAUSING PUBLIC ANNOYANCE OR DISTURBANCE PARTICULARLY TO PATRONS AND OWNERS OF NEW SWANK BUSINESSES 4O UNDERSCORE THE INSIDIOUS WAYS IN WHICH HOMONORMATIVITY IS INSCRIBED IN HEGEMONIC DISCOURSES AND PARTICIPATES IN THESE IDEOLOGIES OF DISCRETENESS ) SUGGEST THAT ESTABLISHED AUTHORITIES AND INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS POLICE AND CITY GOVERNMENT ARE NOT THE ONLY PERPETRATORS OF THIS FORM OF NEOLIBERAL VIOLENCE THEY ALSO INCLUDE A MOTLEY OF MOSTLY WHITE GAY
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SCHOLARS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM &OR EXAMPLE IN THE MUCH LAUDED BOOK 4HE 7ORLD 4URNED *OHN $%MILIO THE EMINENT GAY HISTORIAN ENCAPSULATES THE CONTEMPORARY QUEER MOMENT AS A CELEBRATORY ONE AND GOES ON TO ENUMERATE THE IMPORTANT SOCIAL GAINS GAYS AND LESBIANS HAVE GARNERED IN THE PAST TWENTY YEARS "Y DOING SO HE CAN COMMENT ON THE ISSUE OF INEQUALITY AMONG GAYS AND LESBIANS $%MILIO BY NO MEANS A CONSERVATIVE ARGUES THAT THE IDEA OF RACIAL DIFFERENCES AND DIFFERENTIAL PRIVILEGE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED WHEN COMING TO TERMS WITH GAY OPPRES SION !T THIS MOMENT OF GAY TRIUMPH HE POSITS THAT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHITE GAYS AND GAYS OF COLOR ARE IMMATERIAL (E SUGGESTS THAT IN FACT ALL GAYS ARE OPPRESSED AND ANY MOVE THAT ATTEMPTS TO DELINEATE OR COMPLICATE INTRAGROUP DIFFERENCES IS AN IMPOLITIC ACT 4HE ASSUMPTION THAT PRIVILEGE MAKES ONE POLITICALLY SUSPECT OR SOMEHOW INADEQUATE AS AN AGENT OF SOCIAL CHANGE ALSO THREATENS TO OBSCURE THE TRUTH AT THE HEART OF OUR MOVEMENT !LL HOMOSEXUALS ARE OPPRESSED GAY OPPRESSION IS REAL AND VICIOUS )T ISNT NECESSARY TO SHED EXTRA TEARS FOR THE PLIGHT OF PROSPEROUS WHITE GAY MEN IN ORDER TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IF ONE SCRATCHES BELOW THE SURFACE OF ANY GAY LIFE ONE WILL lND A BOTTOMLESS WELL OF PAIN WHOSE SOURCE IS OPPRESSION !ND GAYS WITH PRIVILEGE RISK THEIR STATUS AND EXPOSE THEMSELVES TO PENALTIES WHEN THEY MAKE THE LEAP TO ACTIVISM
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/N THE ONE HAND THE PRECEDING QUOTATION MAY SEEM TO BE A SURPRISING STATEMENT COMING FROM ONE OF THE MOST ADMIRED AND RESPECTED PROGRESSIVE GAY SCHOLARS AND ACTIVISTS (OWEVER ) DO NOT TAKE THIS STATEMENT AS OCCASION FOR A PERSONAL INDICTMENT AGAINST $%MILIO WHOSE WORKS ARE TO BE ADMIRED BUT RATHER AS SYMPTOMATIC OF THE INSIDIOUS FORCES OF HOMONORMATIVITY THAT ENCOMPASSES POLITICAL AFlLIATIONS OF ALL SORTS )N HER CRITIQUE OF GAY PUNDITS LIKE !NDREW 3ULLIVAN $UGGAN ARGUES FOR NOT DIVIDING HOMONORMATIVE IDEAS IN TERMS OF CONSERVATIVE AND PROGRESSIVE CAMPS BUT RATHER FRAMING THESE SEEMING POLITICAL EXTREMES AS PART OF A CONTINUUM OF IDEAS WHOSE PROPONENTS ARE COMPLICIT WITH THE STABILIZING AND NORMALIZING OF SPECIlC FORMS OF CAPITALIST INEQUALITIES $%MILIOS STATEMENT IS INDICATIVE OF THE NOW EMERGING CALL FOR hCOLOR BLINDNESSv WITHIN THE GAY COMMUNITY AND IN THE LARGER COMMUNITY 4HIS CALL IS BASED ON THE INCREASING PRIVATIZATION OF GAY STRUGGLES &OR EXAMPLE SHOWS LIKE 7ILL AND 'RACE AND 1UEER %YE FOR THE 3TRAIGHT 'UY ENABLE THE PARSING OF IDENTITY WHEREIN FREEDOM TO BE GAY IS MOBILIZED THROUGH NICHE MARKETING 4AKING THIS LOGIC TO THE EXTREME TO BE GAY AND TO BE FREE THEREFORE MEANS TO WEAR 0RADA )N OTHER WORDS IDENTITY FOLLOWS CONSUMPTION 4HE MARKET IS CONSTRUCTED TO BE THE lLTER OF GAY FREEDOM AND PROGRESS SO MUCH SO THAT DOMINANT DISCOURSES IN THE GAY COMMUNITY DISREGARD HOW THIS KIND OF FREEDOM IS PREDICATED ON THE ABJECTION OF OTHER GROUPS OF PEOPLE
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WHO ARE NOT FREE TO CONSUME AND DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THESE SYMBOLIC AND MATERIAL FORMS OF CAPITAL 4HEREFORE IF ONE WERE TO CONSTRUE THE FREE MAR KET AS A KIND OF COMPETITIVE ARENA OR WAR ZONE THEN THE UNNAMED ENEMY IN NEOLIBERAL WARFARE IS NOT AS VARIED AS THE PROCLIVITIES AND ACTIVITIES OF THESE DIVERSE GROUPS OF ACTIVISTS AND POLITICIANS 2ATHER ON CLOSER INSPEC TION WHAT IS SEEMINGLY A CHAOTIC ASSEMBLAGE OF POLITICAL CULPRITS FUSES INTO THE lGURE OF THE FEMALE AND THE FEMINIZED THE FOREIGNER THE COLORED THE SEXUALLY DEVIANT AND THE POOR )N OTHER WORDS QUEERS OF COLOR ARE LOCATED AT THE CRUX OF VEILED HOMONORMATIVE RHETORICAL MACHINATIONS OF MOSTLY WHITE GAY COMMENTATORS AND SCHOLARS 4O BETTER UNDERSTAND THESE RHETORICAL STRATEGIES ) DEPLOY A TRIANGULATED EXPLORATION OF SPACE RACE AND QUEERNESS (OWEVER WHILE STUDIES OF SPACE RACE AND QUEERNESS AND QUEER IDENTITIES HAVE PROLIFERATED SINCE THE MID TO LATE NINETIES THESE WORKS HAVE LARGELY FOCUSED ON THE EMERGENT QUALITIES AND VALIANT STRUGGLES TO CLAIM SPACES BY VARIOUS GAYS LESBIANS AND OTHER QUEERS 3UCH QUEER SPATIAL NARRATIVES ARE NOTABLY LACKING IN THEIR ANALYSES OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN QUEER CULTURAL PRODUCTION AND STRUGGLES WITH RACE AND POLITICAL ECONOMIC PROCESSES 4HE AXES AND INTERSECTIONS THAT PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK FOR MY ANALY SIS OF QUEERS OF COLOR STRUGGLES AND NARRATIVES INCLUDE THE REDRAWING OF BOUNDARIES BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE THE CREATION OF NEW FORMS OF EXCLUSIONS AND ACCESS CONSUMPTION AND CITIZENSHIP ) POSE THE FOLLOW ING QUESTIONS THAT TRANSFORM THE CONCERNS ) OUTLINED ABOVE INTO GUIDING FRAMES OF ANALYSIS (OW DOES HOMONORMATIVITY OPERATE ON THE GROUND THE ETHNOGRAPHIC QUESTION (OW DOES THE OPERATION OF HOMONORMATIV ITY AS A BODY OF DISCOURSES INmECT AND SHAPE NARRATIVES ABOUT SPACE AND RACE AMONG QUEERS OF COLOR !LSO WHAT OTHER KINDS OF NARRATIVES ABOUT VARIOUS PHYSICAL AND SYMBOLIC TOPOGRAPHIES ARE IMAGINED AND ENABLED BY HOMONORMATIVE PRACTICES
+BDLTPO)FJHIUT%JTBQQFBSBODFBOE&NFSHFODF *ACKSON (EIGHTS LIKE MANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE .EW 9ORK #ITY BOROUGH OF 1UEENS PRESENTS A KALEIDOSCOPE OF COMMUNITIES THAT CAN BE GLEANED FROM THE BUSINESS SIGNS AND BILLBOARD ADS ALONG THE MAIN ROADS AND THE PEDESTRIANS WHO WALK THE STREETS 3IGHTS AND SOUNDS OF 3PANISH +OREAN (INDI AND MANY OTHER LANGUAGES DECLARE THE PANOPLY OF PEOPLES AND CULTURES THAT CRISSCROSS AND OVERLAP EACH OTHER *ACKSON (EIGHTS AND 1UEENS OCCUPY A PECULIAR LOCATION IN POPULAR CARTOGRAPHY OF THE CITY &OR MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING ITS OWN INHABITANTS *ACKSON (EIGHTS IS OUTSIDE hTHE CITYv THAT IS -ANHATTAN !S SUCH IT ALSO OCCUPIES A RELATIVE OUTSIDER
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STATUS IN RELATION TO THE MAINSTREAM GAY NEIGHBORHOODS OF -ANHATTAN LIKE THE 6ILLAGE #HELSEA AND RECENTLY (ELLS +ITCHEN !S (8 A POPULAR GAY MAGAZINE PUTS IT *ACKSON (EIGHTS AND THE NON -ANHATTAN NEIGHBOR HOODS ARE ALL h/UT 4HERE v WHICH IS THE CATEGORY THE MAGAZINE USES TO CATALOG ALL THE GAY ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN BEYOND THE GLARE OF MAINSTREAM LIMELIGHT *ACKSON (EIGHTSS GAY BARS AND OTHER QUEER SPACES COEXIST WITH THE MULTIETHNIC ENCLAVE ECONOMIES THAT INHABIT THE SAME GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION !T THE SAME TIME RESIDENCES OF VARIOUS KINDS FROM BUILDINGS TO BRICK TOWN HOUSES OR ROW HOUSES SPAN OUT FROM THE MAIN THOROUGHFARES PARTICULARLY 2OOSEVELT !VENUE WHERE THE MAIN ARTERIES OF THE .EW 9ORK #ITY SUBWAY SYSTEM CONVERGE AROUND RD AND TH STREETS 4HE RECENT HISTORY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS TOLD BY MY INFORMANTS OF QUEERS OF COLOR MANY OF WHOM HAVE LIVED IN THE AREA FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS IS TYPICALLY CONSTRUCTED NOT THROUGH A LINEAR CHRONOLOGY BUT IN SOME WHAT ABERRANT CYCLES OF DISINTEGRATION AND RECONSTITUTION OF SPACES &OR EXAMPLE AS ONE #OLOMBIAN INFORMANT TOLD ME THE GAY BARS ON 2OOSEVELT !VENUE HAVE COME AND GONE INCLUDING A COUPLE OF REALLY hPRIVATEv BARS OR HANGOUTS ONE NEEDED A PASSWORD OR SOMEONE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO GAIN ACCESS TO 4HESE ABERRANT CYCLES ARE APPARENT IN HOW SPACES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO THE CONmICTING PROCESSES OF DISAP PEARANCES DISINTEGRATION DISCIPLINING AS WELL AS EMERGENCE AND SO CALLED RENAISSANCE OF PLACES AND VENUES /NE POPULAR NARRATIVE ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE STREETS IN THE PAST lVE TO TEN YEARS IS THROUGH WHAT MOST INFORMANTS TERM AS A hCLEANING UP v NOT IN THE SENSE OF PHYSICAL HYGIENE BUT IN TERMS OF ROUTING OUT QUEER PUBLIC SEX SPACES )N PARTICULAR MOST PEOPLE WOULD TALK ABOUT 6ASELINE !LLEY WHICH IS AN AREA NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE WHERE CRUISING AND SOME FORM OF PUBLIC SEX WERE PERFORMED "UT UNLIKE MOST MAINSTREAM GAY NARRATIVES OF URBAN PUBLIC SEX SPACES WHERE NOSTALGIA AND SENSE OF PRIVILEGE PERMEATE THE STORIES NARRATIVES AROUND 6ASELINE !LLEY ARE QUITE DIFFERENT 7HILE THE !LLEY ACCORDING TO SOME INFORMANTS MAY STILL BE A LOCATION WHERE ILLICIT ACTIVITIES MAY STILL TAKE PLACE DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF YEAR AND HOUR OF THE DAY THE PLACE HAS QUIETED DOWN !S ONE INFORMANT FRAMED IT hTHE NERVOUS ENERGYv OF LUST AND DESIRE HAS BEEN SHUNTED AWAY OR IN THE WORDS OF AN ASTUTE QUEER OBSERVER hMUFmEDv FROM PUBLIC VIEW )T IS NOW MORE THAN EVER JUST AN ORDINARY STREET IN AN IMMIGRANT NEIGHBOR HOOD !T LEAST THAT IS WHAT IT PRESENTS AT lRST GLANCE .OWADAYS THE NARRATIVES ARE PUNCTUATED NOT ONLY BY SOME NOSTALGIC LONGING BUT ARE STRONGLY MARKED BY FEAR AND SOME KIND OF DISBELIEF AND EVEN PUZZLEMENT 3OME INFORMANTS WERE ESPECIALLY COGNIZANT OF THE CHANGES AFTER 3EPTEMBER 7HILE MANY INFORMANTS WHO WERE NEITHER 3OUTH !SIAN
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NOR -USLIM DID NOT READILY FEEL ANY NEGATIVE RESPONSE IMMEDIATELY AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS THEY REPORTED SIGHTINGS OF IMMIGRATION &") AND #)! OFlCIALS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THESE lGURED IN MANY FEARFUL GOSSIP AND INFORMAL ACCOUNTS ! 0UERTO 2ICAN INFORMANT TOLD ME THAT WHILE HE INITIALLY DID NOT SEE HIMSELF IMPLICATED IN THE IMAGINED TERRORIST HAVENS SUPPOSEDLY EMBEDDED IN -IDDLE %ASTERN AND 3OUTH !SIAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES HE NEVERTHE LESS NOTICED THAT THERE WERE MORE ARRESTS AND ROUNDING UP OF -EXICAN AND OTHER ,ATINO MEN MOST IF NOT ALL OF WHOM WERE UNDOCUMENTED 4HESE MEN TYPICALLY STOOD AROUND OR SAT ON THE SIDEWALKS OF 2OOSEVELT !VENUE WAITING FOR SOMEONE IN A CAR OR VAN LOOKING FOR CHEAP LABOR IN CONSTRUC TION FOOD SERVICE AND OTHER INDUSTRIES TO HIRE THEM (E NOTED THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE MORE SURVEILLANCE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS EVIDENT FROM THE INCREASED PRESENCE OF UNIFORMED POLICE AROUND THE PUBLIC AREAS (E ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE HAS INCREASINGLY NOTICED INDIVIDUAL OR GROUPS OF MOSTLY WHITE MEN HANGING AROUND WHO CLEARLY DID NOT BELONG TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD !T THE SAME TIME HE SAID THAT WHILE THE ,ATINO MEN WAITING AND LOOKING FOR WORK STILL OCCUPY THE SIDEWALKS AND ARE STILL HUNGRY FOR WORK HE AND OTHER ,ATINOS WHO ARE OTHERWISE EMPLOYED OR WHO SEEK EMPLOYMENT IN OTHER WAYS HAVE STARTED TO NOT HANG OUT IN THESE PUBLIC AREAS FOR SEXUAL OR ECONOMIC PURPOSES ! &ILIPINO GAY MAN ) INTERVIEWED ALSO TALKED ABOUT WHAT HE PERCEIVED TO BE THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE GROUPS OF MEN THAT HE LABELED AS !RABO FOR h!RAB v FOR THE -IDDLE %ASTERN AND 3OUTH !SIAN MEN WHO USED TO HANG OUT IN A COUPLE OF CORNERS AND WOULD WHISTLE AT HIM EVERY TIME HE PASSED BY 4HEY WERE NOWHERE TO BE SEEN AND AS HE SAID THEY DISAPPEARED hLIKE SMOKEv OR WERE hIN HIDINGv h&ROM WHAT v ) ASKED (E COULD ONLY GUESS hTHE GOVERNMENTv OR h-ISTER "USHv 4HESE NARRATIVES POINT TO HOW THE VARIOUS STYLES OF OCCUPYING EVERYDAY PUBLIC SPACES HAVE BEEN RADICALLY ALTERED SO THAT AN INNOCENT STAKING OUT OF PUBLIC SPACE FOR WHATEVER REASON CAN EASILY BE COUCHED AS hLOITERING v hVAGRANCY v OR A SUSPICIOUS CONGREGATION OF PEOPLE 4HUS THESE PUBLIC SPACES ARE SUBJECT TO INTENSE MONITORING THAT ONCE STARTED WITH FORMER MAYOR 2UDOLPH 'IULIANIS hQUALITY OF LIFEv PROGRAM AND NOW BLUR INTO QUESTIONS OF hNATIONAL SECURITYv 4HIS IS EVIDENT IN MY INFORMANTS LINGER ING SUSPICIONS THAT THE POLICE AND hOTHER AUTHORITIESv HAVE EQUATED THE BROWN BLACK AND YELLOW BODIES TO BE POSSIBLE DANGEROUS ENTITIES PUR VEYORS OF TERROR BY REASON OF THEIR COLOR AND IN SOME INSTANCES OF THEIR SO CALLED SUSPICIOUS MALENESS ) COINED THIS PHRASE TO CAPTURE THE VARIOUS WAYS IN WHICH QUEERS OF COLOR HAVE TAKEN THE OFlCIAL STATE TERRORIST PROlLE OF A -IDDLE %ASTERN OR 3OUTH !SIAN MALE IN THEIR TEENS TO LATE FORTIES "UT WHILE IT MAY SEEM THAT SUCH A PROlLE RELEASES hOTHERv RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS
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SUCH AS ,ATINO AND %AST OR 3OUTHEAST !SIAN FROM BEING IMPLICATED IN THIS TAWDRY AND MESSY AFFAIR SEVERAL INFORMANTS INSISTS THAT IN THE GRITTY LIGHT OF EVERYDAY LIFE DIFFERENCE IS ALWAYS AND ALREADY SUSPECT !S ONE 0UERTO 2ICAN INFORMANT SAID h)F YOU ARE NOT A WHITE MAN IT DOES NOT MATTER YOU WILL BE SCRUTINIZED 9OU ARE NOT AN ORDINARY CITIZEN )F YOU ARE A LITTLE DARK THEN YOU BETTER WATCH HOW YOU WALK IN FRONT OF THEM ;THE POLICE=v 4HEREFORE QUOTIDIAN IMAGES OF CITIZENSHIP AND SAFETY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE ENCASED IN RACIALIZED TERMS AND COLORED BY FEAR AND TREPIDATION .ARRATIVES ABOUT PUBLIC SPACES BY GAY ,ATINO AND !SIAN MEN HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO WHAT 4ERESA #ALDEIRA CALLS THE hTALK OF CRIMEv 4HESE DISCOURSES INVOLVES A hSYMBOLIC RE ORDERING OF THE WORLDv THROUGH hEVERYDAY NARRATIVES COMMENTARIES CONVERSATION AND JOKES THAT HAVE CRIME AND FEAR AS THEIR SUBJECTv 7HILE AT lRST GLANCE THESE hTALKS OF FEAR AND CRIMEv MIGHT REPRODUCE AND hNATURALIZEv STEREOTYPES THEY ALSO TALK ABOUT A COMMONALITY OF EXPERIENCE 4HIS IS NOT TO SUGGEST AN EMERGENCE OF AN ORGANIC SOLIDARITY ACROSS RACIAL LINES 2ATHER THERE IS A COLLECTIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HOW THESE QUEERS OF COLOR WHO ARE NEITHER 3OUTH !SIAN NOR -IDDLE %ASTERN ARE NOT FREE FROM PROlLING FROM THE RACIST AND RACIAL IZING PRACTICES OF STATE AUTHORITIES AND HOW THEY ARE TO SOME EXTENT IN THE SAME PREDICAMENT ) SUGGEST THAT THIS SITUATION MAY BECOME THE IMPETUS OR BASIS FOR POLITICAL ACTION TO WHICH ) TURN IN THE lNAL SECTION )NTERESTINGLY THE REPORTED EVACUATION OF PARTICULAR SCENES AND THE ALLEGED DISAPPEARANCE OF GROUPS OF PEOPLE COINCIDED WITH OTHER DISCOURSES AROUND *ACKSON (EIGHTS AS THE NEW EXOTIC GAY MECCA 4HE -ANHATTAN BASED MAINSTREAM GAY PRESS HAS CREATED TRAVELOGUE LIKE ESSAYS ABOUT THE GAY ATTRACTIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ADVENTUROUS OUTSIDERS AND -AN HATTANITES WILLING TO hRISKv THE FORAY INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORIES #ONSIDER THIS PASSAGE FROM THE RECENT ISSUE OF .%84 A WEEKLY GUIDE TO THE CITYS GAY ACTIVITIES AND HANGOUTS h-IGHT THERE BE SOMETHING THAT -ANHATTAN SNOBS LIKE MYSELF ARE MISSING OUT ON IN THOSE OTHER BOROUGHS 4O lND OUT A FEW FRIENDS AND ) GOT -ETROCARDS BRUSHED UP ON OUR 3PANISH PREPARED OURSELVES FOR THE UNKNOWN AND VENTURED OUT TO *ACKSON (EIGHTS A RACIALLY DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD IN 1UEENS WHICH HOSTS A THRIVING GAY SCENE AND SUBLIME -EXICAN FOODv )NDEED THIS INITIAL PASSAGE COMBINES THE CULINARY AND THE SEXUAL QUITE PURPOSIVELY 4HE MAIN IDEA IS THAT *ACKSON (EIGHTS IS NOT A SPACE BUT A COMMODITY TO BE CONSUMED AND LITERALLY EATEN UP FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL SPEND A FEW HOURS BEING TEMPORARY GAY TOURISTS #ONSIDER THE NEXT PASSAGE FROM THE SAME ARTICLE "UT DONT LABEL US #HRISTOPHER #OLUMBUS JUST YET )TS NOT LIKE WE FOUND A BRAND NEW GAY SCENE *ACKSON (EIGHTS HAS HAD A QUEER VIBE SINCE THE S
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,OCAL NIGHTLIFE IMPRESARIO %DDIE 6ALENTINE INFORMED US THAT h*ACKSON (EIGHTS HAD ALWAYS BEEN A PREDOMINATELY ;SIC= GAY NEIGHBORHOOD BUT ITS ALWAYS BEEN VERY QUIETv 4HE BARS HAVE BEEN SUBDUED THEY DIDNT SCREAM @GAY BECAUSE TWO MORE BARS ARE OPENING UP THIS MONTH ) ENVISON ;SIC= *ACKSON (EIGHTS BECOMING #HELSEA WITH A ,ATIN BITE !ND BITE WE DID
(ERE ARE TWO SEEMINGLY PARADOXICALLY OPPOSED OR UNRELATED PROCESSES OF THE DISINTEGRATING AND FEAR LADEN NEIGHBORHOOD LANDSCAPES AND AN EMER GENT AND VIBRANT GAY NIGHTLIFE "UT THE SCENARIOS ARE NOT OF TWO *ACKSON (EIGHTSTHE INSIDER OR RESIDENTS POINT OF VIEW AND THE OUTSIDERBUT RATHER OF A NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE THROES OF TWO INTERRELATED AND INTERSECTING FORMS OF VIOLENCE 4HE NARRATIVE OF EMERGENT GAY LIFE IN THIS h,ATINO VER SION OF #HELSEAv IS PREMISED ON THE PERFORMANCE OF CONSUMPTION )NDEED LIKE MANY CONTEMPORARY NARRATIVES OF GAY MAINSTREAMING THE PRACTICES OF TOURISTIC CONSUMPTION CONSTITUTE THE CENTRAL PERFORMATIVE SCRIPTS OF GOOD GAY CITIZENS !S THE ARTICLE SUGGESTS *ACKSON (EIGHTS IS SOMETHING THAT ONE hBITESv INTO )T IS NOT A HABITAT OR DWELLING BUT A TEMPORARY SITE FOR LEISURE AND SPACE FOR SOCIALITY TO BE EATEN AND QUICKLY SWALLOWED !T THE SAME TIME THE NEIGHBORHOODS CONSIDERABLE MARKETING ALLURE IS ITS RELATIVE EXOTICNESS ,IKE A GAY #OLUMBUS THE AUTHOR OF THE TRAVEL GUIDE PERFORMS THE ROLE OF BEING ABLE TO CONQUER AND HOLD AT BAY THE OTHER LESS PALATABLE SIDE OF THIS LOCATION 4HE UNSAVORY SIDE INCLUDES THE CRIMINALIZATION OF 3OUTH !SIAN AND -IDDLE %ASTERN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN GENDERED MALE AND MARKED AS SEXUALLY DEVIANT 4HIS SITUATION HAS CAUSED A VERITABLE CONJUNCTION OF CONmICTING IDENTITIES AND PRACTICES *ASBIR 0UAR AND !MIT 2AI POWERFULLY RECORDED AND ANALYZED THE AMBIV ALENT AND RATHER VIOLENT CONFRONTATION OF IMMIGRANT HETERONORMATIVITY AND NATIONAL XENOPHOBIA AFTER 3EPTEMBER )N THEIR STUDY THE COALESCING OF THE IMAGES OF THE TERRORIST MONSTER THE FOREIGNER AND THE SEXUALLY DEVIANT INTO THE lGURE OF THE 3OUTH !SIAN IMMIGRANT HAS BECOME EVIDENT NOT ONLY IN MAINSTREAM MEDIA IMAGES BUT ALSO IN THE EVERYDAY PRACTICES OF 3OUTH !SIAN INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONSA GOOD NUMBER OF THESE WERE SITU ATED IN *ACKSON (EIGHTS 4HE FEAR AND SUSPICION THAT ABOUND IN THE COM MUNITY HAVE LEAD TO EXTREME DISPLAYS OF PATRIOTISM SUCH AS THE PROFUSION OF !MERICAN mAGS ON ALL THE 3OUTH !SIAN BUSINESSES IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE 7ORLD 4RADE #ENTER BOMBINGS AND THE REMOVAL OF TURBANS AS EVERYDAY WEAR FOR 3IKH MEN 4HESE FEARFUL MEASURES WERE PERFORMED UNDER THE DURESS OF BEING QUESTIONED AND SURVEILLED FOR POSSIBLE UNPATRIOTIC POLITICAL LEANINGS AND DESIRES !ND YET AS ) HAVE SUGGESTED ABOVE THIS IS NOT THE COMPLETE PICTURE 4HE NARRATIVES OF FEAR TOLD BY A RACIALIZED SEXUALIZED AND CRIMINAL
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IZED GROUP OF GAY IMMIGRANTS AND THE EXUBERANT TALE OF AN EMERGING GAY MOSTLY ,ATINO CULTURE ARE MUTUALLY CONSTITUTIVE ELEMENTS OF A NEOLIBERAL PORTRAIT OF *ACKSON (EIGHTS 3UCH A PORTRAIT IS FOUNDED ON THE ARTIlCIAL BOUNDING OF IDENTITIES INTO DISCRETE ELEMENTS ! ,ATINO IS NOT AN !RAB OR A &ILIPINO IS NOT THE SAME AS A 0AKISTANI OR AN IMMIGRANT IS NOT THE SAME AS AN !MERICAN 3UCH CONCATENATION OF NEGATIONS AND AFlRMATIONS PROMOTE FACILE SEPARATIONS OF POLITICAL AGENDAS -AINSTREAM GAY CULTURE HAS BEEN CALCIlED INTO THE ENACTMENTS OF CONSUMPTION RITUALSBUYING EATING DANCING WEARING AND YES EVEN FUCKING )NDEED THERE IS RARELY ANY MEN TION IN THE GAY MEDIA OF THESE KINDS OF TENSIONS BETWEEN OTHER FORMS OF GAY CULTURES OR OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS THE STEPPED UP POLICING OF COM MUNITIES OF COLOR 4HE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE COMMON NARRATIVES OF FEAR AND THE INTRUSIONS OF PRIVATE GAY ENTERPRISE ARE BLISSFULLY IGNORED *ACKSON (EIGHTSS PREDICAMENT IS MADE CLEARER BY PARALLEL KINDS OF DEVELOPMENTS IN #HRISTOPHER 3TREET IN -ANHATTANS 'REENWICH 6ILLAGE
5IF7JMMBHFBOE$ISJTUPQIFS4USFFU'FODFE0VU-JWFT 4HE #HRISTOPHER 3TREET PIERS NO LONGER EXIST !S CRUISING AND SOCIALIZING AREAS IN THE SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES THEY OCCUPY AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN THE MEMORIES AND IMAGINARIES OF QUEERS PARTICULARLY QUEERS OF COLOR 4HE PIERS WERE ALSO THE SITES FOR ,ATINO AND !FRICAN !MERICAN QUEER YOUTH WHO WOULD PRANCE AROUND AND PRACTICE THEIR VOGUEING MOVES AND CONDUCT INFORMAL COMPETITIONS AND RUNWAY SHOWS 4HESE PIERS AND THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONS WERE PLACES FOR QUEERS OF COLOR TO CONGREGATE AND TO COMMUNE "UT FAR FROM BEING A UTOPIC SPACE THE PIERS NEVERTHELESS SIGNIFY THE DAYS WHEN QUEERS FELT THEY OWNED THE SITES ,OCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF #HRISTOPHER 3TREET AND THE 7EST 3IDE (IGHWAY SEVERAL OF THESE PIERS JUTTED OUT INTO THE (UDSON 2IVER 4ODAY THE SPACES HAVE BEEN DISMANTLED AND GIVEN WAY TO A MANICURED PARK THAT RUNS THE LENGTH OF THE HIGHWAY BEYOND THE CONlNES OF THE 6ILLAGE .EAR ITS EDGE INSTEAD OF THE RUNDOWN WAREHOUSES YOU lND NEW BUILDINGSMOSTLY APARTMENT AND CONDOMINIUM COMPLEXES RISING UP ALONG THE WATER ! FOUNTAIN AND SEVERAL METERS OF WIRE FENCES MARK THE INTERSECTION AND A JOGGING BIKING OR SKATING PATH THREADS THROUGH SEVERAL BLOCKS OF THE PIER 7HILE THIS MAY SEEM TO INVITE MORE LEISURE ACTIVITIES MANY OF MY QUEER OF COLOR INFORMANTS SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT BUILT FOR THEM /NE ,ATINO GAY MAN SAID h7E DONT COME HERE TO ROLLERBLADE OR JOG 7E COME HERE TO PRACTICE OUR ;VOGUEING= MOVES "UT WE ARE TOLD ;BY THE POLICE= NOT TO PLAY ANY LOUD MUSIC OR TO CARRY ON (OW CAN YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF QUEENS AND NOT CARRY ON v
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3URROUNDING THE WALKWAYS ARE CONCRETE PLANT HOLDERS PUNCTUATED BY WHAT MANY QUEER !FRICAN !MERICAN AND ,ATINOS HAVE REPORTED AS INCREASED VISIBLE POLICE PRESENCE 7HILE THE QUEERS OF COLOR STILL TRY TO HOLD COURT IN THESE SPACES THEY CAN DO SO ONLY AT CERTAIN TIMES AND THEY ARE DElNITELY DISCOURAGED AND DISCIPLINED FROM CONGREGATING IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING AND FROM BEING TOO ROWDY "ETWEEN AND AM THE POLICE SHOW UP IN FULL FORCE TO MAKE SURE THAT NO TROUBLE OCCURS WHEN THE BARS START CLOSING !S ONE !FRICAN !MERICAN INFORMANT SAID h4HEY WANT TO MAKE SURE TO POINT US TO THE RIGHT DIRECTIONRIGHT TO THE 0ATH 4RAIN ;TO .EW *ERSEY= STATION OR TO THE NUMBER ONE SUBWAY 'IRL THEY MAKE SURE WE DONT HANG AROUND AND WE GO ON RIGHT HOME AFTER WE HAVE SPENT ALL OUR MONEY IN THE BARS HERE ;IN THE 6ILLAGE=v 4HE PRESENT ENVIRONMENT HAS LED SEVERAL !FRICAN !MERICAN AND ,ATINO QUEERS ) INTERVIEWED TO REMARK THAT WHILE MANY PEOPLE HAVE MARVELED AT THE AREAS TRANSFORMATIONPARTICULARLY AROUND THE LITERAL AND METAPHORIC hCLEANING UPv OF THE PIERS AND THE SURROUNDING STREETS FROM VAGRANTS hGANGS v AND OTHER hUNWANTEDv GROUPSTHEY HAVE LOST SOMETHING THAT COULD NEVER BE REPLACED A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OF THE AREA -OREOVER THEY COMPLAINED THAT NOT ONLY HAS THE PLACE BECOME TOO EXPENSIVE BUT IT HAS ALSO BECOME HOSTILE TOWARD THEM /NE !FRICAN !MERICAN NARRATED HOW HE AND SEVERAL OF HIS FRIENDS WERE PREVENTED FROM CONGREGATING IN FRONT OF A NEW CONDOMINIUM ON THE 7EST 3IDE (IGHWAY 4HE BUILDING GUARD TOLD THEM THAT THEY WERE SCARING UNIT OWNERS 4HE INFORMANT SAID h9OU THINK WE WERE GARBAGE OR SOMETHING 3O JUST TO SPITE HIM ;THE GUARD= WE TURNED ON THE BOOM BOX AND STRUT TED TO #HAKA AND WORKED THE SIDEWALK 4HE GUARD WAS SO PISSED BUT WE DIDNT CAREv -ANY OF THEM ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN SEQUESTERED INTO PARTICULAR AREAS $ESPITE THE CROWDS OF QUEERS OF COLOR TRAIPSING THE SIDEWALKS OF #HRISTOPHER 3TREET MANY STILL CONlDED THEIR FEEL INGS OF BEING SLOWLY EASED OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD 7HILE QUEERS OF COLOR FREQUENT MOST OF THE BARS ON THE STREET WEST OF 3EVENTH !VENUE FOR THE PAST TWENTY YEARS WHITE UPPER CLASS PEOPLE POPULATED MOST OF THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL AREAS !S ONE QUEER SAID h7E CAN ONLY OWN #HRISTOPHER 3TREET FOR A FEW HOURS OF THE DAYAND FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS OF THE WEEK "UT THIS IS OUR STREET (OW CAN WE MANAGE TO STAY HERE v .O ONE QUITE KNOWS THE ANSWER (OWEVER THESE NARRATIVES CAN BE COUNTERPOSED WITH ANOTHER EMERGENT NARRATIVE THIS TIME OF THE OPULENCE AND GLAMOUR THAT ARE PART OF THE AREAS NEW SPATIAL NARRATIVES 4HESE NARRATIVES ARE FOUND NOT ONLY IN FEATURE ARTICLES BUT IN REAL ESTATE ADS /NE PRIME PIECE OF REAL ESTATE IN PARTICULAR ADVERTISED IN THE 'AY #ITY A MAINSTREAM GAY NEWSPAPER IS ACTUALLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE (UDSON
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AND OVERLOOKS THIS FABLED WATERFRONT .OT SURPRISINGLY THE BUILDING IS CALLED h4HE 0IERv
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4HE 0IER2ISING FROM THE (UDSON 4HE 0IER STANDS AS THE NEWEST LANDMARK TO LIVING ON THE WATER 2ESERVED FOR THE FEW THE RESIDENTS VIEW IS MAJESTIC THE -ANHATTAN SKYLINE SEEMS WITHIN REACH AND BECKONS TO BE TOUCHED ! STATEMENT OF STATUS AND CHOICE 4HE 0IER OFFERS A VARIETY OF LUXURIES AND HOMES MELDED IN CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE THE ESSENCE OF FUNCTION 4HE 0IER IS A CONCEPT OF LIVING AND A MEASUREMENT OF WORTH AND STYLE 4HE 0IER LIKE NO OTHER
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4HE PLAY ON THE WORD PIER AGAINST THE MEANING OF PEER IS QUITE INFORMA TIVE 4HE ADS SUBTLE USE OF GAY LORE ABOUT THE PIERS IS UTILIZED TO IRONICALLY MAGNIFY THE CONDOMINIUMS EXCLUSIVITY )T SEEMS TO SUGGEST h4HIS IS @OURS YET ONLY A SELECT GROUP OF @US GET TO LIVE IN ITv 4HE RHETORICAL PLAY PARAL LELS A NEOLIBERAL TACTIC THAT PURVEYS INEQUALITY IN THE GUISE OF SIMILITUDE )N OTHER WORDS MUCH LIKE THE RHETORIC OF NEOLIBERAL GAY PUNDITS LIKE *OHN $%MILIO THE STABILIZATION OF DIFFERENCE IS ENACTED TO JUSTIFY INEQUALITY )NDEED THE PIERBOTH THE RENOVATED DOCKS AND THE NEW CONDOMINIUMS IS ABOUT FENCING OFF UNWANTED COLORED BODIES YET THESE ELEMENTS OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ARE RHETORICALLY RENDERED AS POSITIVE OUTCOMES AND DEVELOP MENTS FOR ALL QUEERS !T THE SAME TIME SUCH A DECLARATION IS POSSIBLE ONLY BY SYMBOLICALLY AND PHYSICALLY SEQUESTERING COLORED QUEER BODIES #OLORED QUEER BODIES IF ONE WERE TO DISMANTLE THE RHETORIC MUDDLE IF NOT MUDDY THE hGAY WATERSv )F ONE WERE TO FOLLOW $%MILIOS ARGUMENTS THEN QUEERS OF COLOR ISSUES ARE RENDERED MERELY AS hGRIEVANCESv IRRELEVANT TO AND IN FACT INIMICAL TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE QUEER MOMENT 0RESENTLY THE MAINSTREAM GAY AGENDA IS PREOCCUPIED WITH PRIVATIZED DESIRES AND ISSUES ONE OF WHICH IS GAY MARRIAGE 'AY MARRIAGE ACCORDING TO MANY SCHOLARS AND ACTIVISTS CANNOT BE MUDDIED BY AND MUDDLED WITH THESE OTHER hEXTERNALv ISSUES -ARRIAGE LIKE ALL OF THE OTHER IMPORTANT GAY AGENDA ITEMS IS REALLY ABOUT KEEPING AND MAINTAINING THE RIGHTS TO PRIVACY 0RIVACY WAS ALSO THE LINCHPIN IN THE STRIKING DOWN OF SODOMY LAWS BY THE 53 3UPREME #OURT 0RIVACY AND ITS PROPELLING ENERGIES CAN UPLIFT CAPITALIST MARKETS FREE FROM GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION 0RIVACY IS ALSO ABOUT THE NEEDS AND DESIRES OF THE MONEYED FEW WHO CAN FULlLL THEM BY INDULGING IN THE RIGHT BRAND OF COSMETICS AND BLUE JEANS AND THE COR RECT EXCLUSIVE HOME ADDRESS )T IS PRIVACY AS ,ISA $UGGAN TELLS US IN ALL ITS MODULATIONS AND INmECTIONS THAT SHAPES THE VERY ETHOS OF NEOLIBERAL HOMONORMATIVE CONCEPTIONS OF FREEDOMFREE TO CONSUME AND TO POSSESS DESPITE THE HORDES OF LIVES AND BODIES FENCED OUT OF THESE EXTREMELY PRIVATE AND PRIVATIZED DOMAINS &INALLY IT IS PRIVACY THAT INDUCES SOME ACTIVISTS AND CONTEMPORARY SCHOLARS ALIKE TO PARSE OUT IDENTITIES AND SOCIAL LOCATIONS
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LIKE RACE AND SEXUALITY AS DISTINCT STABLE CATEGORIES AND ENTITIES "ASED ON 2ODERICK &ERGUSONS IDEAS WE CAN SEE THAT THIS PRACTICE OF FOCUSING ON THE DISCRETENESS OF CATEGORIES LEADS TO THE VIOLENT HOMONORMATIVE ORDER OF GAY THINGS SPACES AND BODIES
)PQFTGPSBO6SCBO%FNPDSBUJD'VUVSF "ASED ON MY CHARTING OF THE NARRATIVES OF *ACKSON (EIGHTS AND THE 'REEN WICH 6ILLAGE PIERS ) SUGGEST THAT THE INCREASING VISIBILITY OF ELEGANT CON DOMINIUMS GAY BARS AND GAY FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS AND OTHER BUSINESSES GO HAND IN HAND WITH THE OTHER NARRATIVES OF DECREASED VISIBILITY IF NOT OBLITERATION OF QUEERNESS AND RACE IN THE CITYS STREETS AND OTHER PUBLIC VENUES 4HE SEEMING ANTIPODAL NARRATIVES OF EMERGENCE AND DISAPPEAR ANCE ACTUALLY MUTUALLY CONSTITUTE A FORM OF STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE 4HE RISE OF A VIBRANT EXCLUSIVE REAL ESTATE GAY COMMODIlED BUSINESSES AND OTHER SIGNS OF THE NEW GENTRIlED .EW 9ORK ARE BASED ON THE VERY PROCESS OF ERADICATION AND DISAPPEARANCE OF THE UNSIGHTLY THE VAGRANT THE ALIEN THE COLORED AND THE QUEER 7HILE THESE NARRATIVES OF FEAR AND OF STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE NEED NOT INVOLVE ACTUAL PHYSICAL VIOLENCE REPORTS OF INCREASED FREQUENCY OF ACTUAL BEATINGS HARASSMENTS AND ASSAULTS OF QUEERS OF COLOR ACTUALLY AMPLIFY THE URGENCY OF THESE STORIES ) SUBMIT THAT PHYSICAL VIOLENCE IS A MORE OVERT MANIFESTATION OF STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE ! RECENT REPORT FROM THE !NTI 6IOLENCE 0ROJECT A LESBIAN AND GAY AGENCY THAT AIMS TO DOCUMENT AND lGHT VIO LENCE AGAINST QUEERS HAS PRESENTED EVIDENCE THAT WHILE THE NUMBER OF CASES INVOLVING VIOLENCE AGAINST WHITE QUEERS HAVE REMAINED CONSTANT THE NUM BER OF CASES AGAINST QUEERS OF COLORSPARTICULARLY BLACKS ,ATINOS AND MOST RECENTLY -IDDLE %ASTERN AND 3OUTH !SIAN QUEERSHAVE DOUBLED IF NOT QUADRUPLED 4HE DRAMATIC AND RUTHLESS PHYSICAL VIOLENCE NEEDS TO BE INTERPRETED BEYOND THE SHEER NUMBER OF THOSE ACTUALLY REPORTED AND UNDER STOOD IN TERMS OF THE THOUSANDS MORE CASES THAT HAVE GONE UNREPORTED OR UNMARKED BECAUSE OF FEAR OF THE POLICE AND OTHER lGURES OF AUTHORITY -OST IMPORTANT THESE GHASTLY REPORTS ALSO NEED TO BE READ WITH AND AGAINST THE HIGHLY MUTED IF NOT MUFmED SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE THAT HAVE BEEN STEADILY AIMED AT EFFACING QUEERS OF COLOR SPACES AND SILENCING THEIR VOICES .OW THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS TO BE DONE (ERE AGAIN ) FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE SET OUT BY ,ISA $UGGAN WHO LOOKS TO COALITION WORK ACROSS IDEN TITIES CAUSES AND POLITICS AS ALTERNATIVE TACTICS TO THE TRADITIONAL ACTIVIST PRACTICES 4HE KINDS OF EXPANSIVE COALITION WORK SHE BRIEmY OUTLINED IN
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HER LATEST BOOK CALLS FOR DISMANTLING THE NEOLIBERAL PROGRAMS THAT MYSTIFY AND CONSTITUTE INEQUALITIES AND MOVING BEYOND THE CULTUREECONOMY SPLIT !T THIS JUNCTURE ) GO BACK TO MY INITIAL SUGGESTION ABOVE THAT THE NARRA TIVES OF FEAR OF QUEERS OF COLOR NEED NOT BE CONSTRUED AS EITHER HYSTERICAL UNFOUNDED STORIES OR EMPTY USELESS TALK 2ATHER THESE STORIES CAN BE THE FOUNDATION FOR POLITICIZING THE CITIZENRY AND CAN BE USED AS A WAKE UP CALL FROM THE STUPOR OF SINGLE ISSUE ACTIVISM !S THESE NARRATIVES SYMBOLICALLY REORDER THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT THEY CAN ALSO SERVE AS THE PIVOT FOR MOBILIZ ING GROUPS AND CONSTITUENCIES TO SPEARHEAD MULTILATERAL CHANGES 1UEERS OF COLOR CAN POTENTIALLY HARNESS THE FEAR AND TREPIDATION THROUGH A SYSTEMATIC AND CONSISTENT ORGANIZING AROUND CROSS ETHNICRACIAL AND MULTISECTORAL ISSUES BY ORGANIZATIONS EQUIPPED FOR SUCH PURPOSES !S POSSIBLE MODELS $UGGAN POINTS TO EXEMPLARY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE !UDRE ,ORDE 0ROJECT WHICH hORGANIZES QUEERS OF COLOR TO ADDRESS ISSUES FROM IMMIGRATION AND ()6 PREVENTION TO VIOLENCE AND EMPLOYMENTv $RAWING A PARTIAL MAP OF THE WAY OUT OF THE DEBACLE SHE ELOQUENTLY PROFFERS THE FOLLOWING WORDS h#ALLS FOR EXPANSIVE DEMOCRATIC PUBLICNESS COMBINED WITH ARGU MENTS FOR FORMS OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP AUTONOMY ATTEMPTS TO REDElNE EQUALITY FREEDOM JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY IN WAYS THAT EXCEED THEIR LIMITED NEO LIBERAL MEANINGS 4HEY GESTURE AWAY FROM PRIVATIZATION AS AN ALIBI FOR STARK INEQUALITIES AND AWAY FROM PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AS AN ABDICATION OF PUBLIC COLLECTIVE CARETAKINGv $ESPITE THE BATTLES AND STRUGGLES THAT QUEERS OF COLOR ARE CURRENTLY WAGING CITIES STILL HOLD THE PROMISE OF REDEMPTION &OR MANY QUEERS URBAN SPACE OFFERS SOME SEMBLANCE OF A POSSIBLE DEMOCRATIC FUTURE !MID THEIR HOPES AND DISINTEGRATING DREAMS QUEERS OF COLOR FORGE ON )F AS 0AT #ALIlA HAS SUGGESTED THE CITY HAS BECOME THE SIGN OF DESIRE THEN .EW 9ORK #ITY IN THE TWENTY lRST CENTURY HAS BECOME THE SIGN AND THE SITE FOR THE VIOLENT CONTESTATION OF DESIRE AS QUEERS OF COLOR RESIST AND REFUSE THE ONSLAUGHT OF URBAN NEOLIBERAL OBLIVION
/PUFT 4HIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED IN THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE !MERICAN 3TUD IES !SSOCIATION 3PECIAL THANKS TO ,ISA ,OWE FOR CONVENING THE PANELTOGETHER WITH .AYAN 3HAH $AVID %NG AND 2OD &ERGUSONAND FOR HER COMMENTS AND CONTINUED SUPPORT ! REVISED VERSION WAS PRESENTED IN A LECTURE SPONSORED BY THE #ENTER FOR THE 3TUDY OF 3EXUAL #ULTURES AND THE $EPARTMENT OF !NTHROPOLOGY AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF #ALIFORNIA "ERKELEY ) WOULD LIKE TO THANK ,AWRENCE #OHEN -ICHAEL ,UCEY AND !IHWA /NG FOR THEIR INSIGHTS AND QUESTIONS 3IOBHAN 3OMER VILLE PROVIDED A SENSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING READING OF THE lRST DRAFT ) THANK HER FOR HER INCISIVE COMMENTS COLLEGIALITY AND FRIENDSHIP 5RBANA #HAMPAIGN WILL BE BLEAK WITHOUT HER PRESENCE
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) AM COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT .EW 9ORK HAS A UNIQUE FUNCTION AS A GLOBAL CITY AND AS SUCH IS SUBJECT TO SPECIlC IF NOT AMPLIlED OPERATIONS OF NEOLIBERALIST ECONOMIC POLITICAL AND CULTURAL PROCESSES THAT MAY DIVERGE FROM OTHER URBAN NEOLIBERAL EXPERIENCES ACROSS THE WORLD !S AN ANTHROPOLOGIST ) BELIEVE THAT MY ROLE IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE PARTICULARITIES OF NEOLIBERALISM IN SPECIlC GLOBALLOCAL SPACES 3EE 3ASKIA 3ASSEN 4HE 'LOBAL #ITY 0RINCETON .* 0RINCETON 5NIVERSITY 0RESS ) AM AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS OF CROSS RACIAL GROUPINGS BUT ) USE hQUEERS OF COLORv HERE AS A PROVISIONAL AND STRATEGIC MODE OF UNDERSTANDING COMMONALITY EXPERIENCES THAT CAN BECOME A BASIS FOR BROAD BASED COALITION WHILE RECOGNIZING NUMEROUS FORMS OF DIFFERENCE +ATH 7ESTON h @'ET 4HEE TO A "IG #ITY 3EXUAL )MAGINARY AND THE 'REAT 'AY -IGRATION v ',1 n ) USED NEOLIBERAL URBAN GOVERNANCE AND NOT hGENTRIlCATIONv TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE POPULAR NOTION OF THE LATTER AS AN ORGANIC NATURAL SUPPLANTING OF ON SITE INHABITANTS BY OUTSIDE FORCES AND AGENTS ) WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HOW .EW 9ORK #ITYS NEOLIBERAL POLICIES ARE NOT LIKE MANY CITIES PARTICULARLY THOSE OF THE THIRD WORLD THAT ARE MEDIATED BY INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE 7ORLD "ANK OR THE )NTERNATIONAL -ONETARY &UND INSTEAD THE VERY FORCES AT WORK ARE SITUATED WITHIN THE CITY ITSELF AS A GLOBAL lNANCIAL CENTER &OR A SCHEMA OF NEW FORMS OF URBAN POLITICS SEE -ARGIT -AYER h0OST &ORDIST #ITY 0OLITICS v IN 0OST &ORDISM ! 2EADER ED !SH !MIN /XFORD "LACK WELL 3EE !NDREA -C!RDLE AND 4ANYA %RZEN EDS :ERO 4OLERANCE 1UALITY OF ,IFE AND THE .EW 0OLICE "RUTALITY IN .EW 9ORK #ITY .EW 9ORK .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY 0RESS ,ISA $UGGAN h4HE .EW (OMONORMATIVITY 4HE 3EXUAL 0OLITICS OF .EO LIBERALISM v IN -ATERIALIZING $EMOCRACY ED 2USS #ASTRONOVO AND $ANA $ .ELSON $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n 3EE ALSO ,ISA $UGGAN 4WILIGHT OF %QUALITY .EOLIBERALISM #ULTURAL 0OLITICS AND THE !TTACK ON $EMOCRACY "OSTON "EACON )BID 2ODERICK &ERGUSON !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 4OWARD A 1UEER OF #OLOR #RITIQUE -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS 3AMUEL $ELANY 4IMES 3QUARE 2ED 4IMES 3QUARE "LUE .EW 9ORK .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY 0RESS *OHN $%MILIO 4HE 7ORLD 4URNED %SSAYS ON 'AY (ISTORY 0OLITICS AND #ULTURE $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 3EE FOR EXAMPLE 'ORDON "RENT )NGRAM !NNE -ARIE "OUTHILLETTE AND 9OLANDA 2ETTER EDS 1UEERS IN 3PACE #OMMUNITIES 0UBLIC 0LACES 3ITES OF 2ESISTANCE 3EATTLE "AY 3EE h @/UT 4HERE 4HE 4OPOGRAPHY OF 2ACE AND $ESIRE IN THE 'LOBAL #ITY v CHAPTER OF MY BOOK 'LOBAL $IVAS &ILIPINO 'AY -EN IN THE $IASPORA $UR HAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS )N THIS CHAPTER ) ARGUE FOR THE INTERSECT ING hGRIDS OF DIFFERENCE THAT BOTH FRAGMENT THE QUEER SPACES IN .EW 9ORK #ITY AND AT THE SAME TIME CREATE AND CONSTITUTE A UNITARY NARRATIVE OF INSIDEOUTSIDE AND COLOREDWHITE ) USE THE TERM ,ATINO FOR 3PANISH SPEAKING MEN FOR WHOM ) WAS UNABLE TO GET THEIR SPECIlC ETHNIC IDENTITIES ) USE #OLOMBIAN 0UERTO 2ICAN AND -EXICAN CATEGORIES FOR MEN WHO SELF IDENTIlED AS SUCH
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4HIS OBSERVATION ABOUT h!RABOSv HAS BEEN EERILY ECHOED BY OTHER QUEER &ILIPINOS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE GREATER .EW 9ORK METROPOLITAN AREA 3EE MY ESSAY h! 'AY 7ORLD -AKE /VER !N !SIAN !MERICAN 1UEER #RITIQUE v IN !SIAN !MERI CAN 3TUDIES AFTER #RITICAL -ASS ED +ENT /NO -ALDEN -! "LACKWELL n 4ERESA #ALDEIRA #ITY OF 7ALLS #RIME 3EGREGATION AND #ITIZENSHIP IN 3AO 0AULO "ERKELEY 5NIVERSITY OF #ALIFORNIA 0RESS )BID !RT $IAS h(ITTING THE *ACKSON (EIGHTS #HELSEA WITH A ,ATIN "ITE 'RRRR v .%84 3EPTEMBER )BID *ASBIR 0UAR AND !MIT 2AI h-ONSTER 4ERRORIST &AG 4HE 7AR ON 4ERROR ISM AND THE 0RODUCTION OF $OCILE 0ATRIOTS v 3OCIAL 4EXT NO n 'AY #ITY .EWS 3EPTEMBERn /CTOBER $UGGAN h.EW (OMONORMATIVITY v &ERGUSON !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 3EE WWWAVPORG $UGGAN 4WILIGHT OF %QUALITY n )BID )BID )BID 3EE $AVID "ELL AND *ON "INNIE 4HE 3EXUAL #ITIZEN 1UEER 0OLITICS AND "EYOND #AMBRIDGE 0OLITY n 0AT #ALIlA h3AN &RANCISCO 2EVISITING THE @4HE #ITY OF $ESIRE v IN )NGRAM "OUTHILLETTE AND 2ETTER 1UEERS IN 3PACE n
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3INCE 3OUTH !SIAN RACIALIZATION IN THE 5NITED 3TATES HAS TAKEN PLACE THROUGH CURIOUS AND CONTRADICTORY PROCESSES %VEN AS THE hINDElNITE DETENTIONSv AND DEPORTATIONS OF !RABS -USLIMS AND 3OUTH !SIANS CON TINUED UNABATED THE LAST THREE YEARS SAW AN EXPLOSION OF INTEREST IN "OL LYWOOD CINEMA AMONG NONn3OUTH !SIAN AUDIENCES )N -ARCH AND !PRIL ALONE MAJOR STORIES ABOUT "OLLYWOODS MOMENT OF hARRIVALv IN THE 7EST APPEARED IN QUICK SUCCESSION IN 4IME /UT THE .EW 9ORK 4IMES AND THE ,OS !NGELES 4IMES TO NAME JUST A FEW OF THE MOST VISIBLE INSTANCES OF MEDIA COVERAGE (OW CAN WE ACCOUNT FOR THIS HEIGHTENED VISIBILITY AND hDISCOVERYv OF "OLLYWOOD CINEMA AT PRECISELY THE MOMENT WHEN 3OUTH !SIAN COMMUNITIES IN THE 5NITED 3TATES ARE BEING MORE INTENSELY SUR VEILLED POLICED AND TERRORIZED BY THE STATE THAN EVER BEFORE 4HE STARK CONTRADICTION BETWEEN REPRESENTATIONAL EXCESS AND MATERIAL VIOLENCE BECAME PARTICULARLY APPARENT TO ME DURING THE 2EPUBLICAN .ATIONAL #ONVENTION AS ) FOUND MYSELF mIPPING THROUGH TELEVISION CHANNELS HOPING FOR SOME COVERAGE OF THE MASSIVE PROTESTS IN .EW 9ORK #ITY ) CAME ACROSS THE INCONGRUOUS SIGHT OF PROTESTERS CONFRONTING A RATHER BEFUDDLED GROUP OF .ORTH #AROLINA DELEGATES AS THEY EMERGED FROM THE LATEST "ROADWAY SHOW NONE OTHER THAN !NDREW ,LOYD 7EBBERS "OLLYWOOD EXTRAVAGANZA "OMBAY $REAMS 4HE SHOW WAS APPARENTLY A HOT TICKET AMONG THE 2.# DELEGATES AND ITS TAG LINEh3OMEWHERE 9OUVE .EVER "EEN "EFOREvPRO VIDED A COLORFUL BACKDROP AS THE CAMERA CAPTURED DELEGATES ADMONISH ING PROTESTERS FOR PREVENTING THE POLICE FROM DOING THEIR JOB OF hKEEPING !MERICA SAFEv )T SEEMED PARTICULARLY IRONIC TO ME THAT THE DELEGATES OCCU PIED THEMSELVES INSIDE -ADISON 3QUARE 'ARDEN WITH XENOPHOBIC CALLS FOR A NEVER ENDING hWAR ON TERRORv WHILE THEY DIVERTED THEMSELVES OUTSIDE THE 'ARDEN WITH A BRIEF FORAY INTO "OLLYWOOD GLAMOUR 4HE JUXTAPOSI TION OF NATIONALIST SPECTACLE AND "OLLYWOOD SPECTACLE MAY INITIALLY APPEAR UNREMARKABLE IN THE SENSE THAT "OMBAY $REAMS CAN BE SEEN AS SIMPLY ANOTHER SAFELY MULTICULTURAL hETHNICv MUSICAL AIMED AT MIDDLE !MERICAN CONSUMERS /NE OF THE SHOWS PRODUCERS IN FACT STATED THAT SHE hVIEWS THE SHOW AS A DESCENDANT OF &IDDLER ON THE 2OOF OR 4HE +ING AND ) MUSICALS WITH AN ETHNIC MILIEU THAT HAVE UNIVERSAL APPEALv 9ET ) WOULD ARGUE THAT
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THE UBIQUITY AND POPULARITY OF "OLLYWOOD AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT OF 53 IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION AND GLOBAL HEGEMONY BEARS CLOSER SCRUTINY AS IT REVEALS A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE COMPLEX INTERRELATION OF MULTIPLE NATIONAL ISMS AND DIASPORIC FORMATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION 4O FULLY UNPACK THESE CONNECTIONS ) WANT TO SUGGEST THE NECESSITY OF WHAT WE CAN TERM A QUEER DIASPORIC FRAME OF ANALYSIS 4HE CONCEPT OF DIASPORA AS WE KNOW WELL FROM 3TUART (ALL AND OTHER THEORISTS OF DIASPORA IS DOUBLE EDGED IN THAT IT CAN UNDERCUT AND REIFY VARIOUS FORMS OF ETHNIC RELIGIOUS AND STATE NATIONALISMS SIMULTANEOUSLY )TS POTENTIAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT IT CAN WORK TO FOREGROUND NOTIONS OF IMPURITY AND INAUTHENTICITY THAT RESOUNDINGLY REJECT THE ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS ABSOLUTISM AT THE CENTER OF NATIONALIST IDEOLOGIES "UT THE DANGER OF DIASPORA AS A CONCEPT IRONI CALLY IS ITS ADHERENCE TO PRECISELY THOSE SAME MYTHS OF PURITY AND ORIGIN THAT SEAMLESSLY LEND THEMSELVES TO NATIONALIST PROJECTS )NDEED WHILE THE DIASPORA WITHIN NATIONALIST DISCOURSE IS OFTEN POSITIONED AS THE ABJECTED OTHER TO THE NATION THE NATION ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY RECRUITS THE DIASPORA INTO ITS ABSOLUTIST LOGIC 4HE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FUNNELED FROM )NDIAN !MERICAN BUSINESS RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL GROUPS IN THE 5NITED 3TATES TO SUPPORT (INDU 2IGHT GOVERNMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN )NDIA IS BUT ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW DIASPORA AND NATION CAN FUNCTION TOGETHER IN THE INTERESTS OF CORPORATE CAPITAL AND GLOBALIZATION AS WELL AS IDEOLOGIES OF RELIGIOUS CULTURAL AND NATIONAL PURITY 7HILE (INDU NATIONALIST FORCES IN )NDIA ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIASPORA SOLELY IN THE FORM OF THE PROSPEROUS (INDU HETEROSEXUAL NONRESIDENT )NDIAN .2) BUSINESSMAN THERE EXISTS AN ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT OF DIASPORA THAT REMAINS UNTHINKABLE WITHIN THIS (INDU NATIONALIST IMAGI NARY 4HE CATEGORY OF hQUEERv WORKS TO NAME THIS ALTERNATIVE RENDERING OF DIASPORA AND TO DISLODGE DIASPORA FROM ITS ADHERENCE AND LOYALTY TO NATION ALIST IDEOLOGIES 3UTURING hQUEERv TO hDIASPORAv POINTS TO THOSE DESIRES PRACTICES AND SUBJECTIVITIES THAT ARE RENDERED IMPOSSIBLE AND UNIMAGINABLE WITHIN CONVENTIONAL DIASPORIC AND NATIONALIST IMAGINARIES ! CONSIDERATION OF QUEERNESS IN OTHER WORDS BECOMES A WAY TO CHALLENGE NATIONALIST IDEOLO GIES BY INSISTING ON THE IMPURE INAUTHENTIC NONREPRODUCTIVE POTENTIAL OF THE NOTION OF DIASPORA 1UEER DIASPORIC CULTURAL FORMS SUGGEST ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF COLLECTIVITY AND COMMUNAL BELONGING THAT REDElNE hHOMEv AS NATIONAL COMMUNAL OR DOMESTIC SPACE OUTSIDE A LOGIC OF BLOOD PURITY AUTHENTICITY AND PATRILINEAL DESCENT 4HE NOTION OF A QUEER DIASPORA RESONATES WITH 2ODERICK &ERGUSONS FRAMING OF A hQUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUEv 7HILE BOTH QUEER OF COLOR AND QUEER DIASPORIC ANALYSIS ARE PART OF A COLLECTIVE ENDEAVOR TO RESHAPE QUEER STUDIES THROUGH A THOROUGH ENGAGEMENT WITH QUESTIONS OF RACE NATIONALISM AND TRANSNATIONALISM IT MAY ALSO BE USEFUL TO EXPLORE SOME OF THE POINTS AT
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WHICH THE INTERVENTIONS AND EMPHASES OF EACH PROJECT BOTH INTERSECT AND DIVERGE )N !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 4OWARD A 1UEER OF #OLOR #RITIQUE &ERGUSON WRITES h!S THE SITE OF IDENTIlCATION CULTURE BECOMES THE TERRAIN IN WHICH FORMATIONS SEEMINGLY ANTAGONISTIC TO LIBERALISM LIKE -ARXISM AND REVO LUTIONARY NATIONALISM CONVERGE WITH LIBERAL IDEOLOGY PRECISELY THROUGH THEIR IDENTIlCATION WITH GENDER AND SEXUAL NORMS AND IDEALS 1UEER OF COLOR ANALYSIS MUST EXAMINE HOW CULTURE AS A SITE OF IDENTIlCATION PRODUCES SUCH ODD BEDFELLOWS AND HOW IT FOSTERS UNIMAGINED ALLIANCESv &ERGUSON SUGGESTS HERE HOW QUEER OF COLOR ANALYSIS CAN BE SEEN AS A PARTICULAR READ ING PRACTICE THAT ENABLES US TO TRACE THE CONVERGENCE OF WHAT SEEM TO BE RADICALLY DISTINCT AND DISPARATE IDEOLOGIES AS THEY SHORE UP HETERONORMATIV ITY ! QUEER DIASPORIC FRAMEWORK SIMILARLY CHALLENGES WHAT &ERGUSON TERMS hIDEOLOGIES OF DISCRETENESSv BY IDENTIFYING AND UNRAVELING THOSE PECULIAR ALLIANCES THE hODD BEDFELLOWS v THAT EMERGE IN THE GLOBAL RESTRUCTURING OF CAPITAL AND ITS ATTENDANT GENDER AND SEXUAL HIERARCHIES )T ALSO NAMES A MODE OF READING OF RENDERING INTELLIGIBLE THAT WHICH IS UNINTELLIGIBLE AND INDEED IMPOSSIBLE WITHIN DOMINANT DIASPORIC AND NATIONALIST LOGIC 7HILE QUEER OF COLOR ANALYSIS IDENTIlES THE 53 NATION STATE AND ITS PARTICULAR MAPPING OF RACIALIZED GENDERED AND SEXUALIZED CITIZENSHIP AND BELONGING AS A PRIMARY SITE OF REFERENCE AND CRITIQUE A QUEER DIASPORIC ANALYSIS PAYS GREATER ATTENTION TO THE INTIMATE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DISPA RATE DIASPORIC AND NATIONAL LOCATIONS AS THEY CONVERGE IN THE PRODUCTION OF hHOMEv SPACE 4HIS IS A PARTICULARLY URGENT AND NECESSARY PROJECT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE )NDIAN DIASPORA GIVEN THE CENTRALITY OF THE DIASPORA TO THE MATERIAL AND IDEOLOGICAL MAINTENANCE OF (INDU NATIONALISM IN )NDIA AND IN LIGHT OF THE UNHOLY ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE (INDU 2IGHT IN )NDIA AND THE CURRENT "USH REGIME IN THE 5NITED 3TATES ) DO NOT MEAN TO SUGGEST HERE THAT QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE AND QUEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE EXIST IN A BINARY RELATION TO EACH OTHER WHERE THE FORMER IS NARROW LOCAL AND NATIONAL AS OPPOSED TO THE LATTERS APPARENT COSMOPOLITANISM AND EXPANSIVENESS /N THE CONTRARY QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE AS &ERGUSON ARTICULATES IT EXPLICITLY REJECTS THE PAROCHIALISM OF !MERICAN STUDIES AS WELL AS THE UNDERLYING HETERONORMATIVITY OF EVEN ITS POSTNATIONALIST VERSIONS )N ATTENDING TO THE PARTICULARITIES OF !FRICAN !MERICAN RACIAL FORMATION &ERGUSONS FRAM ING OF QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE ALLOWS FOR A WIDE RANGING INQUIRY INTO THE RACIAL SEXUAL AND GENDERED UNDERPINNINGS OF MODERNITY AND POSITS NON HETERONORMATIVE RACIALIZED SUBJECTS AS SITES OF KNOWLEDGE THAT CHALLENGE THE DISARTICULATION OF RACIAL FORMATION FROM NATIONAL CLASS GENDER AND SEXUAL FORMATIONS &ERGUSONS ANALYSIS FOREGROUNDS THE SEXUAL AND RACIAL NORMATIVITY AT THE HEART OF THE LIBERAL NATION STATE WHILE POINTING TO THE INADEQUACY OF NATION BASED CONVENTIONAL AREA STUDIES APPROACHES TO THEO RIZING THE PRODUCTION OF MODERN RACIAL AND SEXUAL FORMATIONS
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1UEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE CAN BE SEEN AS EXTENDING THIS PROJECT AND AS ITS NECESSARY COMPLEMENT )N THE CONTEXT OF 3OUTH !SIA THE FRAMEWORK OF A QUEER DIASPORA IS CRUCIAL IF WE ARE TO CHALLENGE AREA STUDIES MODELS THAT FAIL TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ONGOING INTERPLAY BETWEEN DIASPORA AND NATION AND FOR HOW HETERONORMATIVITY HAS HISTORICALLY FUNCTIONED AS A STRUCTUR ING MECHANISM OF BOTH COLONIALISM AND NATIONALISM IN THE REGION 1UEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE SHARES WITH QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE AN INTEREST IN TRACING HOW PARTICULAR RACIAL SEXUAL AND GENDER FORMATIONS ENGENDER PRACTICES AND SUBJECTIVITIES THAT EXCEED THE NATIONS BOUNDARIES AND CONTEST ITS ABSO LUTIST LOGIC )F QUEER OF COLOR AND QUEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE TAKE TO TASK THE IMPLICIT HETERONORMATIVITY WITHIN SOME STRANDS OF AREA STUDIES THEY ALSO POWERFULLY CHALLENGE THE PAROCHIALISM OF SOME STRANDS OF QUEER STUDIES BY MAKING THE STUDY OF SEXUALITY CENTRAL TO AN ANTI IMPERIALIST ANTIRACIST PROJECT 4OGETHER QUEER OF COLOR AND QUEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE REVEAL THE GENDERED AND SEXUALIZED DIMENSIONS OF IMPERIAL PROJECTS BOTH DOMESTICALLY IN RELATION TO 53 COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND INTERNATIONALLY )NDEED AT THIS CURRENT MOMENT OF 53 IMPERIAL AGGRESSION THE INDISPENSABILITY OF THIS NEW FORMULATION OF QUEER STUDIES HAS NEVER BEEN CLEARER 4HE NECESSITY OF A QUEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE THAT UNRAVELS THE RELATION BETWEEN DIASPORA AND DUAL NATIONALISMS BOTH 53 AND )NDIAN BECOMES APPARENT WHEN CONSIDERING THE CURRENT GLOBAL CIRCULATION OF "OLLYWOOD CINEMA "OLLYWOOD HAS OF COURSE ALWAYS BEEN A GLOBAL CINEMA BUT WHAT IS NEW AS ) HAVE SUGGESTED IS ITS POPULARITY AND VISIBILITY IN THE 7EST OUTSIDE THE 3OUTH !SIAN DIASPORIC AUDIENCES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY FORMED ITS LARGEST VIEWERSHIP 4HIS NEWFOUND POPULARITY CAN BE TRACED TO HOW THE GENRE AND IDIOM OF "OLLYWOOD CINEMA ARE BEING RAPIDLY TRANSLATED INTO TERMS MORE IN KEEPING WITH THE NARRATIVE AND REPRESENTATIONAL CONVENTIONS OF (OLLYWOOD CINEMA 7E CAN IDENTIFY THREE DISTINCT BUT INTERCONNECTED IDEOLOGICAL PROJECTS WHERE THIS APPROPRIATION AND TRANSLATION OF "OLLYWOOD CINEMA IS TAKING PLACE lRST IN A 53 NATIONALIST PROJECT SECOND IN AN )NDIAN DIASPORIC LIBERAL FEMINIST PROJECT AND THIRD IN AN )NDIAN NATIONALIST PROJECT 3CRUTINIZING THE DEPLOYMENT OF "OLLYWOOD IN EACH PROJECT REVEALS HOW POPULAR CULTURE BECOMES THE CONTESTED TERRAIN FOR CONSOLIDATING IDE OLOGIES OF NATION RACE GENDER AND SEXUALITY #RUCIALLY THE EFFACEMENT OF QUEER FEMALE DESIRE AND SUBJECTIVITY MARKS EACH DISCURSIVE SITE 4HIS EFFACEMENT ) WOULD ARGUE IS HARDLY INCIDENTAL RATHER IT MUST BE UNDER STOOD AS A CONSTITUTIVE ABSENCE IN THAT IT INDEXES THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSLATION OF "OLLYWOOD TO (OLLYWOOD AND IS PRECISELY WHAT ENABLES EACH OF THESE IDEOLOGICAL PROJECTS TO FUNCTION SEAMLESSLY 4HE ANECDOTE WITH WHICH ) BEGAN THIS ESSAY IS A TELLING INSTANCE OF HOW THE TRANSLATION OF A "OLLYWOOD GENRE AND IDIOM OPERATES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A 53 NATIONALIST PROJECT 4HE MOVE TO MAKE "OLLYWOOD INTELLIGIBLE TO
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NONn3OUTH !SIAN AUDIENCES IS NOWHERE MORE APPARENT THAN IN THE TRANSFER OF "OMBAY $REAMS ORIGINALLY A "RITISH PRODUCT TO "ROADWAY 4HE .EW 9ORK 4IMES REPORTED HOW THE SHOW HAD TO BE COMPLETELY OVERHAULED IN TERMS OF NARRATIVE SCORE AND DESIGN AS IT MOVED FROM TARGETING A PRIMARILY "RIT ISH !SIAN AUDIENCE IN ,ONDON TO A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE ONE ON "ROADWAY ! COVER STORY IN THE ,OS !NGELES 4IMES ON BOTH THE SHOW AND "OLLYWOOD IN GENERAL SUMS UP MUCH OF THE MEDIA COVERAGE ON "OLLYWOODS hEMERGENCEv IN THE 7EST 4HE AUTHOR WRITES h4HE GOLDEN AGE OF (OLLYWOOD HAS MOVED TO )NDIA 4HESE "OLLYWOOD lLMS WILL BRING YOU BACK TO AN ERA LONG GONE IN OUR CULTURE WHEN AUDIENCES DEMANDED A LOT OF ENTERTAINMENT AND HAD THE WHEREWITHAL TO ENJOY IT WHEN IT ARRIVED )N OUR SUPER STRESSED AGE ITS POSITIVE TONIC TO ACT AS IF WE HAVE THAT KIND OF TIME EVEN IF WE REALLY DONTv ! SUBSEQUENT .EW 9ORK 4IMES ARTICLE ECHOES THESE SENTIMENTS STATING h"OLLYWOOD HAS KEPT ALIVE THE VIBRANT SUMPTUOUS SPECTACLE THAT (OLLYWOOD HAS ALL BUT ABANDONEDv 3UCH STATEMENTS REASSERT A FAMILIAR COLONIAL TELEOLOGICAL NARRATIVE OF MODERNITY WHERE "OLLYWOOD EMBODIES THE PAST OF 7ESTERN CINEMATIC HISTORY AND OF THE 7EST AS A WHOLE IN THAT IT IS TEMPORALLY ANTERIOR TO 7ESTERN REPRESENTATIONAL REGIMES 4HE hWEv IN THESE COMMENTS INTERPELLATES AN IMPLICITLY WHITE 7ESTERN VIEWER WHERE "OLLYWOOD ENABLES hUSv TO COME FACE TO FACE WITH AN EXOTIC OTHER THAT IS UNCANNILY FAMILIAR hWEv CONFRONT AN EARLIER VERSION OF OURSELVES ONE THAT IS FAINTLY RECOGNIZABLE WHILE RETAINING A PLEASURABLE FRISSON OF OTHERNESS 4HE OSCILLATION BETWEEN SAMENESS AND DIFFERENCE AS (OMI "HABHA HAS SHOWN IS THE VERY STRUCTURE OF COLONIAL SUBJECTIlCATION THAT WE lND TODAY REANIMATED IN A POST RACIAL LANDSCAPE 4HIS STRATEGY OF CONTAINMENT OF THE RACIALRELIGIOUSCULTURAL OTHER THROUGH THE CONSUMPTION OF "OLLYWOOD SPECTACLE IS ONE THAT IS NOT SURPRIS INGLY CLEARLY GENDERED AND HETEROSEXUALIZED 7HAT IS PARTICULARLY STRIKING IN MUCH OF THE MEDIA COVERAGE OF "OLLYWOOD IS THE HYPERVISIBILITY AND FETISHIZATION OF 3OUTH !SIAN WOMENS BODIES FRAMED AS INlNITELY AVAILABLE TO A HETEROSEXUAL WHITE 7ESTERN GAZE 4HIS DISCURSIVE HYPERVISIBILITY OF 3OUTH !SIAN WOMENS BODIES STARKLY CONTRASTS WITH THE LITERAL EFFACEMENT AND INVISIBILIZATION OF 3OUTH !SIAN MENS BODIES AS THEY ARE INCREASINGLY BEING hDISAPPEAREDv BY THE STATE -ARTIN -ANALANSANS RECENT STUDY OF THE CHANGING RACIAL SEXUAL AND CLASS LANDSCAPE OF 1UEENS .EW 9ORK DETAILS HOW THE MONTHS FOLLOWING SAW THE OMINOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF 3OUTH !SIAN MEN WHO USED TO POPULATE THE STOREFRONTS AND STREET CORNERS OF *ACKSON (EIGHTS A PREDOMINANTLY IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORHOOD IN 1UEENS !S ONE OF -ANALANSANS &ILIPINO INFORMANTS COMMENTED ABOUT THE MEN h3UDDENLY THEY WERE JUST GONE THEY VANISHED LIKE SMOKEv )N THE CONTEXT OF THIS ERASURE OF LARGE NUMBERS OF -USLIM MEN FROM THE CITYS PUBLIC SPACE AS THEY ARE BANISHED TO A NO MANS LAND OF INlNITE DETENTIONS AND
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DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO DISMISS THE MEDIA BLITZ ON "OLLYWOOD AS SIMPLY ANOTHER BENIGN POPULAR CULTURAL FAD 2ATHER THE RECENT FASCINATION WITH "OLLYWOOD CINEMA IS INSEPARABLE FROM THE MATERIAL AND REPRESENTATIONAL VIOLENCES CURRENTLY BEING ENACTED ON 3OUTH !SIAN COMMUNITIES IN THE 5NITED 3TATES #HANDAN 2EDDY HAS NOTED THAT hAS AN IMPERIAL STATE THE 53 GOVERNMENT HAS EXPANDED ITS GOVERNANCE OF RACIALIZED NON NATIONALS IN THE NAME OF GUARANTEEING THE CITIZENS LIBERTY THE RACIALIZED IMMIGRANT THE BLACK INCARCERATED THE ENEMY COMBATANT THE !FGHANI AND THE )RAQI ARE JUST SOME OF THE LEGALLY CREATED CATEGORIES AGAINST WHICH THE NATIONAL CITIZEN IS BOTH DElNED AND MATERIALLY SUPPORTEDv 3IMILARLY *ASBIR 0UAR AND !MIT 2AI DETAIL HOW RACIAL DISCOURSES AFTER HAVE PRODUCED hHYPER VISIBLE ICONSv SUCH AS THE hMONSTER TERRORIST FAGv THAT SERVE TO BOTH QUAR ANTINE RACIAL AND SEXUAL OTHERS AND TRANSFORM THEM INTO DOCILE PATRIOTS )N LIGHT OF THESE OBSERVATIONS BY 2EDDY AND 0UAR AND 2AI THE FETISHIZATION OF "OLLYWOOD AS SEXUALIZED AND GENDERED SPECTACLE MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS YET ANOTHER DISCURSIVE MECHANISM THAT REGULATES AND DISCIPLINES 3OUTH !SIAN POPULATIONS IN THE 5NITED 3TATES 4HE "OLLYWOOD BOOM IN THIS CONTEXT INCORPORATES 3OUTH !SIANS INTO THE 53 NATIONAL IMAGINARY AS PURE SPECTACLE TO BE SAFELY CONSUMED WHILE KEEPING INTACT THEIR ESSENTIAL ALIENNESS AND DIFFERENCE SUCH AN INCORPORATION HOLDS SAFELY AT BAY THOSE MARGINALIZED NONCITIZENS WHO FUNCTION UNDER THE SIGN OF TERRORIST AND hENEMY WITHINv 7E CAN MOBILIZE QUEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE AS IT INTERSECTS WITH QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE HERE TO NAME AN OPPOSITIONAL SUBJECT POSITION TO THE NEOLIBERAL CITIZEN SUBJECT THAT PROVIDES A SPACE FROM WHICH TO CHAL LENGE THE CONSTRUCTION OF 3OUTH !SIAN BODIES AS EITHER INHERENTLY CRIMINAL AND ANTINATIONAL OR MULTICULTURAL AND ASSIMILATIONIST 4HE TRANSLATION OF "OLLYWOOD INTO TERMS THAT ARE INTELLIGIBLE AND FAMILIAR TO AUDIENCES STEEPED IN (OLLYWOOD CONVENTIONS INVARIABLY ENTAILS THE ERASURE OF QUEER FEMALE BODIES DESIRES AND PLEASURES 4HIS ERASURE IS APPARENT NOT ONLY IN THE MAINSTREAM MANIFESTATIONS OF THE "OLLYWOOD BOOM THAT ) HAVE REFERENCED THUS FAR BUT PERHAPS MORE SURPRISINGLY IN THE WORK OF A NEW CROP OF )NDIAN DIASPORIC FEMINIST lLMMAKERS SUCH AS -IRA .AIR $EEPA -EHTA AND 'URINDER #HADHA !S ) ARGUE IN GREATER DETAIL ELSEWHERE THESE lLMMAKERS ARE IN NO SMALL PART RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS TRANSLATION OF "OLLYWOOD INTO (OLLYWOOD IN THAT THEY ACT AS MODERN DAY TOUR GUIDES THAT IN EFFECT hMODERNIZEv "OLLYWOOD FORM AND CONTENT FOR NONn3OUTH !SIAN AUDIENCES 7E CAN READ -IRA .AIRS -ONSOON 7EDDING FOR INSTANCE AS A DIASPORIC FEMINIST RESCRIPTING OF THE "OLLYWOOD GENRE OF THE WEDDING MOVIE .AIRS lLM SPECIlCALLY REFERENCES THE "OLLYWOOD MEGAHIT (UM !APKE (AIN +OUN 7HO !M ) TO 9OU DIRECTED BY 3OORAJ 2 "ARJATYA &OR ALL ITS RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL CONSERVATISM ) ARGUE THAT THIS
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EARLIER lLM OPENED UP THE POSSIBILITY OF QUEER FEMALE DESIRE IN A WAY THAT -ONSOON 7EDDING QUITE CATEGORICALLY SHUTS DOWN )NDEED THE POSSIBILITIES OF FEMALE HOMOEROTICISM THAT WE SEE IN (UM !APKE (AIN +OUN ARE SACRIlCED IN -ONSOON 7EDDING IN ORDER FOR A MODERN HETEROSEXUAL LIBERAL FEMINIST SUBJECT TO EMERGE 7E CAN TRACE A SIMILAR DYNAMIC IN OTHER lLMS BY 3OUTH !SIAN DIASPORIC FEMINIST lLMMAKERS THAT PURPORT TO hUPDATEv THE "OLLYWOOD GENRE IN EACH CASE IT IS PRECISELY THE EVACUATION OF QUEER FEMALE DESIRE THAT ENABLES A HETEROSEXUAL FEMINIST SUBJECT TO COME INTO BEING 4HE TRANSLATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF A "OLLYWOOD IDIOM IS ALSO EVI DENT IN lLMS EMERGING OUT OF THE "OLLYWOOD lLM INDUSTRY ITSELF *UST AS -ONSOON 7EDDING hUPDATESv THE "OLLYWOOD GENRE OF THE WEDDING MOVIE A RECENT "OLLYWOOD HIT SUCH AS .IKHIL !DVANIS +AL (O .AA (O 4OMORROW -AY .EVER #OME MODERNIZES THE CLASSIC "OLLYWOOD GENRE OF THE BUDDY MOVIE +AL (O .AA (O WHICH IS SET IN .EW 9ORK #ITY SHARES WITH -ONSOON 7EDDING AN ANXIETY AROUND REPRESENTING A PARTICULARLY hMODERNv )NDIAN TRANSNATIONAL SUBJECT !S SUCH BOTH lLMS ATTEMPT TO REVERSE THE COLONIAL TELOS SO EVIDENT IN MAINSTREAM APPROPRIATIONS OF "OLLYWOOD THAT SITUATES IT AND 3OUTH !SIA IN GENERAL IN TERMS OF A PREHISTORY OF (OLLY WOOD CINEMA AND THE 7EST )N .AIRS lLM IT IS A LIBERAL FEMINIST NARRATIVE OF FEMALE SELF EMPOWERMENT THAT CONFERS MODERNITY ONTO ITS CHARACTERS IN +AL (O .AA (O CURIOUSLY IT IS MALE HOMOSEXUALITY THAT MARKS AND CON SOLIDATES THIS NEWLY EMERGENT TRANSNATIONAL )NDIAN SUBJECT AS FULLY MODERN 4HE lLM IN EFFECT hOUTSv THE REPRESENTATIONAL CONVENTIONS OF THE "OLLYWOOD BUDDY MOVIE BY MAKING EXPLICIT THE GENRES LATENT HOMOEROTICISM +AL (O .AA (OS POINTED REFERENCES TO MALE HOMOSEXUALITY SERVE TO MARK THE INCREASING MODERNITY AND COSMOPOLITANISM OF "OLLYWOOD CINEMA ITSELF AS IT COMES TO MORE CLOSELY APPROXIMATE SOME OF MAINSTREAM (OLLYWOODS STRATEGIES OF GENDER AND SEXUAL REPRESENTATION )N ONE TELLING SCENE FOR INSTANCE THE lLMS MALE HERO !MMAN IS FOUND IN BED WITH HIS MALE BEST FRIEND BY THE FRIENDS HOUSEKEEPER A SARI CLAD BINDI WEARING ELDERLY )NDIAN WOMAN NAMED +ANTHABEHN +ANTHA BEHN IS HORRIlED BY WHAT LOOKS LIKE ILLICIT SEXUAL ACTIVITY BETWEEN THE TWO MEN 4HE SCENE IS PREDICTABLY PLAYED FOR LAUGHS AT +ANTHABEHNS EXPENSE AS !MMAN PROCEEDS TO DELIBERATELY HEIGHTEN THE MISRECOGNITION BY CARESS ING HIS FRIEND AND MAKING SALACIOUS DOUBLE ENTENDRES 4HIS MISRECOGNI TION OF THE TWO MEN AS hGAY v AND !MMANS WILLINGNESS TO PERFORM THIS IDENTITY SERVES TO UNDERSCORE THE MODERNITY AND MOBILITY OF THE TWO MEN OVER AND AGAINST +ANTHABEHNS lXITY RECALCITRANCE AND UNTRANSLATABILITY 3HE REMAINS AN ANACHRONISTIC lGURE QUITE LITERALLY OUT OF TIME AND OUT OF PLACE IN THE NEWLY GLOBALIZED LANDSCAPE THAT THE lLM MAPS OUT (OPELESSLY MIRED IN hTRADITIONv AND AS THE APPARENT MARKER OF NORMATIVE GENDER AND SEXUAL IDEOLOGIES SHE FUNCTIONS PURELY INSTRUMENTALLY AS IT IS HER GAZE
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THAT ALLOWS THE MEN TO BE READ AS MODERN TRANSNATIONAL COSMOPOLITAN AND MOBILE SUBJECTS 4HUS IN ALL THREE SITES WHERE WE SEE A "OLLYWOOD IDIOM BEING EVOKED AND TRANSFORMED THE CONCOMITANT ABSENCE OF QUEER FEMALE DESIRE AND SUBJECTIVITY IS CRUCIAL TO EACH PROJECTS IDEOLOGICAL COHERENCE 7ITHIN THE FRAME OF 53 NATIONALISM THE SPECTACULAR HETEROSEXUALIZATION OF 3OUTH !SIAN WOMENS BODIES CONCEALS THE SIMULTANEOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF 3OUTH !SIAN MEN AND TRANSFORMS 3OUTH !SIANS INTO AN EMINENTLY CONSUMABLE MULTICULTURAL COMMODITY )N A DIASPORIC FEMINIST PROJECT SUCH AS -ONSOON 7EDDING OR IN A lLM THAT BETRAYS THE ANXIETIES OF )NDIAN NATIONALISM SUCH AS +AL (O .AA (O THE EVACUATION OF QUEER FEMALE DESIRE PURCHASES THE MODERNITY OF THE EMERGENT TRANSNATIONAL )NDIAN SUBJECT ONE THAT IS NEWLY CODED AS hFEMINISTv OR hGAYv )T IS ONLY BY DEPLOYING A QUEER DIASPORIC FRAMEWORK THAT WE CAN READ THE WAYS IN WHICH THESE SEEMINGLY DISPARATE AND DISCONNECTED PROJECTS CONVERGE AROUND THE RENDERING OF QUEER FEMALE DESIRE AND SUBJECTIVITY AS IMPOSSIBLE AND UNIMAGINABLE )F THE ABSENCE OF QUEER FEMALE DESIRES BODIES AND SUBJECTIVITIES IS INDEED CONSTITUTIVE OF THESE VARIOUS IDEOLOGICAL PROJECTS ) WANT TO END BY POINTING TO QUEER DIASPORIC CULTURES POWERFUL ALTERNATIVE NARRATIVES TO SUCH LITERAL AND DISCURSIVE EFFACEMENTS 4HE WORK OF THE "RITISH !SIAN PHOTOG RAPHER 0ARMINDER 3EKHON FOR INSTANCE REMOVES QUEER FEMALE DESIRE FROM A LOGIC OF IMPOSSIBILITY BY INSTALLING IT AT THE VERY HEART OF THE hHOMEv AS BOTH NATIONAL AND DIASPORIC SPACE )N SO DOING QUEER FEMINIST WORK SUCH AS 3EKHONS FULlLLS THE RADICAL POTENTIAL OF THE NOTION OF A QUEER DIASPORA A POTENTIAL FORECLOSED BY THE AVAILABILITY OF GAY MALE DESIRE TO RECUPERATION WITHIN PATRIARCHAL NARRATIVES OF hHOME v DIASPORA AND NATION IN A GLOBAL IZED LANDSCAPE "Y SHIFTING FROM A FOCUS ON THE ROUTES TRAVELED BY "OLLY WOOD CINEMA TO THE WORK OF AN INDIVIDUAL ARTIST SUCH AS 3EKHON ) DO NOT MEAN TO REINSTATE A FAMILIAR OPPOSITION BETWEEN THE INDUSTRIAL DOMINANT VERSUS THE SUBVERSIVE ALTERNATIVE )NDEED THIS ESSAY HAS TURNED A CRITICAL EYE NOT SO MUCH ON THE GENRE AND IDIOM OF "OLLYWOOD CINEMA ITSELF BUT ON ITS EVOCATION TRANSLATION AND TRANSFORMATION IN DIFFERENT IDEOLOGICAL PROJECTSEVEN THOSE SUCH AS THAT OF LIBERAL FEMINISM THAT PROCLAIM THEIR OSTENSIBLY LIBERATORY PROGRESSIVE POLITICS 3IMILARLY 3EKHONS WORK IS NOT PURELY REDEMPTIVE BUT RATHER BEARS THE MARKS OF THE SAME TELEOLOGICAL NAR RATIVES OF MODERNITY AND PROGRESS THAT STRUCTURE HEGEMONIC NATIONALIST AND DIASPORIC IDEOLOGIES !T THE SAME TIME HOWEVER HER IMAGES CRITIQUE AND LAY BARE THE VERY PRODUCTION OF 3OUTH !SIAN BODIESPARTICULARLY FEMALE BODIESAS PURE SPECTACLE THAT WE SEE IN THE VARIOUS USES OF A "OLLYWOOD IDIOM "Y MOVING FROM THE 5NITED 3TATES TO THE 5+ ) AM POINTING TO THE NEED TO PRODUCE AN ANALYTIC FRAMEWORK SUPPLE ENOUGH TO ENGAGE MULTIPLE
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NATIONAL SITES SIMULTANEOUSLY AND TO TRACK THE TRANSNATIONAL TRAFlC OF CUL TURAL AND POLITICAL INmUENCES BETWEEN THESE DIASPORIC LOCATIONS 3EKHON IS WELL KNOWN IN THE BLACK "RITISH ARTS SCENE BECAUSE OF HER WORK IN THE S ON A SERIES OF PUBLIC SERVICE POSTERS ON ()6!)$3 TAR GETED TO 3OUTH !SIAN COMMUNITIES IN THE 5+ 3IMILAR TO THE INTERVENTION IST GRAPHICS OF 7OMENS (EALTH !CTION AND -OBILIZATION 7(!- AND OTHER ACTIVIST ARTS COLLECTIVES IN THE 5NITED 3TATES IN THE EARLY S MANY OF 3EKHONS IMAGES USED THE IDIOM OF GLOSSY "ENETTON OR 'AP ADS TO INSERT INTO PUBLIC SPACE THOSE LIVES AND BODIESQUEER BROWN ()6 STUDI OUSLY EFFACED WITHIN A DOMINANT NATIONALIST AND DIASPORIC IMAGINARY 4HE COLLAPSE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE THAT CHARACTERIZES HER WORK IS PARTICULARLY APPARENT IN HER DOCUMENTATION OF QUEER 3OUTH !SIAN LIFE IN ,ONDON HER PHOTOGRAPHS ARE POPULATED BY GLAMOROUS 3OUTH !SIAN BUTCH FEMME COUPLES THE DRAG QUEENS OF #LUB +ALI ,ONDONS QUEER 3OUTH !SIAN NIGHT CLUB AND DRAG KINGS WHO NOSTALGICALLY EVOKE THE MASCULINITY OF "OLLYWOOD lLM STARS OF THE S AND S 4HESE IMAGES DO THE CRUCIAL WORK OF PROVIDING A RICH MATERIAL ARCHIVE OF QUEER 3OUTH !SIAN PUBLIC CULTURE AND ATTEST TO THE UNCEASINGLY IMAGINATIVE WAYS IN WHICH QUEER DIASPORIC COM MUNITIES CARVE OUT LITERAL AND SYMBOLIC SPACES OF COLLECTIVITY IN INHOSPITABLE AND HOSTILE LANDSCAPES )N ONE OF HER MOST COMPELLING SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS TITLED h5RBAN ,IVES v 3EKHON USES THE STREETS OF PREDOMINANTLY 3OUTH !SIAN NEIGHBOR HOODS IN ,ONDON AS A BACKDROP FOR PORTRAITS OF PAIRED lGURES ONE NUDE AND ONE CLOTHED 4HE IMAGES ARE NAMED FOR THE STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH THE lGURES ARE SITUATED4OOTING "ETHNAL 'REEN 7HITECHAPEL 3OUTHALLAND PROVIDE A LITANY OF GEOGRAPHIC LOCALES THAT EVOKE A HISTORY OF WORKING CLASS 3OUTH !SIAN SETTLEMENT IN ,ONDON 4HE QUEER ART CRITIC #HERRY 3MYTH WRITES OF HER INITIAL REACTION TO THE IMAGES AS FOLLOWS h&OR ME THEY HAVE SOMETHING OF THE AROUSAL AND ALARM OF SEEING MY lRST NUDE PHOTOGRAPH HERE ARE !SIAN QUEERS NAKED IN THE STREETS (ERE ARE QUEER -USLIMS NAKED IN THE STREETS .OTHING IS HAPPENING TO THEM .OTHING IS SAID OR DONE TO THEMv 3MYTH SUCCINCTLY CAPTURES HOW 3EKHONS IMAGES CULL THEIR POWER FROM SIMULTANEOUSLY EVOKING BOTH THE EXTREME VULNERABIL ITY AND THE DElANCE OF QUEER RACIALIZED BODIES AS THEY LAY CLAIM TO PUBLIC SPACE !S SUCH THEY FORCE THE VIEWER TO READ THEM NOT SIMPLY AS STATIC VISUAL ARTIFACTS BUT RATHER AS ARCHIVAL EVIDENCE OF A LIVE PERFORMANCE WITH THE THREAT OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE THAT SUCH A PERFORMANCE EVOKES 4HE INTERPLAY BETWEEN BODILY VULNERABILITY AND DElANCE IS MOST NOTA BLE IN A PARTICULARLY STARTLING AND MOVING PHOTOGRAPH TITLED h3OUTHALL -ARKET v WHERE 3EKHON PAIRS HER OWN NUDE PIERCED BODY WITH THAT OF HER ELDERLY MOTHER IN A SALWAR KAMEEZ AND WOOLEN SWEATER AS THEY STAND
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IN FRONT OF A MARKET IN 3OUTHALL THE 3OUTH !SIAN NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE 3EKHON GREW UP AND HER MOTHER STILL LIVES 4HE MOTHER GRIPS THE HANDLE OF A BATTERED SHOPPING CART AS SHE LIKE 3EKHON GAZES DIRECTLY INTO THE CAMERA "EHIND THEM IS THE DETRITUS OF THE MARKETEMPTY STALLS DISCARDED CARDBOARD BOXES AND PACKING CRATES 4HE LIGHT IS INDETERMINATE IT COULD BE EARLY MORNING OR TWILIGHT THE LOW CLOUDS AND UNIFORM GRAYNESS OF THE SKY REmECTED IN THE RAIN SLICKED PAVEMENT ON WHICH THE TWO WOMEN STAND !S A VISUAL ARTIFACT h3OUTHALL -ARKETv IS IMMEDIATELY INTELLIGIBLE WITHIN A NUMBER OF hREADY MADE INTERPRETIVE FRAMESv IF READ THROUGH THE LENS OF A CONVENTIONAL LIBERAL FEMINIST OR h',"4v FRAMEWORK THE PHOTOGRAPH SEEMS TO SUGGEST AN EASY EQUATION OF QUEERNESS EMBODIED BY 3EKHON WITH MODERNITY VISIBILITY SEXUAL LIBERATION AND REVELATION WHICH IS SET OVER AND AGAINST THE TROPES OF hTRADITION v CONCEALMENT SECRECY AND MODESTY EMBODIED BY HER MOTHER )NDEED THE POSITIONING OF 3EKHON SLIGHTLY IN FRONT OF HER MOTHER SUPPORTS SUCH A READING )N STAGING THIS SERIES OF BINARY OPPOSITIONSTRADITIONMODERNITY SECRECYDISCLOSURE INVISIBILITYVISIBIL ITY QUEERSTRAIGHT lRST GENERATIONSECOND GENERATIONTHE PHOTOGRAPH EVOKES WHAT ,ISA ,OWE TERMS hTHE MASTER NARRATIVES OF GENERATIONAL CON mICT AND lLIAL RELATIONv THAT CHARACTERIZE DOMINANT REPRESENTATIONS OF 3OUTH !SIAN IMMIGRANT EXISTENCE IN THE 5+ !S SUCH THE IMAGE CAN BE SEEN TO hDISPLAC;E= SOCIAL DIFFERENCES INTO PRIVATIZED FAMILIAL OPPOSITIONv IN A WAY THAT lTS SQUARELY INTO "RITISH NATIONALIST DISCOURSE AROUND UNASSIMILABLE !SIAN IMMIGRANTS A DISCOURSE THAT OCCLUDES THE "RITISH STATES CENTRAL ROLE IN NATURALIZING AND INDEED LEGISLATING PATRIARCHAL FAMILIAL RELATIONS IN ITS PRODUCTION OF THE h!SIAN FAMILYv h3OUTHALL -ARKET v THEN CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD AS PURELY RESISTANT TO HEGEMONIC STRUCTURES OF RACE SEXUALITY NATION OR GENDER ANY MORE SO THAN "OLLYWOOD CINEMA CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AS PURELY COMPLICIT WITH THESE STRUCTURES 2ATHER IT IS THE USES TO WHICH THESE CULTURAL TEXTS ARE PUT AND THE CIRCUITS OF THEIR RECEPTION THAT DETERMINE THEIR MEANINGS 4HIS IS WHERE THE NECESSITY OF A QUEER DIASPORIC ANALYSIS BECOMES MOST APPARENT !S 3TEPHEN 7RIGHT IN HIS DISCUSSION OF COLONIAL ERA ANTHROPOLOGICAL PHOTO GRAPHS OF YOUNG GIRLS IN 0APUA .EW 'UINEA REMINDS US h0HOTOGRAPHS TRACE MULTIPLE TRAJECTORIES FOR ALL THEIR SUPERlCIAL lXITY AND THEIR INCLUSION IN STRUCTURES LIKE THE ARCHIVE THAT SEEK TO CONTAIN THEM THEY ARE PROCESSUAL AND CONSTANTLY IN MOTION 7HAT BRINGS MEANINGS TO PHOTOGRAPHS ARE PER FORMANCES OF THEM SPECIlC READINGS AND ENACTMENTS 7HAT IS IMPORTANT IS NOT SO MUCH WHAT THE IMAGE CONTAINS A MEANING THAT RESIDES WITHIN IT BUT WHAT IS BROUGHT TO IT HOW IT IS USED AND HOW IT IS CONNECTED TO VARIOUS TRAJECTORIESv &OLLOWING 7RIGHT WE CAN UNDERSTAND A QUEER DIASPORIC READING PRACTICE AS A KIND OF CRITICAL PERFORMANCE ONE THAT RESTORES A MUL TIVOCALITY TO 3EKHONS PHOTOGRAPH THAT A CONVENTIONAL LIBERAL FEMINIST OR
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QUEER READING WOULD DENY 2EADING THE IMAGE THROUGH A QUEER DIASPORIC FRAME RENDERS IT INTELLIGIBLE OUTSIDE A TELEOLOGICAL NARRATIVE OF MODERNITY AND INSTEAD ALLOWS DIFFERENT HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL CONTEXTS TO COME INTO VIEW h3OUTHALL -ARKET v AS WELL AS 3EKHONS OTHER IMAGES OF NAKED !SIAN BODIES ON ,ONDON STREETS PLACES THE VIEWER IN THE UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION OF VOYEUR IN THAT IT CONJURES FORTH A HISTORY OF COLONIAL AND SPECIlCALLY ORIENTALIST PRACTICES OF PHOTOGRAPHY THAT lX hNATIVEv WOMEN AS PURE SPECTACLE "UT IF COLONIAL PHOTOGRAPHY DECONTEXTUALIZES ITS OBJECTS AND CUTS THEM OFF FROM ALL MEANINGFUL SOCIAL RELATIONS 3EKHONS PHOTOGRAPHS RADI CALLY RECONTEXTUALIZE THEM TRANSFORMING OBJECTS INTO SUBJECTS BY SITUATING THEM WITHIN THE BANAL DETAILS OF THE EVERYDAYSHOPPING FOR GROCERIES ON A 3UNDAY MORNING FOR INSTANCEAND IN A PAIRED RELATION TO EACH OTHER 4HUS WHILE h3OUTHALL -ARKETv CERTAINLY EVOKES THE AMBIVALENT RELATION OF UNDUTIFUL QUEER DAUGHTERS TO IMMIGRANT MOTHERS WHO SEEK TO INCULCATE THEM INTO HETERONORMATIVE DOMESTICITY THE IMAGE ALSO SUGGESTS A MORE COMPLEX RELAY OF DESIRE AND IDENTIlCATION BETWEEN THE BODIES OF MOTHER AND DAUGHTER 3EKHONS QUEERNESS IS FORMED IN AND THROUGH HER RELATION TO hHOMEv SPACE EVEN AS IT RADICALLY DISRUPTS AND RETERRITORIALIZES THIS SPACE (ER NUDE BODY PLACES QUEER FEMALE SUBJECTIVITY AT THE VERY HEART OF DIA SPORIC PUBLIC CULTURAL SPACE 7E GLIMPSE HERE AN ALTERNATIVE CONSTRUCTION OF DIASPORA ORGANIZED AROUND QUEER FEMALE LIVES DESIRES BODIES CULTURES AND COLLECTIVITIES THAT REMAINS UTTERLY UNINTELLIGIBLE AND UNIMAGINABLE WITHIN DOMINANT STATE AND DIASPORIC NATIONALIST FRAMEWORKS AS WELL AS WITHIN MORE CONVENTIONAL FEMINIST OR QUEER READINGS OF THE IMAGE ) CLOSE WITH THIS EVOCATION OF 3EKHONS WORK BECAUSE IT SUGGESTS HOW QUEER DIASPORIC CULTURAL FORMS CONTEST THE MODES OF HYPERVISIBILITY SPEC TACULARIZATION AND EFFACEMENT THROUGH WHICH 3OUTH !SIAN BODIES APPEAR OR DISAPPEAR IN THE DOMINANT REPRESENTATIONAL REGIMES OF THIS PARTICULAR HISTORICAL JUNCTURE "UT HER WORK DOES NOT SIMPLY PROVIDE A CORRECTIVE TO THE DEPLOYMENTS OF GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN THE VARIOUS IDEOLOGICAL PROJECTS ) HAVE EXAMINED HERE 2ATHER IT UNDERSCORES HOW A QUEER DIASPORIC FRAME WORK OFFERS US A READING PRACTICE THAT ENABLES US TO hSEEv DIFFERENTLY TO IDENTIFY THE PLACES WHERE SEEMINGLY DISCRETE IDEOLOGICAL PROJECTS INTERSECT AND TO SUGGEST TO BORROW A PHRASE FROM $IPESH #HAKRAVARTY hOTHER WAYS OF BEING IN THE WORLDv
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/PUFT ) AM GRATEFUL TO $AVID %NG AND THE ANONYMOUS READERS FROM THE 3OCIAL 4EXT COL LECTIVE FOR THEIR INVALUABLE SUGGESTIONS ON AN EARLIER VERSION OF THIS ESSAY 4HE PHRASE "OLLYWOOD CINEMA REFERS TO (INDI LANGUAGE lLMS FROM THE "OMBAY lLM INDUSTRY THE LARGEST AND MOST INmUENTIAL SECTOR OF )NDIAN COMMERCIAL CINEMA &OR RECENT BOOK LENGTH ANALYSES OF "OLLYWOOD CINEMA SEE ,ALITHA 'OPA LAN #INEMA OF )NTERRUPTIONS !CTION 'ENRES IN #ONTEMPORARY #INEMA ,ONDON "&) 6IJAY -ISHRA "OLLYWOOD #INEMA 4EMPLES OF $ESIRE .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE AND -ADHAVA 0RASAD )DEOLOGY OF THE (INDI &ILM ! (ISTORICAL #ONSTRUCTION .EW $ELHI /XFORD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 7ITH TITLES LIKE h3ALAAM .EW 9ORKv IN 4IME /UT AND h3ALAAM ,!v IN THE ,OS !NGELES 4IMES THESE ARTICLES BETRAY A NUMBING SAMENESS IN THEIR RECYCLING OF A LIMITED NUMBER OF ORIENTALIST TROPES AND IMAGERY 3EE 4ANUJA $ESAI (IDIER h3ALAAM .EW 9ORKv 4IME /UT .EW 9ORK -ARCHn !PRIL n +EN NETH 4URAN AND 3USAN #ARPENTER h3ALAAM ,!v ,OS !NGELES 4IMES 7EEKEND #ALENDAR !PRIL :ACHARY 0INCUS 2OTH h4HE %XTREME -AKEOVER OF @"OMBAY $REAMS v .EW 9ORK 4IMES !PRIL 3TUART (ALL h#ULTURAL )DENTITY AND $IASPORA v IN 4HEORIZING $IASPORA ED *ANA %VANS "RAZIEL AND !NITA -ANNUR -ALDEN -! "LACKWELL !NOTHER STARK ILLUSTRATION OF DIASPORAS DOUBLE SIDED CHARACTER WAS APPAR ENT DURING THE SAVAGE STATE SPONSORED VIOLENCE AGAINST -USLIMS IN 'UJARAT )NDIA IN &EBRUARY 4HE (INDU NATIONALIST STATE GOVERNMENT IN 'UJARAT RECEIVED THE SUPPORT OF .2)S EVEN WHILE OTHER ANTICOMMUNALIST .2) ORGANIZATIONS IN .EW 9ORK AND 3AN &RANCISCO MOBILIZED AGAINST THE VIOLENCE AND THE GOVERNMENTS COMPLICITY IN THE KILLING AND DISPLACEMENT OF THOUSANDS OF )NDIAN -USLIMS &OR AN ANALYSIS OF DIASPORIC SUPPORT FOR THE (INDU 2IGHT IN )NDIA SEE 6IJAY 0RA SHAD h3UBURBAN 7HITES AND 0OGROMS IN )NDIA v WWWZMAGORGSUSTAINERSCON TENTnPRASHADCFM ACCESSED 3EPTEMBER THIS SITE IS NO LONGER ACTIVE 2ODERICK &ERGUSON !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 4OWARD A 1UEER OF #OLOR #RITIQUE -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS )BID &OR A PERSUASIVE ANALYSIS OF HOW THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE "USH REGIME THE (INDU NATIONALIST "HARATIYA *ANATA 0ARTY IN )NDIA AND THE 3HARON GOVERNMENT IN )SRAEL CONSTITUTES A NEW hGLOBAL 2IGHT v SEE 6IJAY 0RASHAD .AMASTE 3HARON (IN DUTVA AND 3HARONISM UNDER 53 (EGEMONY .EW $ELHI ,EFT7ORD 2OD &ERGUSON E MAIL MESSAGE TO AUTHOR 3EPTEMBER -Y GRATITUDE TO 2OD &ERGUSON FOR HELPING ME BEGIN ARTICULATING THE DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN QUEER OF COLOR AND QUEER DIASPORIC CRITIQUE &OR VARIOUS ACCOUNTS OF ITS CIRCULATION OUTSIDE )NDIA SEE "RIAN ,ARKIN h)NDIAN &ILMS AND .IGERIAN ,OVERS -EDIA AND THE #REATION OF 0ARALLEL -ODERNI TIES v !FRICA n -ARK ,IECHTY h-EDIA -ARKETS AND -ODERNIZA TION 9OUTH )DENTITIES AND THE %XPERIENCE OF -ODERNITY IN +ATHMANDU .EPAL v IN 9OUTH #ULTURES ! #ROSS #ULTURAL 0ERSPECTIVE ED 6ERED !MIT 4ALAI AND (ELENA 7ULFF ,ONDON 2OUTLEDGE n -INOU &UGLESANG 6EILS AND 6IDEOS &EMALE 9OUTH #ULTURE ON THE +ENYAN #OAST 3TOCKHOLM 3TUDIES IN !NTHROPOLOGY
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4URAN AND #ARPENTER h3ALAAM ,!v ! / 3COTT h&ROM "REEZY "OLLYWOOD &ILM !NYTHING BUT 6ÏRITÏ v .EW 9ORK 4IMES !PRIL (OMI "HABHA 4HE ,OCATION OF #ULTURE .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE n 4HE COVER IMAGE OF 4IME /UT FOR INSTANCE FEATURES THE CURVACEOUS STARS OF "OMBAY $REAMS SUPPLEMENTED BY THE TAGLINE h3PICE 'IRLS v WHILE THE ,OS !NGE LES 4IMES COVER DEPICTS WOMEN IN BLUE BODY PAINT AND GOLD HEADDRESSES -ARTIN -ANALANSAN h2ACE 6IOLENCE AND 1UEER #ITIZENSHIP IN THE 'LOBAL #ITYv PAPER PRESENTED AT THE !MERICAN 3TUDIES !SSOCIATION #ONFERENCE (ARTFORD #4 /CTOBER #HANDAN 2EDDY h4HEY #ANNOT 2EPRESENT 4HEMSELVES 4HEY -UST "E 2EPRESENTED ! 1UEER OF #OLOR #RITIQUE OF .EO LIBERAL #ITIZENSHIPv PAPER PRE SENTED AT THE !SSOCIATION OF !SIAN !MERICAN 3TUDIES #ONFERENCE 3AN &RANCISCO -AY *ASBIR 0UAR AND !MIT 2AI h-ONSTER 4ERRORIST &AG 4HE 7AR ON 4ERROR ISM AND THE 0RODUCTION OF $OCILE 0ATRIOTS v 3OCIAL 4EXT NO n 'AYATRI 'OPINATH )MPOSSIBLE $ESIRES 1UEER $IASPORAS AND 3OUTH !SIAN 0UBLIC #ULTURES $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS )NDEED 'URINDER #HADHAS LATEST FEATURE IS TITLED "RIDE AND 0REJUDICE A "OLLYWOOD INmUENCED ADAPTATION OF *ANE !USTENS 0RIDE AND 0REJUDICE &OR A MUCH MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THESE lLMS THAN IS POSSIBLE HERE SEE 'OPINATH )MPOSSIBLE $ESIRES )N $EEPA -EHTAS "OLLYWOOD(OLLYWOOD QUEERNESS CONVENIENTLY RESIDES ON THE BODY OF THE LOYAL MALE SERVANT WHO HAS A DOUBLE LIFE AS A DRAG QUEEN IN A LOCAL GAY BAR 3IMILARLY IN 'URINDER #HADHAS "END )T ,IKE "ECKHAM QUEERNESS RESIDES NOT ON THE BODY OF THE FOOTBALL LOVING FEMALE PROTAGONIST BUT RATHER ON HER BEST MALE FRIEND "OTH lLMS ONCE AGAIN USE THE GAY MALE lGURE AS THE hREALv QUEER CHARACTER IN THE lLM ) THANK AN ANONYMOUS READER FROM THE 3OCIAL 4EXT COLLECTIVE FOR BRINGING THIS POINT TO MY ATTENTION #HERRY 3MYTH h/UT OF THE 'APS 4HE 7ORK OF 0ARMINDER 3EKHON v IN 2ED 4HREADS 4HE 3OUTH !SIAN 1UEER #ONNECTION IN 0HOTOGRAPHS ED 0OULOMI $ESAI AND 0ARMINDER 3EKHON ,ONDON $IVA #HRISTOPHER 7RIGHT h3UPPLE "ODIES 4HE 0APUA .EW 'UINEA 0HOTO GRAPHS OF #APTAIN &RANCIS 2 "ARTON n v IN 0HOTOGRAPHYS /THER (ISTORIES ED #HRISTOPHER 0INNEY AND .ICOLAS 0ETERSON $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS ,ISA ,OWE )MMIGRANT !CTS /N !SIAN !MERICAN #ULTURAL 0OLITICS $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS &OR AN ANALYSIS OF HOW "RITISH IMMIGRATION LAWS IN THE S AND S LEGISLATED HETERONORMATIVE FAMILIAL ARRANGEMENTS WITHIN IMMIGRANT COMMUNI TIES SEE !NNA -ARIE 3MITH .EW 2IGHT $ISCOURSE ON 2ACE AND 3EXUALITY "RITAIN n #AMBRIDGE #AMBRIDGE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 7RIGHT h3UPPLE "ODIES v $IPESH #HAKRAVARTY 0ROVINCIALIZING %UROPE 0OSTCOLONIAL 4HOUGHT AND (ISTORICAL $IFFERENCE 0RINCETON .* 0RINCETON 5NIVERSITY 0RESS
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4HEY SAY WHEN TROUBLE COMES CLOSE RANKS AND SO THE WHITE PEOPLE DID *EAN 2HYS 7IDE 3ARGASSO 3EA
1UEER THEORY IS VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT THE KINDS OF TROUBLE WITH WHICH IT TROUBLES ITSELF 4HE PROBLEM OF RACE IN PARTICULAR PRESENTS QUEER THEORY WITH DILEMMAS OVER WHICH IT ACTIVELY UNTROUBLES ITSELF ) SPECULATE IN THIS ESSAY ON THE RESISTANCE WITHIN ESTABLISHMENTARIAN QUEER THEORY TO THINK ING RACE CRITICALLY A RESISTANCE THAT HABITUALLY CLASSIlES ALMOST ANY FORM OF RACE STUDIES AS A RETREAT INTO IDENTITY POLITICS 4HIS DEFENSIVE POSTURE HELPS ENTRENCH INSTITUTIONALLY THE TRANSPARENT WHITE SUBJECT CHARACTERISTIC OF SO MUCH QUEER THEORIZING 1UEER THEORISTS WHO CAN INVOKE THAT TRANSPARENT SUBJECT AND CHOOSE TO DO SO REAP THE DIVIDENDS OF WHITENESS )N ADDITION TO PLOTTING AN INSIDE AND OUT OF QUEER THEORY ) BEGIN TO SET DOWN WITH THIS ESSAY A DEMYSTIlCATION OF THE PRIMITIVE EXOTIC OR hBROWNv BODY COMMODIlED BY DOMINANT GAY MALE CULTURE ) PROPOSE REGARDING THAT BROWN BODY AS AN AXIS IN THE FORMATION OF A COSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE IDENTITY AND COMMUNITY -ORE SPECIlCALLY ) ARGUE THAT THIS BROWN BODY MEDIATES GAY MALE SHAME 4HESE PRELIMINARY SPECULATIONS ARE PROMPTED BY MY CONFRONTATION WITH QUEER THEORY AT THE h'AY 3HAMEv CONFERENCE AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF -ICHIGAN n -ARCH 4HE LOCATION AND DATE ARE SIGNIlCANT TO SITUATING THIS CONFERENCE HISTORICALLY ESPECIALLY FOR A DISCUSSION OF IDENTITY POLITICS IN HIGHER EDUCATION 'AY 3HAME OCCURRED WITHIN A WEEK OF THE 53 INVASION OF )RAQ AND IN THE MIDST OF THE 'RUTTER V "OLLINGER AND 'RATZ V "OLLINGER AFlRMATIVE ACTION CASES INVOLVING THE 5NIVERSITY OF -ICHIGAN ) WAS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE AT THE CONFERENCE AFTER CONTACTING ITS ORGA NIZERS AND EXPRESSING MY INTEREST AS SOMEONE WORKING ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SHAME AND RACIAL EMBODIMENT 5PON ARRIVING AT !NN !RBOR ) WAS STARTLED TO LEARN THAT OF THE APPROXIMATELY FORTY GUESTS ) WAS THE ONLY INVITED QUEER PERSON OF COLOR PRESENT 3AMUEL $ELANY HAD BEEN INVITED BUT CANCELED !LTHOUGH WOMEN OF COLOR STUDENTS FACULTY AND STAFF ATTENDED THE PROCEEDINGS NONE FROM OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY WERE INVITED AS GUEST SPEAKERS 4HE SCHEDULE INCLUDED SOME OF THE MOST PROMINENT NAMES IN QUEER THEORY MAKING THE ABSENCE OF THE MANY SCHOLARS OF COLOR PUBLISH
3OCIAL 4EXT n 6OL .OS n &ALLn7INTER ¥ BY $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS
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ING IMPORTANT WORK ON RACE AND SEXUALITY THAT MUCH MORE STRIKING %VENTS INCLUDED A SCREENING OF !NDY 7ARHOLS 3CREEN 4EST STARRING -ARIO -ONTEZ A PERFORMANCE BY 6AGINAL $AVIS h)NTIMACY 4OMORROWv REMARKS ON THE TOPIC OF GAY SHAME BY THE CONFERENCES ORGANIZERS $AVID (ALPERIN AND 6ALERIE 4RAUB AND A DISCUSSION WITH $OUGLAS #RIMP ABOUT HIS READING OF THE 7ARHOL lLM -ARIO -ONTEZ A 0UERTO 2ICAN DRAG QUEEN ALSO FEATURED IN lLMS BY *ACK 3MITH AND $AVIS A BLACK PERFORMANCE CONCEPTUAL ARTIST AND SELF PROCLAIMED hGHETTO ANDROGENUE v PROVIDED THE CONFERENCE WITH WHAT ) ARGUE CONSTITUTE THE PREREQUISITE hBROWNv BODIES FOR PREVAILING RECUPERATIONS OF GAY SHAME 4HEY EMBODIED 'AY 3HAMES IMAGINED PREHISTORY 7HILE $AVISS PERFORMANCES MAY DISRUPT SUCH OBJEC TIlCATIONS ) DO NOT INCLUDE HER AS ONE OF THE QUEER OF COLOR INVITED SPEAKERS THEORIZING GAY SHAME BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT PRESENTED AS SUCH h)NTIMACY 4OMORROWv WAS SCHEDULED AT PM ON -ARCH FOLLOWING A CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION AND THE 7ARHOL SCREENING 3INCE THE CONFERENCE WAS BILLED AS A TWO DAY EVENT IT IS SAFE TO PRESUME THAT 3CREEN 4EST AND h)NTIMACY 4OMORROWv WERE NOT SCHEDULED AS PART OF THE CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS PROPER OCCURRING OVER n -ARCH 7ARHOLS WORK WAS ATTENDED TO BY $OUGLAS #RIMP DURING THE OPENING DISCUSSION ON &RIDAY -ARCH .O SUCH DISCUSSION WAS SCHEDULED TO ADDRESS $AVISS PERFORMANCE DESPITE THE PROMINENT CRITICAL ATTENTION TO HER WORK BY *OSÏ -U×OZ ! DISTRESSING RACIALIZED DIVISION OF LABOR RESULTED AT 'AY 3HAME 7HITE FOLKS PERFORMED THE INTELLECTUAL LABOR WHILE BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS JUST PLAIN PERFORMED EVIDENTLY CONSTITUTING THE SPECTACLE OF GAY SHAME 7HILE RACE CONSCIOUSNESS CONTINUES TO FUNCTION AS THE FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS OF ESTAB LISHMENTARIAN QUEER THEORY ) ARGUE IN THIS ESSAY THAT RACE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR 'AY 3HAMEITS EPONYMOUS lRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ITS PREVAILING THEORETICAL FORMULATIONS ITS PRIMAL SCENES ! GREAT DEAL OF QUEER THEORIZING HAS SOUGHT TO DISPLACE IDENTITY POLITICS WITH AN ALTERNATIVE ANTI IDENTITARIAN MODEL OFTENAND PERHAPS DISINGENUOUSLYCHRISTENED hTHE POLITICS OF DIFFERENCEv 4HIS MODEL ACCOMMODATES FAMILIAR HABITS OF THE UNIVERSITYS IDEAL BOURGEOIS SUBJECT AMONG THEM HIS IMPERIAL GAZE HIS UNIVERSALISM AND HIS CLAIMS TO A RACE NEUTRAL OBJECTIVITY )T IS NOT SUR PRISING THEN TO lND BURIED UNDERNEATH THE BOOT OF THIS ESTABLISHMENTARIAN ANTI IDENTITY ALL SORTS OF DISSIDENT BODIES )N HER ARTICLE h!GAINST 0ROPER /BJECTSv *UDITH "UTLER REVISITS AN EARLIER COLLABORATION WITH "IDDY -ARTIN !SKED TO EDIT A SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL $IACRITICS DEDICATED TO GAY AND LESBIAN STUDIES "UTLER AND -ARTIN hBROADENED THE SCOPE OF THAT REQUEST TO INCLUDE WORK THAT INTER ROGATES THE PROBLEM OF CROSS IDENTIlCATION WITHIN AND ACROSS RACE AND POSTCOLONIAL STUDIES GENDER THEORY AND THEORIES OF SEXUALITYv !SSESSING THREE YEARS LATER THIS CRITICAL CHALLENGE "UTLER DETERMINES THAT QUEER THEORY
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HAS RESISTED THE CALL FOR BOUNDARY CROSSINGS THAT SHE AND -ARTIN lRST PUT FORTH IN %CHOING THE CONCERNS ORIGINALLY VOICED IN -ARTINS ESSAY h3EXUALITIES WITHOUT 'ENDER v "UTLER EXPRESSES ALARM OVER QUEER THEORYS WHOLESALE TRANSITION FROM GENDER TO SEXUALITY AS THE PROPER OBJECT OF ITS ANALYSIS 4HE SHIFT FROM GENDER TO SEXUALITY DOES NOT EFFECTIVELY ANTICIPATE HOW INSTITUTIONALIZED PATRIARCHY AND RACISM MIGHT BE RETRENCHED PRECISELY AS A RESULT OF THIS TRANSITION )NFORMED AT 'AY 3HAMEAND REMINDED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN THAT CRITICISMS IDENTICAL TO MINE HAVE RECURRED FOR OVER A DECADE ) lND IT INSTRUCTIVE TO REVISIT THIS EARLIER WRITING ON QUEER THEORYS NEGOTIATIONS OF IDENTITY 4HE INTERROGATION INTO CROSS IDENTIlCATIONS PROPOSED BY -ARTIN AND "UTLER REMAINED UNREALIZED NEARLY A DECADE LATER AT 'AY 3HAME THE RESISTANCE TO SUCH INTERROGATIONS STRIKES ME AS FAIRLY SYMPTOMATIC OF THE PRESENT STATE OF QUEER THEORIZING IN ITS INSTITUTIONALIZED FORMS ) SHARE "IDDY -ARTINS FAITH IN THE POTENTIAL OF QUEER THEORY TO COMPLICATE QUES TIONS OF IDENTITY AND POWER BUT ) ALSO WISH TO PURSUE HER ARGUMENT THAT QUEER THEORIZING DERAILS THAT POTENTIAL BY CONCEIVING BOTH GENDER AND RACE IN TERMS OF A hlXITY AND MIRINGv THAT PROVIDE THE GROUND FOR A lGURAL AND PERFORMATIVE SEXUALITY ) INTERROGATE IN THIS ESSAY THE CROSS IDENTIlCATIONS SPECIlCALLY OCCA SIONED BY 'AY 3HAME TO SET IN RELIEF THE OFTEN TRANSPARENT ALIGNMENTS OF QUEER THEORY WITH SYSTEMIC RACIAL DOMINATION AND VIOLENCE (OWEVER ) ALSO REVISIT QUEER THEORYS PROMISE TO hCOMPLICATE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ROUTES OF IDENTIlCATION AND DESIRE v INSPIRED BY "UTLERS AND -ARTINS STILL PRESSING EVEN IF LONG EXPIRED SOLICITATION 4HE BROWN BODYS MEDIATIONS OF SHAME QUEER THEORIZING AND GAY MALE COSMOPOLITANISM PROVIDE THE CROSS IDENTIlCATIONS ON WHICH ) FOCUS -Y OWN BODY INCLUDED THE BROWNNESS CONTESTED AT 'AY 3HAME COMPRISED A FURTHER EPISODE IN THE OVERDETERMINED BLACKWHITE OPPOSITION THAT CHARACTERIZES 53 HISTORIES OF RACIALIZATION 4HE WORK OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY AND IN PARTICULAR #HERYL (ARRISS ESSAY h7HITENESS AS 0ROPERTY v CHARTS THE CONVERGENCE OF 53 RACIAL FORMATION WITH PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE DOCTRINES OF LIBERALISM (ARRIS ARGUES THAT AN UNACKNOWLEDGED hPROPERTY INTEREST IN WHITENESS FORMS THE BACKGROUND AGAINST WHICH LEGAL DISPUTES ARE FRAMED 4HROUGH THIS ENTANGLED RELA TIONSHIP BETWEEN RACE AND PROPERTY HISTORICAL FORMS OF DOMINATION HAVE EVOLVED TO REPRODUCE SUBORDINATION IN THE PRESENTv ) EXAMINE IN THIS ESSAY HOW THE BROWN BODY MARKS YET ANOTHER EVOLUTION OF THIS ENTANGLEMENT !T 'AY 3HAME BROWN BODIES WERE ALLOWED hACCESSvIF IT CAN BE CALLED THATONLY AS SPECTACLE FOR THE CONSUMPTION OF GAY COSMOPOLITANISM
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2VFFS1BUSJPU"DUT )N THE WEEKS FOLLOWING THE -ICHIGAN lASCO A NUMBER OF ALLIES REPORTED TO ME HEARING COMPLAINTS THAT 'AY 3HAME HAD BEEN hHIJACKED BY IDENTITAR IAN POLITICSvTHAT 'AY 3HAME IN FACT HAD BEEN A GREAT CONFERENCE UNTIL ITS HIJACKING .EEDLESS TO SAY ) FOUND THIS LANGUAGE STAGGERING ESPECIALLY SO THE USE OF THE WORD HIJACKED -Y ANGER AT THE CONFERENCE RESURFACED "UT ) WAS GRATEFUL TOO FOR HOW PERFECTLY THE PHRASE hHIJACKED BY IDEN TITARIAN POLITICSv CONDENSED FOR ME THE POLITICAL DYNAMICS OF ESTABLISH MENTARIAN QUEER THEORY )N THE ERA OF THE hWAR ON TERRORISMv AND THE 53! 0!42)/4 !CT THE WORD HIJACKED INVOKES THE RHETORIC OF NATIONAL BELONGINGAND NOT BELONGING 4HE RESTRICTION OF BROWN BODIES FROM QUEER THEORYS INSTITUTIONAL SPACES SHARES IDEOLOGICAL UNDERPINNINGS WITH THE EXPULSION OF BROWN BODIES FROM THE NATION STATE 4HE 0ATRIOT !CT DEMONSTRATES HOW DISSIDENCE IS STIGMATIZED ONTO BODIES 4HE VERY PRESENCE OF DISSIDENT BODIESOR RATHER THE UNACCEPTABLE METAPHYSICS OF THIS PRESENCE AS DISTINGUISHED FROM OBJECTIlCATION AS SPEC TACLEALSO CONSTITUTES A HIJACKING "ROWN BODIES MUST NEVER IMPROVISE ON THEIR BROWNNESS 7HITENESS EXPERIENCES SUCH IMPROVISATIONS AS THE THEFT OF SOMETHING VERY DEAR ITS UNIVERSAL PROPERTY CLAIM TO THE UNIQUE NESS OF BEING 1UEER THEORIZING AS IT HAS BEEN INSTITUTIONALIZED IS PROPER TOAND PROPERTY TOWHITE BODIES #OLORED FOLK PERFORM AFFECT BUT CAN NEVER THEORIZE IT !CTUALLY SHAME SEEMED STRANGELY DISAFFECTED AT THE CON FERENCE 53 RACE DISCOURSE STIPULATES THAT GAY SHAME AS AN EXPERIENCE BOTH VISCERAL AND SELF REmEXIVE BE RECUPERATED FOR WHITENESS 4HE CHARGE OF hHIJACKINGv CONTAINS MY DISSENT AS FANATICISM "UT IT ALSO FOREGROUNDS QUEER THEORYS OWN INDIVISIBILITIESITS OWN UNACKNOWLEDGED STAKES IN IDENTITY 4HOSE STAKES NOT ONLY INCLUDE WHITENESS MASCULINITY AND EVEN HETERONORMATIVITY BUT PERHAPS ALSO DO SO IN UNIQUELY !MERICAN FORMATIONS 4HE QUEER ESTABLISHMENTS DESIRES AND IDENTIlCATIONS ALIGN NOT SO QUEERLY WITH THOSE OF 53 NATIONALISM 4HE QUEER THEORIZING OF SHAME HAS INVOKED GAY COSMOPOLITANISM )N DENATURALIZING THE RELATIONSHIP OF SEXUALITY TO GENDER AND SEX QUEER THEORY CONSISTENTLY LOCATES THE CONSTITUTIVE SCENES OF THIS DISJUNCTURE IN THE PAST 4HE FUNCTION OF SHAME IN THE FORMATION OF QUEER IDENTITIES FOR INSTANCE IS RESTRICTED PRIMARILY TO CHILDHOOD OR TO AN ERA BEFORE 0RIDE )N SO DOING QUEER THEORY ALSO PREDOMINANTLY SITUATES SHAME AS A RESISTANCE AND IN OPPOSITION TO NORMALIZATION !T 'AY 3HAME FOR EXAMPLE THIS PRIMAL PAST INCLUDED THE h.EW 9ORK #ITY QUEER CULTURE OF THE Sv 4HIS DESIGNATED PERIOD OF PRENORMALIZATION IS IDEALIZED AS PRECIVILIZED BUT QUEER THEORY MUST THEN RECRUIT THE BROWN BODY TO AUTHENTICATE THE SCENE AS PRIMITIVE 'AY COSMOPOLITANISM AND A COMPLEMENTARY SPECIES OF QUEER THEORIZING
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EVOLVE FROM THIS SHARED GROUND 4HE RELATIONSHIP OF SHAME TO IDENTITY FORMATION IS NOT THEORIZED AS AN ONGOING DYNAMIC PROCESS )N FACT MUCH QUEER THEORIZING OF SHAME IS ODDLY NOSTALGIC WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF THE DYNAMIC AFFECTIVE QUALITY OF THAT NOSTALGIA 4HE ACCORDINGLY DISAFFECTIVE CHARACTER OF GAY SHAME REVEALS A FORMULATION OF hQUEERv INDIVISIBLE FROM DOMINANT WHITE MASCULINITY 4HE ABOLITION OF THE DRAFT IN DESPITE ONGOING 53 MILITARISM SAVED THE NATIONS WHITE ELITE BY SACRIlCING ITS BLACK BROWN AND POOR WHITE POPULATIONS 'AY 3HAMES ABSENT BLACK AND BROWN BODIES CONSTITUTE QUEER THEORYS MISSING IN ACTIONQUITE LITERALLY 4HE WHITE PRESENCE AT 'AY 3HAME WAS CONDITIONED LITERALLY ON BLACK AND BROWN ABSENCE 4HE INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY OF WHITENESS REQUIRED THE BOTH LITERAL AND lGURATIVE PRESENCE IN ABSENCE OF THE BROWN BODY AS SPECTACLE 'AY 3HAMES RESIS TANCE THEN TO THINKING RACE NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE MILITARYS EVER BROWNING WARRIOR CASTE AND THE CONTINUING SIEGE ON AFlRMATIVE ACTION 1UEER THEORIZING ALSO NEEDS TO MORE CRITICALLY REGARD HISTORICAL CRIMINALIZATIONS OF RACE )N ITS INSTITUTIONALIZATION AS AN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE QUEER THEORY TOOK THE QUESTION OF ITS POLITICAL VIABILITY OFF THE TABLE "UT IF QUEER IS TO REMAIN AN EFFECTIVE TROUBLING OF THE NORMATIVE AND ITS ATTENDANT REGIMES IT MUST PAINSTAKINGLY EXCAVATE ITS OWN ENTRENCHMENTS IN NORMATIVITY %STABLISH MENTARIAN QUEER THEORY HOUSES ITSELF NOT ONLY IN THE ACADEMY BUT ALSO WITHIN THE IDENTIlCATORY BOUNDARIES OF 53 NATIONALISM 4HE SHAMING OF BROWN BODIES IS FUNDAMENTAL TO DOMINANT 53 CULTURES AMONG THEM NOW A DOMINANT QUEER CULTURE
8IZUIF#PZT"SF"MXBZT#SPXOFSPOUIF 0UIFS4JEFPGUIF'FODF 7HAT COLOR IS BROWN )N REGARD TO RACE CLASSIlCATION BROWN IS NO MORE A NATURAL COLOR THAN BLACK OR WHITE OR YELLOW OR RED BROWN IS A VERB h"ROWNv DESIGNATES A KIND OF CONSTITUTIVE AMBIGUITY WITHIN 53 RACIAL FORMATIONSAN IDENTITY THAT BOTH COMPLICATES AND PRESERVES THE BINARY OPPOSITION WHITEOTHER ) USE THE CATEGORY HERE TO MARK A POSITION OF ESSENTIAL ITINERANCY RELATIVE TO NATURALIZED POSITIVIST CLASSES SUCH AS WHITE BLACK !SIAN )TSELF PROVISIONAL AS AN IDENTITY CATEGORY A WAITING STATION OF SORTS BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK OR WHITE AND !SIAN FOR EXAMPLE ) MAKE USE OF hBROWNv PROVISIONALLY MYSELFAND TACTICALLYTO DEMYSTIFY HOW BODIES ARE SITUATED OUTSIDE WHITEBLACK OR WHITE!SIAN BINARIES TO CONSOLI DATE COSMOPOLITAN lRST WORLD IDENTITIES !S A REPOSITORY FOR THE DISOWNED PROJECTED DESIRES OF A COSMOPOLITAN SUBJECT IT IS ALTERNATELY OR SIMULTA
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NEOUSLY PRIMITIVE EXOTIC SAVAGE PANSEXUAL AND ABJECT )T IS BLACK AND NOT BLACK !SIAN AND NOT !SIAN WHITE AND NOT WHITE )N AN AGE OF WEAK MULTICULTURALISM IT IS WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE TO MAINTAIN EXISTING RACIAL HIERARCHIES A RACE DISCOURSE MORALLY DIVESTED FROM POLITICS AND SOCIAL REDISTRIBUTION 4HAT AMBIGUITY DESIGNATED HERE AS hBROWNv IS OPPORTU NISTICALLY AND SYSTEMICALLY DEPLOYED AT TIMES OF CRISISAS INSTANCED BY THE INTENSIlED RACE PROlLING AUTHORIZED BY %XAMINING HOW hBROWNv CIRCULATES WITHIN A COSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE SEXUAL ECONOMY PROVES WORTHWHILE CRITICALLY FOR RECONSTRUCTING THE RACIAL IZED CHARACTER OF ALL SEXUALITY AND FOR CHIPPING AWAY AT THE CURIOUSLY HARMONIOUS RACE DISCOURSES OF 2IGHT AND ,EFT NAMELY COLOR BLINDNESS AND ANTI IDENTITY 4HESE APPROACHES TO THINKING AND MORE SIGNIlCANTLY DELEGISLATING RACE CONSTITUTE PERHAPS A COMMON DISCOURSE RATHER THAN ANALOGOUS ONES ) USE hBROWNv TO TROUBLE THE POST STRUCTURALIST CRITIQUES OF IDENTITY POLITICS THAT PARTICIPATE IN RETRENCHING WHITE PATRIARCHAL ORDER AND DISMANTLING THE HUGELY SIGNIlCANT YET STILL INADEQUATE GAINS MADE SINCE IRONICALLY "ROWN V "OARD OF %DUCATION (AVING JUST CELEBRATED ITS lFTIETH ANNIVERSARY THE "ROWN DECISIONLOCATED HISTORICALLY AS AN INAU GURATION OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERALOOMS LARGE OVER THIS PROJECT IN THE WAKE OF THE "OLLINGER CASES THE DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSFORMATION OF THE MILITARY WITNESSED BY THE BROWN WARRIOR CASTE DISPATCHED ONTO OR SACRIlCED IN )RAQ AND STATE ACTIONS PUNITIVELY DIRECTED AT EXPELLING IMMIGRANTS FROM THE DOMAIN OF CIVIL SOCIETY AND ITS NOMINAL PROTECTIONS ) USE THE WORD COSMOPOLITAN TO IDENTIFY A SUBJECT POSITION ORIGINATING WITH A WHITE URBAN LEISURE CLASS GAY MALE WHOSE DESIRE IS CAST MATERIALLY ONTO THE GLOBE AT THE CLOSE OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY ! RANGE OF MOBILI TIES TRANSFORMED OR GENERATED BY INDUSTRIALIZATION IE CLASS PRIVILEGE WHITENESS TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY MASS MEDIA TOURISM AND EVENTUALLY POSTINDUSTRIAL SOCIETY IE COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLO GIES PROVIDE CONDITIONS FOR A COSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE SUBJECT (OWEVER THAT SUBJECT NEED NOT MATERIALLY POSSESS THE FULL RANGE OF THESE MOBILITIES (E CAN OCCUPY AN AMBIVALENT POSITION AS BOTH EXOTICIZINGEXOTIC AND SUB JECTOBJECT IN RELATION TO A COSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE DESIRE (IS EXPERIENCE OF THIS SUBJECTIlCATION CAN BE SIMULTANEOUSLY RESISTANT AND ECSTATIC !LTHOUGH ORIGINATING WITH A WHITE LEISURE CLASS THIS GAY COSMOPOLITAN ISM IS BY NO MEANS IN ITS CONTEMPORARY MANIFESTATIONS LIMITED TO WHITE OR URBAN OR AFmUENT SUBJECTS )T CONSTITUTES A MAJOR RITE OF GAY MALE ACCUL TURATION 'AY MEN OF COLOR PARTICIPATE IN THESE CONTRADICTIONS BUT DO NOT EMERGE UNSCATHED 4HE DESIRES COMPRISING THE COSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE SUBJECT IN FACT REINSCRIBE OPPRESSIVE RACIAL HIERARCHIES WHILE ENJOINING GAY MEN OF COLOR TO BOTH AUTHENTICATE AND CELEBRATE THOSE DESIRES AND THE SEXUAL CULTURES THEY ORGANIZE !FTER ALL THE CULTURE OF THE GAY MALE COSMOPOLITAN
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FOLLOWS HIS DESIRE AND NECESSARILY EMBROILS THE OBJECTS OF THAT DESIRE )F HIS DESIRE IS CAST MATERIALLY ONTO THE WORLD SO TOO IS THE CULTURE THAT ACCOM MODATES THAT DESIRE 4HE DEVELOPMENT OF AN !NGLO !MERICAN TOURISM INDUSTRY TO SERVICE A GROWING LEISURE CLASS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FORMATION OF A COSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE IDENTITY MAKING AVAILABLE FOR CONSUMPTION BOTH SPACES AND BODIES IMAGINED AS PRECIVILIZED 4HE VERY NOTION OF CIVILIZA TION REQUIRES A FANTASIED PRIMITIVE SPACE ONTO WHICH REPRESSED DESIRES ARE PROJECTED AND DISAVOWED 4HIS IDYLLIC SPACE POPULATED BY PANSEXUAL UNINHIBITED BROWN BODIESBODIES WITHOUT SHAMEPROMISED LIBERATION FROM 6ICTORIAN RESTRICTIONS ON SAME SEX DESIRES 4HESE CHARACTERISTICS MOBILITY AND SHAME AND FANTASIES ABOUT THE PRIMITIVECONTINUE TO SHAPE DOMINANT !NGLO !MERICAN GAY MALE CULTURE 4HE TOURISM SCHOLAR (OWARD (UGHESS OBSERVATION THAT hTOURISM AND BEING GAY ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKEDv FUNCTIONS FOR ME HERE AS A KIND OF AXIOM "EING GAY ALWAYS INVOLVES TO SOME EXTENT BEING SOMEPLACE ELSE *UST TO BE CLEAR ) AM NOT TALKING ABOUT SAME SEX DESIRE OR EVEN PRACTICES WHICH CAN BE SATISlED EVEN IN THE MOST lXED AND ISOLATED OF CONDITIONS AND WHICH DO NOT IN THEMSELVES NECESSARILY SIGNAL ANY KIND OF GROUP IDEN TIlCATION .EITHER AM ) USING hGAYv AS AN AHISTORICAL UNIVERSAL CATEGORY )N REFERENCE TO (UGHESS FORMULATION ) UNDERSTAND hGAYv AS AN ALREADY UNIVERSALIZING AGENT OR ITS TRACE SUBJECT )DENTIlCATION AS hGAYv IS PREMISED ON MOBILITY 7HETHER IT IS THE 3OUTH 3EAS OF 7ILLIAM 3TODDARDS 6ICTORIAN TRAVEL WRITING OR .EW 9ORK #ITYS #HELSEA OR ANYWHERE OTHER THAN THE HETERONORMATIVE CONlNES OF THE TRADITIONALLY DElNED hHOMEv AND hFAM ILY v BEING hGAYv REQUIRES SOME KIND OF TRAVEL ACTUAL OR IMAGINED 4HE MOST CANONICAL EXPRESSION OF BEING GAY hCOMING OUT OF THE CLOSET v IS A QUINTESSENTIAL ARTICULATION OF THE LINK BETWEEN IDENTITY AND TRAVEL .EEDLESS TO SAY THE MOBILITY THAT MODERN GAY IDENTITY REQUIRES IS NOT UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE (ERE WE ENCOUNTER TROUBLE IN THE FORM OF NONCANONICAL BODIES NOT SURPRISINGLY ALSO QUITE OFTEN BROWN BODIES NONETHELESS INTERPELLATED AS GAY 'AYS WHO CANNOT PROPERLY BE GAY 4HE CLOSET AS THE PRIMARY CULTURAL CANON OF MAINSTREAM GAY AND LES BIAN POLITICS IS A SPATIAL METAPHOR YET THERE IS INSUFlCIENT CONSIDERATION OF HOW THAT lGURATIVE SPACE PRESUPPOSES SPECIlC MATERIAL CONDITIONS 4HE CLOSET METAPHOR SPATIALLY AND TEMPORALLY SUGGESTS ACCESS TO PRIVACY NOT COLLECTIVELY EXPERIENCED BY ALL SEXUAL MINORITIES 4HE PRIVACY THIS META PHOR TAKES FOR GRANTED REQUIRES SPECIlC ECONOMIC CULTURAL AND FAMILIAL CIRCUMSTANCES ,IKEWISE THE hCOMING OUTv METAPHOR SUGGESTS A KIND OF MOBILITY NOT UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE 4HESE CANONIZED METAPHORS FOR GAY AND LESBIAN EXPERIENCE CRYSTALLIZE HOMOSEXUAL IDENTITY WITHIN A TRADITION OF POSSESSIVE INDIVIDUALISM #OMING OUT PROMISES LIBERATION AND CELEBRATES A SPECIES OF INDIVIDUALISM IN THE FORM OF SELF DETERMINATION #ONCEPTUALLY
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AND MATERIALLY THAT FREEDOM AND SELF DETERMINATION ARE PREMISED ON THE PROPERTY OF WHITENESS 4HE CLOSET NARRATIVIZES GAY AND LESBIAN IDENTITY IN A MANNER THAT VIOLENTLY EXCLUDES OR INCLUDES THE SUBJECTS IT NAMES ACCORDING TO THEIR ACCESS TO SPECIlC KINDS OF PRIVACY PROPERTY AND MOBILITY &OR *ASBIR +AUR 0UAR AS WELL AS (UGHES THE LINK BETWEEN TRAVEL AND A SPECIlCALLY GAY IDENTITY IS ALSO DETERMINED BY HOMOPHOBIA -UCH OF THE WRITING ON GAY AND LESBIAN TRAVEL NARRATIVIZES THIS MOVEMENT PRIMAR ILY AS A KIND OF DISLOCATION A mIGHT FROM OPPRESSION TO FREEDOM WITHOUT ADEQUATELY EXAMINING HOW SUCH MOVEMENT ALSO CONSTITUTES AN EXERCISE IN MOBILITY AND PRIVILEGE )N HER ARTICLE ON QUEER MOBILITY 0UAR DEPARTS FROM THE DOMINANT PARADIGMS IN TOURISM STUDIES SHIFTING HER FOCUS ONTO A THEORIZATION OF GAY AND LESBIAN CONSUMPTION !S AN EXAMPLE OF THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING GAY AND LESBIAN TRAVEL SHE QUOTES 4HOMAS 2OTH A MARKETING STRATEGIST WHOSE SURVEYS ARE USED BY THE GAY AND LESBIAN TOURISM INDUSTRY h-ANY ;TOURISTS= ARE CLOSETED OR COME FROM REPRESSIVE FAMILIES COMMUNITIES OR SOCIETIES !T LEAST DURING OUR VACATIONS WE SHOULD BE FREE TO BE OURSELVES IN A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENTv 7HAT KINDS OF VIOLENCES ARE NECESSARY TO CONSOLIDATE THE CONSTITUENCY DESIGNATED BY THE PRONOUN hWEv 2OTH MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE FREEDOM hTO BE OURSELVESv REQUIRES THE SECURING OF A SPACE (IS USE OF THE PRONOUN hOURSELVESv SIGNALS THE POSSESSIVENESS OF HIS SUBJECT BUT THE GRAMMAR SUP PRESSES THE ACQUISITIVENESS THAT THE SUBJECT hWEv MUST EXERCISE TO OBTAIN AND SAFEGUARD THE POSSESSIVE INDIVIDUALITY COORDINATED BY THE INlNITIVE PHRASE hTO BE OURSELVESv 4HE MOBILITY OF 2OTHS TOURISTING SUBJECT IS ENABLED BY PRIVILEGES OF CLASS RACE CITIZENSHIP AND QUITE OFTEN ALSO GENDER HENCE THE NEED TO ALSO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN COSMOPOLITAN GAY AND LESBIAN MOBILI TIES 2OTHS GAY TRAVELERS MOVE NOT ONLY FROM THE DOMESTICREPRESSIVE TO THE FOREIGNLIBERATING BUT ALSO FROM ISOLATION TO PUBLICITY AND ARGUABLY FROM OBSCURITY TO IDENTITY h7Ev EXIST SO LONG AS hWEv CAN FREELY CONSUME ABROAD THE PLEASURE THAT BOTH DElNES AND DElLES US AT HOME #OMING OUT OF THE CLOSET THE CANONIZED NARRATIVE FOR GAY AND LESBIAN IDENTITY HINGES ON MOBILITY A GLOBALIZED CONSUMERISM AND IMPERIALISM "EFORE THEY CAN BE DEEMED hWELCOMING v THE hENVIRONMENTSv 2OTH SO VAGUELY REFERENCES MUST BE PROPERLY COLONIZED TO SATISFY THE DESIRES OF GAY AND LESBIAN COSMOPOLITANS 4HIS IS TRUE NOT ONLY FOR THE INTERNATIONAL LOCA TIONS OF GAY AND LESBIAN TOURISM BUT ALSO FOR THE DOMESTIC LOCATIONS OF GAY AND LESBIAN GENTRIlCATION 4HE FORMATION OF THESE IDENTITIES AND ) FOCUS HERE ON THE GAY MALE COSMOPOLITAN DEMANDS SPACES IMAGINED AS PRECIVI LIZED 4HE COSMOPOLITAN CALLS UPON THE NATIVE BODIES TO AUTHENTICATE THE UNDERDEVELOPMENT IN EVERY SENSE AND INNOCENCE OF THESE hWELCOMINGv DESTINATIONS 0UAR POINTS OUT THAT hON THE ONE HAND THERE IS THE DISRUPTION OF HETEROSEXUAL SPACE AND ON THE OTHER THE USE OF THE EXOTIC TO TRANSGRESS
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IN THIS CASE THE EXOTIC IS SIGNALED BY DISCOURSES OF HOMOPHOBIAv 4HIS FANTASY OF THE EXOTIC IS NECESSARY TO THE FORMATION OF A MODERN GAY MALE COSMOPOLITAN IDENTITY 1UEER THEORIZING MORE RESOLUTELY NEEDS TO INVESTI GATE HOW DOMINANT %URO !MERICAN FORMATIONS OF GAY LESBIAN AND QUEER CULTURES NOT ONLY DURING THIS ERA OF NORMALIZATION BUT ALSO HISTORICALLY COLLUDE WITH A HEGEMONIC WHITE MASCULINITY
4QFBLJOHJO5POHVFTXJUIPVU&WFO5SZJOH 3PEAKING AS A MEMBER OF THE CONFERENCES hlNAL DISCUSSION v STATIONED BEFORE AN ASSEMBLED VANGUARD OF QUEER THEORIZING WHICH ) IDENTIlED AT THE TIME VIS Ì VIS MY OWN GENERICALLY BROWN CONDITION AS A 1UEER )LLU MINATI ) COULD NOT HELP BUT REALIZE THAT ) TOO WAS OBLIGING 'AY 3HAMES DESIRE FOR BROWN SPECTACLE 4HE CIRCUMSTANCE WAS A FAMILIAR ONE A SCHOL ARLY PRESENTATION DETERIORATES INTO WHAT FEELS LIKE A CAKE WALK AND ) AM LEFT PONDERING THE FUTILITY OF ANY INTERVENTION ON MY PART ) WAS THERE NEITHER TO COMPRISE NOR TO INTERROGATE THE CATEGORY hQUEERv ) WAS THERE TO BIND ITS COMMUNITY &OR A CONFERENCE DEVOTED TO THEORIZING SHAME THERE WAS CURIOUSLY LITTLE SCHOLARSHIP SPECIlCALLY ADDRESSING AFFECT $ESPITE THE CONFERENCE THEME THE PROCEEDINGS REPRODUCED AN OPPOSITION BETWEEN THEORY AND AFFECT PARTICULARLY IN ITS GENDERED AND RACED FOUNDATIONS CHARACTERISTIC OF %NLIGHTENMENT THOUGHT THEORY IS TO AFFECT AS MASCULINE IS TO FEMININE CIVILIZED TO PRIMITIVE RATIONAL TO PARANOID WHITE TO OTHER 4HE BROWN THUG AND THE SENTIMENTAL FEMININE lND THEMSELVES UNLIKELY COMPATRIOTS IN THIS OPPOSITION 4HE IDENTITIES hGAYv OR hQUEERv OR hLES BIANv DO NOT PREEMPT QUEER THEORISTS FROM REINSTITUTING MASCULINIST BIASES AND PATRIARCHAL PRIVILEGES 4HE MOST ELITIST MANIFESTATIONS OF THEORIZING EVEN WHEN ARTICULATED BY QUEER SUBJECTS ALSO OFTEN EVIDENCE THE MOST VULGAR MASCULINISMS (AVING BEEN ACCUSED AT THE CONFERENCE OF PRACTICING hPARANOID CRITI CISMv AND BEING TOO LITERAL ) PROVISIONALLY MAINTAIN MY GUILT ON BOTH COUNTS AND INHABIT THAT PARANOIA TO LICENSE HERE THE FOLLOWING RHETORICAL INDULGENCE %VERYTHING ) AM ABOUT TO SAY IN THIS ESSAY HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID ) MAKE THIS CONCESSION ON BEHALF OF A PARTICULAR KIND OF RESISTANT READER .AMELY ) HAVE IN MIND READERS WHO MIGHT FEEL DISGRUNTLED ABOUT HEARING hTHE SAME THINGv FOR THE PAST hTEN YEARS v A PROTEST VOICED BY CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS AT !NN !RBOR 2ATHER THAN FOCUSING ON A CRITIQUES hORIGINALITY v QUEER THEORY IS BETTER SERVED BY INTERROGATING ITS OWN CAPACITY TO LISTEN IMAGINATIVELY 4HE PROFESSIONAL PRESSURE TO PRODUCE hORIGINALITYv IS REALLY A CALL TO MAKE PROPERTY CLAIMS DEMARCATING INTELLECTUAL TERRITORY AND THUS AN APPEAL TO
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PRIVATISM AND INDIVIDUALISM )T IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT ) AM REVISITING ALREADY EXHAUSTED ARGUMENTS BUT IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT QUEER THEORY QUITE OPPORTUNELY RESISTS ENGAGING PARTICULAR TYPES OF INQUIRY 4HE lELD NEEDS TO ASCERTAIN HOW ANY SUCH RESISTANCE IS REWARDED !FTER A DECADE OR LONGER OF HEARING hTHE SAME THING v IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR QUEER THEORY TO START LISTENING 4HE CHRONIC FAILURE OF ESTABLISHMENTARIAN QUEER THEORY TO REVISIT ITS FUNDAMENTAL COLLUSIONS WITH !MERICAN LIBERALISM CONSOLI DATES INDIVISIBILITIESWHITE PATRIARCHAL HETERONORMATIVECONTRARY TO ANY PROFESSED ANTI IDENTITY 4HIS REFUSAL TO ENGAGE RACE CONSCIOUSNESS CORRESPONDS EXACTLY TO THE HISTORICAL CONTINGENCY OF PROPERTY RIGHTS TO 53 RACIAL OPPRESSION 4HERE IS LITTLE CONSIDERATION WITHIN ESTABLISHMENTARIAN QUEER THEORY AS TO WHETHER IT HAS AT ALL TOPPLED THE EXCLUSIONARY INFRASTRUCTURES OF THE SPACES IT INHERITS )NDEED THE SPACE QUEER THEORY OCCUPIES WITHIN THE ACADEMY IT HAS INHERITED FROM LIBERAL HUMANISM AND ITS CONTEMPORARY MULTICULTURALIST TRADITIONS )T IS NEITHER DEFEATIST NOR SIMPLISTICALLY NIHILISTIC TO CONCEDE THAT QUEER THEORY IS NECESSARILY COMPROMISED AT THE JUNCTURES OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION NATIONALISM AND CITIZENSHIP QUEER THEORISTS MIGHT IN FACT APPROACH THIS BIND PRODUCTIVELY "Y INTERROGATING THE COMPLICITY DEMANDED BY INSTITUTIONALIZATION WE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY RESIST SUCH COLLU SION AND ATTEMPT TO REINVENT OUR RELATIONSHIPS TO THE ACADEMY AND PERHAPS EVEN TRANSFORM THE INSTITUTION ITSELF
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$OUGLAS #RIMPS h-ARIO -ONTEZ &OR 3HAME v ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN A COLLECTION OF CRITICAL REVALUATIONS OF %VE 3EDGWICKS CONTRIBUTIONS TO CRITICAL THEORY PROVIDED A CRITICAL FOUNDATION FOR THE CONFERENCE )N ARGUING FOR A PRODUCTIVE OR ETHICAL MOBILIZATION OF GAY SHAME #RIMP INVOKES 3EDGWICKS OFT REITERATED AXIOM h0EOPLE ARE DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHERv (E GLEANS FROM THIS AXIOM hTHE ETHICAL NECESSITY OF DEVELOPING EVER lNER TOOLS FOR ENCOUNTERING UPHOLDING AND VALUING OTHERS DIFFER ENCESOR BETTER DIFFERENCES AND SINGULARITIESNONCE TAXONOMIES AS SHE WONDERFULLY NAMES SUCH TOOLSv (OWEVER BOTH #RIMPS ESSAY AND THE CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS DEMONSTRATE A RESISTANCE WITHIN QUEER THEORY TO APPRECIATING HOW RACIAL DIFFERENCES CONTRIBUTE TO QUEER SINGULARITIES 3UCH RESISTANCE HARDLY ETHICAL OR PRODUCTIVE SECURES BOTH WHITE PRIVILEGE AND ITS TRANSPARENCY AND FORECLOSES THE RIGOROUS EXAMINATIONS OF DESIRE AND FANTASY AND PLEASURE THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT FROM QUEER THEORY #RIMPS ESSAY FOCUSES ON WHAT HE READS AS !NDY 7ARHOLS AND 2ONNIE 4AVELS HUMILIATION OF -ARIO -ONTEZ A 0UERTO 2ICAN DRAG QUEEN STARRING
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IN 7ARHOLS 3CREEN 4EST 4RUSTING 7ARHOL TO SPEAK FOR -ONTEZ WHO REMAINS ENTIRELY PASSIVE IN RELATIONSHIP TO BOTH QUEER AND 53 CULTURES #RIMP RENDERS -ONTEZ SUPPLEMENTAL TO THE h.EW 9ORK #ITY QUEER CULTURE OF THE Sv THAT #RIMPS PROJECT SEEKS TO RECLAIM -ONTEZ FORMS A SURFACE FOR THE INSCRIPTION OF THAT CULTURE BUT IS NEVER A PARTICIPANT (IS PRESENCE AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIMEWHETHER THAT BE THE S EXPERIMENTATION OF 7ARHOLS &ACTORY OR THE 'AY 3HAME OF !NN !RBORIS INCIDENTAL 4HE CATEGORIES h0UERTO 2ICANv AND h#ATHOLIC v DEPLOYED MONOLITHICALLY COMPRISE FOR #RIMP THE TOTALITY OF -ONTEZS DIFFERENCE #RIMP INTERROGATES NEITHER 7ARHOLS NOR HIS OWN INVESTMENTS IN THE PARTICULARITIES OF THIS REPRESENTATION OF DIFFERENCE (IS UNQUALIlED CONlDENCE IN A SECONDHAND ACCOUNT OF -ONTEZS #ATHOLICISM TOGETHER WITH GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT 0UERTO 2ICAN NATIONAL CULTURE PROVIDE #RIMP WITH THE ONLY TOOLS HE NEEDS TO CONSTRUCT A NARRATIVE FOR -ONTEZS SHAME 4HE ABSENCE FOR EXAMPLE OF ANY EXAMINATION OF 7ARHOLS #ATHOLICISM IS ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL TELLING OMISSIONS IN #RIMPS PROJECT &OR #RIMP ONLY 7ARHOL AND 4AVEL CAN EXERCISE AGENCY #RIMPS READING OF 3CREEN 4EST ELIDES ANY POSSIBLE AUTHORITY AND OPPOSITIONAL ITY ON THE PART OF -ONTEZ h0OOR -ARIO LOOKS ALTERNATELY BEWILDERED AND TERRIlEDv -ONTEZ IS ALWAYS AUTHENTICALLY AUTHENTIC )N RESPONSE TO 4AVELS MOCKING ACCORDING TO #RIMP -ONTEZ IS hSO DELIGHTED AS TO MAKE IT OBVIOUS HES STILL HOODWINKEDv #ONVERSELY 7ARHOLS AND 4AVELS INSIGHT AND IRONY BECOME AUTHENTIC QUALITIES 7ARHOL FOR EXAMPLE DEM ONSTRATES AN hUNCANNY ABILITY TO CONCEAL DEAD ON INSIGHT IN THE BLAND UNKNOWING REMARKv 5NKNOWING AND INSIGHTFUL -INDFUL EVEN WHEN UNMINDFUL IN OPPOSITION TO -ONTEZS ALTERNATE BEWILDERMENT AND TERROR IN THE FACE OF AUTHORITY #RIMP IDENTIlES hEXPOSUREv AS THE SUBJECT OF 3CREEN 4EST (E CITES 3TEPHAN "RECHTS CELEBRATION OF 7ARHOLS GENIUS h(ERE AGAIN 7ARHOLS TRUE GENIUS FOR ABSTRACTION PAID OFF HE INVENTED A CAMERA TECHNIQUE THAT WAS NOTHING BUT EXPOSUREv ) CONCUR WITH #RIMP THAT hEXPOSUREv IS A SUBJECT OF THE lLM 4HE OBJECT OF THAT EXPOSURE HOWEVER IS NOT lXED AS #RIMP ACKNOWLEDGES THE lLMS DEPLOYMENT OF SHAME EXPOSES HIM TOO %XPOSURE CAN NEVER BE EQUIVALENT TO JUST ONE THING IT REQUIRES AT LEAST TWO ACTORS CURATOR AND SPECTATOR AND AN OBJECT 0ERHAPS WHAT IS MASTERFUL ABOUT 3CREEN 4EST IS ITS UNlXING OF THE COMPONENTS OF EXPOSURE )N OTHER WORDS WHAT IS MASTERFUL ABOUT THE lLM IS ITS UNDETERMINED MASTERY #RIMP IMAGINES -ONTEZ ONLY AS THE OBJECT OF EXPOSURE "UT WHAT IF AUTHORITY IN THE lLM IS REASSIGNED 4HE MOMENTS THAT #RIMP READS AS hBEWILDERMENT AND TERRORv MIGHT ALSO COMPRISE -ONTEZS PIRATING HIJACKING OF AUTHORITY -ONTEZ SHIFTS THE lLMS SCRUTINY ITS DElNING QUALITY ACCORDING TO #RIMP AND "RECHT ALTERNATELY ONTO 7ARHOL 4AVEL THE SPECTATOR
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&OR #RIMP THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS h(OW MIGHT WE SQUARE THESE SCENES OF VIOLATION AND SHAMING WITH WHAT )M DESCRIBING AS AN ETHICAL PROJECT OF GIVING VISIBILITYAND ) WANT ALSO TO SAY DIGNITYTO A QUEER WORLD OF DIFFERENCES AND SINGULARITIES IN THE S 7HAT DOES THE VIEWERS DISCOMlTURE AT 7ARHOLS TECHNIQUES OF EXPOSURE DO TO THE USUAL PROCESSES OF SPECTATOR IDENTIlCATIONS v #RIMPS QUESTIONS GENERATE SEVERAL OF MY OWN 7HAT VIOLENCES ARE IMPOSED ON -ARIO -ONTEZ AND SIMILARLY SITUATED SUBJECTS BY THE VISIBILITY #RIMP SEEKS TO CONFER 7HAT DOES IT MEAN FOR -ONTEZ OR A SUBJECT SIMILARLY SITUATED THAT HIS EXPO SURE IS A NECESSARY CONDITION FOR CONFERRING DIGNITY TO OTHERS 7HAT OF -ONTEZS DIGNITY 7HO IS THIS ISOLATED VIEWER BY WHOSE DISCOMlTURE ALL OTHER SPECTATOR IDENTIlCATIONS ARE MEASURED 4HE ETHICO POLITICAL POSSIBILITIES INHERENT IN SHAME EMERGE FROM THE URGENT YET IMPOSSIBLE DISSOCIATION UPON WHICH IT INSISTS #RIMP EXPLAINS h)N THE ACT OF TAKING ON THE SHAME THAT IS PROPERLY SOMEONE ELSES ) SIMUL TANEOUSLY FEEL MY UTTER SEPARATENESS FROM EVEN THAT PERSON ) DO NOT SHARE THE OTHERS IDENTITY ) SIMPLY ADOPT THE OTHERS VULNERABILITY TO BEING SHAMED THE OTHERS DIFFERENCE IS PRESERVED IT IS NOT CLAIMED AS MY OWNv 4HE PROBLEM WITH #RIMPS FORMULATION IS THAT THE OTHERS SHAME IS ALREADY ALWAYS HIS OWN BEFORE IT CAN BE hPROPERLY SOMEONE ELSESv 4HE ONLY SHAME #RIMP TAKES ON IS THE SHAME HE PROJECTS ONTO -ONTEZ 4HE URGENCY TO DISSOCIATE FROM THE OTHERS SHAMED BODY ARISES SUBSEQUENT TO HIS VEXED ASSIMILATION OF THAT BODY -ONTEZS BODY IS A PALATE FOR #RIMPS SHAME AS IT IS IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS FOR MY OWN 0ERHAPS THE CLEAREST EVIDENCE OF #RIMPS IDENTIlCATION WITH AND INCORPORATION OF -ONTEZ IS HIS CONTINUED REFERENCE TO THE ACTOR BY HIS lRST NAME WHILE HE REFERS TO 4AVEL AND 7ARHOL EXCLUSIVELY BY THEIR SURNAMES (E FORECLOSES ANY POSSIBILITY THAT -ONTEZ MIGHT ALSO ACTIVELY COAUTHOR THE TEXT RATHER THAN MERELY SERVE AS ITS PASSIVE OBJECT #RIMP CITES AN ANECDOTE FROM 0OPISM IN WHICH 7ARHOL DESCRIBES HOW hPOOR -ARIO -ONTEZ GOT HIS FEELINGS HURT FOR REAL IN HIS SCENEv WHILE SHOOTING h#HELSEA 'IRLSv 4HIS DESCRIPTION DElNES FOR #RIMP -ONTEZS RELATIONSHIP TO EXPOSITION AND ULTIMATELY TO GAY WHITE MALE SHAME -ONTEZ FEELS FOR REAL WHILE 7ARHOL lCTIONALIZES EXPERIMENTS CREATES AND #RIMP EXPOUNDS !S "IDDY -ARTIN FORECAST A DECADE AGO THE hlXITY AND MIRINGv OF RACE AND GENDER PROVIDES THE GROUND FOR QUEER THEORYS PERFORMATIVE SEXUALITY
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4HE REDUCTION TO SPECTACLE A REDUCTION TO THE BODY WAS MOST DEVASTAT INGLY REALIZED IN A PRESENTATION ON 0LATOS 3YMPOSIUM LATE IN THE CONFER ENCES lRST DAY !S %LLIS (ANSON ADDRESSED 0LATO $ERRIDA THE hCADAVERI ZATIONv OF THE TEACHERS BODY AND HYPOTHESIZED THAT LOVE IS A VICTIMLESS CRIME IMAGES OF A MODEL NAMED +IKO FEATURED IN ,ATIN )NCHES MAGA ZINE mASHED BEHIND HIM 4HESE PUBLICITY PHOTOS FOR THE VIDEO ,EARN ING ,ATIN SHOW +IKO COSTUMED IN SOMETHING AKIN TO A COLONIAL SCHOOLBOY UNIFORM KHAKI SHORTS WHITE POLO SHIRT POSING IN A CLASSROOM (E APPEARS IN VARIOUS STATES OF UNDRESS AT lRST HIS DICK HANGING OUT OF HIS UNZIPPED mY EVENTUALLY BENT NAKED OVER A STOOL /N THE BLACKBOARD BEHIND HIM THE SENTENCE h) LOVE SEXv HAS BEEN WRITTEN OVER AND OVER AS +IKO HAS APPARENTLY BEEN KEPT AFTER CLASS AND THIS IS HIS PUNISHMENT $URING HIS PRESENTATION (ANSON WORE A UNIFORM IDENTICAL TO THE ONE WORN BY +IKO SUGGESTING A KIND OF MIMETIC ANNIHILATION THE NOSTALGIA CHARACTERISTIC OF THE QUEER THEORIZING OF SHAME IN THIS INSTANCE A COLO NIAL NOSTALGIA !T NO POINT DID (ANSON OFFER A SUBSTANTIVE READING OF THE IMAGES mASHING BEHIND HIM 4HE PRESENTATION RENDERED ME SPEECHLESS )NITIALLY ) ATTRIBUTED THAT SPEECHLESSNESS TO EXHAUSTION ,ATER ) DETERMINED THAT MY SPEECHLESSNESS MIGHT BE MORE PRODUCTIVELY UNDERSTOOD AS A QUALITY OF COLLECTIVE TRAUMA )T IS USEFUL TO THINK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF RACIAL OPPRESSION AS A KIND OF TRAUMA TO THINK ABOUT HOW SHAME AND TRAUMA MIGHT SOMEHOW BE CONSTI TUTIVE OF RACE 4RAUMA RESULTS NOT ONLY FROM A hDISCRETE HAPPENINGv BUT ALSO AS +AI %RIKSON ARGUES FROM A hCONSTELLATION OF LIFES EXPERIENCES FROM A PERSISTING CONDITION AS WELL AS FROM AN ACUTE EVENTv 4HIS DElNITION BROADENS THE UNDERSTANDING OF TRAUMA SO THAT IT IS NOT ISOLATED TO DISCRETE EXPERIENCES AND PERSONALITIES TRAUMA CAN ALSO FUNCTION AS A CONSTITUTIVE SOCIAL FORCE IN RELATION TO GROUP IDENTITY %RIKSON CLARIlES HOW TRAUMA MIGHT GENERATE COMMUNALITY h4RAUMATIC WOUNDS INmICTED ON INDIVIDUALS CAN COMBINE TO CREATE A MOOD AN ETHOSA GROUP CULTURE ALMOSTTHAT IS DIFFERENT FROM AND MORE THAN THE SUM OF THE PRIVATE WOUNDS THAT MAKE IT UP 4RAUMA THAT IS HAS A SOCIAL DIMENSIONv ) EXPERIENCED THE +IKO PRESENTATION AND ULTIMATELY THE 'AY 3HAME CONFERENCE IN ITS ENTIRETY AS A KIND OF ASSAULT .OT AN ASSAULT IN THE SENSE THAT %LLIS (ANSON INTENDED TO HURT ME OR ANYBODY ELSE ALTHOUGH NEITHER WOULD ) CATEGORIZE HIS PRESENTATION OR HIS DESIRE OR ANY DESIRE AS INNO CENT BUT AN ASSAULT IN THE SENSE THAT THE IMAGES DISPLAYED HAVE A CONTEXT AND A HISTORY THAT ARE MEANINGFUL TO ME IN WAYS VERY DIFFERENT FROM HOW THEY ARE MEANINGFUL ) SUSPECT FOR (ANSON 4HESE IMAGES OR MORE PRE
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CISELY THE POLITICS OF THEIR DISPLAY BELONG FOR ME TO AN ALREADY EXISTING hCONSTELLATION OF LIFES EXPERIENCESv -Y HOPE THAT QUEER THEORY MIGHT LEARN TO LISTEN MORE IMAGINATIVELY lNDS A PRESCRIPTION IN THE QUESTIONS %RIKSON INTRODUCES TO TRAUMA THEORY h4O WHAT EXTENT MAY ONE CONCLUDE THAT THE COMMUNAL DIMENSION OF TRAUMA IS ONE OF ITS DISTINCTIVE CLINICAL SIGNATURES !ND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO CONCLUDE THAT THE TRAUMATIZED VIEW OF THE WORLD CONVEYS A WISDOM THAT OUGHT TO BE HEARD v AN AFFECT REQUIRING RECOGNITION 4HE lRST COMMENT AFTER (ANSONS PRESENTATION CAME FROM 4OBIN 3IEBERS SEATED NEXT TO ME 3IEBERS A DISABILITY STUDIES THEORIST JOKINGLY ANNOUNCED THAT +IKOS WAS THE MOST hABLE BODIED DICKv HED EVER SEEN ) FELT KICKED IN THE GUT #AN THE REDUCTIONNOT JUST TO BODY BUT TO DICKlND ANY MORE UNEQUIVOCAL ARTICULATION 9ET IF ) CANNOT CONVEY TO FELLOW QUEER THEORISTS HOW THIS WHOLE SCENE CONSTITUTED FOR ME AN ASSAULT AND IF THEY CANNOT HEAR MY CRITICISM HOW CAN ) BE SURE THAT ) AM EVER INTELLIGIBLE TO THEM AS HUMAN &OLLOWING 3IEBERSS REMARK THE NEXT FEW COMMENTS ALSO JOKED ALBEIT NERVOUSLY ABOUT THE PHOTOS ) LISTENED DUMBFOUNDED AS (ANSON WAS TEASED ABOUT HIM AND 0LATO HAVING TO COMPETE WITH THE BIG hPURPLEv DICK THE BIGGEST ANYONE HAD EVER SEEN IT TURNS OUT FOR THE AUDIENCES ATTENTION 4HERE OCCURRED NO SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE REPRESENTATION OF +IKO ABOUT FANTASY ABOUT RACIALIZED DESIRE OR EVEN ABOUT (ANSONS READING OF 0LATO +IKOS DICK ASSUMED ITS HISTORICAL PLACE AS THE FOCAL POINT OF WHITE FANTASY 4HAT NIGHT AND INTO THE NEXT DAY ) HEARD SEVERAL QUEER THEORISTS WHITE MEN AND WOMEN PROCLAIM THAT +IKOS WAS INDEED THE BIGGEST DICK THEY HAD EVER SEENAN ASTONISHING DECLARATION FROM QUEER THEORISTS MANY OF WHOM WRITE ON GAY MALE PORNOGRAPHY ) GUARANTEE THAT THIS WAS NOT THE BIGGEST DICK CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS HAD EVER SEEN A FEW SECONDS ON THE )NTERNET WOULD TURN UP INNUMERABLE DICKS FATTER AND LONGER 4HE NEED EVEN TO EXPLAIN THIS IS DEMEANING "UT THE CIRCUMSTANCE IS INDICATIVE ALSO OF DOMINANT CULTURE FANTASIES ABOUT BLACK MALE SEXUALITY +IKO IS BOTH ,ATINO AND BLACK ) CANNOT BE CERTAIN THAT HE WOULD IDENTIFY HIMSELF AS BLACK -AYBE HE WOULD MAYBE HE WOULD NOT 4HE COMPLICATIONS OF THE CLASSIlCATION h,ATINOv ARE A TOPIC FOR ANOTHER ESSAY 4HIS INCIDENT DEMONSTRATES HOWEVER HOW THE BROWN BODY SIGNI lES AMBIGUITIES THAT ULTIMATELY REINFORCE CONTEMPORARY WHITE HEGEMONY THROUGH ITS INTERSECTION WITH A SPECTRALIZED BLACKNESS +IKOS BROWNNESS REMOVES HIS BODY FROM THE HISTORY OF WHITE PREDATIONS ON THE BLACK MALE BODY IN PARTICULAR THE BLACK MALE BODY THAT EMERGED AFTER 2ECONSTRUCTION THE hFREEv BLACK MAN RULED BY SAVAGE AND INSATIABLE SEXUAL APPETITES 4HIS UNREMITTING CULTURAL lXATION ON THE BLACK PENIS NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS A LEGACY OF LYNCHING 4HE TRANSFORMATION OF THE BLACK PENIS INTO A MAGIC
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OBJECT REQUIRES THAT THE RACIAL SEXUAL VIOLENCE BECOME NATURALIZED IN OTHER WORDS THE CASTRATED PENIS MUST ITSELF BECOME FANTASTIC IN ORDER TO SANCTION GENOCIDAL VIOLENCE 4HE CULTURE OF LYNCHING CONTINUES TO GENERATE FRESH ENACTMENTS OF ITS RITUAL VIOLENCE THE SEPARATION OF THE MAN FROM THE PENIS THE SUBSTITUTION OF PENIS FOR THE MAN THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF A hPRIVATEv BLACK SEXUALITY CONTEMPT FOR BLACK HUMANITY (IS SEXUAL VORACIOUSNESS IS LOCATED IN HIS MYTHICALLY PROPORTIONED MANHOOD THE PRODUCT OF A WHITE IMAGINATION THAT SEEKS TO EXTERMINATE THE BLACK MAN FOR MORE REASONS THAN IT CAN EVER ALLOW ITSELF TO NAME 4HIS WHITE DESIRE FOR A BLACK MALE BODY ALTERNATELY MANIFESTED AS LOVE DISGUST FEAR AND MURDEROUSNESS RESIDES AT THE HEART OF 53 SEXUAL CULTURES STRAIGHT AND QUEER 4HE BROWNNESS CONFERRED ON +IKO WHEN HE IS DESIGNATED AS h,ATINv ITSELF AN ALREADY AMBIGUOUS SIGN CIRCUMVENTS TROUBLING HISTORIES OF RACIAL OPPRESSION THAT ARE MORE IMMEDIATE TO THE WHITE IMAGINATION IN THE FORM OF ENSLAVEMENT LYNCHING AND POLICE BRUTALITY !LREADY FORGETFUL ABOUT ITS HIS TORY OF STATE SANCTIONED WHITE ON BLACK VIOLENCE THE 5NITED 3TATES REMAINS BLISSFULLY AMNESIAC ABOUT ITS VIOLENT IMPERIAL HISTORY 4HE AMBIGUITIES OF BROWNNESS FUNCTION TO UNBURDEN FANTASIES OF BLACK SEXUALITY FROM THEIR TROUBLING HISTORIES THOSE SAME FANTASIES AND NEW ONES MAY BE REVISITED ON THE BROWN BODY )N OTHER WORDS ONE MANIFESTATION OF THE BROWN BODY OCCURS IN THE FORM OF A BLACK BODY UN MOORED IF YOU WILL FROM MATERIAL HISTORY AND lXED INSTEAD TO THE LANDSCAPE OF A GAY COSMOPOLITAN IMAGINA TION +IKOS DICK WAS THE BIGGEST ANYONE HAD EVER SEEN BECAUSE IT WAS THAT SAME MYTHIC BLACK DICK DREAMED BY WHITE DESIRE EXCEPT FOR BEING TRANSPORTED TO A LOCATION WHERE DESIRES ARE NOT SO BURDENED BY TROUBLING HISTORIES 'AY SHAMES DESIRE FOR +IKO SEEKS TO HUMILIATE +IKO TO SYM BOLICALLY ANNIHILATE HIM BUT IN ORDER TO MISTRANSLATE ITS OWN MURDEROUS DESIRE AS LOVE IT MUST LOCATE +IKO AT THE LIMITS OF CIVILIZATION WHERE HE IS BEAUTIFULLY ABJECT WHERE HE IS BROWN AND SHAMELESS #OSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE SUBJECTIVITY IS FOUNDED ON THE HUMILIATION OF hBROWNv PRIMITIVES AND THUGS A HUMILIATION OFTEN SUBSEQUENTLY MISNAMED AS hLOVEv +IKO BECAME BROWN WITHIN THE CONTACT ZONES OF DESIRE (IS BROWN NESS FUNCTIONS IN ITSELF AS A KIND OF TRAVELING CONTACT ZONE IT ENTERTAINS ALL SORTS OF FANTASIES OF THE PRIMITIVE 4HE BROWN BODY IS A FETISH FOR WHAT THE COSMOPOLITAN HAS LOST OR FORGOTTEN AT THE OTHER SIDE THE BROWN UNDERSIDE OF CIVILIZATION +IKO IS BROWNED BY THE SYMBOLS THAT CONVERGE AT HIS AND 'AY 3HAMES HORIZON THE MONIKER h,ATIN )NCHESv THE COLONIAL SCHOOLBOY UNIFORM THE NICKNAME HIS BANJEE NESS HIS ACCESSIBILITY AS SPECTACLE /NCE AVAILABLE TO COSMOPOLITAN CONSUMPTION THE BROWN BODY GENERATES DESIRE BUT ONLY INSOFAR AS IT IS THE LOCATION WHERE DIFFERENT STORIES OF DESIRE BECOME POSSIBLE 4HE BROWN BODYS AMBIGUITY IS ENDLESSLY GENERATIVE )T PROVIDES
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COSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE SUBJECTS WITH OBJECTS OF DESIRE AND WITH THE SUPER ABUNDANT RAW MATERIAL FROM WHICH TO COMPOSE THE STORY OF THAT DESIRE 4HE AMBIGUITY OF BROWNNESS CONTRA THE PREVAILING BLACKWHITE OPPOSITION OF 53 RACE DISCOURSE SECURES FOR THE CONTEMPORARY COSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE A LOCATION IN WHICH HE CAN MATERIALLY AND PSYCHICALLY mEX HIS DESIRE WITH IMPUNITY (E GETS TO HAVE HIS BROWN BODY AND EAT IT TOO $ISMISSED AS IDENTITY POLITICS AND A CRUDE APPEAL TO PERSONAL EXPERI ENCE MY ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE THE INDIGNITY AND ASSAULT ) EXPERIENCED AT THE CONFERENCE COULD NOT BE HEARD ) PROPOSE THAT THE RESISTANCE ) CON FRONTED ARTICULATED VIA POST STRUCTURALIST CRITIQUES OF IDENTITY DESIGNATES THE NEED FOR WHITE DOMINANT CULTURE TO SUSTAIN THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF A PRIVATE BLACK SEXUALITY 4HE MYTHOLOGY OF THE BLACK PENIS REMAINS TOO DEEP ROOTED IN THE POPULAR IMAGINATION FOR ME TO CONVINCE THE COCK STRUCK ATTENDEES AT 'AY 3HAME THAT +IKOS PRIVATES WERE NOT THE BIGGEST THEY HAD EVER SEEN %UPHEMISMS ASIDE +IKOS hPRIVATESv WERE NOT IN ANY SENSE PRIVATE EITHER ) DID NOT ADVANCE AN ANTIPORNOGRAPHY POSITION AT THE CONFERENCE BUT ) SUSPECT THAT THE DEFENSIVENESS ON THE PART OF MANY QUEER THEORISTS PRES ENT ESPECIALLY AMONG THE GAY WHITE MEN RESULTED FROM AN OVERDETERMINED MISREADING OF MY COMMENTS AS JUST THAT &OR EXAMPLE ONE RESPONDENT INSISTED THAT ) HAD CONTENDED IN MY REMARKS THAT HE A WHITE MAN hCOULD NOT LOOK ATv NUDE IMAGES OF +IKO (E PERCEIVED MY CRITICISM AS A COMPET ING PROPERTY CLAIM ON +IKOS BODY ) WAS NOT THERE TO MAKE ANY SUCH PROPERTY CLAIM BUT IT WAS MADE EMPHATICALLY CLEAR TO ME BY (ANSONS PRESENTATION AS WELL AS BY THE REAC TION TO MY COMMENTS THAT ) AM MOST CERTAINLY NOT ENTITLED TO DO SO &OR THE COSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE SUBJECT THE BROWN BODY CONSTITUTES COMMUNAL PROPERTY !S A SITE OF COMMUNION FOR WHITENESS THE BROWN BODY REALIZES WHITE INDIVISIBILITY -Y INQUIRY INTO THE SEMANTICS OF +IKOS BODY CONSTI TUTED A TRESPASS )T REPRESENTED FOR WHITE DESIRE AN EXERCISE OF ACQUISITIVE NESS ON MY PART THAT IS PROPER ONLY TO WHITENESS 4O POSE THE QUESTION OF THE SEMANTICS OF THE BROWN BODY IS TO TAKE MEANING FROM THE FETISH OBJECT OF WHITE DESIRE TO INFRINGE ON THE NATIVE ACQUISITIVENESS OF WHITENESS 4HE CATEGORY h,ATINO v USED AS A RACIAL DESCRIPTOR RATHER THAN A POLITICAL AFlLIATION IS NEARLY AS VAGUE AS hBROWNv #ONSIDER FOR EXAMPLE HOW EASILY h,ATINv OR FOR THAT MATTER h3PANISHv AND h(ISPANICv MAY SUBSTITUTE FOR h,ATINOv (OWEVER MOST USES OF h,ATINAOv DISREGARD THE POLITICS OF THAT AMBIGUITY TOGETHER WITH THE DIFFERENCES THAT THE CATEGORY ITSELF ALREADY COLLAPSES 2EMARKABLY QUEER THEORY UNDERSTANDS THE POLITICS OF DIFFERENCE AS FUNDAMENTAL TO ITS PRACTICE YET IT CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE CIRCULATION OF CATEGORIES LIKE h,ATINv WITHOUT APPRECIATING IN THE LEAST ITS FUNCTION WITHIN A COMPLEX WEB OF IDENTIlCATIONS AND DESIRES 7HILE THE VARIATIONS ON THE CATEGORY h,ATINAOv COLLAPSE INNUMERABLE DIFFERENCES
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QUEER THEORIZING SEEMS FOR THE MOST PART QUITE CONTENT TO LET THAT SAME NESS ALONE h1UEERv NEEDS TO INTERROGATE ITS OWN INVESTMENTS IN SAMENESS )RONICALLY THESE INVESTMENTS DEPLOY THE RHETORIC OF DIFFERENCE PRECISELY SO THAT THE PRESUMED ANTI IDENTITY OF QUEER MIGHT DISSIMULATE PROlTING BY SAMENESS "Y THIS MEANS ESTABLISHMENTARIAN QUEER THEORY HAS COLLUDED IN RENDERING MATERIAL AND PSYCHIC VIOLENCES OF RACIALIZATION UNINTELLIGIBLE ) AGREE THAT COMMUNITIES ARE BOUND BY lCTIONS BUT THAT DOES NOT DIMINISH THE VIOLENCES ENACTED IN CONSTITUTING THOSE COMMUNITIES 1UEER THEORY HAS EXCHANGED TOO HASTILY THE POLITICS OF IDENTITY FOR THE POLITICS OF DIFFERENCE 4O COMBAT OPPRESSION IT IS NECESSARY TO THEORIZE HOW COM MUNITIES ARE BOUND BY SHARED FANTASIES AND DESIRES IN OTHER WORDS HOW THEY ARE BOUND AT SOME LEVEL BY SAMENESS 4HIS IS ESPECIALLY CRUCIAL WHERE SAMENESS MAKES ITSELF TRANSPARENT AS IT DOES WITH WHITENESS 3OMETIMES PEOPLE ARE NOT SO DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER 1UEER THEORY WHEN IT PRIVI LEGES DIFFERENCE OVER SAMENESS ABSOLUTELY COLLUDES WITH INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM IN VANISHING HENCE RETRENCHING WHITE PRIVILEGE )T SERVES AS THE MAGICIANS ASSISTANT TO WHITENESSS DISAPPEARING ACT (ANSON ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE HAD ANTICIPATED MY RESPONSE AND HAD HEARD EXACTLY THE SAME PROTEST BEFORE /DDLY THESE REPEATED PROTESTS ONLY INVALIDATE ONE ANOTHER ) SHOULD IN FACT FEEL SHAMED AT THIS REVELATION OF THE COMMONPLACE NATURE OF MY THINKING (ANSONS ACCUSATION CONSTITUTES A DEFENSIVE POSTURE A WAY TO DISMISS CRITICISM (OWEVER ) THINK THE SOLACE ) RECEIVED MUCH OF IT FROM WHITE LESBIAN THEORISTS MAY SIMILARLY INDICATE A FORM OF DEFENSIVENESS ) ABSOLUTELY EXPERIENCED SOLIDARITY WITH WHITE LES BIAN THEORISTS AT THE CONFERENCE BUT THERE WAS ALSO FROM SOME AN EXPRESSION OF SOLACE THAT ) THINK MASQUERADED AND ONLY JUST BARELY AS SOLIDARITY ) AM SURE THAT REACTIONS TO THE DISPUTE BETWEEN (ANSON AND ME HAD TO HAVE BEEN MORE COMPLICATED THAN THE APPARENT POLARIZATION THE TAKING OF SIDES THAT OCCURRED AFTER THE lNAL ROUNDTABLE "UT ) ALSO WONDER IF THAT APPARENT POLARIZATION DID NOT IN FACT NEED TO HAPPEN TO PRESERVE THE STATUS QUO TO FURTHER BIND QUEER THEORYS WHITE INDIVISIBILITY !S ) ALTERNATELY INHABITED THE BODY OF AN INTRANSIGENT AND VULGAR SAVAGE AS WELL AS THAT OF A NOBLE ONE DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU SAT AS ) PERFORMED MY BROWNNESSAND WHAT CHOICE DID ) HAVE REALLY FATED TO MY PERFORMANCE OF THE UNSOPHISTICATED AND BANAL) UNDERSTOOD THE RUPTURE ) WITNESSED AS ONE THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO FORTIFY THAT WHITE BODY OF QUEER THEORY TO STRENGTHEN ITS IMMUNITY AGAINST FOREIGN AGENTS ) DID EXPERIENCE GENUINE INTELLECTUAL ENGAGEMENT WITH COLLEAGUES /THERWISE ) WOULD NOT WASTE MY ENERGY FORMULATING THIS CRITIQUE (OWEVER THAT ENGAGEMENT WAS SUBSUMED BY A REDUCTIVE POLARIZATION LIKE THE BROWN BODY POOR -ARIOS +IKOS MY OWN AND MOST IMPORTANT THE BROWN BODY MISSING IN ACTION IT WAS AN OBLIGATORY SACRIlCE TO THE STATUS QUO OF 'AY 3HAMES QUEER THEORIZING
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!LTHOUGH THE IRONIES OF %LLIS (ANSONS PRESENTATION WERE LOST ON ME ) WAS KEENLY AWARE OF ANOTHER MUCH CRUELER IRONY 4HE BROWN BODY IN HIS SCHOOLBOY UNIFORM INVITED INTO THE UNIVERSITY CLASSROOM OF A COSMOPOLITAN GAY MALE FANTASY FOR A GAME OF SHOW AND TELL REMAINS SIMULTANEOUSLY SHUT OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY CLASSROOM )NCREASINGLY THE BROWN BODY lNDS ITSELF EXPELLED FROM CIVIL SOCIETYIF NOT EXPELLED OUTRIGHT FROM THE NATION 3EE ING +IKO UP ON THE SCREEN HIS DICK HANGING OUT OF HIS KHAKI SHORTS MADE THE ABSENCE OF GAY MEN AND LESBIANS OF COLOR AT THE CONFERENCE ALL THAT MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED 4HE BROWN BODY IS VARIOUSLY SACRIlCED AT THE EXIGEN CIES OF WHITE PRIVILEGE AND WHITE DESIRE !S PECULIAR AS THIS MAY SOUND ) AM NOT CONVINCED THAT INSTITUTIONALIZED FORMS OF QUEER THEORY REALLY CARE TO INVESTIGATE DESIRE !N ESTABLISHED GROUP OF QUEER THEORISTS REMAIN QUITE RILED UNDERSTANDABLY ABOUT THE NORMALIZATION OF QUEER (OWEVER QUEER THEORY RESISTS THE CRITIQUE OF ITS OWN EVEN MORE ALARMING NORMALIZATIONS 4HE DOMINANT QUEER CULTURE LIKE ANY DOMINANT CULTURE DEMANDS ASSIMILA TION 1UEER THEORY DOES NOT WANT TO BE NORMALIZED BUT NEITHER DOES IT WANT TO BE QUEERED 5NRULY SUBJECTS ARE EXPELLED TO ITS MARGINS 4HIS EXPULSION IS TELLING %STABLISHMENTARIAN QUEER THEORY DESPITE ITS OFT PROFESSED REVUL SION AT MASS CULTURE ASSIMILATION HAS ALSO QUITE COMFORTABLY SETTLED AT THE CENTER OR RATHER THAT COMFORTABLY FURNISHED SPACE JUST LEFT OF CENTER 7E WOULD BE DELUDED TO THINK THAT QUEER THEORY IS NOT INVESTED IN PROTECTING THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES THAT HAVE ACCOMMODATED IT INCLUDING MOST SIGNIlCANTLY WHITE PATRIARCHAL STRUCTURES OF KNOWLEDGE 4HIS DOES NOT CALL FOR ABANDONING THE lELD BUT RATHER FOR GREATER VIGILANCE IMAGINATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY AS WELL AS A REINVIGORATED INQUIRY INTO THE COMPLEX TRAJECTORIES OF DESIRE AND IDENTITY
/PUFT ) WOULD LIKE TO THANK $AVID %NG AND *UDITH (ALBERSTAM FOR THEIR INSIGHTS AND PATIENT EDITING ) AM GRATEFUL TO -ARY *ANE 3MITH FOR HER INVITATION TO SHARE A VERY EARLY DRAFT OF THIS ESSAY h7HAT #OLOR )S "ROWN 4ROUBLING $ESIRES 4ROUBLING )DENTITIES v ON !PRIL AS A GUEST OF 3T ,AWRENCE 5NIVERSITYS 53 #ULTURAL AND %THNIC 3TUDIES PROGRAM 4HIS ESSAY HAS BENElTED SIGNIlCANTLY FROM CONVERSA TIONS WITH #HRIS #YNN #HRIS $ANGUILAN +IM (ALL AND 3ARITA 3EE &OR A COGENT EXAMINATION OF HOW WHITENESS FUNCTIONS IN THE 5NITED 3TATES AS PROPERTY SEE #HERYL ) (ARRISS ESSAY h7HITENESS AS 0ROPERTY v IN #RITICAL 2ACE 4HEORY 4HE +EY 7RITINGS 4HAT &ORMED THE -OVEMENT ED +IMBERLÏ #RENSHAW .EIL 'OTANDA 'ARY 0ELLER AND +ENDALL 4HOMAS .EW 9ORK .EW 0RESS n ) IDENTIFY -ONTEZ AS 0UERTO 2ICAN AND $AVIS AS BLACK TO ILLUSTRATE THE CONFERENCES RACE POLITICS (OWEVER ) DO SO WITH SOME HESITATION AS EACH lGURES
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RACEETHNIC IDENTITY NEEDS FURTHER COMPLICATING IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE THE PLACE OF RACIALIZED DESIRE IN FORMING RACIAL ETHNIC AND SEXUAL IDENTITIES AND VICE VERSA 6AGINAL #REME $AVIS FOR EXAMPLE HAS PRODUCED WORK EXPLORING HER #HICANA HERI TAGE *OSÏ -U×OZ RECORDS $AVISS HISTORY OR hLEGENDv h!CCORDING TO $AVISS OWN SELF GENERATED LEGEND HER EXISTENCE IS THE RESULT OF AN ILLICIT ENCOUNTER BETWEEN HER THEN FORTY lVE YEAR OLD !FRICAN !MERICAN MOTHER AND HER FATHER WHO WAS AT THE TIME A TWENTY ONE YEAR OLD -EXICAN !MERICAN $AVIS HAS OFTEN REPORTED THAT HER PARENTS ONLY MET ONCE WHEN SHE WAS CONCEIVED UNDER A TABLE DURING A 2AY #HARLES CONCERT AT THE (OLLYWOOD 0ALLADIUM IN THE EARLY Sv *OSÏ %STEBAN -U×OZ $ISIDENTIlCATIONS 1UEERS OF #OLOR AND THE 0ERFORMANCE OF 0OLITICS ;-INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS = )N THE CASE OF -ONTEZ THE CATEGORY h0UERTO 2ICANv CAN DESIGNATE NOT ONLY A NATIONAL ORIGIN BUT ALSO A RACIAL IDENTIl CATION IN EITHER CASE WHAT h0UERTO 2ICANv MEANS IS CONTINGENT ALSO ON HISTORICAL CONTEXT PLACE AND USAGE ) DO NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT -ONTEZ SELF IDENTIlED AS h0UERTO 2ICAN v NOR DO ) TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT THE MEANING OF SUCH AN IDENTIlCA TION NECESSARILY REMAINS CONSTANT OVER ONES LIFETIME *UDITH "UTLER AND "IDDY -ARTIN h#ROSS )DENTIlCATIONS v $IACRITICS 3EE "IDDY -ARTIN h3EXUALITIES WITHOUT 'ENDERS AND /THER 1UEER 5TO PIAS v $IACRITICS n "UTLER AND -ARTIN h#ROSS )DENTIlCATIONS v (ARRIS h7HITENESS AS 0ROPERTY v (EREAFTER CITED AS hTHE 0ATRIOT !CT v THE BILLPASSED /CTOBER BY THE TH #ONGRESSIS OFlCIALLY TITLED THE h5NITING AND 3TRENGTHENING !MERICA BY 0ROVIDING !PPROPRIATE 4OOLS 2EQUIRED TO )NTERCEPT AND /BSTRUCT 4ERRORISM !CT OF v &OR A DISCUSSION OF THE 53 MILITARYS hWARRIOR CASTE v SEE $AVID - (ALB lNGER AND 3TEVEN ! (OLMES h! .ATION AT 7AR 4HE 4ROOPS -ILITARY -IRRORS A 7ORKING #LASS !MERICA v .EW 9ORK 4IMES -ARCH 4HE TREATMENT OF )RAQI PRISONERS OF WAR AND THE HISTORIES OF SEXUAL HUMILI ATION OF RACIALLY OPPRESSED PEOPLE IN THE 5NITED 3TATES ARE PROFOUNDLY LINKED 4HE !BU 'HRAIB PHOTOS LIKE SO MANY FROM THE CULTURE OF LYNCHING FUNCTION AS POSTCARDS FROM A RACIAL FRONT 53 RACE IDEOLOGY PERSISTS ONTO A WORLD STAGE /FlCIAL RESPONSES TO !BU 'HRAIB PROTECT THE RACE SECRETS OF 53 DOMINANT AND MILITARY CULTURES WHICH DICTATE THE SPECIlCALLY SEXUAL NATURE OF THE TORTUREAT ONCE SADISTICALLY HOMOPHOBIC AND HOMOEROTIC ) ELABORATE ON THIS hRACE SECRETv IN A MANUSCRIPT IN PROGRESS &OR THIS ESSAY ) DO HOWEVER WANT TO UNDERSCORE COSMOPOLITANISMS NEED FOR MILITARY OCCUPATION AS A MEANS OF COLONIZING SPACES FOR ITS MATERIAL AND IMAGINED TRAVELS ) AM PARAPHRASING +ENDALL 4HOMASS INVALUABLE FORMULATION h2ACE IS A VERBv !LL RACE CATEGORIES ARE OF COURSE REGARDLESS OF THEIR JURIDICO MEDICAL lX ITY CONSTITUTIVELY AMBIGUOUS 4HAT AMBIGUITY IS RELENTLESSLY RECUPERATED OR EVEN REVOKED BY DOMINANT CULTURE IE THE ONE DROP RULE BORDER PATROL DETERMINA TIONS OF DANGEROUSNESS BUT THIS SAME AMBIGUITY PERHAPS ALSO PRESENTS US WITH FERTILE RUPTURES IN 53 HISTORIES OF SYSTEMIC RACE OPPRESSION *OHN !SHCROFTS POLICY REQUIRING MALE IMMIGRANTS ORIGINATING FROM ANY OF TWENTY SELECTED COUNTRIES TO REGISTER AND PERIODICALLY hCHECK INv DEMONSTRATES HOW FORMS OF GOVERNMENTALITY ADAPT TO ENDLESSLY AND OPPORTUNISTICALLY MINE THE RACIAL AMBIGUITY OF hBROWN v ALL THE WHILE PROFESSING TO DEMYSTIFY IT
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(OWARD (UGHES h(OLIDAYS AND (OMOSEXUAL )DENTITY v 4OURISM -ANAGE MENT 1UOTED IN *ASBIR +AUR 0UAR h#IRCUITS OF 1UEER -OBILITY 4OURISM 4RAVEL AND 'LOBALIZATION v ',1 )BID 4HIS ESSAY FOCUSES ON A TROUBLESOME GAY COSMOPOLITANISM THAT ) ARGUE CHARACTERIZES ESTABLISHMENTARIAN QUEER THEORIZING 4HE 'AY 3HAME CONFER ENCE PROVIDES THE PRIMARY TEXT FOR THIS INVESTIGATION HOWEVER 'AY 3HAME OCCA SIONED VARIOUS RUPTURES AMONG THE COMMUNITY OF THEORISTS ARTISTS AND ACTIVISTS PRESENT ) ATTEND TO THE SIGNIlCANCE OF THESE DIVISIONS IN THE AFOREMENTIONED MANU SCRIPT IN PROGRESS &OR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ESSAY ) AM MORE INTERESTED IN HOW A QUEER COMMUNITY DESPITE NUMEROUS ASSERTIONS ABOUT THE lCTITIOUSNESS OF SUCH COMMUNITY WAS VIOLENTLY CONSOLIDATED AT 'AY 3HAME PERHAPS EVEN BY THE VERY RUPTURES ) MENTION (OWEVER ) DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT 'AY 3HAME WITNESSED NOT ONLY PREDICTABLE ALIGNMENTS OF POWER BUT ALSO NUMEROUS REALIGNMENTS ESPE CIALLY REALIGNED MASCULINITIES "Y FOCUSING SO EXCLUSIVELY ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A GAY MALE COSMOPOLITANISM THIS ESSAY RISKS PARTICIPATING IN THE ROUTINE hSUBORDI NATION OF ALTERNATIVE MASCULINITIESv THAT *UDITH (ALBERSTAM EXPLORES IN HER WRITING 7HAT (ALBERSTAM DESCRIBES AS hLESBIAN COUNTERPRODUCTIONS OF FEMALE MASCULIN ITYv NEEDS TO BE APPRAISED VIS Ì VIS 'AY 3HAME JUST AS ANY POTENTIAL COMPLICITY WITH DOMINANT WHITE MASCULINITY REQUIRES APPRAISAL ) HOPE TO EXPAND MY ANALYSIS IN THIS DIRECTION AND ) HOPE TO READ FURTHER ELABORATIONS OF THE VARIOUS ALIGNMENTS OF RACE GENDER AND NATION AT 'AY 3HAME AND WITHIN QUEER THEORY 3EE *UDITH (AL BERSTAM &EMALE -ASCULINITY $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 4HE REFERENCE MADE AT THE CONFERENCE BY %LLIS (ANSON IS TO %VE 3EDG WICKS DISTINCTION BETWEEN PARANOID AND REPARATIVE CRITICISM IN HER ESSAY h0ARA NOID 2EADING AND 2EPARATIVE 2EADING OR 9OURE 3O 0ARANOID 9OU 0ROBABLY 4HINK 4HIS %SSAY )S ABOUT 9OUv 3EE %VE +OSOFSKY 3EDGWICK 4OUCHING &EELING !FFECT 0EDAGOGY 0ERFORMATIVITY $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS ) WORRY THAT 3EDGWICKS ESSAY ENDORSES THE KIND OF UNIMAGINATIVE LISTENING THAT PRO TECTS A CLOSED CORE OF QUEER THEORY FROM UNWELCOME TROUBLING -ORE SIGNIlCANT 3EDGWICK ADOPTS THE CATEGORY hPARANOIDv WITHOUT A CONSIDERATION OF THE GENDERED AND RACED HISTORY OF SUCH PATHOLOGIZING CATEGORIES AS THEY HAVE BEEN VARIOUSLY ENLISTED WITHIN THE HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES AND WITHIN THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF THE ACADEMY IN WAYS CONTINGENT ONYET EXCEEDINGTHEIR CLINICAL ETIOLOGIES )F ) MAY RISK A GENERALIZATION AN hESSENTIALISMv EVEN !LL COLORED ACADEMICS KNOW THAT EXPRESSION OF SINCERE YET DUBIOUS CONCERN THAT UNMISTAKABLE ARE YOU SURE YOURE NOT JUST BEING TOO SENSITIVE LOOK ON THE FACES OF THEIR TRUSTED GOOD WHITE LIBERAL FRIENDS %VEN WHEN THE QUESTION IS ARTICULATED IN THAT FAMILIAR PRACTICED TONE OF AGGRESSIVE APPREHENSION IT IS NEVER REALLY A QUESTION AT ALL BUT RATHER AN IMPERVIOUS ACCUSA TION OF PARANOIA -Y OTHER CONCERN WITH 3EDGWICKS RECYCLING OF PARANOIA IS ITS PRESUMPTION THAT ANY CRITICISM DEEMED hPARANOIDv WAS NECESSARILY AND NAIVELY DIRECTED AT AUTHOR INTENTION THAT IS 3EDGWICK MEANS ME OR MY KIND HARM 4HIS ULTIMATELY PROVIDES A WAY TO DEmECT CRITICISM THAT CONFRONTS HOW WORDS AND IMAGES ACTUALLY DO INJURE PEOPLE )T ALSO MINIMIZES THE AUTHORS ACCOUNTABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE EFFECTS OF HER WORDS 7ITNESSING TOO OFTEN THE DEVASTATION EXACTED BY THE ,EFTS hGOOD INTENTIONS v ) DO NOT CARE MUCH ABOUT THE QUESTION OF GOOD OR BAD INTENTIONS !S A CRITIC ) AM CONCERNED WITH THE EFFECTS OF WORDS AND IMAGES ON LIVES ) DO HOWEVER ALSO DIRECT MY ANALYSIS ON MOTIVATION WHICH ) UNDERSTAND AS A
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VERY DIFFERENT PROBLEM FROM INTENTION -OTIVATION INTRODUCES DIFFERENT QUESTIONS FROM THE MORE ATOMISTIC PROBLEM OF INTENTION 2ATHER THAN POSITING INDIVIDUAL CONSCIOUSNESS AS ITS END THE QUESTION OF MOTIVATION LOOKS TO THE DYNAMICS OF GROUP IDENTITY FORMATION AND THE FANTASIES AND DESIRES THEY GENERATE $OUGLAS #RIMP h-ARIO -ONTEZ &OR 3HAME v IN 2EGARDING 3EDGWICK %SSAYS ON 1UEER #ULTURE AND #RITICAL 4HEORY ED 3TEPHEN - "ARBER AND $AVID , #LARK .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE )N A MANUSCRIPT IN PROGRESS ) FURTHER PURSUE -ARTINS ARGUMENT ABOUT THE hlXITYv OF GENDER IN QUEER THEORIZING SPECIlCALLY IN REFERENCE TO #RIMPS DISCUS SION OF THE hEXTRAORDINARY CRUELTYv OF 7ARHOLS lLMS -ORE SPECIlCALLY ) EXAMINE THE TREATMENT OF %DIE 3EDGWICK IN "EAUTY IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH AN INDIVISIBILITY THAT BINDS WHITE HETEROSEXUAL AND GAY MALE IDENTITIES !LTHOUGH DIFFERENTLY MOTI VATED THERE ARE INSTANCES IN WHICH GAY MALE AND NORMATIVE HETEROSEXUAL DESIRES MAY SHARE IN A PATRIARCHAL INVESTMENT TO ANNIHILATE THE FEMALE BODY $ESIRE AND IDENTIlCATION ARE AT ONCE REVERENT AND MURDEROUS 4HE HUMILIATION OF %DIE 3EDG WICK IN "EAUTY SECURES AN ONTOLOGICAL INTEGRITY FOR A WHITE MASCULINITY THAT IS NOT PARTICULARLY HETEROSEXUAL (ANSON CONTESTED THIS POINT (OWEVER HE CONCEDED THAT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TOO IRONIC HENCE MY MISUNDERSTANDING (ANSON DISAGREED CHARACTERIZING THE hMOVEv TO TRAUMA AS hEASYv 3EE +AI %RIKSON h.OTES ON 4RAUMA AND #OMMUNITY v IN 4RAUMA %XPLO RATIONS IN -EMORY ED #ATHY #ARUTH "ALTIMORE -$ *OHNS (OPKINS 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n &OR A DISCUSSION OF RACE SHAME AND THE VALUE OF TRAUMA THEORY TO THEORIZING BLACK IDENTITY SEE * "ROOKS "OUSON 1UIET AS )TS +EPT 3HAME 4RAUMA AND 2ACE IN THE .OVELS OF 4ONI -ORRISON !LBANY 3TATE 5NIVERSITY OF .EW 9ORK 0RESS ) REITERATE THAT THE CONFERENCE ALSO SUGGESTED NUMEROUS ALTERNATIVE IDEN TITY ALIGNMENTS ) ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT MY THINKING ON GAY SHAME RACE AND INSTITUTIONAL QUEER THEORY BENElTED IMMEASURABLY FROM THE PAPERS PERFOR MANCES AND INTERVENTIONS BY CONFERENCE SPEAKERS AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS INCLUD ING 'EORGE #HAUNCEY $EBORAH 'OULD *UDITH (ALBERSTAM ,ISA (ENDERSON (OLLY (UGHES ,IZA *OHNSON *OAN ,IPKIN %STHER .EWTON .OLAN /$ELL %LAINE 2OTH "ILL 3T !MANT 3ARITA 3EE #ARROLL 3MITH 2OSENBERG AND MANY OTHERS
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)PU3FEBOE#MVF2VFFSTBOEUIF&MFDUPSBM*NBHJOBSZ 4HE PUNDITS THE PUNDITS LIKE TO SLICE AND DICE OUR COUNTRY INTO RED STATES AND BLUE 3TATES RED STATES FOR 2EPUBLICANS BLUE 3TATES FOR $EMOCRATS "UT )VE GOT NEWS FOR THEM TOO 7E COACH LITTLE LEAGUE IN THE BLUE STATES AND YES WEVE GOT SOME GAY FRIENDS IN THE RED STATES "ARACK /BAMA )LLINOIS STATE SENATOR KEYNOTE ADDRESS $EMOCRATIC .ATIONAL #ONVENTION IN "OSTON
7ITH REFERENCES TO GAYS AND LESBIANS LET ALONE TO ANYTHING hQUEERv SO FEW AND FAR BETWEEN AT A $EMOCRATIC .ATIONAL #ONVENTION CAREFULLY SCRIPTED TO APPEAL TO A MINUSCULE MARGIN OF SO CALLED MODERATE UNDE CIDED VOTERS IN THE !MERICAN ELECTORATE "ARACK /BAMAS NOD TO hGAY FRIENDS IN THE RED STATESv SCORED A ROUSING OVATION FROM THE DELEGATES ON THE CONVENTION mOOR )N A RHETORICALLY SKILLFUL KEYNOTE ADDRESS /BAMA A CANDIDATE FOR THE 53 3ENATE REVISED A RECURRING TOPOGRAPHICAL TROPE TO DIAGNOSE THE DEEPLY FRACTURED CULTURAL AS WELL AS POLITICAL !MERI CAN LANDSCAPE )N THE WAKE OF THE HOTLY CONTESTED AND CATASTROPHICALLY RESOLVED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THAT SAW 'EORGE 7 "USH ASSUME HIS lRST PRESIDENTIAL TERM BY THE NARROWEST OF MARGINS LITERALLY BY ONE VOTE IN A DECISION ISSUED BY WHAT COULD BE CALLED hACTIVIST JUDGESv ON THE 53 3UPREME #OURT THE POLITICAL PUNDITRY TURNED TO THE hSLICED AND DICEDv ELECTORAL MAP AS IT DECLARED A hNEW CULTURE WARv DElNED GEOGRAPHICALLY 3OCIAL 4EXT n 6OL .OS n &ALLn7INTER ¥ BY $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS
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SELF CONGRATULATORY NARRATIVE ABOUT OUR TERRITORYOUR URBAN HAVENSAND JUST AS SELF RIGHTEOUS IN OUR CONVICTION THAT WHERE WE LIVE AFlRMS OUR BELIEFS AS THOSE SELF PROFESSED hRED BLOODED v RED STATE !MERICANS WHO ORGANIZE IN SCHOOL BOARDS AND STATE LEGISLATURES AGAINST OUR PURPORTED INmUENCE 4HOSE OF US LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE AND WORK IN URBAN HUBS HAVE BECOMEDARE ) SAY IT TOO PROUD OF OUR OWN hSAFEv ENVIRONS TOO COMFORTABLE IN OUR GENTRIlED QUEER ENCLAVES SITUATED AT A REASSURING REMOVE FROM THE IGNORANT 7AL -ART SHOPPING MASSES TO CONSIDER THE COALITIONAL POSSIBILITIES INTEL LECTUAL AND ACTIVIST WITH QUEERS INHABITING RURAL AND SUBURBAN SPACES /BAMAS COMMENT ABOUT hGAY FRIENDS IN THE RED STATESv BROUGHT THIS ALL HOME TO ME TO INDULGE IN THE FOLKSY CADENCE OF MAINSTREAM POLITICAL RHETORIC WHILE ) WAS WATCHING THE $.# WITH A GROUP OF QUEER FRIENDS MOSTLY ACADEMICS AND ARTISTS IN MY OWN COMFORTABLE IF UNAFFORDABLE hCRE ATIVE CLASSv GAY GHETTO IN A BIG CITY -Y INFORMAL DECIDEDLY UNSCIENTIlC FOCUS GROUP RESPONDED TO /BAMAS SHOUT OUT TO hGAY FRIENDS IN THE RED STATESv WITH A BARRAGE OF PITY AND SARCASM h4HOSE POOR THINGSv h'AY @FRIENDSSOON TO BE BEATEN BY TO A PULP BY ALL OF THEIR NEIGHBORSv h!LL ,OG #ABIN 2EPUBLICANS WITH BAD HAIRCUTS TEST TUBE BABIES AND MATCHING 3UBARUSv
7HILE ) ADMITTEDLY ISSUED SOME OF MY OWN CYNICAL BARBS AFTER HEARING /BAMAS IDEALISTIC RHETORIC ABOUT UNITY AND COMMON GROUND IN A h5NITED 3TATES OF !MERICA v ) HAVE IN RETROSPECT BEGUN TO IMAGINE HOW WE MIGHT AT THE VERY LEAST INTELLECTUALLY MOVE BEYOND THE GEOPOLITICAL PRESUMPTIONS THAT CONCEDE VAST TERRITORIES OF RURAL AND SUBURBAN SPACEREPRESENTED AFTER THE NATIONAL ELECTION AS SWINGING hPURPLE COUNTIESvTO A HOMOGENIZING POLITICAL AND AESTHETIC IMAGINARY 7RITING OFF THESE LARGE SWATHS OF hRED !MERICA v WHILE NOT THE ONLY CAUSE OF THE $EMOCRATS DEMISE IN THIS YEARS NATIONAL ELECTION PROVED DECISIVE IN THE FAILED IF MASSIVE AND IMPASSIONED EFFORTS TO DEPOSE 'EORGE 7 "USH BEFORE HE COULD DO MORE DAMAGE 7HILE THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON UNMARRIED GAY AND LESBIAN PARTNERS REPORTED BY THE 53 #ENSUS "UREAU THE NEWLY PUBLISHED 'AY AND ,ESBIAN !TLAS AND BOOKS LIKE 4HE 'REAT $IVIDE PERSUASIVELY SUPPORT THE CONCLUSION THAT OUR hGAY FRIENDS IN THE RED STATESv MUST BE WHITE HOMO NORMATIVE GAYS AND LESBIANS lXATED ON CAUSES LIKE GAY MARRIAGE GAY ADOP TION AND OTHER MAINSTREAMING PROJECTS POLITICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC THERE ARE SIGNIlCANT INTERVENTIONS BEING STAGED BY QUEER OF COLOR COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE RETRO REGIONS OF THE 5NITED 3TATES 'ROUPS LIKE 3OUTHERNERS ON .EW 'ROUND 3/.' FOR EXAMPLE HAVE ORGANIZED TO FOMENT A POLITI
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CALLY ACTIVE QUEER REGIONALISM IN THE 5NITED 3TATES BY BRINGING TOGETHER RACIALLY AND SOCIOECONOMICALLY DIVERSE QUEERS WHO LIVE AND WORK IN STATES LIKE !LABAMA !RKANSAS &LORIDA 'EORGIA +ENTUCKY ,OUISIANA -ISSIS SIPPI .ORTH #AROLINA 3OUTH #AROLINA 4ENNESSEE 6IRGINIA AND 7EST 6IRGINIA &OUNDED BY !FRICAN !MERICAN AND WHITE LESBIANS IN THE 3OUTH 3/.'S MISSION IS TO BUILD A hMOVEMENT ACROSS THE 3OUTH FOR PROGRES SIVE SOCIAL CHANGE BY DEVELOPING MODELS FOR ORGANIZING THAT CONNECT RACE CLASS CULTURE GENDER AND SEXUAL IDENTITYv 2ATHER THAN SUCCUMBING TO SOCIAL AND CULTURAL INEVITABILITIES DICTATED BY LOCATION OR INVESTING ALL OF ITS RESOURCES IN PUSHING GAY MARRIAGE 3/.' STRIVES TO BUILD QUEER CONSTITU ENCIES THAT ADVOCATE SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR CIVIL RIGHTS WOMENS REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND LABOR AND ANTIWAR CAUSES 7HAT 3/.' ENACTS AS POLITICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICE IS WHAT 2ODERICK &ERGUSON HAS NAMED hQUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE v A CRITICAL METHODOLOGY THAT DEMANDS INTERSECTING ANALYSES OF RACE ECONOMY GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN PROJECTS OF INTELLECTUAL AND POLIT ICAL REFORM 1UEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE AS PART OF ITS LARGER INTERVENTION ALSO EXPOSES THE DISTURBING INTIMACIES AMONG hCONSERVATIVEv AND hPROGRES SIVEv IDEOLOGIES AND AMONG BOTH hNORMATIVEv AND hQUEERv FORMATIONS 'ROUPS LIKE 3/.' WITH THEIR INSISTENCE ON PRACTICING QUEER GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM IN LOCATIONS THAT TO PUT IT MILDLY SEEM UNFRIENDLY AT BEST BRING TO THE FORE PRECISELY THIS PROBLEMATIC SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN NORMATIVE SPATIAL IMAGINARIES LIKE THE RED STATEBLUE STATE PARADIGM AND A QUEER URBANITY THAT FOCUSES EXCLUSIVELY ON BLUE STATE BASTIONS OF QUEER LIFE LIKE .EW 9ORK AND 3AN &RANCISCOOUR DESIGNATED SITES OF PROGRESSIVE ENLIGHTENMENT AND QUEER hSAFETYv 4HIS hMETRONORMATIVITY v AS *UDITH (ALBERSTAM DESCRIBED IN A WATERSHED ESSAY ON "RANDON 4EENA NEEDS AS ITS FOIL A hHORROR OF THE HEARTLANDSv MYTHOLOGY THAT PERPETUATES SOCIOECONOMIC STEREOTYPES ABOUT THE hIGNORANT PREJUDICESv BRED BY POVERTY AND SPATIAL ALIENATION 7HILE MANY OTHERS HAVE BEGUN TO EXAMINE AND CELEBRATE RURAL QUEER LIVES AS THE DISTINCT CULTURAL FORMATION EMBLEMATICALLY /THER TO METRO NORMATIVE DISCOURSES ) WOULD LIKE IN THIS ESSAY TO TURN TO A MURKIER SPATIAL DESIGNATION THAT ALSO PERFORMS A PERIPHERAL ROLE IN METRONORMATIVE ACCOUNTS OF QUEER CULTURE ) DISCUSS A MANIFESTATION OF QUEER SUBCULTURAL LIFE THAT IS ASSUMED TO BE LITERALLY SUBCULTURAL BELOW BENEATH OR EVEN WITH OUT hCULTUREv IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD AN EMERGENT QUEER AND RACIALIZED SUBURBAN IMAGINARY THAT TRAFlCS CONCEPTUALLY BETWEEN RURAL AND URBAN IMAGINARIES WHILE DISRUPTING THE SYMBOLIC CONTINUITIES OF EACH -Y AIM IS TO ENCOURAGE THE RECONlGURATION AND REORIENTATION OF QUEER AESTHETICS AND POLITICS AS IT ENGAGES WITH THE URBANRURAL BINARY CONCEIVED ON A LARGER SCALE AS THE RED STATEBLUE STATE PARADIGM YET ENACTED AS A REPRESENTA TIONAL AND POLITICAL STRUGGLE ON A MICROLEVEL AMONG COUNTIES AND SPECIlC STYLES OF LIVED ENVIRONMENT 2ATHER THAN OFFERING A DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS
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OF QUEER SUBURBANITY ) INSTEAD FOCUS ON THE CULTURAL COMPONENT OF THE TOPOGRAPHICAL SCHISM SAID TO DElNE THE GEOPOLITICS OF THE 5NITED 3TATES BY REVISITING THE CONCEPT OF hSTYLE v THE MOST RECOGNIZABLY URBANE AND POPULARIZED COORDINATE OF QUEER CULTURE 7HAT COMES AS A PASSING REMARK IN 4HE 'REAT $IVIDE DEPICTING METRO INHABITANTS AS PURVEYORS OF hVIBRANT POPULAR CULTURES TOLERANT ;OF DIFFERENCES IN= ETHNICITY CLASS TASTE AND SEXUAL ORIENTATIONv MY EMPHASIS CARRIES WITH IT THE CONCEPTUAL TOOLS FOR REEXAMINING AND ULTIMATELY DISMANTLING OVERSIMPLIlED TOPOGRAPHIES OF SEXUALITY IN THE 5NITED 3TATES !N UNDERLYING ARGUMENT OF 4HE 'REAT $IVIDE IS THAT TASTE REMAINS AN INDICATOR OF ENLIGHTENMENT BOTH CULTURAL AND POLITI CAL 4HIS IS ALSO AN ARGUMENT MADE EXPLICITLY AND IMPLICITLY IN A RANGE OF QUEER TEXTS PRIMARILY IN LITERARY AND CULTURAL THEORY COMPOSED MOSTLY BY GAY WHITE MEN 9ET A QUEER RECOURSE TO STYLE AND CREATIVITY ) ARGUE NEED NOT SERVE THE EXCLUSIVE FUNCTION OF MAINSTREAMING URBAN GAY WHITE MEN WITH A KEEN EYE FOR DECORATING SKILLS INTO THE POPULAR IMAGINARY AS FACILITA TORS OF THE GOOD LIFE FOR ALL &AR FROM REMAINING INNOCUOUSLY PROVOCATIVE OR ENTERTAINING STYLE CAN STILL PROVIDE AN APPARATUS FOR EXAMINING UNEVEN AND UNEASY YET PRODUCTIVE INTERCLASS AND INTERRACIAL ENCOUNTERS IN SPACES WHERE WE HAVE LIMITED OURSELVES TO IMAGINING ONLY DESPERATE OUTCOMES FOR QUEER SUBJECTS 4O ACHIEVE A NEW POLITICIZED FUNCTION HOWEVER STYLE ITSELF MUST BE hRE /RIENTEDv BEYOND THE CITY IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE 4HIS ESSAY THUS FOCUSES ON WHAT FUNCTIONS AS A QUEER DEVELOPMENTAL NARRATIVE OF MIGRATION WITHIN THE 5NITED 3TATES FROM AMORPHOUS SUBURBAN LANDSCAPES TO WELCOMING AND ICONIC URBAN CENTERS -Y PRIMARY EXAMPLES ARE TAKEN FROM THE 7EB AND PERFORMANCE WORK OF ,YNNE #HAN AN ARTIST WHO ANALOGIZES HER OWN MIGRATION AS A QUEER SUBJECT FROM THE SUBURBS TO .EW 9ORK #ITY WITH HER PARENTS IMMIGRATION TO THE 5NITED 3TATES FROM (ONG +ONG )N THE PROCESS #HAN HUMOROUSLY ENGAGES WITH HOW THE NARRATIVES OF LOCAL QUEER MIGRATION ARE INTERWOVEN WITH THE TROPES OF 53 IMMIGRATION !SSUMING THE CELEBRITY PERSONA OF ** #HINOIS A TRANSGENDERED POP IDOL DISCOVERED IN THE CATTLE RANCHING OUTPOST OF #OALINGA #ALIFORNIA #HAN ENDOWS ** WITH A SANGUINE NAÕVETÏ ABOUT RURAL RISK AND SUBURBAN ENNUI 3HE TESTS THE URBAN BOUNDARIES OF A QUEER TOPOGRAPHICAL IMAGINARY BY ROUTING **S STORIED DISCOVERY THROUGH STRIP MALLS AND SMALL TOWNS IN RED COUNTIES AND EVEN SOME RED STATES CUL MINATING WITH A lLMED LIVE APPEARANCE AS ** #HINOIS AT A DEMOLITION DERBY IN #HANS ** #HINOIS PROJECTS WITHOUT ESCHEWING THE METROPOLITAN HISTORIES AND DESIRES OF QUEERS REPRESENT SUBURBAN SPACES AS POTENTIALLY JOYFUL AND SEDUCTIVE SPACES OF A RACIALIZED AND GENDERED SELF STYLIZATION NOT FATED TO BE MARRED BY PSYCHIC DESPAIR AT BEST GRUESOME VIOLENCE AT WORST 4HE CLIMACTIC GUT BUSTING LYRICS OF h.EW 9ORK .EW 9ORKv TELL US h)F ) CAN MAKE IT THERE )LL MAKE IT ANYWHEREv #HANS WORK RESPONDS BY
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4VCVSCBO*NBHJOBSJFT )T TURNS OUT WE OVERESTIMATED THE POWER OF ARCHITECTURAL DETERMINISM 4HE SUBURBS HAVE PROVED mEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE WORKING MOTHERS AS WELL AS A GREAT MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF FAMILIES AND LIFESTYLES 3INCE ) LEFT THE 'ATES ITS WHITE NUCLEAR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN JOINED BY SINGLES AND GAYS !SIANS AND !FRICAN !MERICANS PEOPLE OPERATING HOME BUSINESSES AND EMPTY NESTERS 4HE WORLD THAT BUILT THE POSTWAR SUBURBS HAS PASSED AWAY AND YET THOSE SUBURBS STILL STAND REMODELED BY THE PRESS OF HISTORY 7HAT THEY HAVENT BEEN IS REIMAGINED OR RENAMED AT LEAST NOT YET -ICHAEL 0OLLAN h4HE 4RIUMPH OF "URBOPOLIS v .EW 9ORK 4IMES -AGAZINE !PRIL
$ESPITE THE EVOLVING ARCHITECTURAL FUNCTIONS AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE POSTMILLENNIAL SUBURBS THEIR TWENTIETH CENTURY MYTHOS OF HOMOGENEITY MANAGES TO ENDURE )N 7HITE $IASPORA 4HE 3UBURB AND THE 4WENTIETH #ENTURY !MERICAN .OVEL A STUDY OF WHITE MALE SUBURBAN NOVELS FROM THE S TO THE LATE TWENTIETH CENTURY #ATHERINE *URCA EXPLAINS HOW A hSUBURBAN AESTHETICSv WAS NOT ONLY PRODUCED BY THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPERATIVES OF A POSTn7ORLD 7AR )) !MERICA THAT INSPIRED A hWHITE mIGHTv FROM CITIES TO SUBURBS BUT PRODUCED IN TURN A POWERFUL CULTURAL MYTH ABOUT SUBURBAN LIFE THAT ACHIEVED SALIENCE AS A MASTER NAR RATIVE FOR THE WHITE MIDDLE CLASSES %NCAPSULATING A SANITARY IDEAL OF WHITE MIDDLE CLASS HOMOGENEITY AND hSAFETY v AS WELL AS ITS DARK UNDER BELLY OF PSYCHIC DYSFUNCTION AND SUFFOCATED PRIVILEGE THE SUBURBAN AES THETIC HAS ONLY RECENTLY BEGUN TO ACCOUNT FOR A NEW WAVE OF IMMIGRANTS QUEERS PEOPLE OF COLOR AND WORKING CLASS FAMILIES MANY OF WHOM WERE DISPLACED FROM URBAN CENTERS BY ENCROACHING GENTRIlCATION AND SKYROCK ETING PROPERTY VALUES WHO NOW FORM hMINORITY MAJORITIESv IN PLACES LIKE THE #ALIFORNIA SUBURBS .EXT &RIDAY THE SECOND lLM IN THE HIT &RIDAY FRANCHISE CRE ATED BY AND STARRING GANGSTA RAPPER TURNED (OLLYWOOD PLAYER )CE #UBE THEMATIZES THIS SHIFT IN THE SUBURBAN IMAGINARY BY BOASTING THE TAGLINE hTHE SUBURBS MAKE THE HOOD LOOK GOODv (IJINKS ENSUE WHEN )CE #UBES CHARACTER #RAIG MOVES TO THE 3OUTHERN #ALIFORNIA SUBURB OF 2ANCHO #UCAMONGA WITH HIS LOTTERY WINNING 5NCLE %LROY AND COUSIN $AY $AY IN AN EFFORT TO HIDE OUT FROM HIS FORMER RIVAL $EEBO WHO ESCAPED FROM PRISON AND IS LOOKING FOR PAYBACK 4HE lLM UNFOLDS AMID THE BACKDROP OF THE SMOGGY EXURBAN ENCLAVES EAST OF ,OS !NGELES DUBBED THE h)NLAND
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ITSELF A TESTIMONY TO INTERSECTING RACIALIZED AND CLASSED POP CULTURAL SIGNI lERS THAT INVOKE ORIENTALISM AND IMPERIALISM 4HE INITIALS ARE AN HOMAGE TO THE MAINSTREAMING OF S BLACK POPULAR CULTURE AN ECHO OF *IMMIE 7ALKERS SIGNATURE CHARACTER ** THE GHETTO FABULOUS DANDIACAL LOTHARIO WITH A HEART OF GOLD FROM THE SITCOM 'OOD 4IMES 4HE SURNAME IS AN EFFETE mOURISH ACCENTUATING A LINK BETWEEN COSMOPOLITAN AND IMPERIAL PROJECTS OF NAMING #HAN CRIBBED #HINOIS FROM HER lRST WIDE EYED ENCOUNTER WITH THE !SIAN RESTAURANTS OF 0ARIS AS WELL AS THE hFUSIONv 6IETNAMESE RESTAURANTS OF 3OUTHERN #ALIFORNIA THAT ATTEMPT TO CONVEY hA TOUCH OF CLASSv BY EVOKING &RENCH COLONIAL 6IETNAM AND A #ONTINENTAL JOIE DE VIVRE THAT MAKES hTHE ETHNICv PALATABLE TO DISCERNING CONSUMERS )N THE VARIOUS LIVE AND 7EB BASED INCARNATIONS OF HER ** #HINOIS PROJECTS #HAN WORKS TO TRANSFORM HER SUBURBAN IMAGINARY FROM SPRAWL TO SPECIlCITY BY TRADING ON AN IDIOSYNCRATIC REPERTOIRE OF PLACE NAMES AND STRIP MALL SITES TO CONSTRUCT HER SUBURBAN ARCHIVE OF WORLDLY KNOWLEDGE 4HE hWORLDLINESSv OF THIS SUBURBAN ARCHIVE IS CONTINGENT ON THE CLASSED RACIALIZED AND NATIONALIZED TROPES OF POPULAR CULTURE PARTICULARLY TELEVI SION AND 7EB CULTURE WHICH FUNCTION AS THE SURROGATE SITES AND CIRCUITS OF SOCIABILITY IN AN ARCHITECTURALLY DECENTRALIZED SUBURBAN CONTEXT
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4HE SECOND PAGE INFORMS US THAT **S hSTORY BEGAN A FEW YEARS AGO IN #OALINGA #ALIFORNIAv !NYONE WHO HAS EVER TAKEN A DRIVE ON )NTERSTATE BETWEEN 3AN &RANCISCO AND ,OS !NGELES OR WHO HAS READ THE .EW 9ORK 4IMES ARTICLE h4HE $AZED AND THE "ORED ON ) v WILL RECOGNIZE THIS PLACE NAME ABOUT MIDWAY THROUGH THE ROUTE NEAR A CORPORATE CATTLE RANCH (ARRIS 2ANCH #OALINGA IS DESCRIBED ON ITS CITY 7EB SITE AS A PLACE hNESTLED IN 0LEASANT 6ALLEY TEN MILES WEST OF )NTERSTATE v 4HE #OALINGA hLOCAL FACTSv COMMUNITY 7EB SITE SITUATES THE TOWN AT hTHE URBAN FRINGE OF A LARGE CITYv&RESNO ABOUT SIXTY MILES AWAY WHICH THE SITE BOASTS IS h#ALIFORNIAS SIXTH LARGEST CITYv #OALINGA CURIOUSLY SITUATES ITSELF AS A hFAST GROWING SUBURBv TO OVERCOME OUTSIDER PERCEPTIONS THAT IT IS A BACKWATER WASTELAND SOMEWHERE IN THE #ENTRAL 6ALLEY 7HAT COMES AS A SURPRISE IN **S BIO IS NOT JUST THAT ** USES THE ASPIRING SUBURB #OALINGA AS HIS GEOGRAPHIC SPRINGBOARD BUT RATHER THE SPECIlC SETTINGS IN #OALINGA WHERE **S hRAW THROATED VULNERABILITYv IS PURPORTEDLY DISCOVERED !CCORDING TO HIS BIO ** SQUANDERS HIS hPRODIGIOUS TALENTSv AS A hDIM SUM CART PUSHER AT THE LOCAL #HINESE RESTAURANTv 4HE SETTING FOR **S NIGHT SHIFTS THE h3TEER AND 3TEIN v IS MORE LIKELY TO EXIST IN #OALINGA YET THE NAME ITSELF IS CRIBBED FROM AN ESTABLISHMENT NOW RENAMED THE 3PUNKY 3TEER IN 2IVERSIDE A GOOD MILES SOUTH
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"Y CONmATING CONFUSING AND SUBSTITUTING ONE SUBURBAN SITE FOR THE NEXT #HAN USES A FAMILIAR HUMOROUS TROPE THAT PLAYS ON THE SUBURBS INl NITE INTERCHANGEABILITY 0LACES PEOPLE AND THINGS ARE SO SIMILAR FROM ONE SUBURB TO THE NEXT THAT IT MATTERS VERY LITTLE WHETHER PLACES LIKE THE 3TEER AND 3TEIN ARE ACTUALLY IN 2IVERSIDE OR #OALINGA SOME MANIFESTATION OF THE KITSCHY COWBOY STEAK HOUSE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE FOUND IN EITHER PLACE #HANS LOCATIONAL LICENSE HOWEVER REWRITES THE PUNCH LINE **S BIOGRAPHY ACTUALLY SUBSTITUTES ONE SUBURBAN SITE FOR THE NEXT FOR TWO DIFFERENTLY SITUATED AUDIENCES !S #HAN EXPLAINS ** #HINOISS URBANE AUDIENCES ARE EXPECTED TO lND A KIND OF SIGHT GAG HUMOR IN THE PLACE NAME #OALINGA WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT IT SIGNIlES AND WITHOUT REALIZING THAT ANOTHER LAYER OF HUMOR CAN BE DERIVED FROM THE DECIDEDLY OUTLANDISH NOTION THAT #OALINGA HARBORS A DIM SUM RESTAURANT 4HE SITE OF LOCATIONAL KNOWL EDGE FOR A QUEER .EW 9ORKER IN **S BIO WOULD BE -URRAY (ILL RECOGNIZABLE AS BOTH AN HOMAGE TO A PLACE NAME IN -ANHATTAN AND THE NOM DE STAGE OF A QUEER ENTERTAINER WHO HAS LONG BEEN BASED IN .EW 9ORK #ITY 5NLIKE THE COSMOPOLITAN READER OF **S BIO THE SUBURBAN READER MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY lND THE NAME #OALINGA IN AND OF ITSELF VISUALLY HUMOROUS 4HE SUBURBAN READER OF **S BIO HOWEVER MIGHT REVEL IN A DEEPER LEVEL OF
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SIGNIlCATION AND RECOGNITION 4O UNDERSTAND THE JOKE FULLY REQUIRES LIVING OR HAVING LIVED THE DEMOGRAPHIC SPECIlCITY AND INDEED THE IMPLICIT MIS ERY OF THESE SUBURBAN LOCALES SOMEWHERE IN THE VAST #ALIFORNIA EXPANSE ! SUBURBAN AUDIENCE IN #ALIFORNIA WOULD KNOW THAT THE SUBURBAN DIM SUM CART PUSHER WOULD MOST LIKELY BE FOUND IN -ONTEREY 0ARK THE SELF DUBBED h"EVERLY (ILLS FOR #HINESE v OR MAYBE OTHER DENSELY POPULATED !SIAN SUBURBS LIKE 2OWLAND (EIGHTS 7ALNUT OR 4ORRANCE BUT NOT #OALINGA /R RATHER THE !SIAN SUBURBAN AUDIENCE WHO LIVES IN -ONTEREY 0ARK OR WHO DRIVES THERE FOR DIM SUM FROM ANY ONE OF A NUMBER OF OTHER 3OUTHERN #ALIFORNIA OUTPOSTS WOULD REALIZE THAT THIS SUBURB IS WHERE YOU MIGHT lND A ** #HINOIS 4HE INSIDE JOKE IS ALSO FOR THE QUEER SUBURBANITE ** #HINOISS LUDIC OPEN SECRET IS NOT THAT HE IS A QUEER TRANSGENDERED !SIAN PERFORMER PASSING AS A BOY IN A PLACE THAT FAILS TO RECOGNIZE HIM BUT RATHER THAT ,YNNE #HAN THE .EW 9ORK #ITY ARTIST WHO HAS CREATED THIS PERSONA AND RE CREATED THESE PLACES SHARES IN AN INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THESE MUNDANE SHAME INDUCING SUBURBAN SPECIlCITIES 3HE AT ONCE PAYS TRIBUTE TO AND IS RECOG NIZED BY THE QUIRKY QUEER SUBURBANITE OF COLOR PAST OR PRESENT WHO HAS SHARED THE TRAGICOMIC REALITY OF KNOWING THE KINDS OF RACIAL ALIENATION THAT OCCUR IN THE #ALIFORNIA SUBURBS NOT JUST AMONG WHITES AND PEOPLE OF COLOR BROADLY DElNED BUT AMONG THE VARIED ETHNIC GROUPS THAT HAVE SETTLED IN THESE ENCLAVES AND KNOW IN WHICH GENERIC SITES TO LOCATE THEMSELVES AND SEEK EACH OTHER OUT 4HE COSMOPOLITAN QUEER ETHOS AS 7AYNE "REKHUS AND $EREKA 2USHBROOK HAVE EACH SUGGESTED RELIES ON THE REPUDIATION OF THE SUBURBS AND THE GLORIlCATION OF URBAN HOT SPOTS FOR ITS VENEER OF STYLISTIC AND IDENTITARIAN SUPERIORITY #HAN ENGAGES IN A GAME OF RECOGNITION WITH POSTSUBURBAN QUEERS WHILE INVITING A RETURN OF THE REPRESSED ENCOURAGING ANOTHER KIND OF hOUTINGv ALTOGETHER OF A SPATIAL FAMILIARITY WITH NOWHERE SPACES ** #HINOISS NARRATIVE INSISTS THAT FABULOUS QUEERS LITERALLY DO COME OUT OF hNOWHEREvFROM A MYRIAD OF SPECIlCALLY SITUATED AND POTENTIALLY EMBARRASSING NOWHERES THOUGHT TO BE AT ODDS WITH THE FORMATION OF THE QUEER RACIALIZED SUBJECT 4HE TOPOGRAPHICAL KNOWINGNESS THAT DISTIN GUISHES THE QUEER COSMOPOLITAN WHERE THE BEST DIM SUM IN THE CITY IS OR WHERE THE HAUTE CUISINE BEEF CHEEKS ARE PERFECTLY DONEIS SUBVERTED BY #HANS NARRATIVE OF ** #HINOISS DISCOVERY )N AN ECHO OF HER OWN PERSONAL NARRATIVE IN WHICH SHE LONGS TO FREQUENT SITES LIKE THE CORNER $ENNYS ALL NIGHT RESTAURANT AND OTHER SUBURBAN OUTPOSTS ** #HINOIS IS HIMSELF DISCOVERED IN GENERIC SUBURBAN LOCALES LIKE THE 0AYLESS 3HOE 3OURCE !S #HANS REVISION OF THESE SITES SUGGEST YOU HAVE TO HAVE CULTIVATED THE SKILLS OF SEEKING OUT PLACES LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE IN THE GENERIC EXPANSE OF THE SUBURBS TO ULTIMATELY lND THE RIGHT PLACES NOW THAT YOU ARE SOMEWHERENOW THAT YOU HAVE ARRIVED THERE IN **S CASE .EW 9ORK
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5PVSJOHUIF#BDLSPBET'SPN%JBTQPSBUPi%ZLFBTQPSBw -OST OF THE ** #HINOIS 7EB SITE IS NOT DEVOTED TO THE GLAMOUR OF THE BIG CITY THAT ACTS AS GLAMOURS GEOGRAPHIC MEASURE .EW 9ORK .EITHER DOES IT NARRATIVIZE **S ULTIMATE ARRIVAL IN .EW 9ORK #ITY AS A LIBERATION OR AS AN ATTEMPT TO mEE FROM HIS NOWHERE PLACES OF ORIGIN ** #HINOIS ULTIMATELY LEAVES SWEET HOME #ALIFORNIA FOR .EW 9ORK #ITY ALTHOUGH THE ROUTE HE TAKES AFTER -URRAY (ILL HELPS HIM CULTIVATE HIS hIDEAL COMBINATION OF TALENT AND VIRILITY WITHOUT BIAS IN EITHER DIRECTIONv IS NOT A STRAIGHT SHOT FROM OBLIVION TO BRIGHT LIGHTS BIG CITIES !S **S TOUR DATES SHOW US HE WEAVES HIS WAY FROM THE 7EST #OAST TO THE %AST BY STOPPING AT RED STATES AND RED TOWNS IN BETWEEN (IS TOUR DATES INCLUDE THE 0AYLESS 3HOE 3OURCE IN (YGIENE #OLORADO THE VETERANS BUILDING IN 0ROTECTION +ANSAS /+ %GGROLL IN "OWLEGS /KLAHOMA THE 3ANDOLLAR 26 0ARK IN 3OPCHOPPY &LORIDA AND THE $OUBLETREE )NN 2ECREATION #ENTER IN 3HANGHAI 7EST 6IRGINIA AMONG OTHER LOCATIONS !LL ARE PLACES THAT SEEM AS IF THEY SHOULD NOT EXIST YET ALL OF THEM ACTUALLY DO 7HILE NOT ALL OF HIS TOUR STOPS ARE CURIOUSLY ORIENTALIST IN PLACE NAME OR SETTING THERE IS A RUNNING MOTIF IN WHICH THE !SIAN IS INFUSED INTO UNLIKELY LOCALES (ERE #HAN RIFFS NOT ONLY ON THE INlNITE SUBSTITUTION OF THE LINKS IN CORPORATE CHAINS BUT ALLUDES TO A RACIAL IMAGINARY INFORMED BY MIDCENTURY DESIGNS APPROPRIATION OF hEXOTICv MOTIFS FOR PREFABRICATED ENVIRONMENTS IN THE SUBURBS /NE PUBLICITY STUNT EMPLOYED BY THE DEVEL OPERS OF SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL OUTPOSTS WAS TO CREATE THEME ENVIRONMENTS TO ENLIVEN OTHERWISE COOKIE CUTTER BEDROOM COMMUNITIES 4HE PROLIF ERATION OF S TIKI THEMED BARS AND ORIENTAL KITSCH LOUNGES IN SUBURBAN OUTPOSTS THROUGHOUT THE 5NITED 3TATES IS BUT ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW A $IS NEY INSPIRED CONSUMER IMPERIALISM MANUFACTURED A 0ACIlC 2IM EXOTICISM THAT SECOND GENERATION ARTISTS LIKE #HAN NOW EXPLOIT AND CELEBRATE AS A SIGNIlCANT COMPONENT OF THEIR OWN RACIAL IMAGINARY #HANS VISION OF HER OWN !SIANNESS THROUGH ** #HINOIS MEANWHILE HAS BEEN SHAPED BY AND IN TURN RESHAPES THE SUBURBAN STEREOTYPES OF RACE SHE ENCOUNTERED IN HER HOMELAND #UPERTINO #ALIFORNIA #HANS hDRAGv IS RACIALIZED AS WELL AS GENDERED AND SHE EXAGGERATES !SIAN AND WHITE ICONOGRAPHIES OF MASCU LINITY THAT CIRCULATED WITH SUBURBAN CACHE DURING HER FORMATIVE YEARS **S LOOK IS EQUAL PARTS "RUCE ,EE 3TEVE 0ERRY FROM *OURNEY THE ROCKER WHO
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IES AND 2EGIONS EXPLAINS #ALIFORNIA SHARES WITH .EW 9ORK #ITY A DENSE AND COMPLEX HISTORY OF IMMIGRATIONS AND MIGRATIONS ESPECIALLY IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY POPULAR IMAGINARY "OTH .EW 9ORK #ITY AND #ALIFORNIA SERVE IN #HANS WORK AS NATIONAL ENDPOINTS NOT ONLY AT THE COASTAL EDGES OF THE MAINLAND !MERICAN EXPANSE BUT ALSO WITHIN PHANTASMIC TRAJECTORIES OF A STILL EXTANT !MERICAN DREAM OF hCITIZENSHIPv IN WHICH QUEER SUBJECTS HAVE ALSO INDULGED &OR DIFFERENT REASONS THE URBAN AND SUBURBAN SERVE BOTH AS LAST STOPS IN A TRAJECTORY OF TRIUMPH AND FORTUNE FOR THE QUEER OF COLOR ASPIRANT AND AS BEACONS FOR STRANGERS FROM A DIFFERENT SHORE #HAN TRACES A PATTERN OF QUEER MIGRATION FROM THE SUBURBS TO THE CITIES IN PART TO ESCHEW HER OWN IMMIGRANT PARENTS INVESTMENT IN AN h!MERICAN DREAMv OF UPWARD MOBILITY THAT IMAGINES A hGOOD LIFEv FOR CHILDREN IN THE SUBUR BAN CONTEXT 9ET WHAT ALSO DISTINGUISHES #HANS ** #HINOIS PROJECT IS THAT IT REFUSES TO PASS OVER THE POINTS OF TRANSIT TO AND FROM EMBLEMATIC SITES OF MIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION LIKE #ALIFORNIA AND .EW 9ORK "Y SITUATING **S TOUR STOPS IN CHAIN STORES AND RECREATIONAL CENTERS WITHIN THE hmYOVER ZONESv OF THE 5NITED 3TATES #HAN OFFERS AN IMAGINATIVE MAPPING OF QUEER LOCAL MIGRA TIONS TO COMPLEMENT AND COMPLICATE MORE GLOBAL RENDITIONS OF DIASPORA 4HE SPATIAL AND SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS OF DYKES OF COLOR WHO CULTIVATE THEIR SEXUALITY IN THE hMIDDLE OF NOWHEREv ARE OFTEN MISPLACED AND SUBSUMED IN PERPETUAL REIMAGININGS OF GLOBAL IMMIGRATION RATHER THAN PROPERLY SITUATED
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IN THEIR OWN HISTORIES OF LOCAL MIGRATION !S 'AYATRI 'OPINATH PREDICTED EARLY ON IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT QUEER DIASPORA DIASPORA ITSELF MIGHT BE A LIMITING TERM AND CONCEPT INSOFAR AS IT RELIES ON hCONVENTIONAL IDEOLOGIES OF GENDER AND SEXUALITYv WHILE TAKING FOR GRANTED THE SPATIAL AND AESTHETIC HIERARCHIES BETWEEN lRST AND THIRD WORLD SPACES )N THE INTEREST OF REMAPPING THE SPATIAL TERRAIN AND THE STYLISTIC EMBODI MENTS THAT COME WITH QUEER TOPOGRAPHIES ) HAVE CHOSEN TO CONCOCT THE NEOLOGISM DYKEASPORA TO DESCRIBE THE TRANSLOCAL HOMOSEXUALITY MADE LEG IBLE BY THE MOVEMENTS WITHIN THE 5NITED 3TATES DEPICTED IN #HANS ** #HINOIS PROJECTS $YKEASPORA ADMITTEDLY LACKS THE THEORETICAL DIGNITY OF THE WORD ON WHICH IT PLAYS DIASPORA A LONGING FOR A SENSE OF HOME AFTER THE DISPERSION FROM hORIGINALv SITES RICH WITH hAUTHENTICv HISTORIES AND CULTURES ! DIASPORIC SUBJECT IS BURDENED WITH AN IMPOSSIBLE DESIRE FOR ANCESTRAL AUTHENTICITY THAT LOOKS ELSEWHERE TO A PLACE OF ORIGIN FOR A SENSE OF STYLISTIC AND EXISTENTIAL ORIGINALITY 4HE NOSTALGIA THAT SOMETIMES ACCOMPANIES DIASPORIC YEARNINGS FOR A PLACENESS IMBUED WITH ORIGINALITY BOTH REAL AND IMAGINED IS NOTABLY MUTED IN MY VISION OF THE SUBURBAN DYKEASPORA INSOFAR AS THE SUBURBAN SITES THAT SERVE AS POINTS OF ORIGIN FOR THE DYKEASPORIC SUBJECT DEMAND AN IRONIZED MIMICRY OF LONGING OR A VIGOROUS DISTANCING FROM THE POINT OF lRST CONTACT WHERE THE CULTURES IMPORTED BY ONES PARENTS BECOME ASSIMILATED INTO A SUBURBAN NARRATIVE OF SUCCESS 4HE ETYMOLOGICAL FAILING OF DYKEASPORA ITS EXCISION OF THE hDIAv THAT SIGNIlES MOVEMENT AND DISPERSION IS ) WOULD ARGUE PRECISELY WHAT OPENS THE TERM TO A QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE THAT COULD CHALLENGE NORMATIVE NOTIONS OF SPACE IN QUEER AS WELL AS HETERONORMATIVE CONTEXTS ,ITERALLY DYKEASPORA WOULD TRANSLATE INTO DYKE SEED A PHRASE UNFOR TUNATELY EVOCATIVE OF THE LESBIAN BABY BOOM THAT BELIES A HOMONORMATIVE INVESTMENT IN BOURGEOIS FAMILIAL STRUCTURES AND LIVED ENVIRONMENTS 9ET ) WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THE DYKE SEED CONTAINED WITHIN THE TERM DYKEAS PORA NEED NOT BE SUBSUMED BY A REPRODUCTIVE IMAGINARY )NSTEAD IT MAKES LEGIBLE THE QUEER DEVELOPMENTAL NARRATIVES THAT UNDERLIE THE QUEER SUBJECTS MOVEMENTS FROM SUBURBS AND SMALL TOWNS TO CITIES )NDEED DYKEASPORA IS AN APPROPRIATELY ARTIlCIAL TERM THAT CAN REFER VERY PRECISELY TO THE PROCESS OF SELF STYLIZATION AND SELF GENERATION THAT INITIATES THE MOVEMENT WITH WHICH #HAN EXPERIMENTS IN MAKING THE hSTARv PERSONA ** #HINOIS #HANS MODULATION OF SUBURBAN ENNUI INTO A LUDIC KEY WHILE REPUDIATING THE PSY CHOANALYTIC FAMILIAL SAGAS SO OFTEN CENTRAL TO THE hWHITE DIASPORAv FROM CITIES TO SUBURBS ALSO DISAVOWS A HOMONORMATIVE URBAN QUEER RHETORIC OF hDANGERv AND DESPAIR ABOUT PERIPHERAL SPACES **S CONSTANT MOVEMENTS THROUGH SUBURBAN AND RURAL LANDSCAPES EQUIVOCATE THE IDEALS OF CHOICE AND LIBERATION THAT NORMATIVIZE QUEER NARRATIVES OF MIGRATION TO BIG CITIES !S MUCH AS THE ** #HINOIS FAN SITE
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DOCUMENTS HOW HE ULTIMATELY hARRIVESv IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE IN -AN HATTAN ** REFUSES TO SETTLE INTO THE QUEER COMFORT THAT CITY LIFE PROVIDES ** #HINOIS BECOMES #HANS VEHICLE FOR EXPRESSING A WILLINGNESS TO RETURN TO AND RECLAIM LOCATIONS THAT WE OFTEN QUICKLY CONCEDE ARE hNOT FOR USv 7HAT BEGAN AS AN EXPERIMENT IN SELF STYLIZATION AND TOPOGRAPHICAL TRACK ING USING THE PHANTASMIC SPACE OF THE 7ORLD 7IDE 7EB BECAME #HANS POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR A LIVE DEMONSTRATION OF **S ABILITY TO MAKE A SCENE IN SPACES BEYOND QUEER COSMOPOLES )N #HAN INTRODUCED ** #HINOIS TO THE TOWNSPEOPLE OF 3KOWHEGAN -AINE WHERE HE ENTERED THE DEMOLITION DERBY AT THE 3KOWHEGAN 3TATE &AIR ONE OF THE NATIONS OLDEST COUNTRY FAIRS ESTABLISHED IN TO hIMPROVE THE BREEDING OF LIVESTOCK WITH PARTICU LAR EMPHASIS BEING PLACED UPON THE BETTERMENT OF BREEDS OF HORSES AND CATTLEv 2ATHER THAN FOCUSING ON THE PRESUMED hFEARv OR VIOLENCE SHE MIGHT ENCOUNTER AS A QUEER SUBJECT ENTERING THE FAMILIAL HETERONORMATIVE ARENA OF THE STATE FAIR SETTING #HAN INSTEAD VIEWED THE DEMOLITION DERBY AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE PLACED ON RISK AND VIOLENCE ) LIKED THE IDEA OF THIS SORT OF NICHE ARENA OF MASCULINE COMPETITION THAT COMBINES RIDICULOUS COMEDY BUT REAL VIOLENCE OR REAL RISK ) WANTED TO TAP INTO THAT COLLECTIVE FASCINATION WITH VIOLENCE AND ENTERTAINMENT ) THINK THE $ERBY PROVED ITSELF TO BE AN IMPORTANT COUNTERPOINT TO **S FANSITE ! FANSITE IS ULTIMATELY A BIT OF A SAFE SPACE ITS FOR THE ALREADY SEDUCED AND ONCE ITS SET UP THAT lCTION IS SET IN PLACE ) THINK ITS ONE THING TO TALK ABOUT THE WEB AS SOME UTOPIAN IDEAL OF ACCESSING A LIMITLESS AUDIENCE "UT CLOSER TO THE TRUTH A FAN COMMUNITY IS ALSO A lCTION !CTUALLY BEING IN PUBLIC SPACE AND INTRODUCING A PERSONA TAUGHT ME ABOUT PEOPLES ASSUMPTIONS AND MY OWN ASSUMPTIONS
!S ) SHOW **S DEBUT IN THE DOWN HOME ENVIRONMENT OF THE 3KOWHEGAN 3TATE &AIRAN ANNUAL EVENT THAT BOASTS ON ITS 7EB SITE LIVE APPEARANCES BY SUCH lGURES AS h*OEY #HILTWOODS ;OF= THE AUTO THRILL SHOW AND THE NATIONS POPULAR COUNTRY GROUP !SLEEP AT THE 7HEELv PROVIDES A FASCINATING MODEL OF CULTURAL hENCOUNTERv THAT PRESENTS A TEMPLATE FOR REIMAGINING THE GEOPOLITICAL PARADIGMS OF SPACE THAT HAVE INHIBITED QUEER MOVEMENTS 4HE TAUT AND TAN h9OUNG 2EPUBLICANv IN THE BESMIRCHED MUSCLE SHIRT HUNCHED OVER HIS CUSTOMIZED RIDE IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS NONE OTHER THAN ** #HINOIS 7HILE IT ECHOES THE ALLURING ANIMATED SILHOUETTE OF ** FEATURED ON THE lRST PAGE OF HIS FAN SITE THIS IMAGE FROM THE 3KOWHEGAN 3TATE &AIR INDULGES IN A MORE EARNEST AND EFFORTLESS RENDITION OF **S WORKING CLASS MASCULINITY AS HE MOVES FROM THE REPRESENTATIONAL SPACE OF THE 7EB TO A LIVE ARENA -ANY OF THE BACKGROUND IMAGES ON **S FAN SITE FEATURE HIM IN VARIOUS SHADOWY PROlLED POSES INCLUDING ONE IN WHICH HE STRIKES A CLASSIC MUSCLE MAG BICEP CURL )N THIS PHOTOGRAPH OF ** ASSESSING HIS ENTRY INTO
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THE 3KOWHEGAN DEMOLITION DERBY THE CAMPY BICEP CURL HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH JUST ENOUGH COCKY VIRILE LEAN TO REVEAL NATURALLY THE TONED CONTOUR OF HIS UPPER ARM 4HE PHOTOGRAPH PROVIDES A STUDY IN UNSTUDIED MASCULIN ITY OR AT THE VERY LEAST IN A MASCULINITY STRIVING TO ACHIEVE AN UNSTUDIED PRESENTATION !S #HAN EXPLAINS SHE CHOSE **S DEMEANOR AND ATTIRE FOR THE DEMOLITION DERBY IN PART AS A RESPONSE TO WHOM SHE ANTICIPATED **S AUDIENCES MIGHT BE AT THE FAIR h4HE 9OUNG 2EPUBLICAN T SHIRT WAS AN IN JOKE ON MY PART )T KIND OF SUMMED UP THE LOOK ) WAS GOING FOR WHITE TRASH PATRIOTIC MACHO !LL THE THINGS ) WENT IN ASSUMING MY AUDIENCE WOULD BEv )NDEED VARIOUS OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THE DEMOLITION DERBY AT THE 3KOWHEGAN 3TATE &AIR ENTERED THE CONTEST FOR PATRIOTIC CAUSES LIKE hRAISING MONEY FOR THE TROOPSv IN )RAQ SO #HANS ASSUMPTIONS WERE NOT ENTIRELY OFF THE MARK 9ET HER EXPERIENCES IN 3KOWHEGAN IN PREPARATION FOR THE DERBY AND AFTER THE DERBY ITSELF CONFOUNDED #HANS OWN EXPECTATIONS ABOUT **S TRANSITION FROM THE 7EB TO A TOUR STOP IN LIVE SPACE **S TOUR STOPS ON THE WEB WERE AN IMAGINARY JOURNEY ACROSS MID !MERICA OR ALL THE SUPPOSED NON PLACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY )D NEVER EXPERIENCED A STATE FAIR WITH A DEMOLITION DERBY -Y INTERACTIONS WITH THE FRIENDS ) MADE IN TOWN AND THE PEOPLE IN THE CROWD MADE ME REALIZE THAT ) HAD MY OWN ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHO MY AUDIENCE WAS /NE OF THE MOST REWARDING PARTS
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OF ENTERING THE COMPETITION WAS DEVELOPING FRIENDSHIPS WITH PEOPLE IN TOWN WHO ENDED UP HELPING ME OUT IMMENSELY ) DEVELOPED A GENUINE RAPPORT WITH THE OLD COUPLE THAT SOLD ME THE CAR !L AND "ETTY 2OSS A MECHANIC IN TOWN WAS THE MAIN PERSON WHO HELPED ME MODIFY AND TUNE UP MY CAR (E ALSO GAVE ME IMPORTANT ADVICE ON DERBY STRATEGY (E HAPPENED TO BE ONE OF THE lNALISTS IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND CONVINCED ME THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF COMPETING WAS hWINNING THE CROWDv
(AVING TALKED THE TALK ON THE )NTERNET #HAN WANTED TO WALK THE WALK AT THE STATE FAIR AND ULTIMATELY DISCOVERED THAT EXPECTATIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF 4HE 'REAT $IVIDE WERE OPEN TO REINTERPRETATION #HAN ACKNOWLEDGES HAV ING ENTERED THE COMPETITION WITH A hCOSMOPOLITAN BIAS v A PREDISPOSITION TO ASSUME HER AUDIENCES MIGHT NOT HAVE THE CRITICAL CAPACITY TO hGET THE JOKE v EVEN THOUGH THE ORIGINAL 7EB INCARNATION OF THE ** #HINOIS PROJECT DELIBERATELY INDULGED IN A UTOPIAN FANTASY ABOUT COMMONALITY AND TRANS FORMATIVE ENCOUNTERS THROUGH FANDOM 3HE CAME TO REALIZE HOWEVER THAT HER CYBERSPACE ACCOUNT OF ** SEDUCING THE MASSES IN HEARTLAND SETTINGS WAS NOT ENTIRELY OFF THE MARK 3HE SPEAKS WARMLY OF h!L AND "ETTYv AND h2OSS THE MECHANIC v THE LOCAL FOLKSY lGURES WHO OFFERED ** SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT IN HIS QUEST TO BECOME THE 3KOWHEGAN DEMOLITION DERBY CHAMPION 4HE QUAINT TOWNSFOLK WHO NURTURED **S DEMO DERBY DREAMS ARE A FAR CRY FROM THE FAN BASE DESCRIBED ON THE ** #HINOIS FAN SITETHE hTEENS DILETTANTES STARLETS CELEBRITIES AND THOSE WHO MAKE THEM CELEBRI TIESv 7HILE ** CERTAINLY SEDUCED THEM THEIR EARNEST ASSISTANCE WITH **S DERBY ASPIRATIONS IN TURN SEDUCED #HAN AND ENCOURAGED HER TO REENVISION THE RANGE OF **S FAN COMMUNITY 9ET EVEN AS SOME OF THESE REMARKABLE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSES SUBVERTED #HANS ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HER AUDIENCE PART OF THE THRILL MANUFACTURED BY ** #HINOISS PARTICIPATION IN THE 3KOWHEGAN DEMOLITION DERBY WAS NOT SIMPLY THAT CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS ABOUT LOCALLY MARKED SUBJECTS WERE FRUSTRATED )N FACT MANY OF THEM WERE THRILLINGLY AFlRMED EVEN AS **S ENCOUNTERS WITH SOME LOCALS AND RETRO CROWDS YIELDED UNANTICIPATED OUT COMES !S #HAN REPORTS MANY OF THE STATE FAIR ATTENDEES WERE INDEED WHITE PEOPLE GATHERED TOGETHER FROM DECIDEDLY hRED COUNTIES v SOME WITHIN THE BLUE STATE OF -AINE SOME FROM hRED STATESv MUCH FURTHER SOUTH ALONG THE !TLANTIC #OAST -ANY OF THE THEM CAME FROM SUBURBS EXURBS AND RURAL TOWNS ESPOUSING THE VERY IDEALS ** IRONICALLY EMBODIED IN HIS 9OUNG 2EPUB LICAN TEEA MACHO CHIP ON THE SHOULDER WORKING CLASS PATRIOTISM MORE INVESTED IN THE SYMBOLS OF NATIONAL BELONGING THAN INTERESTED IN CRITIQUING THE NATIONAL POLICIES INSTALLED TO KEEP CLASS AND REGIONAL STRATIlCATION INTACT )N MANY RESPECTS THEY FULlLLED #HANS OWN QUEER FANTASY OF hTHE OTHER v OF THE OTHER AS AN ARCHETYPE OF CONTEMPORARY !MERICANA WITH ALL OF THE
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.!3#!2 TRAPPINGS ** ON THE OTHER HAND FULlLLED HIS AUDIENCES FANTASIES ABOUT A STYLISH AND OUTLANDISH CELEBRITY GLAMOUR THAT HAD TO HAVE BEEN IMPORTED FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THAT HAD TO REPRESENT DIFFERENT VALUES h0EOPLE RUNNING THE DERBY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD @lGURED ) MUST BE SOME KIND OF PORN STAR AND 'OOGLED MY WEBSITE WHICH ON SOME LEVEL SEEMED TO CONlRM SOME BELIEF ABOUT WHO THEY THOUGHT ** #HINOIS WASv ,IKE HER ** #HINOIS SITE WHICH PLAYED WITH THE SIGNIlERS OF GENDER RACE AND CLASS IN WAYS THAT MOVED BEYOND THE DRAMA OF hPASSING v **S APPEARANCE AT THE 3KOWHEGAN 3TATE &AIR LEFT BEHIND THE PARADIGM OF PASS ING AS A MEASURE OF SUCCESS )NSTEAD #HAN BECAME MORE INTERESTED IN STAGING A SCENE OF SEDUCTION ON A MASS LEVEL BY INVITING AND POTENTIALLY PROVOKING CONmICT AS SHE INSPIRED DOUBT CONFUSION AND EVEN A KIND OF MIMETIC RECOGNITION WITH HER APPEARANCE ) WASNT TOO CONCERNED WITH hPASSINGv IN THIS SETTING ) KIND OF NATURALLY PASS TO SOME EXTENT A LOT OF THE TIME AND ) THINK THAT ) DID TO VARYING DEGREES TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE THROUGH THE EVENT 9ET ) THINK ** REALLY WON OVER LOTS OF NEW FANS BY CONFUSING EXPECTATIONS ) THINK MANY PEOPLE PROBABLY REALIZE ON SOME LEVEL THERE WAS SOME KIND OF STUNT GOING ON WITH MY APPEARANCE /THERS SEEMED TO SIMPLY ACCEPT MY NOVELTY WHETHER IT WAS BECAUSE ) WAS BROWN AND DRESSED AND ACTED LIKE THEM OR AMBIGUOUSLY GENDERED !ND THEN TO SMALL CHILDREN ) REPRESENTED SOME KIND OF OTHER WORLDLY OR ;MAYBE= JUST SOME KIND OF /THER THAT THEY COULD PROJECT SOME KIND OF STAR STATUS ONTO PROBABLY THE MOST IDEAL REACTION ) WOULD WANT
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7HEN ) lRST RECEIVED AN INVITATION TO SPEAK AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF -ICHIGANS +VEJUI)BMCFSTUBN h'AY 3HAMEv CONFERENCE ) FELT IMMEDIATELY THAT THIS CONFERENCE WAS NOT FOR ME 4HE IDEA OF GAY SHAME FELT ANACHRONISTIC EVEN THOUGH ) KNEW ABOUT THE ACTIVIST GROUPS WHO ORGANIZED UNDER THIS RUBRIC TO CRITIQUE THE CONSUMERISM OF GAY PRIDE FESTIVALS 4HE MORE ) THOUGHT ABOUT THE CONFER ENCE AND ITS THEME THE MORE ) BECAME CONVINCED THAT GAY SHAME IF USED IN AN UNCRITICAL WAY WAS FOR BY AND ABOUT THE WHITE GAY MEN WHO HAD REJECTED FEMINISM AND A QUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE AND FOR WHOM THEREFORE SHAME WAS STILL AN ACTIVE RUBRIC OF IDENTIlCATION ! QUICK GLANCE AT THE LIST OF PARTICIPANTS A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE CONFERENCE CONlRMED THIS NOTION AS AT LEAST SEVENTEEN WHITE GAY MEN WERE SCHEDULED TO SPEAK OUT OF A LIST OF ABOUT FORTY lVE PARTICIPANTS AND ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE OF COLOR WERE LISTED FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT ) CONSIDERED SENDING AN E MAIL TO THE CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS TO ASK ABOUT THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLACE OF RACE IN QUEER STUDIES TODAY BUT ) THOUGHT BETTER OF IT AND PRESUMED THAT THE LIST OF PARTICIPANTS WAS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WOULD LOOK VERY DIFFERENT WHEN THE CONFERENCE BEGAN !S IT TURNED OUT THE LIST OF PARTICIPANTS DID CHANGE SLIGHTLY ONE OF THE QUEER PEOPLE OF COLOR INVITED 3AMUEL $ELANY COULD NOT ATTEND AND SO (IRAM 0EREZ WAS ONE OF TWO PEOPLE OF COLOR AT THE EVENT WHO WAS SPEAKING ON A PANEL AS OPPOSED TO MODERATING A PANEL !T A CONFERENCE WHERE DISABILITY STUDIES WAS GIVEN A PANEL ALL ITS OWN AND AN EXCELLENT PANEL AT THAT AND THE SCOPE OF THE DISCUSSION WAS SUPPOSED TO EXTEND BEYOND THE UNIVERSITY AND INTO ACTIVIST AND PERFORMANCE COMMUNITIES THE OMISSION OF PEOPLE OF COLOR OR AT THE VERY LEAST OF QUEERS EXPLICITLY WORKING ON RACE WAS OMINOUS (OW DO WE EXPLAIN THE ABSENCE OF BOTH A PANEL ON RACE AND SEXUALITY AND QUEER PEOPLE OF COLOR AT A MAJOR QUEER STUDIES CONFERENCE IN THE YEAR )S IT THE CASE THAT GAY SHAME IS NOT A RUBRIC THAT RELATES TO RACIALIZA TION (AS THERE BEEN NO RELEVANT WORK RECENTLY ON GAY SHAME AND RACE )S QUEER STUDIES WHITE )S QUEER ACTIVISM WHITE )S RACE SOMEHOW NOT AN IMPORTANT RUBRIC FOR QUEER STUDIES /BVIOUSLY THE ANSWER TO EACH OF THESE QUESTIONS IS hNOv THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK RECENTLY THAT FORE GROUNDS RACIAL PROCESSES AND INDEED IMPLICATES SHAME IN PRODUCING QUEER
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IDENTITIES .EW BOOKS BY 2OD &ERGUSON 2OBERT 2EID 0HARR *UANA 2ODRI GUEZ ,ICIA &IOL -ATTA AND $AVID %NG IMMEDIATELY COME TO MIND AND OLDER WORK BY *OSÏ %STEBAN -U×OZ $AVID 2OMAN AND *ACQUI !LEXANDER PROVIDE THE CRITICAL BACKDROP AGAINST WHICH AND FROM WHICH THIS NEW WORK EMERGES 1UEER WORK ON RACE HAS BECOME CENTRAL TO THE QUEER PROJECT IN ACADEMIA AND QUEER STUDIES HAS MOVED FAR BEYOND READINGS OF CANONICAL WHITE GAY MALE AUTHORS AND ARTISTS BY TENURED WHITE GAY MALE PROFESSORS 3O WHY AGAIN WOULD A MAJOR NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON QUEER STUDIES INCLUDE LITTLE TO NO WORK ON QUEER RACE BY PUBLISHED SCHOLARS IN THE lELD ) WANT TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION BY PROVIDING HERE AN EXPANDED VERSION OF THE PAPER ) GAVE AT THE CONFERENCE AND THEN CONCLUDE WITH A BRIEF SUMMARY OF A SERIES OF SKIRMISHES THAT DEVELOPED AT THE CONFERENCE AROUND THE TOPIC OF WHITE GAY MALE HEGEMONY )N THE COURSE OF THIS ESSAY SOME OF MY REMARKS PARTICULARLY THOSE DIRECTED AT WHITE GAY MEN ACTUALLY TAKE ON THE FORM OF SHAMING ITSELF 7HILE ) REALIZE THAT THIS PERFORMANCE OF SHAMING IS NOT THE BEST WAY TO DISLODGE ITS EFFECTS AND INmUENCE MY ARGUMENT THROUGHOUT IS THAT WE CANNOT COMPLETELY DO WITHOUT SHAME AND THAT SHAME CAN BE A POWERFUL TACTIC IN THE STRUGGLE TO MAKE PRIVILEGE WHITENESS MASCULINITY WEALTH VISIBLE ,ET ME SAY AT THE OUTSET THAT SOME NOT ALL OF THE WHITE GAY MEN BEHAVED AS IF THEY REPRESENTED A BLOCK INTEREST AT TIMES THE DISCUSSION WAS WHOLLY DOMINATED BY WHITE GAY MEN DISCUSSING ISSUES OF INTEREST TO OTHER WHITE GAY MEN AND THE POINT WAS MADE DURING ONE SUCH DISCUSSION THAT WHILE WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE WILLING TO WRITE AND THINK ABOUT WHITE NESS AND MASCULINITY WHITE GAY MEN SHOW VERY LITTLE INTEREST IN WRITING AND THINKING IN RECIPROCAL WAYS ABOUT RACE AND GENDER 4HIS KIND OF NARROW INTEREST IN THE SELF CAN ONLY BE TERMED IDENTITY POLITICS -Y HOPE HERE IS TO USE THE CONFERENCE TO UNRAVEL AND MAKE VISIBLE THE DEEPLY INVESTED IDENTITY POLITICS OF WHITE GAY MEN THAT HAVE OBSCURED MORE RADICAL AGENDAS THIS IS AN IDENTITY POLITICS MOREOVER THAT LIKE THE IDENTITY POLITICS OF OTHER WHITE MALE SCHOLARSHIP HIDES BEHIND THE BANNER OF hGENERAL INTERESTv OR SIMPLY hKNOWLEDGEv 4HE FUTURE OF QUEER STUDIES ) CLAIM DEPENDS ABSOLUTELY ON MOVING AWAY FROM WHITE GAY MALE IDENTITY POLITICS AND LEARNING FROM THE RADICAL CRITIQUES OFFERED BY A YOUNGER GENERATION OF QUEER SCHOLARS WHO DRAW THEIR INTELLECTUAL INSPIRATION FROM FEMINISM AND ETHNIC STUDIES RATHER THAN WHITE QUEER STUDIES
(BZ4IBNF"8IJUF(BZ.BMF5IJOH )N MY PRESENTATION AT THE 'AY 3HAME CONFERENCE ) OFFERED SOME THOUGHTS ON hGAY SHAMEv INTENDED TO PROVOKE AND ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION ) PRE
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SENTED MY REMARKS IN THREE SECTIONS EACH WITH ITS OWN POLEMICAL THRUST EACH WITH A SET OF QUESTIONS AND EACH INTENDED TO ADD TO A GENERAL CON CERN ABOUT THE ROMANTICIZATION OF GAY SHAME A ROMANTICIZATION THAT ) BELIEVE GLOSSES OVER BOTH THE PARTICULARITY OF THIS FORMATION AND THE DAMAGE OF ITS MYOPIC RANGE
4IBNF*TUP$IJMEIPPEBT2VFFS*TUP"EVMUIPPE )F QUEER IS A POLITICALLY POTENT TERM WHICH IT IS THATS BECAUSE FAR FROM BEING CAPABLE OF BEING DETACHED FROM THE CHILDHOOD SCENE OF SHAME IT CLEAVES TO THAT SCENE AS A NEAR INEXHAUSTIBLE SOURCE OF TRANSFORMATIONAL ENERGY %VE +OSOFSKY 3EDGWICK 3HAME AND 0ERFORMATIVITY (ENRY *AMESS .EW 9ORK %DITION 0REFACES
%VE +OSOFSKY 3EDGWICK AND OTHERS WHO HAVE WRITTEN SO ELOQUENTLY ABOUT GAY SHAME POSIT AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE OF SEXUAL SHAME THAT HAS TO BE RECLAIMED REINTERPRETED AND RESITUATED BY A QUEER ADULT WHO ARMED WITH A THEORETICAL LANGUAGE ABOUT HIS OR HER SEXUALITY CAN TRANSFORM PAST EXPERIENCES WITH ABJECTION ISOLATION AND REJECTION INTO LEGIBILITY COM MUNITY AND LOVE 'AY SHAME IN THIS SCENARIO BECOMES THE DEEP EMO TIONAL RESERVOIR ON WHICH AN ADULT QUEER SEXUALITY DRAWS FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE 4HE SEXUAL AND EMOTIONAL SCRIPTS THAT QUEER LIFE DRAWS ON AND THAT OPPOSE THE SCRIPTS OF NORMATIVITY ARE INDEBTED ODDLY TO THIS EARLY EXPERI ENCE WITH SHAME DENIAL AND MISRECOGNITION 7HEN WE SEEK TO RECLAIM GAY SHAME AND WE OPPOSE THE NORMATIVITY OF A hGAY PRIDEv AGENDA WE EMBRACE THESE AWKWARD UNDIGNIlED AND GRACELESS CHILDHOODS AND WE CHOOSE TO MAKE THEM PART OF OUR POLITICAL FUTURE 4HE ANNEXING OF SHAME TO QUEER WITHIN THE TEMPORAL SPACE OF hANTERI ORITYv HAS BEEN A HUGE PART OF SEVERAL INmUENTIAL PROJECTS IN QUEER STUDIES -ICHAEL 7ARNERS CRITIQUES OF hNORMAL v 3EDGWICKS THEORY OF hSHAME v AND ,EO "ERSANIS WORK ON hHOMOSv ALL lND RICH ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL VARI ANCE IN WHAT %LIZABETH &REEMAN HAS CALLED hTHE TEMPORAL LAG BETWEEN HOMO AND GAYv !ND IN $OUGLAS #RIMPS NEW WORK h1UEER BEFORE 'AY v QUEER IS VERY EXPLICITLY THE PREHISTORY OF GAY A HISTORY THAT MUST NOT BE LEFT BEHIND IN THE RUSH TO GAY PRIDE BUT WHICH MUST BE EXCAVATED IN ALL ITS CONTRADICTION DISORDER AND EROS 7HILE THESE PROJECTS MAKE SOME USEFUL DISCONNECTIONS BETWEEN QUEER LIFE AND THE SEEMING INEVITABILITY OF HOMO NORMATIVITY THERE ARE ALSO SOME PROBLEMS THAT ATTEND TO CHARACTERIZING SHAME AS NORMALS hOTHERv AND THEN POSITIONING IT AS A PAST THAT MUST BE RECLAIMED 4HE THREE MOST OBVIOUS PROBLEMS HAVE TO DO WITH GLORIFYING
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THE PRE 3TONEWALL PAST IDEALIZING YOUTH ITSELF THE TERRITORY OF GAY SHAME AFTER ALL AND AS ,AUREN "ERLANT SUGGESTS IN 2EGARDING 3EDGWICK %SSAYS ON 1UEER #ULTURE AND #RITICAL 4HEORY FOCUSING PERHAPS TOO MUCH ON INTERIOR ITY "ERLANT ASKS h-UST THE PROJECT OF QUEERNESS START @INSIDE OF THE SUBJECT AND SPREAD OUT FROM THERE v 7HY ARE THESE THINGS PROBLEMATIC 7ELL FOCUSING EXCESSIVELY ON A MYTHIC QUEER PAST OR OVERINVESTING HOPE IN A QUEER FUTURE OR BUILD ING A QUEER PROJECT FROM THE hINSIDE OF THE SUBJECTv ACTUALLY PRODUCES A ROMANTICIZED NOTION OF A GAY PAST THIS IS WHAT 2AYMOND 7ILLIAMS CALLS hTRADITIONv AND THEN NEUTRALIZES THE POTENCY OF CRITIQUES OF THAT PAST THAT EMERGE IN THE QUEER PRESENT IN A PRESENT DAY CONTEXT FOR EXAMPLE WE MAY lND THAT A CONTEMPORARY ANTIHOMONORMATIVE QUEER POLITICS EMERGES FROM RACIALIZED GROUPS AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES SPECIlCALLY AS A CRI TIQUE OF THE MYTHOLOGIZING OF THE QUEER PAST THAT GOES ON IN WHITE GAY COMMUNITIES &OR EXAMPLE -ARTIN -ANALANSAN HAS ALREADY MADE A VERY DIFFERENT CRITIQUE OF .ORTH !MERICAN GAY PRIDE CELEBRATIONS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE CRITIQUES MADE BY hGAY SHAMERSv AND THE TRADITIONS THAT THEY BOTH MOBILIZE AND CONSOLIDATE )N AN ESSAY ABOUT THE TWENTY lFTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS IN OF THE 3TONEWALL 2EBELLION TITLED h)N THE 3HADOWS OF 3TONEWALL %XAMINING 'AY 4RANSNATIONAL 0OLITICS AND THE $IASPORA $ILEMMA v -ANALANSAN SPECIlCALLY TOOK AIM AT THE INTERNATIONALIZING OF A 53 GAY MOVEMENT h7HO BESTOWS LEGITIMACY ON THE NARRATION OF 3TONE WALL AS THE ORIGIN OF GAY AND LESBIAN DEVELOPMENT 7HAT DOES THIS NARRATIVE OF ORIGINS ENGENDER 7HAT PRACTICES AND LOCATIONS ARE SUBORDINATED BY A PRIVILEGING OF 3TONEWALL AS ORIGIN v (IS QUESTIONING OF THE hGLOBALIZING OF GAY IDENTITYv REMINDS US OF THE GLOBAL FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH CELEBRATIONS LIKE GAY PRIDE TAKE PLACE BUT IT ALSO REVEALS THE PROBLEM OF UNIVERSALIZING DEBATES WITHIN WHICH GAY WHITE MEN OCCUPY ALL AVAILABLE POSITIONS AFTER ALL THE CRITICS OF HOMONORMATIVITY AND PRIDE ARE LIKE THE HOMONORMS THEMSELVES WHITE GAY MEN 2ECENTLY IN GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITIES WE HAVE WITNESSED A STARTLING NEW FOCUS ON GAY YOUTH 9OUTH GROUPS HAVE SPRUNG UP EVERYWHERE ALONG WITH GAY SCHOOLS AND GAY STRAIGHT ENCOUNTER GROUPS IN HIGH SCHOOLS 9OUTH GROUPS TO BE VERY GENERAL RESCUE YOUNG QUEERS FROM THE POTENTIAL BULLYING AND ISOLATION THAT AWAITS THE ADOLESCENT WITH SAME SEX DESIRES OR ALTERNA TIVE GENDERING AND THEY OFFER A SAFE SPACE AMONG PEERS AND COUNSELORS WITHIN WHICH TO DEVELOP CONTRARY SEXUALITIES 5NFORTUNATELY SOME YOUTH GROUPS ALSO INSTALL PERHAPS PREMATURELY BOTH A SENSE OF A lXED IDENTITY AND A CONTEXT OF HURT AND DAMAGE WITHIN WHICH TO UNDERSTAND THAT lXED SEXUAL IDENTITY -UCH OF THE ORGANIZING AROUND GAY SHAME IN ACTIVIST CIRCLES HAS COME FROM QUEER YOUTH WHO TURN THEIR REBELLIOUS INSTINCTS AWAY FROM STRAIGHT CULTURE AND DIRECT MANY OF THEIR MOST SEARING INDICTMENTS AT OLDER
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GAYS AND LESBIANS 4HE GENERATIONAL CONmICT THAT GAY YOUTH GROUPS INAD VERTENTLY INSPIRE WORKS IN TURN TO NORMALIZE THE TEMPORAL RHYTHMS OF QUEER LIFE 7HILE IN THE PAST QUEER INTERGENERATIONAL DATING ALLOWED OLDER MEN AND WOMEN TO PASS ON INFORMATION SEXUAL PRACTICES AND HISTORICAL INFOR MATION FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE OTHER NOW GAY YOUTH ARE hPROTECTEDv FROM THE hPREDATIONSv OF OLDER QUEERS )N THE PAST OEDIPAL DYNAMICS COULD BE AVOIDED IN QUEER COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THE DIVIDE BETWEEN YOUTH AND OLDER PEOPLE WAS UNDEREMPHASIZED NOW GAY YOUTH VERY MUCH WANT TO SUP PLANT AN OLDER GENERATIONS MODELS OF IDENTITY COMMUNITY AND ACTIVISM 'AY SHAME AGAIN WITH ITS EMPHASIS ON CLAIMING THE ABJECT MATERIALITY THAT hPRIDEv DISREGARDED INCREASES THESE GENERATIONAL DIVIDES AND ENABLES YOUNG GAYS TO DIRECT THEIR POLITICAL ANGER AT THE VERY GAY AND LESBIAN ACTIV ISTS WHO MADE GAY YOUTH GROUPS POSSIBLE IN THE lRST PLACE )N OTHER WORDS GAY SHAME HAS A TENDENCY BOTH IN ITS ACADEMIC AND IN ITS ACTIVIST INCARNATIONS TO BECOME A TOTALIZING NARRATIVE THAT BALANCES OUT THE CONSUMER FOCUS OF hGAY PRIDEv WITH THE FAUX RADICAL CHIC OF WHITE GAY SHAME BECAUSE OF ITS BINARY STRUCTURE SHAMEPRIDE THEN SEEMS TO HAVE COVERED THE ENTIRETY OF GAY EXPERIENCE 7HEN WE MAKE GAY PRIDE INTO THE SUM TOTAL OF CONTEMPORARY QUEER POLITICS WE SIMPLY ARE NOT LOOKING CLOSELY ENOUGH AT THE ALTERNATIVES 'AY PRIDE MAY WELL BE A MASSIVE CONSUMER OPPORTUNITY AS ITS CRITICS HAVE ASTUTELY POINTED OUT BUT NOT EVERYONE IS hBUYINGv &OR SOME FOLKS GAY PRIDE IS THE ONLY hGAYv THING THEY DO ALL YEAR FOR OTHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MARCH WITHIN ETHNIC GROUPS THAT TEND TO BE MARGINALIZED BY WHITE GAY COMMUNITIES MAKES GAY PRIDE AN IMPORTANT SITE FOR THE DISRUPTION OF A MONOLITHIC ASSOCIATION OF GAY IDENTITY WITH WHITE GAY MASCULINITY 'AY GROUPS LIKE 3!,'! 42)+/.% AND THE !UDRE ,ORDE 0ROJECT ARE NOT MERELY OFFERING THEMSELVES AS NEW TARGETS FOR NICHE MARKETING AT GAY PRIDE NOR ARE THEY ROUNDING OUT THE DIVERSITY PROCLAIMED BY THE UBIQUITOUS RAINBOW mAGS THESE GROUPS COME TO QUEER POLITICS WITH SPECIlC RADICAL AGENDAS SPECIlC FORMS OF QUEER CULTURE SPECIlC FORMS OF QUEER WORLD MAKING AND IN THIS RESPECT THEY ARE FAR REMOVED FROM THE mOATS THAT ADVERTISE A NEW GAY BAR OR A NEW GAY CHURCH OR A NEW GAY HARDWARE STORE 3O WHILE GAY SHAME STABILIZES THE PRIDESHAME BINARY AND MAKES WHITE GAY POLITICS THE SUM TOTAL OF QUEER CRITIQUE GAY SHAME ALSO HAS A TENDENCY TO UNIVERSALIZE THE SELF WHO EMERGES OUT OF A hSHAME FORMATIONv AT THE MICROLEVEL THE SUBJECT WHO EMERGES AS THE SUBJECT OF GAY SHAME IS OFTEN A WHITE AND MALE SELF WHOSE SHAME IN PART EMERGES FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING DENIED ACCESS TO PRIVILEGE !S ) DISCUSS LATER SHAME FOR WOMEN AND SHAME FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR PLAYS OUT IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND CREATES DIFFERENT MODES OF ABJECTION MARGINALIZATION AND SELF ABNEGATION IT ALSO LEADS TO VERY DIFFERENT POLITICAL STRATEGIES 7HILE FEMALE SHAME CAN BE COUNTERED BY
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FEMINISM AND RACIALIZED SHAME CAN BE COUNTERED BY WHAT 2OD &ERGUSON CALLS hQUEER OF COLOR CRITIQUE v IT IS WHITE GAY MALE SHAME THAT HAS PROPOSED hPRIDEv AS THE APPROPRIATE REMEDY AND THAT FOCUSES ITS LIBIDINAL AND OTHER ENERGIES ON SIMPLY REBUILDING THE SELF THAT SHAME DISMANTLED RATHER THAN TAKING APART THE SOCIAL PROCESSES THAT PROJECT SHAME ONTO QUEER SUBJECTS IN THE lRST PLACE 4HIS IS WHY AS "ERLANT STATES WE MIGHT WANT TO QUESTION THE NOTION OF A QUEER POLITICS THAT BEGINS hINSIDE THE SUBJECTv 4HE NOTION THAT SOCIAL CHANGE CAN COME ABOUT THROUGH ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SELF THROUGH A FOCUS ON INTERIORITY WITHOUT A CONCOMITANT ATTENTION TO SOCIAL POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS CAN BE A DISASTROUS TACTIC FOR QUEER STUDIES AND QUEER ACTIVISM &INALLY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GAY SHAME EVEN THOSE THAT WANT TO COUNTER A POLITICS OF PRIDE BETRAY A KIND OF CASUALNESS ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF SHAME ON OTHERS-ICHAEL 7ARNER WARNS ABOUT THIS WHEN HE WRITES h7HAT WILL WE DO WITH OUR SHAME THE USUAL RESPONSE IS TO PIN IT ON SOMEONE ELSEv 7ARNER IS EXACTLY RIGHT IN DESCRIBING HOW SHAME IS PROJECTED AWAY FROM THE SELF AND ONTO OTHERS WHAT HE IS LESS PRECISE ABOUT IS HOW THE PROJECTION OF GAY SHAME ELSEWHERE IS NEITHER RANDOM NOR UNPREDICTABLE &OR EXAMPLE IN THE INFAMOUS 7ARHOL 3CREEN 4EST THAT $OUGLAS #RIMP WRITES ABOUT IN h-ARIO -ONTEZ &OR 3HAME v WHICH WAS SCREENED AT THIS CONFERENCE THE BODY MADE TO BEAR THE VISIBLE MARKS OF GAY SHAME 7ARHOLS THE DRAG QUEENS THE VIEWERS FORCED TO SQUIRM UNDER THE CAMERAS GAZE AND BE PAINFULLY VULNERABLE BELONGS NOT TO A WHITE GAY MAN LIKE 7ARHOL BUT TO A 0UERTO 2ICAN DRAG QUEEN )N THIS EXCRUCIATING SCREEN TEST THE DRAG QUEEN CONSENTS TO BE A KIND OF MARIONETTE FOR A hCASTING DIRECTORv NOT 7ARHOL BUT 2ONALD 4AVEL WHO MANIPULATES -ONTEZ FROM BEHIND THE CAMERA AND ONLY EVER REGISTERS IN THE lLM AS A DISEMBODIED VOICE #RIMP GIVES US AN EXAMPLE OF -ONTEZS HUMILIATION 0OOR -ARIO .OW BEGINS HIS HUMILIATION 4AVEL TELLS -ARIO TO REPEAT AFTER HIM h&OR MANY YEARS ) HAVE HEARD YOUR NAME BUT NEVER DID IT SOUND SO BEAUTIFUL UNTIL ) LEARNED THAT YOU WERE A MOVIE PRODUCER $IARRHEAv -ARIO IS OBLIGED TO SAY hDIARRHEAv AGAIN AND AGAIN WITH VARIOUS CHANGES OF INmECTION AND EMPHASIS 4HEN TO LIP SYNCH AS 4AVEL SAYS IT h-OUTH @DIARRHEA EXACTLY AS IF IT TASTED OF NECTAR v 4AVEL INSTRUCTS -ARIO OBEYS BLISSFULLY UNAWARE OF WHERE THIS GAME OF PLEASING A PRODUCER NAMED $IARRHEA WILL LEAD
#RIMP ONLY MENTIONS THE FACT THAT -ONTEZ WAS 0UERTO 2ICAN IN PASSING TO POINT OUT THAT SOME OF THE RELIGIOUS ABJECTION TO WHICH 4AVEL SUBJECTED -ONTEZ WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY HUMILIATING BUT NOWHERE DOES #RIMP ADDRESS THE RACIALIZED DYNAMIC OF THE BROWN BODY DANCING TO THE TUNE WHISTLED BY AN INVISIBLE WHITE DIRECTOR AND NOWHERE DOES HE CREDIT -ONTEZ WITH SOME AGENCY IN HER OWN PERFORMANCE #RIMPS INTEREST IN THE -ONTEZ SCREEN TEST HE SAYS HAS TO DO WITH THE
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ENCOUNTER IT AFFORDS BETWEEN THE VIEWER AND hTHE OTHERS SHAME v A SHAME NONETHELESS THAT HE CLAIMS h7E ACCEPT AS ALSO OURS BUT CURIOUSLY ALSO OURS ALONEv #URIOUS INDEED THAT THIS SHAME THE OTHERS SHAME SO SEAM LESSLY BECOMES hOURSv HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN )S IT THAT THE WHITE VIEWER FEELS THE RACIAL SHAME OF WHITENESS BY WATCHING THE BROWN BODY SQUIRM )S IT THAT THE WHITE GAY VIEWER RECOGNIZES THAT HIS PRIDE DEPENDS ON ANOTHERS ABJECTION .OT EXACTLY #RIMP IMPLIES INSTEAD THAT HE WE ACCESSES HIS OWN SENSE OF VULNERABILITY BY WATCHING IT COURSE THROUGH ANOTHER BODY AND HE AFlRMS h) AM THUS NOT @LIKE -ARIO BUT THE DISTINCTIVENESS THAT IS REVEALED IN -ARIO INVADES ME@mOODS ME TO USE 3EDGWICKS WORDAND MY OWN DISTINCTIVENESS IS REVEALED SIMULTANEOUSLY ) TOO FEEL EXPOSEDv (OW PERFECT 4HE WHITE GAY MAN JUST LIKE THE WHITE GAY MAN IN THE !SIAN PORN lLMS DESCRIBED IN 2ICHARD &UNGS CLASSIC ESSAY h,OOKING FOR -Y 0ENIS 4HE %ROTICIZED !SIAN IN 'AY -ALE 0ORN v DOES NOT HAVE TO BE EXPOSED BECAUSE THERE IS A RACIALIZED BODY WELL POSITIONED TO BE EXPOSED IN HIS PLACE )N THE lLMS THAT &UNG DESCRIBED THE WHITE GAY MALE FANTASIZES HIS OWN VULNERABILITY BY IMAGINING HIMSELF AS AN !SIAN MAN WHEN HE IS BEING FUCKED $AVID %NG HAS EXPANDED ON &UNGS READING AND PROVIDED US WITH A NAME FOR THIS PROCESS RACIAL CASTRATION )N THE SCENE THAT #RIMP DESCRIBES -ONTEZ THE 0UERTO 2ICAN DRAG QUEEN PERFORMS HER CASTRATION SO THAT 7ARHOL4AVEL#RIMP CAN ACCESS THE PLEASURE OF HUMILIATION WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING TO EMBODY THE SHAME HIMSELF !S ,ARRY ,A &OUNTAIN 3TOKES RECENTLY WROTE TO $OUGLAS #RIMP IN AN OPEN LETTER h&OR ME THE SHAME OF -ARIO -ONTEZ BECOMES THAT OF &RANTZ &ANON FACED BY A CHILD WHO STARES AT HIM IN HORROR THE SHAME OF 'LORIA !NZALDÞA AND #HERRÓE -ORAGA AND !UDRE ,ORDE OF THOSE 0UERTO 2ICANS AND OTHER DIASPORIC PEOPLE OF COLOR SHAMED EVERY DAY FOR BEING A SUBJUGATED AND RACIALIZED PEOPLE AND PARTICULARLY THE SHAME OF THE 0UERTO 2ICAN QUEERv !T THE CONFERENCE WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE RACIAL DYNAMICS OF THIS SCENE #RIMP REFERRED THE AUDIENCE TO EXCELLENT WORK ON 7ARHOL AND RACE BY A GRADUATE STUDENT 4ARO .ETTLETON WHILE IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR #RIMP TO REFER TO THIS WORK IT ALSO HAD THE EFFECT OF ASSIGNING THE TASK OF REALLY PORING OVER WHITE GAY SHAME ELSEWHERE YET AGAIN
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4IBNF*TUP'FNJOJOJUZBT3BHF*TUP.BTDVMJOJUZ /BVIOUSLY SHAME IS MULTIFACETED AND CAN BE BROUGHT ON BY PSYCHIC TRAU MAS AS BRUTAL AS PHYSICAL BULLYING AND AS SEEMINGLY BENIGN AS MUTE INDIF FERENCE "UT THE PHYSICAL EXPERIENCE OF SHAME RECORDS IN DRAMATIC FASHION A BLUSH VERTIGO OVERWHELMING PANIC A FAILURE TO BE POWERFUL LEGITI MATE PROPERIT RECORDS THE EXPOSURE IN PSYCHOANALYTIC TERMS OF THE SUBJECTS CASTRATION BE IT RACIAL GENDERED CLASS BASED OR SEXUAL 3INCE
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GENDER IS THE DOMINANT FRAMEWORK IN PSYCHOANALYSIS ONE WOULD BE TEMPTED TO SAY THAT CASTRATION AS THEORIZED IN PSYCHOANALYSIS IS CENTRAL TO SHAME AND THAT SHAME IS CENTRAL TO FEMININITY )F THE CURRENT SOCIAL ARRANGEMENTS OF POWER RESERVE AND PROTECT CERTAIN FORMS OF LEGITIMACY FOR WHITE PHAL LIC SUBJECTS THEN INEVITABLY THOSE BODIES NEITHER WHITE NOR PHALLIC WILL lND THAT THEIR MATURATION PROCESSES AND EVEN THEIR ADULT LIVES MUST PASS THROUGH THE TERRITORY OF SHAME !ND AT THE SAME TIME WHITE AND PHAL LIC SUBJECTS WILL lND THAT THEIR ONLY SHAME MAY LIE IN NOT CLAIMING THEIR HISTORICALLY MANDATED PRIVILEGE !ND SO THE SHAME EXPERIENCED BY WHITE GAY MEN IN CHILDHOOD HAS TO DO WITH EXPOSING THEIR FEMININITY AND DRA MATIZING THEIR FAILURE TO ACCESS THE PRIVILEGE THAT HAS BEEN SYMBOLICALLY RESERVED FOR THEM 4HE SISSY BOY IS THE INCARNATION OF SHAME AND SO WE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO lND THAT THE CENTERPIECE OF TODAYS GAY PRIDE MOVEMENTS HAS TO DO WITH RECLAIMING GAY MASCULINITY )T NEEDS TO BE POINTED OUT IN ANY DISCUSSION OF GAY SHAME THAT FOR THE BUTCH LESBIAN HER MASCULINITY IS NOT IN AND OF ITSELF SHAMEFUL WHEN SHE IS A CHILD HENCE TOMBOY TOLERANCE )T IS THE BUTCHS FAILURE TO BECOME PROP ERLY FEMININE AT ADOLESCENCE THAT PROMPTS THE SHAME AND SO WE SHOULD SAY THAT SOME LESBIAN SUBJECTIVITIES HAVE MUCH LESS TO DO WITH SHAME THAN MOST GAY WHITE MALE SUBJECTIVITIES AND INDEED BUTCH EMBODIMENT HAS BEEN THEORIZED BY "UTLER IN RELATION TO hMELANCHOLY v AND IT IS SITUATED IN THE TWO MOST FAMOUS NOVELS OF LESBIAN MASCULINITY 4HE 7ELL OF ,ONELINESS AND 3TONE "UTCH "LUES AS DElANT SINGULARITY IN ONE AND HEROIC ISOLATION IN THE OTHER "UTCHNESS GIVES RISE TO THE BLUES TO RAGE AND lNALLY TO A POLITICAL SENSIBILITY SHARED BY OTHER FEMALE SUBJECTS WHO EXPERIENCE THEM SELVES AS DISENFRANCHISEDNAMELY FEMINISM 3HAME IS ) AM CLAIMING A GENDERED FORM OF SEXUAL ABJECTION IT BELONGS TO THE FEMININE AND WHEN MEN lND THEMSELVES hmOODEDv WITH SHAME CHANCES ARE THEY ARE BEING FEMINIZED IN SOME WAY AND AGAINST THEIR WILL &EMINISTS OVER THE YEARS HAVE USED CONSCIOUSNESS RAISING SUPPORT GROUPS POLITICAL MARCHES AND ACTIVIST ANGER TO COUNTER THE WIDESPREAD EFFECTS OF THE SHAME ASSOCIATED WITH WOMANHOOD -OST OFTEN FEMINISTS HAVE PRODUCED COMPLEX ANALYSES OF THE SOCIAL STRUCTURES THAT HAVE INSCRIBED CERTAIN FORMS OF FEMALE AND FEMININE EMBODIMENT WITH SHAME WE HAVE ANALYZED THE COMPULSIONS TO FEAST AND FAST TO BINGE AND PURGE TO FUCK AND BE CELIBATE TO HARBOR MASO CHISTIC DESIRES TO ENTERTAIN THOUGHTS OF ABUSE &EMINISM HAS THOROUGHLY SCRUTINIZED SHAME BECAUSE FEMININE SUBJECTS HAVE SO CONSISTENTLY LIVED IN SHAME !ND SO NOW AT AN EVENT GEARED TOWARD EXAMINING THE PARTICULARI TIES OF GAY SHAME IT BECOMES ALL TOO OBVIOUS THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE REALLY LACKING A POLITICALLY URGENT LANGUAGE WITH WHICH TO DESCRIBE AND COUNTER SHAME ARE GAY WHITE MEN
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4IBNFPO)FS &INALLY WHILE ) SEE WHY PEOPLE MAY WANT TO HOLD ON TO SHAME NOURISH AND NURTURE A CLOSE RELATION TO SHAME BUILD ON THE NEGATIVE BUT DEEPLY EROTIC NATURE OF SHAME ) WANT TO CLOSE BY OFFERING A CAUTION AGAINST ANY DEEP INVESTMENTS IN GAY SHAME BY QUICKLY CONSIDERING 0EDRO !LMODØVARS lLM 4ALK TO (ER 4HIS lLM WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE SUB TITLE hBECAUSE SHE IS IN A COMA AND CANNOT TALK BACK TO YOU AND SHE WONT KNOW OR MIND WHAT YOU DO TO HER EVEN IF YOU RAPE HER WHILE SEEMING TO BE BASICALLY A GOOD GUY IF A LITTLE CLOSETED v BREAKS ITS AUDIENCES DOWN INTO THOSE WHO HATE IT AND THOSE WHO LOVE IT ) WOULD EVEN OFFER A GROSS GEN ERALIZATION AND VENTURE THAT LESBIANS HATE IT AND GAY MEN LOVE IT STRAIGHT WOMEN SEEM TO LIKE IT AND STRAIGHT MEN COULD NOT CARE LESS JUST FOR THE RECORD &ALLING INTO THE CATEGORY OF THOSE WHO HATE THIS lLM WHO DESPISE ITS PATHETIC DEPENDENCE ON AESTHETIC MASTERY TO REPRESENT THE MOST TRITE AND INSULTING NARRATIVES ABOUT WOMEN AND MEN ) NONETHELESS UNDERSTAND THAT 4ALK TO (ER HAS MUCH TO SAY ABOUT GAY SHAME AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 4ALK TO (ER OPENS WITH A GORGEOUS DANCE PERFORMANCE IN WHICH A WOMAN STUMBLES BLINDLY ABOUT A STAGE AS A MAN SCURRIES TO MOVE OBJECTS OUT OF HER PATH )N THE AUDIENCE SIT TWO MEN -ARCO $ARÓO 'RANDINETTI AND "ENIGNO *AVIER #ÉMARO WHO SEPARATELY WATCH THIS PERFORMANCE UNFOLD AND THEN LEAVE THE THEATER TO REENACT IT IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER %ACH MAN IDOLIZES A WOMAN WHO REMAINS UNATTAINABLE AND EACH MAN HARBORS SECRET HOMOEROTIC DESIRES THAT THEY REPRESS OUT OF SOME SENSE OF SHAME "ENIGNO WORSHIPS A BALLERINA !LICIA ,EONOR 7ATLING AND STALKS HER AND -ARCO IS OBSESSED WITH A FEMALE BULLlGHTER ,YDIA 2OSARIO &LORES 7HEN !LICIA IS HIT BY A CAR AND FALLS INTO A COMA "ENIGNO TAKES CARE OF HER AT THE HOS PITAL BATHING HER MOISTURIZING HER PRONE BODY AND TALKING TO HER AS SHE LIES MUTE AND UNCONSCIOUS -ARCO INSERTS HIMSELF INTO ,YDIAS LIFE AFTER SHE HAS A lGHT WITH HER BOYFRIEND ANOTHER BULLlGHTER -ARCO CLINCHES A ROMANTIC RELATION TO ,YDIA WHEN SHE SEES A SNAKE IN HER HOME PANICS AND HE COMES TO HER RESCUE 7HEN ,YDIA IS GORED IN A BULLlGHT AND BECOMES COMATOSE -ARCO ATTENDS HER BEDSIDE (E IS BEFRIENDED BY "ENIGNO AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO MEN THE CENTRAL BOND IN THE lLM UNFOLDS AGAINST THE MACABRE BACKDROP OF THE TWO MUTE AND COMATOSE WOMEN 4HE SILENT WOMEN BECOME THE OCCASION FOR MALE BONDING AND THEIR PRESENCE PROVIDES AN ALIBI FOR THE ENACTMENT OF DESIRES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE SUP PRESSED WITHIN THE SHAME MECHANISM THAT WE CALL hCLOSETINGv "ENIGNOS GAYNESS IS BOTH HINTED AT IN THE PLOT AND DISCUSSED OVERTLY BY NURSES AT THE HOSPITAL -ARCO REGARDS "ENIGNO WITH BOTH WARY SKEPTI CISM AND OBSESSIVE REGARD AS "ENIGNO CARES FOR HIS DANCER AND CHATS AWAY
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TO HER WHILE ENCOURAGING -ARCO TO DO THE SAME %VENTUALLY "ENIGNO CROSSES A LINE AND HE RAPES THE INERT DANCER 7HEN !LICIA IS DISCOVERED TO BE PREGNANT A SHORT INVESTIGATION BY THE POLICE RESULTS IN "ENIGNOS ARREST (E IS ABANDONED BY EVERYONE EXCEPT -ARCO WHO VISITS HIM AND EVENTUALLY "ENIGNO KILLS HIMSELF !S EVEN THIS BRIEF PLOT SUMMARY REVEALS THE PLOT ITSELF IS A PUERILE AGGRESSIVE AND VIOLENT FANTASY ABOUT THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN ANIMATING BONDS BETWEEN MEN )F THERE WAS ANY DOUBT AT ALL THAT THIS WAS A REGRESSIVE NARRATIVE ONE SAD SCENE CONlRMS THE VIEWERS WORST FEARS "Y WAY OF HIDING THE SHEER BRUTALITY OF THE RAPE SCENE !LMODØVAR PRESENTS "ENIGNOS ASSAULT ON !LICIA IN THE FORM OF AN ANIMATED SEQUENCE IN WHICH A TINY MAN CLAMBERS ON THE SLOPES OF A HUGE NAKED WOMAN (E TRAVELS DOWN HER BODY AND ENTERS HER PUBIC AREA WHERE AFTER SOME DELIBERATION HE PUSHES HIS WAY INTO HER GAPING VAGINA 4HIS IS HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL MISOGYNY IN ITS MISERABLY UNIMAGINATIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN ITS DEEP SEATED FEAR OF THE FEMALE BODY AND ITS SLICK CAMOU mAGE OF UGLY VIOLENCE WITH SEEMINGLY BENIGN CARTOON REPRESENTATIONS ! PLOT SUMMARY ALONE WOULD NOT CONVINCE ANYONE THAT THIS WAS A lLM WORTH WATCHING CONTEMPLATING OR CELEBRATING YET THE CRITICS OUTSIDE 3PAIN LOVED IT AND 4ALK TO (ER WAS HAILED AS ONE OF !LMODØVARS BEST lLMS 4HE RICHNESS OF !LMODØVARS AESTHETIC SENSIBILITY APPARENTLY MAKES UP FOR THE FACT THAT THE TWO LEAD WOMEN WOMEN ENGAGED IN ACTIVE AND HIGHLY AESTHETICIZED PROFESSIONS BARELY SPEAK AND IN FACT ARE INERT THROUGH MOST OF THE lLM 4HE lLMS STUNNING COLORS THE CLEVER USE OF CAMERA ANGLES AND THE LONG PAUSES AND MOMENTS OF SILENCE ALL GLOSS OVER THE DRAMATIC SILENCING AND STILLING OF TWO VERY ACTIVE WOMEN 7HAT !LMODØVARS lLM DOES DO WELL HOWEVER IS TO DRAMATIZE THE PRECISE MECHANICS OF WHITE GAY MALE SHAME )NDEED !LMODØVARS lLM OFFERS US THREE SOLUTIONS TO THE DISCOMFORT OF WHITE GAY MALE SHAME 8PSL*U0VUPS/PSNBMJ[F*U 4HE lLM AND CONTEMPORARY GAY PRIDE POLI TICS SUGGESTS THAT GAY WHITE MEN CAN WORK THROUGH GAY SHAME BY PRODUC ING NORMATIVE MASCULINITIES AND PRESENTING THEMSELVES AS UNCASTRATED MUSCULAR WHOLE 4HIS OCCURS BY CLEAVING TO THE ORDINARY AND THE QUIET IN THE lLM THIS ROLE IS FULlLLED BY -ARCO THE SEEMINGLY STRAIGHT MAN WHO PURSUES THE MASCULINE WOMAN THE BULLlGHTER AND WHOSE DESIRE IS TRIAN GULATED THROUGH HER ONTO HER EX AND "ENIGNO 4O DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM THE SHAMEFUL DESIRES HE MAY HAVE FOR MEN IN OTHER WORDS -ARCO lRST SELECTS A MASCULINE WOMAN TO STAND IN FOR THE REAL OBJECT OF HIS DESIRE AND THEN LATER HE USES HER COMATOSE FORM AS A PROP WHILE HE PURSUES HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH "ENIGNO
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1SPKFDU*U&MTFXIFSFPS"FTUIFUJDJ[F*U 4HE WHITE GAY MALE EXPERIENCE OF SHAME IS OFTEN MANAGED THROUGH THE ACT OF PROJECTION WHICH $OUGLAS #RIMP DESCRIBES SO WELL IN HIS ESSAY ON -ARIO -ONTEZ 4HERE !NDY 7ARHOL THE ORIGINAL hTHIN WHITE DUKE v PROJECTS SHAME CASTRATION AND VULNERABILITY ONTO THE FEMINIZED AND RACIALIZED BODY OF A 0UERTO 2ICAN DRAG QUEEN AND IN THE PROCESS CREATES AN ILLUSION OF MASTERY )N 4ALK TO (ER IT IS "ENIGNO WHO PROJECTS HIS SHAME ELSEWHEREONTO THE BODY OF A MUTE WOMAN A DANCER WHO LIES IN A COMA AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT !ND -ARCO PRESERVES HIS FACADE OF HETEROSEXUALITY BY LINGERING AT THE BEDSIDE OF THE hGOREDv PHALLIC WOMAN WHO FOUGHT BULLS BUT FEARED SNAKES 3YMBOL ISM ANYONE 4HE TWO WOMEN REPRESENT TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF GAY MALE PROJECTION DIRECTED SPECIlCALLY AT WOMEN AS ) HAVE SHOWN WHITE GAY MALE SHAME MAY ALSO BE PROJECTED ONTO BODIES OF COLOR 7HILE THE FORMER FEMALE BULLlGHTER IS ESSENTIALLY THE hFAG HAG v THE CASTRATED AND UNLUCKY WOMAN WHOSE CASTRATION STANDS IN FOR THE FAGS OWN SHAME AND WHO OFTEN BECOMES A SOURCE OF HUMOR THE FORMER DANCER OCCUPIES THE ROLE OF THE DIVA+OESTENBAUMS *ACKIE /NASSIS OR OPERA SINGER 7ARHOLS -ARILYN -ONROETHE IDEALIZED AND PHALLIC WOMAN WHO OFTEN BECOMES AN EXCUSE FOR EXQUISITE BUT DANGEROUS INVESTMENTS IN BEAUTY AND ART 7HILE THE FAG HAG IS USED AND ABUSED THE DIVA IS CARED FOR AND TALKED TO THE FAG HAG IS AN EMBLEM THE DIVA A TROPHY THE FAG HAG IS OPENLY DESPISED AND SECRETLY WORSHIPPED THE DIVA IS OPENLY WORSHIPPED AND SECRETLY DESPISED "OTH ARE SUMMARILY MASSAGED ADMIRED AND UTTERLY DESTROYED 'FNJOJTU (BZ 4IBNF !N OPTION THAT NEITHER !LMODØVAR NOR 7ARHOL ENTERTAIN IS THAT GAY SHAME CAN BE USED IN ALL ITS GLORIOUS NEGATIVITY IN WAYS THAT ARE FEMINIST AND ANTIRACIST 4HE GLORY OF THE DRAG QUEEN IS THAT SHE TAKES PRIDE IN HER SHAME JUST THE NAMES ALONE6AGINAL $AVIS FOR EXAMPLESTEP IN WHERE OTHERS FEAR TO TREAD 4HE FORM OF SUBJECT FOR MATION THAT *OSÏ %STEBAN -U×OZ IN REFERENCE TO $AVISS WORK HAS CALLED hDISIDENTIlCATIONv ALSO LEADS US TO A PLACE WHERE SHAME CAN BE TRANS FORMED INTO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT PRIDE BUT NOT SIMPLY DAMAGE EITHER -U×OZ USES THE WORK OF $AVIS TO CRITIQUE THE GAYANTIGAY BINARY THAT LIKE THE PRIDESHAME BINARY CRITIQUES WHITE HOMONORMATIVITY WITHOUT REALLY EXAMINING THE RACIAL AND SEXUAL POLITICS THAT THE HOMONORMS AND ANTIHOMONORMS SHARE -U×OZ WRITES h4HE FORMS OF @ANTI GAY THINK ING PUT FORWARD BY 6AGINAL $AVISS WORK ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT IN ORIGIN AND EFFECT THAN -ARK 3IMPSONS !NTI 'AY $AVISS BRAND OF ANTI GAY CRITIQUE OFFERS SOMETHING MORE THAN A LISTLESS COMPLAINT 4HIS ADDITIONAL SOMETHING IS A SUSTAINED CRITIQUE OF WHITE GAY MALE NORMATIVITY AND ITS CONCOMITANT CORPORATE ETHOSv -U×OZ AND $AVIS WHOSE NAME IS TAKEN
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AS AN HOMAGE TO !NGELA $AVIS lND SUPPLE AND VITAL MODELS FOR IDENTIl CATION IN FEMINISMS OF COLOR AND THEY CLEAVE TO AN ALLIANCE WITH WOMEN RATHER THAN ANXIOUSLY UNYOKING THEMSELVES FROM ALL THINGS FEMININE FROM THE CONTAMINATING MATTER OF FEMININE CASTRATION !S IF TO REMIND US THAT THE WHITE GAY MALE TEXT IN ALL ITS AESTHETI CISM DOES NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO DETEST AND DESTROY WOMEN -ICHAEL #UNNINGHAMS NOVEL 4HE (OURS OFFERS A COUNTER TO !LMODØVARS 4ALK TO (ER 4HIS NOVEL HELPS US SEE HOW THE SENSIBILITY OF GAY MALE SHAME CAN BE ROUTED THROUGH WOMEN WITHOUT DESTROYING THEM IN THE PROCESS 4HE (OURS PRODUCES COMPELLING SCHEMAS OF QUEER TEMPORALITIES AS EACH WOMAN6IR GINIA 7OOLF ,AURA "ROWN #LARISSA 6AUGHNLIVES THROUGH THE CRACKS AND BROKEN MOMENTS IN THE LIVES OF THE OTHERS %ACH WOMAN EXPERIENCES A KISS WITH ANOTHER WOMAN EACH TAKES CARE OF A MAN SHE DOES NOT LOVE AND EACH CHOOSES WHETHER TO CONTINUE LIVING AT ODDS WITH TIME ART LIFE AND LOVE 4HE (OURS SHOWS US VIVIDLY THE MEANING OF QUEER BEFORE AND AFTER GAY AND IT DEPICTS IN UNmINCHING DETAIL THE DEATHS OF AT LEAST TWO OF ITS MAIN CHAR ACTERS BUT AT ITS CONCLUSION BOTH SHAME AND THE WOMAN HAVE SURVIVEDA SMALL TRIUMPH AND A SIGNPOST TO THE NEXT QUEER MOMENT
$PODMVTJPO %VEN THOUGH THE 'AY 3HAME CONFERENCE WAS QUITE ENJOYABLE AND HAD SOME GREAT MOMENTS THE DISABILITY PANEL COMES TO MIND THE PLOT SUM MARY OF THE CONFERENCE RESEMBLED THE SCRIPT OF 4ALK TO (ER MORE THAN THE SCRIPT OF 4HE (OURS )N SHORT THE CONFERENCE FULl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lNALLY HAD HIS TURN TO SPEAK ON THE LAST PANEL OF THE CONFER ENCE (ANSEN RESPONDED DEFENSIVELY TO 0EREZ AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE CONFERENCE DISINTEGRATED INTO THE USUAL FORMULAIC EXCHANGES AT THE OPEN
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MIKE ABOUT WHO WAS AND WHO WAS NOT REPRESENTED ON THE PANELS 4HE PAINFUL SESSION ONLY ENDED WHEN -ICHAEL 7ARNER GRABBED THE MIKE AND MIMICKED -ONTEZ SAYING hDIARRHEAv 4HE SPECTACULAR DISSOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION AT 'AY 3HAME WAS PREDICTABLE AND IN A WAY INEVITABLE 4HE PUNCTUATION OF THE CONFERENCE BY THE APPARENTLY HUMOROUS BUT ACTUALLY DEEPLY OFFENSIVE IMAGE OF A WHITE GAY MAN 7ARNER MIMICKING A DRAG QUEEN OF COLOR -ONTEZ WHO IS LIP SYNCHING TO THE VOICE OF ANOTHER WHITE GAY MAN 4AVEL CAPTURES PERFECTLY THE RACIAL DYNAMICS OF THE CONFERENCE AS A WHOLE 0EREZ FOUND HIMSELF VERY MUCH IN THE POSITION OF -ONTEZ HE COULD SPEAK BUT HE WOULD ALWAYS BE READ AS A QUEER OF COLOR PERFORMING AS A PERSON OF COLOR AND LEAVING THE SPACE OF ARTICULATION OPEN TO THE REAL GAY SUBJECTS WHITE GAY MEN (AN SEN 7ARNER AND OTHERS LEFT THE CONFERENCE UNSCATHED AS THE GAY SHAME THAT THEY SO hPROUDLYv WANTED TO CLAIM HAD BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PROJECTED ELSEWHERE 'AYLE 2UBINS MOVING CALL EARLIER IN THE DAY FOR A LITTLE hHUMIL ITYv AND %STHER .EWTONS APOLOGY TO 0EREZ FOR LEAVING HIM WITH THE TASK OF UPBRAIDING (ANSEN WENT UNHEARD BY THE WHITE GAY MEN TO WHOM THESE REMARKS WERE DIRECTED !ND THE STORY OF THE CONFERENCE SOON AFTER IT WAS ENDED BEGAN TO CIRCULATE AS THE TALE OF ANOTHER SCHOLARLY PROJECT HIJACKED BY THE IDENTITY POLITICS OF QUEERS OF COLOR 4HE TRUTH IS IT IS HARD TO lND A MORE RIGID IDENTITY POLITICS THAN THAT ARTICULATED IN -ICHIGAN BY WHITE GAY MEN )F QUEER STUDIES IS TO SURVIVE GAY SHAME AND IT WILL WE ALL NEED TO MOVE FAR BEYOND THE LIMITED SCOPE OF WHITE GAY MALE CONCERNS AND INTER ESTS !S 3EDGWICK HERSELF REMINDS US IN "ETWEEN -EN %NGLISH ,ITERATURE AND -ALE (OMOSOCIAL $ESIRE THERE IS A THIN LINE BETWEEN HOMOSOCIALITY AND HOMOSEXUALITY AND WHITE MEN GAY OR STRAIGHT PURSUING THE INTERESTS OF WHITE MEN GAY OR STRAIGHT ALWAYS MEANS A HEAP OF TROUBLE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE
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/PUFT ) SHOULD ADD HOWEVER THAT $AVID (ALPERIN WAS VERY GRACIOUS IN HIS INVITA TION TO ME AND INVITED ME TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE RUBRIC OF hGAY SHAMEv AT THE CONFERENCE ITSELF (ALPERIN HAS BEEN A DIGNIlED INTERLOCUTOR FOR MY LESS THAN CORDIAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS TOPIC AND THE EVENT IT INSPIRED AND ) THANK BOTH HIM AND 6ALERIE 4RAUB FOR THE ORIGINAL INVITATION AND FOR THEIR EDITORIAL COMMENTS *ACQUI !LEXANDER AND #HANDRA 4ALPADE -OHANTY EDS &EMINIST 'ENEALO GIES #OLONIAL ,EGACIES $EMOCRATIC &UTURES .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE $AVID 2OMAN !CTS OF )NTERVENTION 0ERFORMANCE 'AY #ULTURE AND !)$3 "LOOMINGTON )NDIANA 5NIVERSITY 0RESS *OSÏ %STEBAN -U×OZ $ISIDENTIlCATIONS 1UEERS OF #OLOR AND THE 0ERFORMANCE OF 0OLITICS -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS $AVID %NG 2ACIAL #ASTRATION -ANAGING -ASCULINITY IN !SIAN !MERICA $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 2OBERT 2EID 0HARR "LACK 'AY -AN
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.EW 9ORK .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY 0RESS ,ICIA &IOL -ATTA ! 1UEER -OTHER FOR THE .ATION 4HE 3TATE AND 'ABRIELA -ISTRAL -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -IN NESOTA 0RESS 2ODERICK &ERGUSON !BERRATIONS IN "LACK 4OWARD A 1UEER OF #OLOR #RITIQUE -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS *UANA -ARIA 2ODRIGUEZ 1UEER ,ATINIDAD )DENTITY 0RACTICES $ISCURSIVE 3PACES .EW 9ORK .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY 0RESS .OT ALL OF THE WHITE GAY MEN AT THIS CONFERENCE OBVIOUSLY FELT LOYAL TO WHITE GAY MALE IDENTITY POLITICS 'EORGE #HAUNCEY FOR EXAMPLE MADE SOME ILLUMINAT ING REMARKS ABOUT THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MEN OF COLOR AND WHITE GAY MEN IN THE HISTORY OF GAY .EW 9ORK 3EDGWICK WAS CAST AS THE CONFERENCES INTELLECTUAL PROGENITOR AND HER ABSENCE WAS CAST AS THE MOST NOTABLE AND PALPABLE ABSENCE AT THE CONFERENCE AS OPPOSED TO SAY THE ABSENCE OF PEOPLE OF COLOR )NDEED A DECISION WAS MADE TO INCLUDE AN ESSAY BY 3EDGWICK IN THE CONFERENCE VOLUME BUT SIMILAR ESSAYS WERE NOT REQUESTED FROM *OSÏ -U×OZ $AVID %NG OR 2OBERT 2EID 0HARR ) IN NO WAY WANT TO SUGGEST THAT 3EDGWICKS CONTRIBUTION WILL NOT BE VALUABLE AND CRUCIAL AND ) AGREE THAT HER WORK WHICH ) CITE APPROVINGLY HAS PROVIDED THE MOST GENERATIVE AND INSIGHTFUL MODELS FOR THINKING ABOUT GAY SHAME (OWEVER THE CASTING OF 3EDG WICK AS THE ABSENT CENTER FOR THIS CONFERENCE GLOSSED OVER THE MORE OUTRAGEOUS OMISSIONS OF QUEER SCHOLARS WORKING ON RACE 3EE ,EO "ERSANI (OMOS #AMBRIDGE -! (ARVARD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS -ICHAEL 7ARNER 4HE 4ROUBLE WITH .ORMAL 3EX 0OLITICS AND THE %THICS OF 1UEER ,IFE .EW 9ORK &REE 0RESS AND %LIZABETH &REEMAN h0ACKING (IS TORY #OUNTER ING 'ENERATIONS v .EW ,ITERARY (ISTORY NO n ,AUREN "ERLANT h4WO 'IRLS &AT AND 4HIN v IN 2EGARDING 3EDGWICK %SSAYS ON 1UEER #ULTURE AND #RITICAL 4HEORY ED 3TEPHEN - "ARBER AND $AVID , #LARK .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE 7ILLIAMS INSISTS THAT WE REGARD hTRADITIONv NOT IN TERMS OF INERT FRAGMENTS THAT SURVIVE FROM THE PAST BUT AS A NARRATIVE THAT SHAPES THE PAST THAT A CURRENT IDEOLOGY REQUIRES (E WRITES h7HAT WE HAVE TO SEE IS NOT JUST @A TRADITION BUT A SELECTIVE TRADITION AN INTENTIONALLY SELECTIVE VERSION OF A SHAPING PAST AND A PRE SHAPED PRESENTv 2AYMOND 7ILLIAMS h4RADITIONS )NSTITUTIONS &ORMATIONS v IN -ARXISM AND ,ITERATURE ;/XFORD /XFORD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS = n -ARTIN -ANALANSAN )6 h)N THE 3HADOWS OF 3TONEWALL %XAMINING 'AY 4RANSNATIONAL 0OLITICS AND THE $IASPORIC $ILEMMA v IN 4HE 0OLITICS OF #ULTURE IN THE 3HADOWS OF #APITAL ED ,ISA ,OWE AND $AVID ,LOYD $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS ) HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH AN EMPHASIS ON YOUTH IN QUEER COM MUNITIES IN A BOOK OF ESSAYS ON QUEER SPACE AND TIME *UDITH (ALBERSTAM )N A 1UEER 4IME AND 0LACE 4RANSGENDER "ODIES 3UBCULTURAL ,IVES .EW 9ORK .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 7ARNER 4ROUBLE WITH .ORMAL $OUGLAS #RIMP h-ARIO -ONTEZ &OR 3HAME v IN "ARBER AND #LARK 2EGARDING 3EDGWICK n 2ICHARD &UNG h,OOKING FOR -Y 0ENIS 4HE %ROTICIZED !SIAN IN 'AY -ALE 0ORN v 1! 1UEER IN !SIAN !MERICA ED $AVID , %NG AND !LICE 9 (OM 0HILADELPHIA 4EMPLE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n %NG 2ACIAL #ASTRATION ,AWRENCE ,A &OUNTAIN 3TOKES h!N /PEN ,ETTER TO $OUGLAS #RIMP v -ARCH
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2ADCLYFFE (ALL 4HE 7ELL OF ,ONELINESS .EW 9ORK !NCHOR ,ESLIE &EINBERG 3TONE "UTCH "LUES ! .OVEL .EW 9ORK &IREBRAND *UDITH "UTLER h-ELANCHOLY 'ENDER2EFUSED )DENTIlCATION v IN 4HE 0SYCHIC ,IFE OF 0OWER 4HEORIES IN 3UBJECTION 0ALO !LTO #! 3TANFORD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n 7AYNE +OESTENBAUM 4HE 1UEENS 4HROAT /PERA (OMOSEXUALITY AND THE -YSTERY OF $ESIRE .EW 9ORK 6INTAGE +OESTENBAUM *ACKIE UNDER -Y 3KIN )NTERPRETING AN )CON .EW 9ORK &ARRAR 3TRAUSS AND 'IROUX 6AGINAL $AVIS ALSO SOMETIMES GOES BY THE NAME h6AGINAL #RÒME $AVIS v THE MIDDLE NAME HAVING BEEN GIVEN TO HIM BY A JOURNALIST 4HE FABULOUS EMBEL LISHMENT OF VAGINAL WITH CRÒME SUGGESTS A TOTAL DISREGARD FOR SHAME AND ITS TORTU OUS PATHWAYS -U×OZ $ISIDENTIlCATIONS -ICHAEL #UNNINGHAM 4HE (OURS .EW 9ORK &ARRAR 3TRAUSS AND 'IROUX 3EDGWICK 3HAME AND 0ERFORMATIVITY
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)N EFFECT WE LIVE IN A LEGAL SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL WORLD WHERE THE ONLY RELATIONS POSSIBLE ARE EXTREMELY FEW EXTREMELY SIMPLIlED AND EXTREMELY POOR -ICHEL &OUCAULT h4HE 3OCIAL 4RIUMPH OF THE 3EXUAL 7ILLv )T IS ALMOST AS IF STARTING FROM A CERTAIN POINT EVERY DECISIVE POLITICAL EVENT WERE DOUBLE SIDED THE SPACES THE LIBERTIES AND THE RIGHTS WON BY INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR CONmICTS WITH CENTRAL POWERS ALWAYS SIMULTANEOUSLY PREPARED A TACIT BUT INCREASING INSCRIPTION OF INDIVIDUALS LIVES WITHIN THE STATE ORDER THUS OFFERING A NEW AND MORE DREADFUL FOUNDATION FOR THE VERY SOVEREIGN POWER FROM WHICH THEY WANTED TO LIBERATE THEMSELVES 'IORGIO !GAMBEN (OMO 3ACER 3OVEREIGN 0OWER AND "ARE ,IFE
)N THE 5NITED 3TATES 3UPREME #OURT AFlRMED THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF A 'EORGIA STATUTE UNDER WHICH -ICHAEL (ARDWICK HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH COMMITTING hSODOMYv IN HIS HOME WITH ANOTHER ADULT MALE 4HE #OURT BEGAN ITS ANALYSIS BY DISAVOWING ANY CONCERN WITH hWHETHER LAWS AGAINST SODOMY BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS IN GENERAL OR BETWEEN HOMO SEXUALS IN PARTICULAR ARE WISE OR DESIRABLEv 2ATHER THE MAJORITY OPINION IN "OWERS V (ARDWICK FORMULATED ITS JUDICIAL TASK IN THE FOLLOWING BLUNT TERMS TO DETERMINE hWHETHER THE &EDERAL #ONSTITUTION CONFERS A FUNDA MENTAL RIGHT UPON HOMOSEXUALS TO ENGAGE IN SODOMYv 4HE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION COULD OF COURSE ONLY BE NEGATIVE !N ARGUMENT TO THE CON TRARY WAS IN THE #OURTS NOTORIOUS PHRASE hAT BEST FACETIOUSv ,ESS THAN TWENTY YEARS LATER IN *UNE THE 3UPREME #OURT RECON SIDERED ITS EARLIER HOLDING )N CIRCUMSTANCES SIMILAR TO THOSE IN WHICH -ICHAEL (ARDWICK HAD BEEN CHARGED BY THE STATE OF 'EORGIA *OHN ,AW RENCE HAD BEEN ARRESTED BY THE STATE OF 4EXAS FOR ENGAGING IN hDEVIATE SEX UAL INTERCOURSE WITH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL OF THE SAME SEXv IN HIS OWN HOME )N AN IMPASSIONED ENDORSEMENT OF HOMOSEXUAL INTIMACIES THE ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS #OURT PROCLAIMED BREATHLESSLY h"OWERS WAS NOT CORRECT WHEN IT WAS DECIDED AND IT IS NOT CORRECT TODAY )T OUGHT NOT TO REMAIN BINDING PREC EDENT "OWERS V (ARDWICK SHOULD BE AND NOW IS OVERRULEDv !ND BY THE INSTANTANEOUS MAGIC OF A JUDICIAL PRONOUNCEMENT FROM THE NATIONS HIGHEST
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COURT HOMOSEXUALS COULD NO LONGER BE TREATED AS PRESUMPTIVE CRIMINALS !LTHOUGH "OWERS V (ARDWICK HAS NOT BEEN LITERALLY ERASEDIT STILL REMAINS ON THE PAGES OF 5NITED 3TATES 2EPORTSITS MEAN SPIRITED RHETORIC HAS BEEN DEPRIVED OF CONSTITUTIONAL FORCE )T HAS BECOME A MERE HISTORICAL ARTIFACT A WITNESS TO ITS OWN POWERLESSNESS 4HIS IS AN ASTONISHING REVERSAL AND ONE THAT TOOK MANY BY SURPRISE 7HAT MADE THIS JUDICIAL VOLTE FACE POSSIBLE )N THIS ESSAY ) READ THE #OURTS OPINION IN ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS RHETORICALLY TO LOOK FOR ANSWERS TO THAT QUES TION !T THE SAME TIME ) BEGIN THE CRITICAL EVALUATION OF A POST (ARDWICK POLITICAL LANDSCAPE 7ITH THE FALL OF ANTISODOMY LEGISLATION HAVE WE lNALLY BEEN hLIBERATEDv !ND IF SO TO WHAT &ROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF QUEER THEORY HOW SHOULD WE VIEW THIS VICTORY OF GAY RIGHTS )NDEED TO WHAT EXTENT ARE COMMITMENTS TO QUEERNESS AND LIBERAL RIGHTS COMPATIBLE /R STATED EVEN MORE SHARPLY IS hQUEER RIGHTSv AN OXYMORON
5IF2VFTUJPOPG(BZ3JHIUTi4PEPNZwPSi*OUJNBDZw )T IS A COMMONPLACE OF LEGAL ADVOCACY THAT THE FRAMING OF A LEGAL QUES TION ALWAYS ALREADY ANTICIPATES ITS ANSWER !S *ANET (ALLEY OBSERVES IT HAS BEEN hTHE VIRTUALLY UBIQUITOUS CONCLUSIONv IN THE LITERATURE CRITICIZING "OWERS V (ARDWICK THAT hTHE (ARDWICK MAJORITY VITIATED ITS CREDIBILITY WHEN IT FRAMED THE QUESTION OF THE CASEv VIZ hWHETHER THE &EDERAL #ONSTITUTION CONFERS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT UPON HOMOSEXUALS TO ENGAGE IN SODOMYv )N HIS DISSENT IN (ARDWICK *USTICE "LACKMUN WAS THE lRST TO MAKE THAT CLAIM AND *USTICE +ENNEDY THE AUTHOR OF THE MAJORITY OPINION IN ,AWRENCE ECHOES "LACKMUN AND LIKEWISE ASSERTS THAT THE (ARDWICK MAJORITYS REDUCTIVE FORMULATION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION MANIFESTS THEIR hFAILURE TO APPRECIATE THE EXTENT OF THE LIBERTY AT STAKEv (AVING ESTABLISHED THAT THE ISSUE IS EMPHATICALLY NOT ONE OF SODOMY SIMPLICITER THE ,AWRENCE #OURT REFRAMES THE ISSUE AS FOLLOWS h4HE QUESTION BEFORE THE #OURT IS THE VALIDITY OF A 4EXAS STATUTE MAKING IT A CRIME FOR TWO PERSONS OF THE SAME SEX TO ENGAGE IN CERTAIN INTIMATE SEXUAL CONDUCTv 4HAT IS THE QUESTION IS NOT ONE OF hSODOMYv BUT OF hINTIMACYvOF hCERTAIN INTIMATE SEXUAL CONDUCT v THE PRECISE NATURE OF WHICH THE #OURT DOES NOT EVEN SPECIFY FOR THE PURPOSES OF STATING THE CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE 4O PARAPHRASE ONLY SLIGHTLY BY INDICTING THE 4EXAS SODOMY LAW FOR INTER FERING WITH SAME SEX LOVERS hINTIMACY v THE ,AWRENCE #OURT EFFECTIVELY SETS OUT TO DECIDE WHETHER IT IS A CRIME TO LOVE SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEXAND THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS AS MUCH A FOREGONE CONCLUSION AS THE (ARDWICK #OURTS FUTILE SEARCH FOR THE WORD SODOMY IN THE "ILL OF 2IGHTS 'IVEN THE UNAPOLOGETICALLY HOMOPHOBIC RHETORIC OF THE (ARDWICK OPIN
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ION IT MAY SEEM SELF EVIDENT THAT THE ,AWRENCE #OURTS REFRAMING OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION AS A MATTER OF INTERPERSONAL SEXUAL INTIMACY RATHER THAN SODOMY PUTS THE NATIONS CONSTITUTIONAL JURISPRUDENCE ON THE PROPER TRACK ,IKE EVERY RIGHT THINKING PERSON OF A PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL ORIENTA TION ) TOO AM ELATED THAT (ARDWICK SO SOON AFTER ITS UGLY APPEARANCE HAS ENDED UP IN THE GRAVEYARD OF DISCREDITED CONSTITUTIONAL PRECEDENTSIN THE COMPANY OF CASES SUCH AS $RED 3COTT 0LESSY V &ERGUSON +OREMATSU AND OTHERS (OW COULD ONE NOT BE STIRRED BY ,AWRENCES RIGHTEOUS PROCLAMA TION h"OWERS WAS NOT CORRECT WHEN IT WAS DECIDED AND IT IS NOT CORRECT TODAYv )N THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT MAY APPEAR UNSEEMLY NOT TO MENTION POLITI CALLY UNWISE TO POINT TO THE CRITICAL LIMITATIONS OF ,AWRENCES LOGIC !CCEPT ING THAT RISK ) NEVERTHELESS WANT TO SUGGEST THAT (ARDWICK AFTER ALL GOT THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION RIGHT WITH SOME IMPORTANT QUALIlCATIONS ) CONSIDER BELOW EVEN THOUGH THE #OURTS ANSWER TO THE QUESTION WAS OBVIOUSLY DISASTROUSLY WRONG !DMITTEDLY HAVING BEEN LABELED AS hSODOMITESv UNDER THE CONSTITUTIONAL REGIME CROWNED BY (ARDWICK IT IS DIFlCULT TO RESIST THE ,AWRENCE #OURTS INTERPELLATION OF HOMOSEXUALS AS LAW ABIDING SUBJECTS WHO ARE CAPABLE OF INTIMACY AND hARE ENTITLED TO RESPECT FOR THEIR PRIVATE LIVESv 7E ARE NOW INVITED TO A NEW WORLD WHERE HOMOSEXUALS TOO CAN EMBARK UPON SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS hIN THE CONlNES OF THEIR HOMES AND THEIR OWN PRIVATE LIVES AND STILL RETAIN THEIR DIGNITY AS FREE PERSONSv "UT THE hRESPECTv AND hDIGNITYv OFFERED BY THE #OURT WILL LIKELY NOT COME FREE 4HEY WILL HAVE TO BE EARNED BY LEADING RESPECTABLE SEX LIVES "ELOW ) lRST EXAMINE THE RHETORICAL AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS ATTACHED TO ,AWRENCES OFFER OF GAY RESPECTABILITY AND THEN TURN TO "OWERS V (ARDWICK AND THE POSSIBILITY OF REDEEMING ITS FOCUS ON hSODOMYv
5IF-JNJUBUJPOTPG*OUJNBDZ (OWEVER BEFORE EXAMINING CRITICALLY THE RHETORIC BY WHICH ,AWRENCE REACHES ITS RESULT IT IS NEVERTHELESS APPROPRIATE TO BEGIN BY COMMENT ING ON SOME OF ITS ACHIEVEMENTS 4HE OPINIONS REVISIONIST ACCOUNT OF (ARDWICKS SIMPLISTIC HISTORY OF SODOMY LAWS AND ITS ACKNOWLEDGMENT HOWEVER HESITANTOF THE HISTORICITY OF SEXUAL IDENTITY CATEGORIES THEM SELVES ARE NOTABLE NOT AT ALL THE KINDS OF ANALYSES ONE TYPICALLY lNDS IN A JUDICIAL OPINION -OREOVER THE ,AWRENCE #OURT ACKNOWLEDGES NOT ONLY SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE ACADEMIC STUDY OF SEXUALITY BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT VIRULENT HOMOPHOBIA IS NOT NECESSARILY A GLOBAL CONDITION 4HE MAJORITY OPINION CITES AMONG OTHER THINGS THE DECISION BY WHICH THE %UROPEAN #OURT OF (UMAN 2IGHTS STRUCK DOWN NATIONAL LAWS SIMILAR TO
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THOSE UPHELD IN (ARDWICK 4O BE SURE THE #OURT GRATUITOUSLY TAKES THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF hOUR 7ESTERN CIVILIZATIONv 4O TURN TO ,AWRENCES LIMITATIONS WHAT THEN IS THE PROBLEM WITH HOW IT FRAMES THE CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUENAMELY ASKING WHETHER IT SHOULD BE PERMISSIBLE TO MAKE IT hA CRIME FOR TWO PERSONS OF THE SAME SEX TO ENGAGE IN CERTAIN INTIMATE SEXUAL CONDUCTv /F COURSE IT SHOULD NOT BE A CRIME TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON OF THE SAME SEX AND TO EXPRESS THAT LOVE SEXUALLY 2ATHER THE PROBLEM WITH THE #OURTS RHETORICAL FORMULATION IS NOT WHAT IT PERMITSINTIMATE SEXUAL ASSOCIATIONBUT WHAT IT LEAVES OUT BEYOND THE SPHERE OF SEXUAL LEGITIMACY "EING IN AN INTIMATE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP SHOULD NOT BE A REQUIREMENT FOR HAVING A CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED SEX LIFE )T SHOULD NOT BE A CRIME JUST TO HAVE HOMOSEXUAL SEXANAL OR BANAL ORAL OR mORAL INTIMATE OR NOT )N TERMS OF ITS HANDLING OF CONSTITUTIONAL DOCTRINE THE ,AWRENCE MAJOR ITY IS CAREFUL NOT TO SAY ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE SEEN AS FORMALIZING THE LEGAL STATUS OF SAME SEX RELATIONSHIPS h;4HIS CASE= DOES NOT INVOLVE WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT MUST GIVE FORMAL RECOGNITION TO ANY RELATIONSHIP THAT HOMO SEXUAL PERSONS SEEK TO ENTERv *USTICE 3CALIA IS APPROPRIATELY UNMOVED BY THIS DISCLAIMER TO WHICH HE RESPONDS LACONICALLY h$O NOT BELIEVE ITv )NDEED IN TERMS OF ITS RHETORIC AND LOGIC THE #OURT REPEATEDLY AND STRENU OUSLY ANALOGIZES HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS TO MARRIAGE 3CALIAS OUTRAGED DISSENT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT IN EVALUATING THE LOGICAL IF NOT STRICTLY DOCTRI NAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE MAJORITYS REASONING )F HOMOSEXUAL hINTIMACYv IS AS DESERVING OF PROTECTION AS HETERO SEX hWHAT JUSTIlCATION COULD THERE POS SIBLY BE FOR DENYING THE BENElTS OF MARRIAGE TO HOMOSEXUAL COUPLESv "UT WHAT EXACTLY IS AT STAKE IN GAY SEX ACCORDING TO THE #OURT %MPHATICALLY NOT hJUSTv SEX 4HE #OURT EMPHASIZES THAT IT WAS PRECISELY IN ITS REDUCTION OF SAME SEX INTIMACY TO SODOMY THAT THE (ARDWICK #OURT hMISAPPREHENDEDv THE OBJECT OF ITS ANALYSIS %SPOUSING AN UNABASHEDLY POSITIVIST SEXUAL ONTOLOGY THE ,AWRENCE #OURT IS FULLY CONlDENT OF ITS ABILITY TO APPREHEND CORRECTLY THE NATURE OF HOMOSEXUAL SEX )NSOFAR AS (ARDWICK THUS FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUE SIGNIlCANCE OF SODOMY LAWS ,AWRENCE PROCEEDS TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT 'IVEN THAT hHETEROSEXUAL IDENTITY IS THE LOCATION FROM WHICH THE *US TICES DECIDE THE CASE WITHOUT APPEARING TO v IT COMES AS NO SURPRISE THAT THE #OURTS VIEW OF WHAT HOMOSEXUAL SEX IS ABOUT WHEN PROPERLY APPRE HENDED CORRESPONDS TO NORMATIVE HETEROSEXUAL SEX h)NTIMATE CONDUCT WITH ANOTHER PERSON ;WHICH= CAN BE BUT ONE ELEMENT IN A PERSONAL BOND THAT IS MORE ENDURINGv 7ITH HETEROSEXUAL SOLICITUDE FOR MISUNDERSTOOD HOMOSEXUALS THE #OURT ANNOUNCES h4O SAY THAT THE ISSUE IN "OWERS WAS SIMPLY THE RIGHT TO ENGAGE IN CERTAIN SEXUAL CONDUCT DEMEANS THE CLAIM THE
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INDIVIDUAL PUT FORWARD JUST AS IT WOULD DEMEAN A MARRIED COUPLE WERE IT TO BE SAID THAT MARRIAGE IS SIMPLY ABOUT THE RIGHT TO HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSEv 4HE WRONG OF (ARDWICK IS ULTIMATELY ITS DENIAL OF DIGNITY TO HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS SODOMY LAWS hSEEK TO CONTROL A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP THAT WHETHER OR NOT ENTITLED TO RECOGNITION IN THE LAW IS WITHIN THE LIBERTY OF PERSONS TO CHOOSE WITHOUT BEING PUNISHED AS CRIMINALSv )NDEED READING THE OPINION ONE WOULD THINK THAT HOMOSEXUALS EXIST ONLY IN RELATIONSHIPS AND THAT RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE ONLY CONTEXT IN WHICH HOMOSEXUALS MIGHT CONCEIVABLY ENGAGE IN SEX ACTS )T IS CERTAINLY RHETORICALLY SATISFYING WHEN THE #OURT GROUNDS ITS HOLD ING NOT ONLY IN HOMOSEXUALS hSPATIALv LIBERTY INTEREST IN BEING LEFT ALONE IN THEIR HOMES BUT ALSO IN THE hMORE TRANSCENDENT DIMENSIONSv OF LIBERTY WHICH THE #OURT ASSOCIATES WITH SEXUAL EXPRESSION 9ET THIS RHETORIC LEAVES LITTLE OR NO JUSTIlCATION FOR PROTECTING LESS THAN TRANSCENDENTAL SEX THAT IS NOT PART OF AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP )N THE END THE CRUCIAL RHETORICAL LIMITA TION OF ,AWRENCE IS PRECISELY ITS INABILITY OR REFUSAL TO IMAGINE LEGITIMATE HOMOSEXUAL SEX THAT DOES NOT TAKE PLACE IN A RELATIONSHIP AND DOES NOT CONNOTE INTIMACY 4HE IMPLICIT BARGAIN THE #OURT PROPOSES IS PLAIN 4HE #OURT AND THE #ONSTITUTION WILL RESPECT OUR SEX LIVES BUT ON CONDITION THAT OUR SEX LIVES BE RESPECTABLE 4HIS ONE FEARS IS THE NEW JURISPRUDENTIAL PROJECT INAUGURATED BY ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS THE NORMALIZATION OF GAY SEX OR AS +ATHERINE &RANKE PUTS IT THE hDOMESTICATIONv OF SEXUAL LIBERTY
5IF1PTTJCJMJUJFTPG4PEPNZ ,IBERAL RHETORIC ASIDE RIGHTS DO NOT CONNOTE UNQUALIlED hFREEDOMv ,IKE EVERYTHING ELSE THEY COME AT A PRICE 4HAT PRICE IS THE DISCIPLINARY REGIME OF POLITICAL MODERNITY "UT SO LONG AS WE RECOGNIZE THIS CAN WE AFFORD TO TURN DOWN hDIGNITYv AND hRESPECTv WHEN THEY ARE BEING OFFERED TO US BY THE 53 3UPREME #OURT !FTER ALL LACKING THOSE QUALITIES CAN BE POSI TIVELY HAZARDOUS TO ONES HEALTH /BVIOUSLY ) AM IN NO WAY ENDORSING THE (ARDWICK #OURTS ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IT POSED 3ODOMY LAWS SHOULD BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THATFAR BEYOND THEIR SYMBOLIC EFFECTSTHEY HAVE BEEN USED TO DEPRIVE PEOPLE WITH NONNORMATIVE SEXUAL LIVES FROM THEIR JOBS AND THEIR CHILDREN FOR EXAMPLE TO MENTION ONLY SOME OF THE MORE SEVERE MATERIAL CONSEQUENCES 2ATHER WHAT ) HOPE TO RECOVER FROM (ARDWICK SELECTIVELY IS A RELATIVE EMPHASIS ON SEXUAL ACTS ) DO SO ALTHOUGH ) AM NOT AT ALL SANGUINE ABOUT THE ANALYTIC DISTINCTION BETWEEN ACTS AND IDENTITIES .OTORIOUSLY THE (ARDWICK OPINION ITSELF EXPLOITED THE UNSTABLE RELATIONSHIP
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BETWEEN THE TWO AS IT OPPORTUNISTICALLY AT VARIOUS TIMES BOTH CONmATED AND DISAGGREGATED hSODOMYv AND hSODOMITESv !CTS ARE ALWAYS PERFORMED BY ACTORS WHO HAVE IDENTITIES AND IDENTITIES ARE ALWAYS CONSOLIDATED IN AND THROUGH ACTS 9ET IT IS A PECULIAR ACHIEVEMENT OF THE LIBERAL LEGAL IMAGINA TION TO SEPARATE CATEGORICALLY THINGS THAT ARE IN FACT INDISSOLUBLY CONNECTED .OTORIOUSLY hIF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT A THING INEXTRICABLY ATTACHED TO SOMETHING ELSE WITHOUT THINKING OF THE THING IT IS ATTACHED TO THEN YOU HAVE A LEGAL MINDv .EVERTHELESS A RETURN TO A RELATIVE EMPHASIS ON ACTS RATHER THAN IDENTITIES NEED NOT IMPLY A METAPHYSICAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO 2ATHER AN EMPHASIS ON ACTS CAN BE A POLITICAL TACTIC AIMED AT MAK ING CERTAIN ACTS AVAILABLE TO THE LARGEST NUMBER OF ACTORS POSSIBLE RATHER THAN MERELY THE RESPECTABLE FEW !LTHOUGH IT IS USEFUL TO REEVALUATE THE POSSIBILITIES IMPLICIT IN THE WAY IN WHICH (ARDWICK FRAMED THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF SODOMY LEGISLATION THE #OURTS FORMULATION HAS SOME CRUCIAL LIMITATIONS AS WELL 4HE MOST OBVIOUS AND MOST CRITICIZED ASPECT OF THAT FORMULATION WAS ITS REFUSAL TO CONSIDER SODOMY IN ITS HETEROSEXUAL ASPECT 4HE 'EORGIA SODOMY LAW UNDER WHICH -ICHAEL (ARDWICK WAS PROSECUTED DElNED SODOMY CAPACIOUSLY AS ANAL OR ORAL SEX BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE SAME OR OPPOSITE SEX YET THE #OURT GRATUITOUSLY LIMITED ITS ANALYSIS TO hHOMOSEXUAL SODOMYv 4HE APPROPRIATE WAY TO REPHRASE (ARDWICKS QUESTION WOULD BE THEN TO ASK WHETHER THERE IS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO ENGAGE IN SODOMY TOUT COURTAND A POSITIVE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION WOULD IN TURN AFFORD THE RIGHT TO SUCH SODOMITICAL ACTS TO MEN AND WOMEN OF ANY ALL OR NO SEXUAL ORIENTATION "EYOND QUESTIONING HOW (ARDWICK EXCLUDED HETEROSEXUALS FROM SOD OMYS EMBRACE ONE MIGHT ALSO QUESTION THE TERM SODOMY ITSELF !S +ENDALL 4HOMAS OBSERVES h4HE FACT THAT THE ;(ARDWICK= #OURT DID NOT CHOOSE AN ALTERNATIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE STATUTORILY PROSCRIBED CONDUCT IS A TEXTUAL REGISTER OF HOW DEEPLY THE SOCIAL VOICE OF HOMOPHOBIA IS INSCRIBED IN THE INSTITUTIONAL VOICE OF THE #ONSTITUTIONv )NSOFAR AS hSODOMYv IS hAN ANACHRONISTIC IDEOLOGICALLY LOADED APPELLATIONv BURDENED WITH OVERLAP PING SEXUAL POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS OVERTONES ONE MIGHT REFORMULATE THE (ARDWICK #OURTS QUESTION MORE NEUTRALLY AS WHETHER THERE IS OR OUGHT TO BE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO ENGAGE IN SAY ANAL AND ORAL SEX !DMITTEDLY AN EXCLUSIVE FOCUS ON SEX ACTS CAN BE RHETORICALLY DEHU MANIZING 0RECISELY FOR THAT REASON IT IS DIFlCULT TO CONCEIVE THE 3UPREME #OURTS ASKING THE (ARDWICK QUESTION ABOUT HETEROSEXUAL SEX ACTS AT ALL !LTHOUGH THE (ARDWICK #OURT WAS PERFECTLY HAPPY TO ANALYZE HOMOSEXUALS RIGHT TO INDULGE IN WHAT IT AT ONE POINT CALLED hACTS OF CONSENSUAL SODOMYv AS OPPOSED TO A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO MALE ON MALE RAPE IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT THE #OURT WOULD EVER FRAME QUESTIONS OF OPPOSITE SEX SEXUAL ACTS IN SUCH A CLINICAL MANNERAS FOR EXAMPLE hWHETHER THERE IS A FUN
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DAMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO INSERT A CONDOM COVERED OR EVEN JUST A PLAIN OLD PENIS INTO A CONSENTING VAGINAv )NSTEAD CONSTITUTIONALLY SUCH QUESTIONS ARE FRAMED IN TERMS OF PERSONAL DECISIONS ABOUT hPROCREATIONv AND hFAMILY v NOT hVAGINAL INTERCOURSEv )N THE PRE ,AWRENCE WORLD IT MADE SENSE TO RESPOND TO THE DEHUMAN IZING LANGUAGE OF (ARDWICK WITH A CERTAIN EMPHASIS ON THE HUMANITY OF QUEERS )NSOFAR AS THE (ARDWICK JUSTICES ASSERTED PATENTLY COUNTERFACTUALLY THAT THERE IS hNO CONNECTION BETWEEN FAMILY MARRIAGE OR PROCREATION ON THE ONE HAND AND HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY ON THE OTHER v IT WAS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO REMIND THE WORLD THAT GAY PEOPLE TOO HAVE FAMILIES 1UELLE SURPRISE .OW HOWEVER THE 3UPREME #OURT HAS CAUGHT ON TO THE FACT THAT HOMOSEXUALS TOO CAN AND DO EXIST IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS 4HAT IN ITSELF IS A PERFECTLY WELCOME OBSERVATION (OWEVER WHAT SHOULD GIVE US PAUSE IS THE NOTION THAT THE JUSTICES NOW PURPORT TO KNOW THE TRUTH OF HOMOSEXUAL INTIMACY IT IS JUST LIKE HETEROSEXUAL INTIMACY EXCEPT BETWEEN PERSONS OF THE SAME SEX 4HIS IS hCOMPULSORY HETEROSEXUALITYv IN ITS NEW SECOND GENERATION FORM !DRIENNE 2ICH UPDATED FOR THE MILLENNIUM (OMOSEXUALS ARE NO LONGER FACED WITH THE IMPOSSIBLE DEMAND TO LITERALLY BECOME HETEROSEXUALS BUT MERELY TO BECOME JUST LIKE HETEROSEXUALS )MITA TION AFTER ALL IS THE SINCEREST FORM OF mATTERY
.FSF3IFUPSJD )N .AN (UNTERS APT OBSERVATION h4HE 3UPREME #OURTS DECISION IN ,AW RENCE V 4EXAS IS EASY TO READ BUT DIFlCULT TO PIN DOWNv "Y NO MEANS DOES THE OPINION REQUIRE THAT NONCOUPLED HOMOSEXUALS ULTIMATELY BE TREATED LEGALLY AS SECOND CLASS CITIZENS !S FAR AS CONSTITUTIONAL DOCTRINE AS SUCH IS CONCERNED ,AWRENCE CAN INDEED BE READ AS REMOVING hTHE LAST OBSTACLE TO THE PARADIGM OF CONSENT RATHER THAN THE INSTITUTION OF MATRI MONY CONTROLLING THE DElNITION OF WHEN SEX IS PRESUMPTIVELY LEGALv 9ET READ MORE RHETORICALLY THE ULTIMATE JURISPRUDENTIAL PROJECT MAY TURN OUT TO BE NOT THAT OF DESTIGMATIZING ALL PRIVATE CONSENSUAL SEX BUT ONLY CERTAIN KINDS OF INTIMACIES AS ) HAVE SUGGESTED ,IMITING LEGITIMATE SEX TO hINTIMATEv RELATIONSHIPS IS ADMITTEDLY NOT THE SAME THING AS STATE SANCTIONED MARRIAGE BUT IT IS ITS SOCIOLOGICAL ANALOGUE ALTHOUGH ACTUAL EMOTIONAL INTIMACY IS NOT A LEGAL PREREQUISITE FOR GETTING MARRIED A hREALv MARRIAGE IS ONE WHERE LAW REIGNS OVER A COUPLE JOINED IN SEXUALLY EXPRESSED LOVE (ENCE EVEN AS THE #OURT DOCTRINALLY DELINKS MARRIAGE AND SEX RHETORICALLY IT RECOUPLES THEM SO THAT NOT ALL SEXUAL SUBJECTS SEEM TO BE CREATED EQUAL AFTER ALL .EVERTHELESS AND PERHAPS MOST STRIKINGLY THE COUPLE WHOSE DIGNITY
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AND RESPECT THE ,AWRENCE #OURT WORKS SO HARD TO RESTORE RHETORICALLY IS NOT A hCOUPLEv AT ALL BUT APPARENTLY JUST A ONE NIGHT STAND THAT GOT INTERRUPTED AS IT WERE BY THE STATE OF 4EXAS (OW DO WE MAKE SENSE OF THIS DRAMATIC DISJUNCTION BETWEEN THE #OURTS RHETORIC AND THE LEGAL EFFECT OF ITS HOLDING 7HY DOES THE #OURT SO WILLFULLY IGNORE THE PARTIES BEFORE IT AND INSIST ON CONSTRUCTING AN IMAGE OF TRANSCENDENTAL GAY INTIMACY !T THE SAME TIME IF BY VIRTUE OF THE #OURTS FANTASTIC REREADING OF THE FACTS ALL SODOMITESBOTH THE RESPECTABLE AND THE NOT SO RESPECTABLE ONESARE ALLOWED TO GET ON WITH THEIR SEX LIVES WHY SHOULD WE WORRY BY WHAT RHETORIC THE #OURT ACCOMPLISHES THAT GOAL !S &RANKE EMPHASIZES IN THE END hTHE 4EXAS SODOMY STATUTE WAS NOT FOUND TO VIOLATE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DIGNITY BUT RATHER A RIGHT TO LIBERTY v FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT IN THE 5NITED 3TATES hDIGNITYv IS NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT ONLY A SOCIAL PRIVILEGE AND TERMS SUCH AS hRESPECTv AND hDIGNITYv HAVE NO PRECISE LEGAL MEANING /N THE LANGUAGE OF RESPECT IN ,AWRENCE *AMES 7HITMAN SIMI LARLY INSISTS THAT FOR BETTER OR WORSE hLITTLE OF IT CAN BE SAID TO COUNT IN ANY CERTAIN WAY AS LAWv 'AY PEOPLES RESPECTABILITY OR LACK THEREOF IS THUS NOT A LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE MATTER ANYWAY 9ET THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO REASONS FOR CONCERN &IRST WHETHER APPLI CABLE TO SAME OR OPPOSITE SEX CONDUCT ,AWRENCES HOLDING IS NEVERTHE LESS ULTIMATELY GROUNDED IN THE PRINCIPLE OF PRIVACY )NSOFAR AS WE REGARD SEX AS AN ULTIMATELY POLITICAL AND PUBLIC ISSUE RATHER THAN A PRIVATE ONE ,AWRENCE FORECLOSES IMPORTANT AVENUES FOR POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT )T PER MITS THE EXCLUSION OF NONNORMATIVE SEXUALITIES FROM THE hWORLD OF PUBLIC INTIMACY v WHICH MAY REMAIN RESERVED FOR MANIFESTATIONS OF NORMATIVE HETEROSEXUALITY 3ECOND ALTHOUGH THE #OURTS SINGULAR INSISTENCE ON MAKING GAY SEX RESPECTABLE DOES MEAN THAT ONE CAN IN FACT NO LONGER BE THROWN IN JAIL JUST FOR ENGAGING IN SAME SEX SEXUAL CONDUCT THAT RHETORIC MAY WELL COME BACK TO HAUNT US AS HOMOSEXUAL SEX INEVITABLY BECOMES INCREASINGLY REGULATED BY THE STATE 3O LONG AS THE #ONSTITUTION PERMITTED VIEWING ALL HOMOSEXUAL SEX AS PRESUMPTIVELY CRIMINAL THERE WAS LITTLE NEED TO DRAW DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN KINDS OF HOMOSEXUAL SEXIT WAS ALL BAD OR AT LEAST NOT GOOD AND DESERVING OF PROTECTION "UT AS &RANKE OBSERVES AFTER ,AWRENCE GAY SEX TAKES PLACE hIN THE UNDERREGULATED SPACE THAT LIES BETWEEN CRIMINALIZATION AND LEGITIMIZATION THROUGH MARRIAGEv .EW DISTINCTIONS ARE LIKELY TO EMERGE TO CLARIFY THE STATUS OF DIFFERENT SEXUAL SUBJECTS IN THIS AMBIGUOUS SPACE 4HOSE DISTINCTIONS MAY NOT AFFECT THE INTERPRETATION OF SODOMY LAWS PER SEUNDER ,AWRENCE ANY UNRECONSTRUCTED SODOMY STATUTE WILL BE UNCONSTITUTIONALBUT ,AWRENCES RHETORIC MAY BE A HARBINGER OF THE JURISPRUDENCE YET TO COME ON THE CIVIL REGULATION OF HOMOSEXUAL SEX WITH DIFFERENT TREATMENT OF hGOODv AND hBADv HOMOSEXUAL SEX
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!T THE VERY LATEST IF AND WHEN SAME SEX MARRIAGE ARRIVES WE WILL KNOW WHOSE SEX IS GOOD AND WHOSE IS BAD
5BDUJDBM"DUT 'IVEN THE PROSPECT EMBEDDED IN ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS OF THE 3UPREME #OURTS DElNING THE MEANING OF NORMAL HOMOSEXUAL SEX IT SEEMS TACTICALLY WISE TO FOCUS ON LIBERATING ACTS THEMSELVES SEPARATING THEM AWAY FROM THEIR CONTEXTS AND FROM THE ACTORS PERFORMING THEM 3ODOMY DElNED IN THE MOST EXPANSIVE WAY SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO WHOEVER DESIRES TO ENGAGE IN IT FOR WHATEVER REASONS 3INGLE PEOPLE ESPECIALLY SINGLE WOMEN HAVE AS GREAT A STAKE AS QUEERS IN INSISTING ON THE LEGITIMACY OF ENGAGING IN SEX OUTSIDE OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS !S (ALLEY INSISTED LONG BEFORE ,AWRENCE OVERRULED (ARDWICK h7E CAN FORM NEW ALLIANCES ALONG THE REGISTER OF ACTSv )T BEARS REPEATING HOWEVER THAT WHETHER WE CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON ACTS OR IDENTITIES THAT CHOICE IS ALWAYS ONLY TACTICAL IN THE SENSE IN WHICH -ICHEL DE #ERTEAU USES THE TERM $ISTINGUISHING TACTICS FROM STRATEGIES DE #ERTEAU DElNES A STRATEGY AS A hCALCULUS OF FORCE RELATIONSHIPSv THAT IS PERFORMED BY A hPROPERv SUBJECT THAT OCCUPIES A DElNITE DISCURSIVE LOCATION IT IS IN RELATION TO HIS OR HER OWN RELATIVELY lXED LOCATION THAT A hPROPERv SUBJECT ASSESSES OTHERS IN THE SOCIAL lELD ! TACTIC IN CONTRAST IS A CALCULUS OF THOSE WITHOUT SUCH A LOCATION )T HAS AT ITS DISPOSAL NO BASE WHERE IT CAN CAPITALIZE ON ITS ADVANTAGES PREPARE ITS EXTENSIONS AND SECURE INDEPENDENCE WITH RESPECT TO ITS CIRCUMSTANCES 4HE hPROPERv IS A VICTORY OF SPACE OVER TIMEIT ALWAYS DEPENDS ON THE WATCH FOR OPPORTUNITIES THAT MUST BE SEIZED hON THE WINGv 7HATEVER IT WINS IT DOES NOT KEEP )T MUST CONSTANTLY MANIPULATE EVENTS IN ORDER TO TURN THEM INTO OPPORTUNITIES 4HE WEAK MUST CONTINUALLY TURN TO THEIR OWN ENDS FORCES ALIEN TO THEM
1UEER SEXUAL SUBJECTS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT hPROPERv SUBJECTS SPEAK ING FROM A POSITION OF RELATIVE POWER AND lXITY )NDEED IT IS THE PECULIAR DISCURSIVE PRIVILEGE OF HETEROSEXUALITY THAT IT CAN OPPORTUNISTICALLY DElNE AND REDElNE HOMOSEXUALITY FROM MOMENT TO MOMENT AS EITHER MERELY A SET OF ACTS OR AN IDENTITY POSSESSED BY CERTAIN PEOPLE 4HEREFORE AS (ALLEYS READING OF (ARDWICK SHOWS THOSE LABELED hHOMOSEXUALSv CONTINUALLY FACE A DISCURSIVE DOUBLE BIND THAT OFFERS NO SIMPLE EXIT h9OU CANNOT WIN BECAUSE YOUR VICTORIOUS OPPONENT IS WILLING TO BE A HYPOCRITE AND TO @DAMN IF YOU DO AND DAMN IF YOU DONT v !PPLYING THE ACTIDENTITY FRAMEWORK TO ,AW
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RENCE IT IS EVIDENT THAT BOTH DECISIONS EXPLOIT THIS DISCURSIVE AMBIVALENCE STRATEGICALLY TREATING hHOMOSEXUALITYv AS A PRACTICE AND AS AN IDENTITY (OWEVER IN (ARDWICK HOMOSEXUALITY AS IDENTITY IS A MINOR RHETORI CAL KEY AND HOMOSEXUALITY AS ACTS A MAJOR ONE AS THE OPINION RELENTLESSLY SEEKS TO REDUCE HOMOSEXUALS TO SODOMY NEVER MIND THAT TAUTOLOGICALLY THE STIGMA OF SODOMY ULTIMATELY DERIVES FROM THE IDENTITY OF THE ACTORS )N ,AWRENCE IN CONTRAST IDENTITY IS THE MAJOR RHETORICAL MODE AS THE #OURT SEEKS TO JUSTIFY SEXUAL CONDUCT BY THE ACTORS IDENTITIES CAPABLE OF INTIMACY AND HENCE DESERVING OF RESPECT HOMOSEXUALS SHOULD BE PERMIT TED TO ENGAGE IN THE ACTS THAT DElNE THEM IN THE lRST PLACE 4ACTICALLY THEN THERE WERE CERTAIN OPPORTUNITIES IN RESISTING (ARDWICKS REDUCTION OF HOMOSEXUALS TO THEIR ACTS AND INSISTING ON QUEERS HUMANITY AS ) HAVE SUGGESTED (OWEVER WITH THE DISCURSIVE DEGREE TURN OF THE ,AWRENCE #OURT AND ITS CELEBRATION OF HOMOSEXUAL INTIMACY WE ARE CLEARLY FAR BEYOND A hLOVE THAT DARE NOT SPEAK ITS NAME v AND A RHETORIC DESCRIBING SIMPLY THE HUMANITY OF THAT LOVE NO LONGER HAS THE TRACTION IT ONCE DID 4HE CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE SHIFTED AND SO HAS OUR DISCURSIVE LOCATION 7E OUGHT THEREFORE TO RECONSIDER OUR TACTICS AS WELL AS WE CONFRONT A NEW JUDICIAL LANDSCAPE )T IS TIME TO FOCUS NOT ON THE LOVE BUT ON THE ACTS THAT DARE NOT SPEAK THEIR NAMES 4HERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IN THE POLITICAL ORDER OF THE 5NITED 3TATES BEING A RESPECTABLE SUBJECT OF RIGHTS IS PREFERABLE TO BEING A SEXUAL ABJECT %VEN IF RIGHTS DO NOT SIGNIFY PURE UNADULTERATED hFREEDOM v AND EVEN IF THEY IMPOSE THEIR OWN NORMALIZING DISCIPLINE ON THEIR SUBJECTS IN THE CONTEM PORARY POLITICAL WORLD THEY ARE SURELY PREFERABLE TO A REGIME OF HOMOPHOBIC VIOLENCE SANCTIONED BY SODOMY LAWS !S 'AYATRI 3PIVAK OBSERVES WITH ART FUL AMBIVALENCE LIBERAL RIGHTS ARE SOMETHING THAT hWE CANNOT NOT WANTv WITHOUT THEM ONE HAS NO LEGAL AND POLITICAL EXISTENCE "UT AS WE EMERGE FROM THE CLOSET AND OUR SEX LIVES BEGIN TO TURN INTO ENTITLEMENTS RECODED AS PART OF UNIVERSAL HUMAN INTIMACY WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE WAYS IN WHICH SUCH NEW SEXUAL RIGHTS INSTITUTE THEIR OWN REGIME OF NORMALCY THEIR OWN CODE OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 'IVEN HOMOSEXUAL SUBJECTSAND ABJECTSSTILL UNCERTAIN CLAIMS TO HUMANITY WE OUGHT TO BE ALERT TO THE CONTINUING EXCLUSIONS OF THIS HUMANIST LOGIC EVEN AS WE OR AT LEAST THOSE IN QUALIFYING hINTIMATE RELATIONSHIPSv ARE EMBRACED BY IT )T IS IN THIS CONTEXT THAT IT SEEMS POLITICALLY USEFUL TO INSIST ON LIBERATING SEXUAL ACTS FOR USE BY ANY INDIVIDUALWITHOUT REGARD TO HIS OR HER RELA TIONSHIP STATUS !S ALWAYS THERE ARE COSTS TO THIS TACTIC AS WELL )NSOFAR AS WE INSIST THAT THE RIGHT TO hSODOMY v IN ANY ONE OF ITS MULTIPLE DElNITIONS PERTAINS TO INDIVIDUALS QUA INDIVIDUALS RATHER THAN PARTNERS IN AN INTIMATE RELA TIONSHIP WITH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WE ARE IMPLICITLY SUPPORTING THE LEGAL
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lCTION OF A TRANSPARENT FREESTANDING SUBJECTIVITYTHE LEGAL SUBJECT OF LIBERAL INDIVIDUALISM THAT THE LAW SO PRESUMPTUOUSLY CALLS THE hNATURAL PERSONv )RONICALLY IN ,AWRENCE THE 3UPREME #OURT PROMISES TO REHABILITATE HOMOSEXUALS AS SOVEREIGN SUBJECTS OF LAW PRECISELY BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO HAVE lNALLY GAINED FAITH IN OUR ABILITY TO SURRENDER OUR INDIVIDUALITY IN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER HOMOSEXUALS TO BECOME ONE IN LOVE )NDEED A LIBERAL LEGAL ORDER TREATS ITS SUBJECTS AS ATOMISTIC INDIVIDU ALS INSOFAR AS IT REGULATES THEIR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC LIVES THE ABSTRACT BEARER OF POLITICAL RIGHTS AND THE ABSTRACT HOMO ECONOMICUS RESPECTIVELY 4HE INTIMATE SPHERE OF THE FAMILY IN CONTRAST IS THE ONE PLACE WHERE A LIBERAL SOCIETY NOT ONLY PERMITS BUT EXPECTS ITS CITIZENS TO SHED THEIR INDI VIDUALITY AND CONNECT WITH OTHERS !ND THE PRIVILEGED INTIMATE BOND IN THIS MOST PRIVATE OF SPHERES IS THE SEXUAL ONE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMANA FEATURE OF THE LIBERAL ORGANIZATION OF SOCIETY THAT -ARTHA &INEMAN APTLY CRITICIZES AS THE hSEXUAL FAMILYv ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS IS THUS AN INSTANCE OF THE CONCEPTUALLY INDISSOLUBLE AND POLITICALLY INDISPENSABLE LIBERAL CONTRA DICTION BETWEEN INDIVIDUALITY AND CONNECTEDNESS )T IS ONLY WHEN THE STATE IS ABLE TO IMAGINE LEGITIMATE HOMOSEXUAL INTIMACIES ENTITLED TO hPRIVACYv THAT HOMOSEXUALS BECOME DESERVING OF hDIGNITYv AND hRESPECTv IN THE PUBLIC SPHERES OF THE LIBERAL POLITY AS WELL 5LTIMATELY IT IS THIS DICHOTO MIZED PUBLICPRIVATE SCHEMA THAT ,AWRENCE INVITES QUEERS TO JOINWITH THE NOTEWORTHY THOUGH INCREASINGLY CONTESTED RESTRICTION THAT TWO MEN OR TWO WOMEN CANNOT BE LEGALLY MARRIED !LTHOUGH THIS HUMANIZING GESTURE IS HARD TO RESIST WE NEVERTHELESS OUGHT TO INSIST ON SEPARATING SEXUAL ACTS FROM IDENTITIES AS MUCH AS WE CAN AT LEAST FOR THE PURPOSES OF LEGAL CATEGORIZATION ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS IS A RHETORICAL SYMPTOM OF THE RISK THAT THE INVITATION TO JOIN THE hINTIMATE PUBLIC SPHERE v TO USE ,AUREN "ERLANTS TERM IS BEING ULTIMATELY OFFERED hONLY FOR MEMBERS OF FAMILIES v WHETHER GAY OR STRAIGHT 9ET A FAMILY NEED NOT BE BUILT AROUND A RELATIONSHIP THAT IS DElNED BY A SEXUAL BOND AND A SEXUAL CONNECTION NEED NOT CONSTITUTE AN EMBRYONIC FAMILY !FTER ALL SEX NEED NOT BE ABOUT CONNECTION AT ALL SEX CAN SIGNIFY INTENSE ALIENATION AND SEPARATION AS MUCH AS CONNECTION
/PUFT ) WOULD LIKE TO THANK 2ITU "IRLA $AVID %NG +ATHERINE &RANKE .AN (UNTER !AMER -UMTAZ .ANCY 0OLIKOFF %LIZABETH 3CHNEIDER (INRICH 3CHUETZE -ARC 3PINDELMAN +ENDALL 4HOMAS *AMES 7HITMAN AND TWO ANONYMOUS REVIEWERS FOR THEIR COMMENTS
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"OWERS V (ARDWICK 53 53 ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS 3 #T 3 #T AT 4HAT IS WHILE MANY OBSERVERS DID EXPECT THE ULTIMATE OUTCOMETHE #OURTS STRIKING THE 4EXAS STATUTEFEW EXPECTED THE SWEEPING RHETORICAL AND DOC TRINAL REVERSAL BY WHICH THE #OURT ACHIEVED THE RESULT !S .AN (UNTER OBSERVES IN REVERSING ITSELF THE #OURT ORDINARILY PREFERS TO RELY ON BLAND AND TECHNICAL RHETORIC SO AS TO MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONTINUITY ,AWRENCE IN CONTRAST IS hA REVERSAL OF MORE THAN LAW v AS THE MAJORITY SETS OUT PASSIONATELY TO RECONlGURE NOT ONLY THE RELEVANT CONSTITUTIONAL DOCTRINE BUT ALSO hTHE SOCIAL MEANING OF HOMOSEXUALITYv .AN $ (UNTER h,IVING WITH ,AWRENCE v -INNESOTA ,AW 2EVIEW ;= )N WHAT FOLLOWS ) DRAW METHODOLOGICALLY AS WELL AS SUBSTANTIVELY FROM THE CLASSIC RHETORICAL READINGS OF "OWERS V (ARDWICK BY *ANET (ALLEY h2EASONING ABOUT 3ODOMY !CT AND )DENTITY IN AND AFTER "OWERS V (ARDWICK v 6IRGINIA ,AW 2EVIEW n AND +ENDALL 4HOMAS h"EYOND THE 0RIVACY 0RIN CIPLE v #OLUMBIA ,AW 2EVIEW n (ALLEY h2EASONING ABOUT 3ODOMY v 53 AT 4HE VERY lRST SENTENCE OF "LACKMUNS DISSENT IS h4HIS CASE IS NO MORE ABOUT A @FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO ENGAGE IN HOMOSEXUAL SODOMY AS THE #OURT PUR PORTS TO DECLARE THAN 3TANLEY V 'EORGIA WAS ABOUT A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO WATCH OBSCENE MOVIES OR +ATZ V 5NITED 3TATES WAS ABOUT A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO PLACE INTERSTATE BETS FROM A TELEPHONE BOOTHv IBID 3 #T AT )BID 4HE OPINION DOES EVENTUALLY SPECIFY THE CRIMINAL ACT IN QUESTIONhDEVI ATE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE NAMELY ANAL SEX WITH A MEMBER OF THE SAME SEX MAN v BUT THE VERY lRST SUBSTANTIVE SECTION OF THE MAJORITY OPINION THAT SETS OUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION REFERS ONLY TO hCERTAIN INTIMATE SEXUAL CONDUCTv )N TERMS OF ITS RELATIVE EMPHASIS ON SODOMY RATHER THAN INTIMACY THE MAJORITY OPINION IN (ARDWICK lNDS OCCASION TO USE THE TERM SODOMY A TOTAL OF THIRTY THREE TIMES WHEREAS IT RESORTS TO THE WORD INTIMATE ONLY ONCE )N CONTRAST THE ,AWRENCE MAJOR ITY OPINION USES THE WORDS INTIMATE OR INTIMACY A TOTAL OF TWELVE TIMES $RED 3COTT V 3ANDFORD 53 0LESSY V &ERGUSON 53 +OREMATSU V 5NITED 3TATES 53 3 #T AT EMPHASIS ADDED )BID EMPHASIS ADDED )BID n &ROM THE AMICUS BRIEFS OF SCHOLARS FROM VARIOUS DISCI PLINES THE #OURT CULLS REFERENCES TO +ATZS )NVENTION OF (ETEROSEXUALITY AS WELL AS D%MILIO AND &REEDMANS )NTIMATE -ATTERS ! (ISTORY OF 3EXUALITY IN !MERICA HARDLY CONVENTIONAL LEGAL AUTHORITIES IBID 9ET EVEN AS WE WELCOME THIS ATTENTION TO SCHOLARSHIP ITS BLESSINGS MAY BE MIXED 4HE LAW CAN UNDOUBTEDLY BENElT FROM ACADEMIC INSIGHTS YET THERE IS ALSO SOMETHING DISTURBING IN SEEING SCHOLARLY POSITIONS TRANSLATED INTO JUDICIAL PRONOUNCEMENTS /NCE EMBEDDED IN A CHAIN OF JUDICIAL CITATIONS THEY MAY BE USED JUSTIFY THE EXERCISE OF STATE AUTHORITY IN UNANTICIPATED AND WHOLLY UNQUEER WAYS )BID CITING $UDGEON V 5NITED +INGDOM %UR #T (2 PARAGRAPH EMPHASIS ADDED 4O BE SURE AS CONSTITUTIONAL LAW SCHOLARS HAVE
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OBSERVED THE REFERENCE TO THE %UROPEAN #OURT OF (UMAN 2IGHTS IS PRIMARILY A RHETORICAL EMBELLISHMENT NOT AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE BINDING NATURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS LAW ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION AT ISSUE !S 'ERALD .EUMAN PUTS IT h4HE 3UPREME #OURTS INVOCATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS LAW IN ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS REPRESENTS A RATHER MODEST USE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IN AID OF CONSTITUTIONAL INTERPRETATIONv 'ERALD .EUMAN h4HE 5SES OF )NTERNATIONAL ,AW IN #ONSTITUTIONAL )NTERPRETA TION v !MERICAN *OURNAL OF )NTERNATIONAL ,AW ;= .EEDLESS TO SAY THE WORDS RELATIONSHIP AND INTIMACY HAVE MULTIPLE MEAN INGS &OR EXAMPLE THERE ARE SURELY KINDS OF INTIMACIES THAT ARE POSSIBLE EVEN IN A ONE NIGHT STAND AND EVEN THE BRIEFEST SEXUAL ENCOUNTER TAKES PLACE IN THE CONTEXT OF SOME KIND OF RELATIONSHIPIT IS AFTER ALL EXCEEDINGLY DIFlCULT TO COMMIT SOD OMY ALONE (OWEVER RATHER THEN RESIGNIFYING THE KEY TERMS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ESSAY ) TAKE THEM IN THE MUTUALLY CONSTITUTIVE SENSES IN WHICH THE #OURT USES THEM WITH hRELATIONSHIPv CONNOTING INTIMACY OF LONG DURATION AND hINTIMACYv CONNOTING SEXUAL ACTIVITY OCCURRING IN THE CONTEXT OF AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP ) BORROW MY FORMULATION FROM 'ORE 6IDALS IRRESISTIBLE REFERENCE TO hANAL AND BANAL SEX AS WELL AS ORAL AND mORAL SEX v IN h0INK 4RIANGLE AND THE 9ELLOW 3TAR v IN 5NITED 3TATES %SSAYS n .EW 9ORK 2ANDOM (OUSE 3 #T AT )BID 3CALIA * DISSENTING )BID !S 3CALIA CORRECTLY POINTS OUT h @0RESERVING THE TRADITIONAL INSTITU TION OF MARRIAGE IS JUST A KINDER WAY OF DESCRIBING THE 3TATES MORAL DISAPPROVAL OF SAME SEX COUPLESv IBID 3CALIA * DISSENTING )BID 4HIS IS (ALLEYS DESCRIPTION OF THE "OWERS MAJORITY BUT IT IS AN APT DESCRIP TION OF THE ,AWRENCE JUSTICES AS WELLINDEED OF ALL CONSTITUTIONAL JURISPRUDENCE h2EASONING ABOUT 3ODOMY v 3 #T AT )BID EMPHASIS ADDED )BID EMPHASIS ADDED 4ELLINGLY IN DESCRIBING THE HISTORY OF SODOMY LEGISLATION THE #OURT OBSERVES THAT h!MERICAN LAWS TARGETING SAME SEX COUPLES DID NOT DEVELOP UNTIL THE LAST THIRD OF THE TH CENTURYv IBID EMPHASIS ADDED +ATHERINE - &RANKE h4HE $OMESTICATED ,IBERTY OF ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS v #OLUMBIA ,AW 2EVIEW n &RANKES COMMENT ON ,AWRENCE MAKES AN ARGUMENT PARALLEL TO THAT OF THIS ESSAY 7E BOTH ANALYZE THE WAYS IN WHICH THE #OURT RHETORICALLY NARROWS THE CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED LIBERTY THAT IT DOCTRINALLY UPHOLDS &RANKE EMPHASIZES THE #OURTS RHETORIC OF hPRIVATIZINGv AND hDOMESTICATINGv THAT LIBERTY WHILE ) FOCUS ON THE #OURTS DEMAND FOR hRESPECT ABILITYv AS THE PRICE AT WHICH THE LIBERTY HAS TO BE EARNED 3EE FOR EXAMPLE 2YAN 'OODMAN h"EYOND THE %NFORCEMENT 0RINCIPLE 3ODOMY ,AWS 3OCIAL .ORMS AND 3OCIAL 0ANOPTICS v #ALIFORNIA ,AW 2EVIEW n AND #HRISTOPHER 2 ,ESLIE h#REATING #RIMINALS 4HE )NJURIES )NmICTED BY @5NENFORCED 3ODOMY ,AWS v (ARVARD #IVIL 2IGHTS#IVIL ,IBERTIES ,AW 2EVIEW n /N THE DENIAL OF CUSTODY TO GAY PARENTS SEE ALSO 4EEMU 2USKOLA h-INOR $ISREGARD 4HE ,EGAL #ONSTRUCTION OF THE &ANTASY 4HAT 'AY AND ,ESBIAN 9OUTH $O .OT %XIST v 9ALE *OURNAL OF ,AW AND &EMINISM n /N THE WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF SODOMY LAWS SUCH AS THE CON STRUCTION OF SODOMY AS A TAX CRIME SEE FOR EXAMPLE !NTHONY # )NFANTI h4HE
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)NTERNAL 2EVENUE #ODE AS 3ODOMY 3TATUTE v 3ANTA #LARA ,AW 2EVIEW n 3EE (ALLEY h2EASONING ABOUT 3ODOMYv !S (ALLEY DEMONSTRATES ELSE WHERE THE MILITARYS hDONT ASK DONT TELLv POLICY SIMILARLY EXPLOITS THE INSTABILITY AND INCOHERENCE OF THE HOMOSEXUAL STATUSCONDUCT DISTINCTION 3EE *ANET (ALLEY $ONT ! 2EADERS 'UIDE TO THE -ILITARYS !NTI 'AY 0OLICY $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 3EE FOR EXAMPLE *UDITH "UTLER 'ENDER 4ROUBLE &EMINISM AND THE 3UBVER SION OF )DENTITY .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE AND "UTLER "ODIES 4HAT -ATTER /N THE $ISCURSIVE ,IMITS OF h3EXv .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE 4HOMAS 2EED 0OWELL QUOTED IN ,ON , &ULLER 4HE -ORALITY OF ,AW REV ED .EW (AVEN #4 9ALE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 53 AT 4HOMAS h"EYOND THE 0RIVACY 0RINCIPLE v N )BID N &OR A PROBLEMATIZATION OF hSODOMY v SEE ALSO +ATHERINE - &RANKE h0UTTING 3EX TO 7ORK v IN ,EFT ,EGALISM,EFT #RITIQUE ED 7ENDY "ROWN AND *ANET (ALLEY $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n 53 AT EMPHASIS ADDED 3EE FOR EXAMPLE 'RISWOLD V #ONNECTICUT 53 %ISENSTADT V "AIRD 53 53 3EE !DRIENNE 2ICH h#OMPULSORY (ETEROSEXUALITY AND ,ESBIAN %XIS TENCE v 3IGNS n (UNTER h,IVING WITH ,AWRENCE v )BID &RANKE h$OMESTICATED ,IBERTY OF ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS v /N THE ROLE OF hDIGNITYv IN THE 3OUTH !FRICAN #ONSTITUTION SEE &RANKE h$OMESTICATED ,IBERTY OF ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS v n AND (UNTER h,IVING WITH ,AWRENCE v *AMES 1 7HITMAN h4HE 4WO 7ESTERN #ULTURES OF 0RIVACY $IGNITY VER SUS ,IBERTY v 9ALE ,AW *OURNAL 2OBERT 0OST ALSO NOTES THAT WHILE hTHEMES OF RESPECT AND STIGMA ARE AT THE MORAL CENTER OF THE ,AWRENCE OPINION v THEY ARE hENTIRELY NEW TO SUBSTANTIVE DUE PROCESS DOCTRINEv IN WHICH THE #OURT GROUNDS ITS OPINION DOCTRINALLY 2OBERT # 0OST h&OREWORD &ASHIONING THE ,EGAL #ONSTITUTION #ULTURE #OURTS AND ,AW v (ARVARD ,AW 2EVIEW 4HE PHRASE IS FROM ,AUREN "ERLANT 4HE 1UEEN OF !MERICA 'OES TO 7ASH INGTON #ITY %SSAYS ON 3EX AND #ITIZENSHIP $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS +ENDALL 4HOMAS MAKES AN EXPANDED VERSION OF THIS ARGUMENT IN HIS REMARKS AT THE !SSOCIATION OF !MERICAN ,AW 3CHOOLS 0ANEL ON ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS 3AN &RANCISCO #! *ANUARY &RANKE h$OMESTICATED ,IBERTY OF ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS v (ALLEY h2EASONING ABOUT 3ODOMY v -ICHEL DE #ERTEAU 4HE 0RACTICE OF %VERYDAY ,IFE TRANS 3TEVEN 2ENDALL "ERKELEY 5NIVERSITY OF #ALIFORNIA 0RESS XIX 3EE (ALLEY h2EASONING ABOUT 3ODOMY v !S (ALLEY OBSERVES IN MOST OF THE OPINION THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS HOLD ING THE #OURT DElNES HOMOSEXUALITY PRIMARILY AS A SET OF ACTS AND SECONDARILY AS AN IDENTITY )N ITS BRIEFER DISCUSSION THE RATIONAL BASIS HOLDING THE #OURT SWITCHES THESE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RHETORICS h2EASONING ABOUT 3ODOMY v 9ET
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WITHIN THE OVERALL STRUCTURE OF THE OPINION THE RHETORIC OF ACTS PREDOMINATES OVER THE RHETORIC OF IDENTITY 4HIS DOES NOT REmECT A FAILURE OF RIGHTS AS A TECHNOLOGY OF FREEDOM BUT RATHER THE NATURE OF FREEDOM ITSELF !S )RIS -URDOCH OBSERVES h&REEDOM IS NOT AN ISOLATED ABILITY LIKE THE ABILITY TO SWIM WHICH WE CAN @EXERCISE IN A PURE FORM &REEDOM IS A MATTER OF DEGREE AND A MODE OF BEINGv )RIS -URDOCH -ETAPHYSICS AS A 'UIDE TO -ORALS ;,ONDON 0ENGUIN "OOKS = ) ANALYZE LAWS ROLE AS A RITUAL OF hSUBJECTION v IN THE !LTHUSSERIAN SENSE IN 4EEMU 2USKOLA h,EGAL /RIENTALISM v -ICHIGAN ,AW 2EVIEW n /N DISCIPLINE AND GOVERNMENTALITY AS HALLMARKS OF POLITICAL MODERNITY SEE -ICHEL &OUCAULT $ISCIPLINE AND 0UNISH TRANS LAN 3HERIDAN .EW 9ORK 6INTAGE "OOKS AND 'RAHAM "URCHELL #OLIN 'ORDON AND 0ETER -ILLER EDS 4HE &OUCAULT %FFECT 3TUDIES IN 'OVERNMENTALITY #HICAGO 5NIVERSITY OF #HICAGO 0RESS 'AYATRI #HAKRAVORTY 3PIVAK /UTSIDE IN THE 4EACHING -ACHINE .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE &OR AN EXTENDED DISCUSSION OF THE DILEMMA OF LIBERAL RIGHTS INSPIRED IN PART BY 3PIVAKS APHORISM SEE 7ENDY "ROWN h3UFFERING THE 0ARA DOXES OF 2IGHTS v IN "ROWN ,EFT ,EGALISM,EFT #RITIQUE -ARTHA !LBERTSON &INEMAN 4HE .EUTERED -OTHER THE 3EXUAL &AMILY AND /THER 4WENTIETH #ENTURY 4RAGEDIES .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE -UCH OF THE COMMENTARY ON ,AWRENCE HAS RESPONDED ENTHUSIASTICALLY TO ITS PROMISE TO REHABILITATE HOMOSEXUALITY AS AN IDENTITY ,AURENCE 4RIBE FOR EXAMPLE APPLAUDS THE DECISION FOR EMPHASIZING hNOT THE SET OF SPECIlC ACTS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUND TO MERIT CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION BUT RATHER THE RELATIONSHIPS AND SELF GOVERNING COMMITMENTS OUT OF WHICH THOSE ACTS ARISETHE NETWORK OF HUMAN CONNECTION OVER TIME THAT MAKES GENUINE FREEDOM POSSIBLEv ,AURENCE 4RIBE h,AWRENCE V 4EXAS 4HE @&UNDAMENTAL 2IGHT 4HAT $ARE .OT 3PEAK )TS .AME v (ARVARD ,AW 2EVIEW ;= ;EMPHASIS IN ORIGINAL= "ERLANT 1UEEN OF !MERICA 'OES TO 7ASHINGTON #ITY
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2VFFS-JNJUT 3OMETHING CURIOUS HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PAST lFTEEN YEARS &OR QUEERS IN THE WORDS OF *OHN $%MILIO hTHE WORLD TURNED v AND NOW THEY ARE A CENTRAL FOCUS OF MAINSTREAM POLITICS AND CULTURE "ECAUSE OF THIS INCREAS ING FAMILIARITY QUEERS ARE AT ONCE PRESENT AND STILL DESPISED 'AYSPAR TICULARLY WHITE AFmUENT STEREOTYPICAL GAYSEXPERIENCE VISIBILITY IN SHOWS SUCH AS 7ILL AND 'RACE AND 1UEER %YE FOR THE 3TRAIGHT 'UY HOMOSEXUAL SODOMY HAS BEEN LEGALIZED IN THE 5NITED 3TATES BY THE 53 3UPREME #OURT DECISION IN ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS -ASSACHUSETTSS HIGHEST COURT HAS RULED TWICE IN FAVOR OF SAME SEX MARRIAGE NOT CIVIL UNION RIGHTS AND RENEGADE COUNTIES TOWNS AND CITIES IN #ALIFORNIA /REGON .EW -EXICO AND .EW 9ORK ARE DElANTLY MARRYING SAME SEX COUPLES "UT IF THE REELEC TION OF 'EORGE 7 "USH AND THE RISE OF VALUES VOTERS SHOULD SIGNAL ANY THING IT IS THAT WE SHOULD HESITATE TO AGREE WITH THE OPTIMISTIC WORDS OF 'EORGE #HAUNCEY WHO EXCLAIMED IN THE .EW 9ORK 4IMES THAT THE BATTLE FOR GAY VISIBILITY HAS CLEARLY hBEEN WONv 7E ARE VISIBLE PERHAPS BUT DElNITELY NOT VICTORIOUS 7HEN QUEERS PUSH FOR CIVIL RIGHTS SUCH AS MARRIAGE THEY ROUTINELY CONFRONT THAT OLD SYMBOLIC AND SENTIMENTAL TERRAIN CALLED THE hFAMILYv 4HESE CONFRONTATIONS ARE CITIZENSHIP CONTESTS IN WHICH SO MUCH OF THE !MERICAN NATIONAL SPHERE INTIMATELY AS THE PAST .OVEMBER REMINDED US RECONSOLIDATES ITS MOST CONSERVATIVE TENDENCIES 4HE QUEER ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE OR HE ASKS TO BE LET INTO POLITICALLY LEGITIMATE STATE APPROVED FAMILY MAKING DISCOVERS THAT SHE OR HE IS STILL A SUSPICIOUS AND CRIMI NALIZED CITIZEN ,OOK AT THE WORDS OF THE CONSERVATIVE #HRISTIAN &AMILY 2ESEARCH #OUNCIL &2# WHICH DEFENDS hFAMILY FAITH AND FREEDOMv AS THE *UDEO #HRISTIAN PRINCIPLES OF A STRONG AND SOLID CULTURE )T HAS A LIST OF CORE PRINCIPLES THAT QUEERS JEOPARDIZE 'OD EXISTS AND IS SOVEREIGN OVER ALL CREATION (E CREATED HUMAN BEINGS IN (IS IMAGE (UMAN LIFE IS THEREFORE SACRED AND THE RIGHT TO LIFE IS THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL OF POLITICAL RIGHTS
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,IFE AND LOVE ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED AND lND THEIR NATURAL EXPRESSION IN THE INSTITUTIONS OF MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY 'OVERNMENT HAS A DUTY TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT MARRIAGE AND FAMILY IN LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY 4HE !MERICAN SYSTEM OF LAW AND JUSTICE WAS FOUNDED ON THE *UDEO #HRISTIAN ETHIC !MERICAN DEMOCRACY DEPENDS UPON A VIBRANT CIVIL SOCIETY COMPOSED OF FAMILIES CHURCHES SCHOOLS AND VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATIONS
4HIS LIST IS NOT JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF AN EXTREME IDEOLOGY OF AN EVAN GELICAL RELIGIOUS FRINGE 4HE &2# HAS SUBSTANTIAL CLOUT IN THE '/0 IT WAS STARTED DURING THE 2EAGAN YEARS WITH MANY PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE 2EPUBLICAN 0ARTY )T IS ALSO QUITE TYPICAL OF THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF MANY MAINSTREAM RELIGIOUS 2IGHT ORGANIZATIONS IN THAT IT CONCISELY EXPLAINS WHY THE 2IGHT STILL OPPOSES THE LEGAL ENFRANCHISEMENT OF QUEERS IN THOSE INSTI TUTIONS CAST AS MOST AT RISK FAMILIES CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS 4HE RELIGIOUS ETHIC OF THE !MERICAN SYSTEM OF LAW AND JUSTICE WHICH RELIES ON VIRTUOUS FAMILIES DRENCHED IN CORRECT FAITH CANNOT BE VIOLATED BY SUBSTANTIAL POLICY GAINS MADE BY QUEERS )N RESPONSE A MASSIVE FUND RAISING AND ACTIVIST INITIATIVE BY THE &2# h&AMILY &AITH AND &REEDOM 4HE "ATTLE FOR -AR RIAGE v HAS BEEN CREATED TO HELP IN THE PURSUIT OF THE &EDERAL -ARRIAGE !MENDMENT 4HE SAME SEX MARRIAGE ISSUE ONE OF MANY ISSUES DEAR TO THE &2# AND THE RELIGIOUS 2IGHT SUCH AS ABORTION CONTRACEPTION STEM CELL RESEARCH )NTERNET PORNOGRAPHY DECENCY LAWS IS NOW THE BOUTIQUE ISSUE SUCCESSFULLY DRAWING ON THE REVULSION MANY STILL FEEL AGAINST QUEERS )T IS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THIS CONFRONTATION THAT ) WANT TO REASSERT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS QUEERS CURRENTLY FUNCTION AS ONE OF THE MAJOR LIMITS OF THE !MERICAN NATION STATE AND AS SUCH CANNOT EVER FULLY BE INCLUDED 4HE USE VALUE OF THE SEX PANIC THAT STILL OCCURS AROUND HOMO SEXUALITY AND RIGHTS CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED &OR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ESSAY ) WANT TO FOCUS ON ONE GENRE OF QUEERS CREATIVE ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE NATION STATE WHICH OCCURS WHEN QUEERS ARE CONFRONTED WITH AN EMOTION THEY EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY PUSH THE LIMITS OF LIBERAL INCLUSION RELIGIOUSLY ARTICULATED HATE 2EMEMBER NOT LONG BEFORE 7ILL AND 'RACE DEBUTED WHEN THE 2EVEREND &RED 0HELPS PASTOR OF THE INFAMOUS 7ESTBORO "AP TIST #HURCH GAINED NOTORIETY FOR PROTESTING -ATTHEW 3HEPARDS FUNERAL 0HELPS STILL MAINTAINS HIS 7EB SITE 'OD (ATES &AGS WHICH FEATURES THE h0ERPETUAL 'OSPEL -EMORIAL TO -ATTHEW 3HEPARD v IN WHICH AN IMAGE OF -ATTHEW SCREAMS ELECTRONICALLY AND COUNTS THE NUMBER OF DAYS -ATTHEW HAS BEEN IN HELLA BIBLICALLY JUST PUNISHMENT FOR THE h3ATANIC LIFESTYLEv
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-ATTHEW LIVED AS A hHOMOSEXUALv 0HELPSS CHURCH RADICALLY ASSERTS ON THIS SITE WHAT LESSER EXPLICIT BUT FUNDAMENTALLY AND EVANGELICALLY INmU ENCED 0ROTESTANTS HAVE LONG THOUGHT OF QUEER SEXUALITY h@'/$ (!4%3 &!'3THOUGH ELLIPTICALIS A PROFOUND THEOLOGICAL STATEMENT 4HE THREE WORDS FULLY EXPOUNDED SHOWv THAT SEVERE PUNISHMENTS AWAIT THOSE WHO GO AGAINST THE SCRIPTURAL AND FOUNDATIONAL LAWS OF A HOLY SOCIETY h4HE ONLY LAWFUL SEXUAL CONNECTION IS THE MARRIAGE BED !LL OTHER SEXUAL ACTIVITY IS WHOREMONGERY AND ADULTERY WHICH WILL DAMN THE SOUL FOREVER IN (ELLv 2ATHER THAN DISMISS 0HELPS AS AN EXTREMIST ) WOULD LIKE TO RELATE THIS OUTRAGEOUS HYPERBOLE TO THE KINDS OF PUBLIC DOCTRINAL lNANCIAL AND POLITI CAL GAINS THE RHETORICAL OPPOSITION TO hHOMOSEXUALITYv HAS PROVIDED AND WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FOR POWERFUL #HRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE &2# AND LESS EXPLICITLY #HRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE 53 GOVERN MENT IN THE LATE TWENTIETH AND EARLY TWENTY lRST CENTURIES 4HE MORAL PANIC OVER TRADITIONAL VALUES ALSO SATURATES THE AGENDA OF THE MAINSTREAM #HRISTIAN MEDIA GIANT &OCUS ON THE &AMILY )TS 7EB SITES h(OT 4OPICSv SECTION RAISES A FAMILIAR AND MALICIOUS QUESTION ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS h(OMOSEXUAL ACTIVISTS CLAIM THEIR LIFESTYLE WHICH IN SOME CASES INCLUDES THOUSANDS OF SEXUAL PARTNERS SHOULD BE SANCTIONED PROTECTED AND GRANTED SPECIAL RIGHTS BY SOCIETY 7OULD YOU CRITIQUE THIS STANCE v 4HE ANSWER OF COURSE IS hYES v AND ONE SHOULD MAKE THAT hYESv HEARD BY PROTECTING TRADITIONAL HETEROSEXUAL MORALITY REINFORCING THE EXPLICIT MISSION OF #HRISTIAN FAMILY VALUES THAT MAKES &OCUS ON THE &AMILY SUCH A LARGE AND CHERISHED MEDIA OUTLET FOR ALL SORTS OF CONSERVATIVE #HRISTIANS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD "UT QUEERS HAVE ALSO MADE SIMILAR GAINS FROM THE SAME RHETORIC OF HATE 6IRULENT LANGUAGE OFTEN HAS A PECULIAR USE VALUE IN OPPOSITIONAL POLITICS *UDITH "UTLERS %XCITABLE 3PEECH ! 0OLITICS OF THE 0ERFORMATIVE IS A SUBTLE EXPLO RATION OF HATE SPEECH AND THE WAYS THAT WE MUST hQUESTION FOR A MOMENT THE PRESUMPTION THAT HATE SPEECH ALWAYS WORKS NOT TO MINIMIZE THE PAIN THAT IS SUFFERED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF HATE SPEECH BUT TO LEAVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY THAT ITS FAILURE IS THE CONDITION OF CRITICAL RESPONSEv 0ROVOKED BY "UTLERS INSIGHTS ) WANT TO SUGGEST THAT ANTIQUEER RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE WHAT OFTEN AMOUNTS TO QUEER HATE SPEECH DOES NOT NECESSARILY HURT QUEERS 1UEERS HAVE LONG USED SUCH HATEFUL EXPRESSIONS AS THE CONDITION FOR A CIRCUMSPECT PUBLIC ITY IN A 53 RELIGIOUS PUBLIC SPHERE A SPHERE THAT NECESSARILY ALWAYS SHAPES THE POSITIONS FROM WHERE ANYONE ESPECIALLY QUEERS CAN SPEAK IN CULTURE AND POLITICS "UT RATHER THAN PRODUCE AS "UTLER PROPOSES A hRESIGNIlCATION OF SPEECH ;THAT= OPENS NEW CONTEXTS SPEAKING IN WAYS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN LEGITIMATED AND HENCE PRODUCING LEGITIMATION IN NEW FORMS v QUEERS MINE THE HOSTILITY AND POLITICS OF HATE THAT DOES NOT RESIGNIFY AS MUCH AS REPEAT
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THE TRADITIONAL FORMS OF POLITICAL SPHERE ACCESS BUT TO PERVERSE ADVANTAGE USING THE LIMITS OF LIBERALISM TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING MORE 1UEERS MINE THE HATE THROUGH A RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE OF HATE TO PROVOKE IMPORTANT FEELINGS THAT CAN UNDERSTAND AND MANIPULATE THE LIMITS OF LIBERAL INCLUSION IN A SEVERELY RESTRICTED 53 PUBLIC SPHERE )N THE FOLLOWING PAGES ) ARGUE THAT MUCH OF QUEER POLITICS AND RIGHTS WHICH SEEM SO MAINSTREAMED ALSO CIRCULATE AT THE LIMITS OF LIBERALISM AND SPECIlCALLY DO SO IN A RECOGNIZABLY SCANDALOUS SPHERE OF RELIGIOUS HATRED (ATE SPEECH ERUPTS AT ONE LIBERAL IMPASSE THAT ALWAYS SERVES AS A MAJOR FACTOR hLIMITINGv QUEERS FROM ENTERING FULLY INTO CITIZENSHIPOUR FORCED ASSOCIATION THROUGH A RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE OF HATE WITH PEDOPHILIA AND INCEST &OR IT IS THROUGH THE CONNECTIONS TO ANTIFAMILY INCESTUOUS AND PEDOPHILIC LEANINGS THAT MANY WHO WANT TO PROHIBIT QUEER INCLUSION ARE ABLE TO CAST QUEERS AS THOSE WHO ARE hINCOMPATIBLE WITH PERSONAL AND PUBLIC SENSES OF THE MORAL AND THE CRIMINALv ) STUDY THE CREATIVE MANIPULATIONS OF THE RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE OF QUEER INCEST WHICH QUITE SURPRISINGLY LIN GUISTICALLY AFlLIATES THE SCANDALS OF QUEER KINSHIP CRISIS WITH THE NATIONAL CRISES OF RACE AND RACIAL CIVIL RIGHTS IN AN ENTIRELY hPROBLEMATICv FASHION AND NECESSARILY SO 3UCH A LINK BETWEEN RACE AND SEXUALITY AND THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF LINKS BETWEEN RACE AND SEXUALITY IS NOTORIOUSLY TROUBLING *ANET (ALLEY AMONG NUMEROUS OTHERS HAS BEEN HELPFUL IN THE CRITIQUE OF MUCH MINORITY MODELING hLIKE RACEv ARGUMENTS IN QUEER ACTIVISM AND POLITICS ) UNDERSTAND SUCH CRITIQUE AS HOPE FOR THE EMERGENCE OF LESS LETHAL AND EXCLUSIVE MODELS OF CITIZENSHIP AND POLITICS AND ) SHARE SUCH CRITICISM AND DESIRE "UT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS ESSAY AND FOR THE URGENCY OF OUR ULTRACONSERVATIVE TIMES ) AM INTERESTED IN HOW QUEERS CREATE RHETORICAL FORMS OF DEMOCRATIC COPING OF SURVIVAL AMID SO MUCH HATE BY USING THE hLIKE RACEv ANALOGYFORMS MADE POSSIBLE BY A RELIGIOUS VERBAL ATTACK ON QUEERS THAT MAKES THE HATRED EXPERIENCED BY THEM NOT UNLIKE THE HATRED EXPERIENCED BY RACIAL MINORITIES 4HIS POLITICS MOREOVER IS VERY MUCH A RHETORICAL POLITICS THAT IS NOT AS RELIANT ON CONVENTIONAL AND LITERAL CONCEP TIONS OF CIVIL RIGHTS PREDICATED ON THE ACCURATE TESTIMONY OF EXCLUSION FROM AN UNSATISFYING AND COERCIVE NATION STATE )NSTEAD THE QUEER PUSH FOR CIVIL RIGHTS USES THE HATEFUL RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE TO INDICATE THE UNCIVIL WRONGS OF BEING MARKED AS QUEER RECALLING THE DRAMAS OF POLITICAL SOCIAL AND CUL TURAL EXCLUSION 7HAT ) HOPE TO SHOW IS THAT SOME CIVIL RIGHTS DISCOURSES AS THEY NOW OPERATE WITHIN CONTEMPORARY MINORITY POLITICS OFTEN FUNCTION AS RHETORICS OF SUFFERING PAIN AND MINORITY EMOTION THAT CAN BE USED BY THE POLITICALLY AND CULTURALLY DISENFRANCHISED TO ANNOUNCE AND BOTHER PEOPLE FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE QUEER COMMUNITY INTO SOME KIND OF TRANSFORMATIVE ACTION EVEN IF THAT ACTION IS SIMPLY FEELING THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG AND THAT SOMETHING ELSE SHOULD BE DONE
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)N *OSEPH $RUCE MURDERED *OHN 'EOGHAN A NOTORIOUS hPEDOPHILE PRIESTv $RUCE A MAN WHOM THE 7ORCESTER -ASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT ATTOR NEY DESCRIBED AS BEING hSO CONSUMED WITH HATRED TOWARD HOMOSEXUALS v CONSIDERED 'EOGHAN A hPRIZEv WORTH KILLING $RUCE WAS ALREADY SERVING TIME FOR THE STRANGULATION OF A MAN HE HAD BELIEVED WAS GAY 'EOGHANS KILLING WHICH OCCURRED WITHIN THE CONlNES OF THE 3OUZA "ARANOWSKI #ORRECTIONAL #ENTER WAS GRUESOME AND HAS BEEN REPORTED IN VIVID DETAIL BUT CURIOUSLY LITTLE MORAL OUTRAGE OCCURRED !FTER ALL THIS WAS A PEDO PHILE WHO WAS KILLED A MAN CONVICTED IN *ANUARY FOR GROPING A TEN YEAR OLD BOY IN JUST ONE INCIDENT AMONG MANY )N 3EPTEMBER THE !RCHDIOCESE OF "OSTON PAID A REPORTED MILLION TO SETTLE A SUIT BY EIGHTY SIX PLAINTIFFS ALL CHARGING 'EOGHAN WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT ! .OTRE $AME HISTORIAN 3COTT !PPELBY TOLD #.. THAT 'EOGHAN WAS hCLEARLY A TROUBLED SOUL v A hSICK MAN AND A PREDATOR PRIEST !N ICON FOR THE SCANDAL THAT HAS ROCKED THE CHURCHv 4HE DEFROCKED PRIEST WAS CERTAINLY NO MAR TYR AND SO HIS VIOLENT END AT THE HANDS OF AN UNREPENTANT HOMOPHOBE IS NOT EASILY MOURNED (E IS A hSICKv AND hPERVERSEv ICON OF THE INCREASINGLY INFAMOUS #ATHOLIC #HURCH #ERTAINLY IT IS HARD TO DEFEND THE ACTIONS AND LIFE OF A PEDOPHILE ESPE CIALLY WITH ALL THE HARMFUL AND TRAGIC STORIES OF REAL ABUSE THAT COMPRISE 'EOGHANS HISTORY AS WELL AS THE MANY HISTORIES WITHIN DIOCESES WORLDWIDE !MONG NUMEROUS QUARTERS AND CASUAL CONVERSATIONS HOWEVER A KNEE JERK RESPONSE TO THE OUTRAGE OVER PEDOPHILIA OVERSHADOWED THE FACT THAT A MAN HAD BEEN KILLED AND BY SOMEONE WHO HAS LONG HATED HOMOSEXUALS 2EAL JUSTICE ) HAVE BEEN REPETITIVELY TOLD WAS SERVED BEHIND BARS !PPELBY EXPLAINED h7HILE SOME MAY SAY SADLY HE GOT WHATS COMING TO HIM ) THINK THE PREVAILING FEELING IS ONE OF SADNESS FOR WHAT HE DID FOR THE STATE OF HIS OWN SOULv )NSTEAD OF BEING LET TO FEEL SHOCK AND ANGER OVER THE ACTIONS OF $RUCE WE ARE DIRECTED TO THE hREALv STORYONE WITH PRIESTS WHO PRAY AND PREY ON LITTLE BOYS PRIESTS WHOSE SICKNESSES MUST BE LAMENTED IF NOT hCUREDv BY DEATH 7HAT ESCAPES OUR ATTENTION IS THE FACT THAT $RUCE MADE THE MISTAKE THAT MANY OFTEN MAKE THAT PEDOPHILIA IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND THAT SOME KIND OF HATRED TOWARD GAYS CAN lND AN ACCEPTABLE EXPRESSION IN THE VIOLENT PUNISHMENT OF THE PREDATOR PEDOPHILE PRIESTS 4HE LACK OF THE CHILDS CONSENT IS AN UPSETTING PART OF 'EOGHANS SEX ABUSE AND SHOULD NOT BE DIMINISHED NOR SHOULD WE BE UNCONCERNED WITH THE AFTEREFFECTS OF ANY ACT OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE "UT THAT KIND OF ABUSE CANNOT BE SO EASILY CONmATED WITH HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE HATRED OF HOMOSEXUALITY SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED OR EVEN CELEBRATED WHEN THE HOMOSEXUAL VICTIM IS A PEDOPHILE )NSTEAD WE SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT
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THE PUBLIC USES AND ABUSES OF PEDOPHILIA AND WONDER WHY SO MUCH HATRED CAN BE DEEMED JUSTIlABLE OR ACCEPTABLE WHEN QUESTIONS OF CHILDREN OF RELI GION AND OF FAMILY SEEM THREATENED !ND USUALLY THREATENED BY SOMEONE CONSIDERED hHOMOSEXUALv 4HIS MURDER AND THE REACTIONS TO IT ARE BY NO MEANS ISOLATED 4HE PROLIFERATION OF CHURCH SEX SCANDALS ALONG WITH THE REGIMENTED OUTRAGE THAT EVEN PERMITS HOMOPHOBIC VIOLENCE TO OCCUR WITHIN STATE INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE PRISON ARE NOT JUST ACCIDENTAL OCCURRENCES ABERRATIONS IN A PUBLIC THAT SEEMS TO BE MORE TOLERANT AND ACCEPTING OF GAYS /NE SHOULD LOOK AT THE NOT INFAMOUS ENOUGH COMMENTS OF 53 3ENATOR 2ICK 3ANTO RUM WHO MAKES MANY OF THE LINKS BETWEEN HOMOSEXUALITY AND PEDOPHILIA THAT CONTEMPORARY QUEER POLITICS NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT )N A !PRIL INTERVIEW WITH THE !SSOCIATED 0RESS 3ANTORUM CONNECTED THE DECLINE OF THE TRADITIONAL HETEROSEXUAL FAMILY WITH THE hMORAL RELATIVISMv BROUGHT ON BY hLIBERALISM v WHICH IS ACCORDING TO THE SENATOR ONE OF THE ROOT REASONS WHY THERE ARE SO MANY CHURCH SEX SCANDALS 7ITH THE ACCEPTANCE OF A VARIETY OF hDIFFERENT LIFESTYLES v 3ANTORUM EXPLAINED THE DANGEROUS CASE IS MADE THAT hYOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO AS LONG AS ITS IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR OWN HOMEv 7HEN HE MADE THESE REMARKS HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPENDING ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS RULING WITH ITS SPECIlC ISSUES ABOUT WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY &OR 3ANTORUM THERE IS THE DANGEROUS POSSIBILITY THAT PRIVACY GRANTED TO ALL TWINNED WITH CONSENT WOULD ALLOW FOR ANY TYPE OF BEHAVIOR h9OURE SENDING SIGNALS THAT AS LONG AS YOU DO IT PRIVATELY AND CONSENSUALLY WE DONT REALLY CARE WHAT YOU DOv "IZARRELY THIS FEAR OF PRIVATE PERMISSIVENESS INSPIRED 3ANTORUM TO CHARACTERIZE THE #ATHOLIC #HURCH SEX SCANDALS AS hBASIC HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPSv BETWEEN CON SENTING PRIVATE ADULTS BECAUSE IN THESE CASES hWERE NOT TALKING ABOUT PRIESTS WITH YEAR OLDS OR YEAR OLDSv )F WE THINK ABOUT THIS ASSERTION SUDDENLY THE PEDOPHILES ARE NO LONGER PEDOPHILES THEY ARE HOMOSEXUALS AND 3ANTORUM QUICKLY MAKES THE ASSOCIATION $RUCE MAKES PEDOPHILIC PRIESTS ENGAGE IN hBASIC HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS v WHICH ARE REVOLTING AND WORTHY OF OUR DISDAIN 7HEN QUESTIONED BY THE !0 REPORTER ABOUT HIS BIAS AGAINST HOMOSEXU ALITY 3ANTORUM PARROTED A TYPICAL #HRISTIAN RESPONSE THAT AS A #HRISTIAN HE hHAS NO PROBLEM WITH HOMOSEXUALITYv PER SE (IS PROBLEM IS ACTUALLY WITH hHOMOSEXUAL ACTSv !ND HOMOSEXUAL ACTS DONE PRIVATELY AND WITH CONSENT SIGNAL THE DESCENT OF DECENT !MERICAN SOCIETY 7E HAVE LAWS IN STATES LIKE THE ONE AT THE 3UPREME #OURT RIGHT NOW THAT HAS SODOMY LAWS AND THEY WERE THERE FOR A PURPOSE "ECAUSE AGAIN ) WOULD ARGUE THEY UNDERMINE THE BASIC TENETS OF OUR SOCIETY AND THE FAMILY !ND IF THE 3UPREME #OURT SAYS THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONSENSUAL SEX IN YOUR
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HOME THEN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT ;TO= BIGAMY YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO POLYGAMY YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO INCEST YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ADULTERY 9OU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ANYTHING $OES THAT UNDERMINE THE FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY ) WOULD ARGUE YES IT DOES )T ALL COMES FROM ) WOULD ARGUE THIS RIGHT TO PRIVACY THAT DOESNT EXIST IN MY OPINION IN THE 5NITED 3TATES #ONSTITUTION THIS RIGHT THAT WAS CREATED IT WAS CREATED IN 'RISWOLD ;V #ONNECTICUT='RISWOLD WAS THE CONTRACEPTIVE CASEAND ABORTION ;SIC= !ND WERE JUST EXTENDING IT OUT !ND THE FURTHER YOU EXTEND IT OUT THE MORE YOUTHIS FREEDOM ACTUALLY INTERVENES AND AFFECTS THE FAMILY 9OU SAY WELL ITS MY INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM 9ES BUT IT DESTROYS THE BASIC UNIT OF OUR SOCIETY BECAUSE IT CONDONES BEHAVIOR THATS ANTITHETICAL TO STRONG HEALTHY FAMILIES 7HETHER ITS POLYGAMY WHETHER ITS ADULTERY WHETHER ITS SODOMY ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE ANTITHETICAL TO A HEALTHY STABLE TRADITIONAL FAMILY %VERY SOCIETY IN THE HISTORY OF MAN HAS UPHELD THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE AS A BOND BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN 7HY "ECAUSE SOCIETY IS BASED ON ONE THING THAT SOCIETY IS BASED ON THE FUTURE OF THE SOCIETY !ND THATS WHAT #HILDREN -ONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIPS )N EVERY SOCIETY THE DElNITION OF MARRIAGE HAS NOT EVER TO MY KNOWLEDGE INCLUDED HOMOSEXUALITY 4HATS NOT TO PICK ON HOMOSEXUALITY )TS NOT YOU KNOW MAN ON CHILD MAN ON DOG OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE )TS ONE THING
4HE PERSISTENT AND ALL TOO FAMILIAR CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE DECLINE OF THE FAMILY SEEM INESCAPABLE &OR 3ANTORUM AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS HOMOSEXUALITY IS THE FAMILYS APOCALYPSE THE BASIC FOUNDA TIONS OF hFAMILYv AS MONOGAMOUS HETEROSEXUAL UNION WILL SHAKE AS WE BECOME MORE PRIVATE AND TOLERANT -OST WORRISOME IS THAT CHILDREN MIGHT BE MOST AT RISK /F COURSE CHILDREN ARE NOT JUST CHILDREN THEY ARE THE FUTURE AND THESE CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE HURT BY THE PROGRESSIVE MOVE TO CHANGE THE NATIONS MOST CHERISHED INSTITUTIONMARRIAGE 0ERHAPS THIS IS ONE REASON BEYOND THE SCANDAL OF SEXUAL ABUSE THAT PEDOPHILIA SO QUICKLY BECOMES THE STORY OF HOMOSEXUALITY (OMOSEXUAL ITY IN ITS ILLOGICAL CONmATION IS ALWAYS AN AFFRONT TO CHILDRENIT IS PEDO PHILIC PREYING ON THE NATIONS FUTURE VOTING CITIZENS WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE BECOME SO TOLERANT AS TO ACCEPT ANY SOCIAL BEHAVIOR WHO MIGHT ALLOW FOR 'AYLE 2UBINS LONG HELD WISH FOR hBENIGN VARIATIONv OF SEXUAL IDENTITIES AND BEHAVIORS /R THESE CHILDREN MIGHT SIMPLY NOT BE hTHEREv AT ALL IF WE IGNORE THE REALITIES OF QUEER PARENTING AND REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLO GIES AND INSTEAD BELIEVE THE CONSERVATIVE #HRISTIAN LIE THAT HOMOSEXUAL FAMILIES ARE NONPROCREATIVE FAMILIES )N ANY CASE WE ARE LED TO WORRY IN A SENTIMENTAL WAY ABOUT THE FUTURE LOSS OF CHILDREN WE ARE TOLD TO WORRY ABOUT THE VIOLENT WORLD THEY WILL BE FORCED AND COERCED INTO ACCEPTING IF HOMOSEXUALS ARE PERMITTED TO THRIVE IN PRIVACY IN CONSENSUAL RELATIONS IN MARRIAGE AND ESPECIALLY IN THE CHURCH WHICH IS INCREASINGLY SYNONYMOUS
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THROUGH THE PERVASIVE PRESENCE OF CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICALS IN THE 5NITED 3TATES WITH hTHE FAMILYv !MONG HIS WORRIES 3ANTORUM CONFUSES NOT ONLY HOMOSEXUALITY WITH PEDOPHILIA BUT ALSO PEDOPHILE HOMOSEXUALS WITH A DEMAND FOR INCESTU OUS RIGHTS (E DOES SO TO FURTHER CIRCUMSCRIBE THE PRECARIOUS hNATUREv OF FAMILIES IN A TOO TOLERANT WORLD )NCEST HAS CERTAINLY LONG BEEN A VEXING ISSUE A CONSTITUTIVE TABOO WHICH HAS TOUCHED MOST ARENAS ENGAGED IN UNDERSTANDING THE MAKEUP AND MAINTENANCE OF FAMILY IF NOT ALL SOCIAL STRUCTURES -ANY FASCINATING WORKS IN PSYCHOANALYSIS ANTHROPOLOGY AND FEMINIST ANTHROPOLOGY AS WELL AS LITERARY CRITICISM IN THE !MERICAN CONTEXT HAVE ALREADY INVESTIGATED THE hRIGHTv OF INCEST AND ITS PRECIOUS PLACEMENT IN THE CONSTITUTION OF FAMILIES SOCIETIES NATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL PSYCHES )N A STUDY OF 'REEK TRAGEDY AND !NTIGONE *UDITH "UTLER FOR AN EXAMPLE THAT UNDERSTANDS 3ANTORUMS HYSTERIA EXPLAINS THAT hALTERNATIVE KINSHIP ARRANGEMENTS ;SUCH AS SAME SEX KINSHIP RELATIONS= ATTEMPT TO REVISE PSY CHIC STRUCTURES IN WAYS THAT LEAD TO TRAGEDY AGAIN lGURED INCESSANTLY AS THE TRAGEDY OF AND FOR THE CHILD .O MATTER WHAT ONE ULTIMATELY THINKS OF THE POLITICAL VALUE OF GAY MARRIAGE THE PUBLIC DEBATE ON ITS LEGITIMACY BECOMES THE OCCASION FOR A SET OF HOMOPHOBIC DISCOURSES THAT MUST BE RESISTED ON INDEPENDENT GROUNDSv ) AGREE WITH "UTLER 3UCH RESISTANCE HOWEVER IS INCREASINGLY DIFlCULT TO RESIST ON hINDEPENDENT GROUNDSv 4HE TRAGEDY OF QUEER RIGHTS IS THE TRAGEDY FOR THE CHILD AND THIS lGURATION OF TRAGEDY ENGENDERS THE KINDS OF HATEFUL RHETORIC SO LABORIOUSLY USED BY RELIGIOUS POLITICIANS SUCH AS 3ANTORUM #HURCH SEX CONTROVERSIES QUICKLY TRANSFORM INTO HOMOSEXUAL CONTROVERSIES THEN INTO GAY MARRIAGE CON TROVERSIES THREATENING TRADITIONAL VERY NATIONAL AND PATRIOTIC KINSHIP SYSTEMS WHICH ARE hINCESSANTLY v OR hINCEST ANTLY v THE CHILDS POTENTIAL LOSS 7E MOST CERTAINLY CAN DESCRIBE THIS TRAGEDY AS SENTIMENTAL PROVIDING CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS WITH AN EMOTIVE OCCASION TO BECOME QUITE HATEFUL TOWARD THE PEDOPHILIC IF NOT INCESTUOUS h&ATHERv OF THE CHILD THE HOMO SEXUAL "UTLER RIGHTLY STATES h#ONSIDER THAT THE HORROR OF INCEST THE MORAL REVULSION IT COMPELS IN SOME IS NOT FAR AlELD FROM THE SAME HORROR AND REVULSION FELT TOWARD LESBIAN AND GAY SEX AND IS NOT UNRELATED TO THE INTENSE MORAL CONDEMNATION OF VOLUNTARY SINGLE PARENTING OR GAY PARENTING OF PARENTING ARRANGEMENTS WITH MORE THAN TWO ADULTS INVOLVED 4HESE VARIOUS MODES IN WHICH THE OEDIPAL MANDATE FAILS TO PRODUCE NORMATIVE FAMILY ALL RISK ENTERING INTO THE METONYMY OF THAT MORALIZED SEXUAL HORROR THAT IS PERHAPS MOST FUNDAMENTALLY ASSOCIATED WITH INCESTv 3ANTORUMS COMMENTS CERTAINLY EXPERIENCE AND MANIPULATE THAT SEXUAL HORROR ) WOULD PUSH "UTLERS ARGUMENT EVEN FURTHER THAT INCESTWHICH IS ALSO SO CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH PEDOPHILIAAND HOMOSEXUALITY ARE SO FREQUENTLY THOUGHT
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TOGETHER THAT THE HORROR OF INCEST IS NOW ALSO THE HORROR OF HOMOSEXUALITY THE HORROR OF WHAT A PERMISSIVE PRIVATE AND QUEER FRIENDLY SOCIETY MIGHT PERMIT )N OTHER WORDS THE HORROR OF INCEST IS THE CURRENT WAY TO MARK TO lGURE THE LIMITS OF WHAT KINDS OF SEXUAL TOLERANCE TOWARD GAYS LESBIANS AND BISEXUALS THE CURRENT EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL CLIMATE CAN ACCOMMODATE )T IS THUS PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE FOR A LEADING POLITICIAN TO VOICE IN A NATIONAL WAY HIS HATRED OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN PART BECAUSE THE SPECTER OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS NOT hFAR AlELDv FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FAMILY THE FABRIC OF A GREAT NATION AND THE ONSLAUGHT OF A TOO PERMISSIVE LIBERALISM THAT BELIEVES hANYTHING GOESv )T IS ALSO PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE FOR 53 3UPREME #OURT *USTICE !NTONIN 3CALIA IN HIS DISSENT IN ,AWRENCE TO FRET SIMILARLY OVER THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE !MERICAN NATION !NXIOUS THAT THE #OURTS ANTISODOMY RULING MIGHT DEFORM 53 MARRIAGE LAWS 3CALIA BELIEVES THAT THE hHOMOSEXUAL AGENDAv NOW HURTS MANY !MERICANS WHO hDO NOT WANT PERSONS WHO OPENLY ENGAGE IN HOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT AS SCOUTMASTERS FOR THEIR CHILDREN AS TEACH ERS IN THEIR SCHOOLSv INDEED THESE !MERICANS ARE AT PERIL AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROTECT hTHEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM A LIFESTYLE THAT THEY BELIEVE IMMORAL AND DESTRUCTIVEv 4HE NEW SOCIAL TOLERANCE OF THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA AGAIN AND AGAIN PUTS OUR MORALRELIGIOUS COUNTRY OUR MORALRELIGIOUS FAMILIES AND ESPECIALLY OUR MORALRELIGIOUS CHILDREN AT DESTRUCTIVE RISK 4HE SPECTER OF THE PEDOPHILE THE SPECTER OF INCEST IS LURKING PERNICIOUSLY WITHIN THIS APOCALYPTIC VISION OF THE NATIONS FUTURE !ND THIS POSITION DOES NOT CAUSE ENORMOUS OUTRAGE BECAUSE THE HATEFUL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE HOMOSEXUAL AS SEXUAL PREDATOR OF CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS SO PRESENT ALWAYS SO POTENTLY UPSETTING THAT NO AMOUNT OF mAIR AND COMEDY FROM THE h&AB &IVEv 1UEER %YES CAN YET ALLEVIATE THE COUNTRYS RHETORICAL CONVULSIONS OVER THE POSSIBILITY THAT HOMOSEXUALS MIGHT COME INTO DESTRUCTIVE CONTACT WITH CHILDREN 3O HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS ) HAVE GIVEN THE INCESTUOUS AND PEDOPHILIC AFlLIATION WE HAVE NOT CHOSEN AND CAN NOT AVOID HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE NATION FROM THIS PEDOPHILIC INCESTUOUS POSITION THAT PREYS ON THE NATIONS INNOCENT CHILDREN (OW DO WE RESPOND TO THIS ARGUMENT THIS VERSION OF RELIGIOUS HATE
"'JDUJPOBM$BTFGPS$JWJM8SPOHT 4HE MOST COMMON RESPONSE ) KNOW AS ) SUGGESTED ABOVE IS ALSO FULL OF RELIGIOUS HATE "UT THIS GENRE OF HATE IS TWISTED INTO A KIND OF SENTIMENTAL ITY THAT CONJURES UP ANOTHER HISTORY OF NATIONAL INTOLERANCE #HAUNCEY IN THE .EW 9ORK 4IMES IS QUOTED AS SAYING h7HAT STRIKES ME IS HOW CLOSELY THE RESISTANCE TO SAME SEX MARRIAGE RESEMBLES WHITE PEOPLES FEARS
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ABOUT INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE WHICH WERE THE EMOTIONAL CORE OF THEIR FEARS ABOUT INTEGRATION IN GENERAL .OW AS IN THE S AND S MUCH OF THE OBJECTION TO LEGALLY EXTENDING MARITAL RIGHTS TAKES THE FORM OF RELIGIOUS WARNINGS ABOUT A DECLINING @MORAL ORDERv #HAUNCEY BRINGS THE CURRENT CONCERNS OVER QUEER RIGHTS INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THE EMOTIONAL CORE OF RACE RELATIONS WHICH IS BY NO MEANS A NOVEL TACTIC #ERTAINLY WE SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS THE hLIKE RACEv ARGUMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN EXTENSIVELY CRITIQUED BY THE IMPORTANT CRITICAL LEGAL WORK OF *ANET (ALLEY 7ITHOUT DIMINISH ING HER CRUCIAL INSIGHTS ) WANT TO SUGGEST A DIFFERENT ANALYTIC ROUTE ONE THAT INVESTIGATES THE TENACITY OF WHY SO MANY THINKERS AND ACTIVISTS MAKE QUEERS hLIKEv RACE ) MUST CAUTION THAT BY lXATING ON THE ANALOGY ) DO NOT MEAN TO IMPLY AS ONE READER OF THIS PIECE WORRIED THAT RACE AND QUEER SEXUALITY ARE NOT FULLY ENTANGLED CONCEPTS AND THE EXPLOSION OF SOPHISTI CATED WORK BY AND ABOUT QUEERS OF COLOR CERTAINLY REMINDS US AS MUCH )NSTEAD ) WANT TO THINK OF THE IDENTITY CATEGORIES AS RHETORICAL POSITIONS IN A LIMITED GRAMMAR OF BODY STYLES WE MUST USE RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY WITH VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE 2ACE HAS AN ESPECIALLY COM PLICATED AND POWERFUL STATUS FOR RACE INDEED IS AN IDENTITY CATEGORY OR RHETORICAL NAME THAT THE PUBLIC SPHERE GRUDGINGLY ACKNOWLEDGES HAS HAD A TRAUMATIC PAINFUL AND HOSTILE TREATMENT IN THE 5NITED 3TATES A HISTORY THAT IS SERIOUS AND IN NEED OF AT LEAST LIMITED REPARATIONS CIVIL RIGHTS AND RECOGNITIONS 7E CAN TAKE THOSE RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS WORDS OF HATE THOSE PUBLIC CONDEMNATIONS SATURATED WITH RELIGIOUS MORALITY AND FAMILY PANIC AND USE THEM FOR OUR ADVANTAGE 4HINK OF FOR INSTANCE QUEER MORAL OUTRAGEEVEN MY OWN PERSONAL OUTRAGEOVER 3ANTORUMS HATING AND 'EOGHANS KILLING -Y RHETORIC MUST ALSO BE INTERROGATED AS A STRATEGY PUSHING MY OWN ,EFT AND PROHOMO SEXUAL AGENDA #URIOUSLY THE 'OD (ATES &AGS 7EB SITE IS CORRECT WHEN IT ASSERTS h&AGS SHAMELESSLY USE THE DEATHS OF FAGS TO PROMOTE THEIR SOD OMITE AGENDA v FOR ) AM USING THE MORAL PANIC THE MANIFEST EXPRESSIONS OF QUEER HATRED FOR EXAMPLE -ATTHEW 3HEPARDS MURDER TO A PERVERSE QUEER ADVANTAGE IT IS THE DISPLAY OF INTOLERANCE OF SUCH CONSERVATIVE SEN TIMENTAL WORRY OVER RESTRICTED NATIONAL NOTIONS OF FAMILIES AND ESPECIALLY CHILDREN THAT PERMITS ME TO REASSERT WHAT IS STILL MINOR ABOUT QUEERNESS ESPECIALLY AT A MOMENT WHEN hGAY VISIBILITYv HAS BEEN HERALDED AS WINNING THE BATTLE ) AM USING THE HORROR OF INCEST BUT FOR A DIFFERENT PURPOSE "Y DRAWING ATTENTION TO THE SENTIMENTAL HYSTERIA OF lGURES SUCH AS 3ANTORUM BY DRAWING ATTENTION TO THE PERVERSITY OF RELIGIOUS COMMENTARY ON NATIONAL FUTURITY AND THE NATIONS IMPORTANT CHILDREN ) START TO MANIPULATE THE HATEFUL FEELINGS OF THE RELIGIOUS 2IGHT AS A hSTRUCTURE OF FEELINGv THAT CAN DESCRIBE THE POSITION OF QUEER IN CONTEMPORARY 53 POLITICS AND CULTURE ) CAN TAKE ON THAT FORM OF HATE SPEECH AS A FORM OF SELF EXPRESSION OF THE
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QUEER AS A MINORITY ) AM ASSERTING SOMETHING AS STRANGE AS ) AM STILL A MINORITY BECAUSE ) AM SO QUICKLY AFlLIATED WITH INCEST PEDOPHILIA AND THE DESTRUCTION OF FUNCTIONAL PRODUCTIVE FAMILIES ) AM STILL A MINORITY BECAUSE ) HAVE TO lGURE THE APOCALYPTIC VISION OF LIBERAL RUIN AND AS AN INCESTUOUS PEDOPHILIC lGURE ) CAN SO READILY AND CALMLY BE DElLED AT THE LOWEST AND HIGHEST LEVELS OF 53 GOVERNMENT AND CULTUREON THE mOOR OF THE 3ENATE OR THE mOOR OF A JAIL CELL AS IT WERE ALL WHILE THE CONSERVATIVE AND RELIGIOUS PUBLIC SPHERE GIVES SUCH DERISION ITS RELIGIOUS BLESSING 7HAT IS MORE POSITIONED AT THE NATIONS LIMITS ) HAVE NO CHOICE IN THE MATTERTHE ASSOCIATIONS AND ANXIETIES ARE THERE NO MATTER HOW MUCH ) WISH THEY WERE NOT 3O IN NEGATIVE IN OBVERSE ) AM STILL USING AND NOT REALLY CHANGING THE TERMS SET BY THE 2IGHT IF NOT THE RELIGIOUS RIGHTEOUS MY CLAIMS OF RECOGNI TION ALSO WORRY OVER THE FAMILY CHILD LOSS AND THE FUTURE OF THE NATIONA NATION SO PREDICATED ON THE CONSERVATIVE #HRISTIAN VALUES -OREOVER THESE EMOTIONAL IRREVERENT CONCERNSFAMILY CHILD LOSS AND THE FUTURE OF THE NATIONBELONG TO A KIND OF RACIALIZED SENTIMENTAL POLITICS WE HAVE OFTEN SEEN IN THE HISTORY OF ,'"41 POLITICS !S MANY OTHERS HAVE ARGUED THE MANIPULATION OF EMOTION FOR SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND POLITICAL CHANGE IN THE 5NITED 3TATES SINCE AT LEAST THE NINETEENTH CENTURY HAS BEEN CONCERNED WITH THE PROBLEM OF RACE AS IT WAS ARTICULATED BY THE TRAGEDY OF SLAVERY AND THE STRUGGLES FOR CITIZENSHIPS ENFRANCHIS ING POSSIBILITIES FOR THOSE WHO WERE ONCE EXCLUDEDESPECIALLY !FRICAN !MERICANS AND WOMEN ) MIGHT BE OVERSTATING THE CASE BUT THIS VERSION OF SENTIMENTAL MINORITY POLITICS IS PRIMARILY AND PERSISTENTLY RACIAL IN TONE WHICH MIGHT ACCOUNT FOR WHY SO MANY STRUGGLES TO DElNE THE FRUSTRATED EMOTIONAL CLAIMS OF THOSE WHO HAVE NOT ACHIEVED FULL CITIZENSHIP OR EQUAL ITY IN THE 5NITED 3TATES FREQUENTLY EVOKE AS ,AUREN "ERLANT DOES A QUICK MENTION OF THE &OURTEENTH !MENDMENT TO MAKE ARTICULATE THAT THE hHISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN THE 5NITED 3TATES SHOWS THAT GAINING THE FRANCHISE IS BOTH AN EVENT AND A PROCESS A ZONE OF INDIVIDUALIZATION THAT ALWAYS CRACKLES WITH CONTINGENCYv ) WOULD MODIFY THIS CLAIM A BIT AND DESCRIBE THAT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF ADEQUATE RECOGNITION OF FULL CITIZENSHIP IN THE 5NITED 3TATES IS ALSO A FEELING A SENTIMENT THAT hCRACKLES WITH CONTINGENCY v ONE THAT USUALLY USES THE !FRICAN !MERICAN RACE MORE THAN GENDER AS THE DEFAULT hFONTv OR FORM OF DIFFERENCE TO MAKE THE URGENCY OF DIFFERENCE FELT $ESPITE ITS OBVIOUS AND UPSETTING PITFALLS THERE ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES OF RACISM AND HOMOPHOBIA EVEN IF THEY OFTEN OVERLAP QUEERS OFTEN TAKE ON THE FEELINGS OF RACE TO DESCRIBE SOCIAL INJUSTICE TO ASSERT THAT THEY ARE STILL QUEER AND IN NEED OF THE LIMITED RESTRICTED AND NORMATIVE PROTECTIONS OFFERED BY A PUBLIC SPHERE !ND THEY TAKE ON THOSE STRUCTURES OF RACIAL FEELINGS NOT BECAUSE THEY FORGET THE ANALOGY AND FORGET THAT THERE IS DELIBERATE IF NOT VERY lCTITIOUS PLAY OF RHETORIC OF LANGUAGE BUT QUITE
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THE OPPOSITE THERE IS A USEFUL STRATEGY THAT IS NOT ABOUT A FAITHFUL UTTERANCE THE PRECISE NAMING OF THE MINORITY SITUATION IN WHICH THEY PERSISTENTLY lND THEMSELVES THERE IS USE IN BEING lCTITIOUS IMAGINATIVE IF NOT DOWNRIGHT DISHONEST WHEN IT COMES TO ONES PUBLICITY IN A COERCIVE AND HOSTILE NATION )NSTEAD OF A TRUTHFUL AND CAREFUL QUEER STORY WE OFTEN HAVE THE MANIPULA TION OF A HATEFUL EMOTION THAT BELONGS TO ANOTHER MINORITY CATEGORYhTHE EMOTIONAL COREv OF RACE )T IS NO WONDER THAT "UTLER SOON AFTER SHE ARGUES THAT THE HORROR OVER INCEST IS SO OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE HORROR OF GAY SEX RUSHES INTO A DIS CUSSION OF /RLANDO 0ATTERSONS INmUENTIAL BOOK 3LAVERY AND 3OCIAL $EATH ! #OMPARATIVE 3TUDY AND HIS USEFUL CONCEPT OF hSOCIAL DEATH v A hSTATUS OF BEING A LIVING BEING RADICALLY DEPRIVED OF ALL RIGHTS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ACCORDED TO ANY AND ALL LIVING BEINGSv 4HE SOCIAL DEATH OF SLAVERY IS A SOCIAL DEATH THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO THE KINDS OF DEATHS QUEERS ARE GIVEN IN THE 5NITED 3TATES ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE SO CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE HORRORS OF INCEST ALSO KNOWN AS THE HORROR OF THE ERODING TRADITION OF THE !MERICAN FAMILY )N THE CURRENT QUEER POLITICAL AND CULTURAL CLIMATE THE COMPLICATED RHETORIC OF EMOTION PROVOKES US INTO POLITICS WE ARE STRUG GLING AS WE LONG HAVE WITH SOCIAL INJUSTICE IN TERMS OF LOSS OF SLAVERY OF INCEST AND STRONG FEELINGS THAT AGGREGATE THE QUEER WITH RACE 3O LET US NOW CHART THAT STRUGGLE WITH AN INSTRUCTIVE QUEER INSTANCE !NN #VETKOVICH DESCRIBES $OROTHY !LLISONS "ASTARD OUT OF #AROLINA AS A hPOWERFULv EXAMINATION OF hTHE INTIMATE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SEXUAL TRAUMA AND SEXUAL PLEASURE AND BY IMPLICATION THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN INCEST AND IF NOT LESBIANISM EXPLICITLY THEN PERVERSE SEXUALITYv &OR THIS hLESBIANv NARRATIVE AND ) WILL CALL IT AS MUCH DOES ARTICULATE SOME DIFlCULT CONNECTIONS THAT BELONG TO THIS CONSTELLATION OF HOMOSEXUALITY INCEST HATE AND QUITE POIGNANTLY RACE AND RELIGION THAT ) HAVE BEEN DESCRIBING IN THIS ESSAY 4HE CENTRAL CHARACTER "ONE A VICTIM OF INCEST AND A FAILING AND POOR WHITE FAMILY STRUGGLES AND EMBODIES hHARDSCRABBLEv EXISTENCE !T KEY MOMENTS IN HER STORY MOREOVER "ONE IS OVERCOME BY THE POWER OF GOSPEL MUSIC BY THE POWER OF PREACHERS WORDS WONDERING HOW SHE COULD POS SIBLY BELONG TO THESE MOMENTS OF PUBLIC COLLECTIVE EXPRESSION ABOUT WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PRIVATE ONES SOUL ONES PERSONAL STORY OR ONES FAITH 4HE WORDS SHE HEARS DURING ONE CHURCH GATHERING ARE CHARACTERISTICALLY RELIGIOUS IN THAT THEY ARE BOTH OBSCURE AND YET POTENT h2EVIVALS ARE FUNNY 0EOPLE GET PRETTY ENTHUSIASTIC BUT THEY SOMETIMES FORGET JUST WHICH HYMN IT IS THEYRE SINGING ) GRINNED AT THE SOUND OF MUMBLED UNINTELLIGIBLE SONGv $ESPITE THE LACK OF SPECIlC WORDS AND MESSAGE AND DESPITE THE WAY THAT THIS MUMBLING OCCASIONS MEN CLOSE TO THE 2EVIVAL TENT TO hPUNCH EACH OTHER LIGHTLY AND CURSE IN A FRIENDLY FASHION v "ONE lNDS THE RELIGIOUS UTTERANCES DEEPLY MOVING
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9OU BASTARD 9OU SON OF A BITCH 4HE PREACHER SAID SOMETHING ) DIDNT UNDERSTAND 4HERE WAS A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THEN A PURE TENOR VOICE ROSE UP IN THE NIGHT SKY 4HE SPIT SOURED IN MY MOUTH 4HEY HAD A REAL SINGER IN THERE A REAL GOSPEL CHOIR 3WING LOW SWEET CHARIOT COMING FOR TO CARRY ME HOME SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOT COMING TO CARRY ME HOME 4HE NIGHT SEEMED TO WRAP AROUND ME LIKE A BLANKET -Y INSIDES FELT AS IF THEY HAD MELTED AND ) COULD TASTE THE WIND IN MY MOUTH 4HE SWEET GOSPEL MUSIC POURED THROUGH ME IN A PIERCING YOUNG BOYS VOICE AND MADE ALL MY NASTINESS ALL MY JEALOUSY AND HATRED SWELL IN MY HEART 4HE WORLD WAS TOO BIG FOR ME THE MUSIC TOO STRONG ) KNEW ) KNEW ) WAS THE MOST DISGUSTING PERSON ON EARTH ) DIDNT DESERVE TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY ) STARTED HICCUPPING AND CRYING n
)NITIALLY IT MIGHT BE HARD FOR A READER TO SEE HOW ON EARTH THE LANGUAGE PROVOKING THE FEELINGS OF BEING hTHE MOST DISGUSTING PERSON ON EARTHv MIGHT ACTUALLY FOSTER A RADICAL POLITICS "UT SURELY THE REDEPLOYMENT OF THE WORD QUEER DEMONSTRATES THAT NEGATIVES STILL MIGHT GENERATE SOME UNFORE SEEN AND POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS %MOTIONALLY CHARGED LANGUAGE CAN BE TWISTED AND WRESTLED IN SOME VERY CURIOUS WAYS ESPECIALLY RELIGIOUS LAN GUAGE 4HUS !LLISON HERE EMPHASIZES THROUGH ITALICS THE SONG QUALITY OF GOSPEL MUSIC JUST AS SHE ALSO STARTS THE QUOTATION OF MEANINGFUL RHETORIC WITH CURSES THAT CALL ATTENTION TO "ONES STATUS AS A hBASTARD v AS SOMEONE OUTSIDE LEGITIMATE KINSHIP SYSTEMS 7ITH ITALICS !LLISON GRANTS A SIGNIl CANT STATUS TO THE RELIGIOUS WORDS WHICH ARE DRAWN INTO EQUIVALENCE OF THE hFRIENDLY CURSESv TO GIVE IMPORTANCE TO THE FORM AND RHETORIC OF GOSPEL RATHER THAN TO THE MESSAGE OF THE WORDS $IRECT RELIGIOUS WORDS FROM THE PREACHER THEOLOGICAL MESSAGES ARE NOT UNDERSTOOD PRECISE MEANING IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE VISCERAL AFFECTIVE STATE THE GOSPEL WORDS PROVOKE IN "ONE 3HE IS WRAPPED UP BY THE NIGHT HER INSIDES MELT HER SPIT SOURS HER NASTINESS AND JEALOUSY AND HATRED SWELL IN HER HEART 3HE HAS AN EXTREME EMOTIONAL RESPONSE THAT IS INDEXED BY HER INTENSE CORPOREAL REACTION WHICH CALLS FORTH ALL THE FEELINGS OF SHAME ABUSE ANGER THAT MAKE HER FEEL AT ONCE FULL OF GRANDIOSE SELF DISGUST AND EMPTY OF SIGNIlCANCE -ORE OVER THE GOSPEL MUSIC LEADS HER THROUGH A SERIES OF IMAGES OF HER FAMILY INTO A REALIZATION OF THE WAY THE WORLD IS hTOO BIGv h) REMEMBERED !UNT 2UTHS lNGERS mUTTERING BIRDLIKE IN FRONT OF HER FACE 5NCLE %ARLES mUSHED CHEEKS AND LANK BLACK HAIR AS THEYD CRIED TOGETHER ON THE PORCH -AMAS PINCHED WORRIED FACE AND $ADDY 'LENS COLD ANGRY EYESv )T IS SIGNIlCANT THAT THE EYES THAT GIVE "ONE HER PARTICULARLY CONFUSING INSIGHT INTO HER OWN COMPLICATED DISGUST ARE THE EYES OF HER INCESTUOUS ABUSER (IS EYES ENABLE HER PERSPECTIVE GIVE HER EYES 4HIS VICTIM OF INCEST HAS
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A FAMILY THAT HAS QUITE SIMPLY MADE HER FEEL TERRIBLY WRONG OUT OF PLACE OUT OF SCALE NOT BELONGING TO THIS LARGE STRONG WORLD "UT "ONES RESPONSE TO GOSPEL IS NOT SIMPLY WITNESSED BY EITHER THE READER OF THE NOVEL OR "ONE HERSELF 3HE OUTLINES A LINGUISTIC STRUCTURE OF THESE PROVOCATIVE EMOTIONS 4HE RELIGIOUS WORDS ARE NOT MERELY VEHICLES FOR THE EXPRESSION OF A PARALYZING HATRED AND SELF DISGUST &OR "ONE ASTUTELY TELLS US SOMETHING IMPORTANT AT ANOTHER POINT IN THE NOVEL h3ALVATION WAS COMPLICATEDv !ND PART OF THAT COMPLICATION "ONE EXPLAINS ARE THE RELIGIOUS WORDS EXEMPLIlED BY GOSPEL WHICH ARE THERE TO hMAKE YOU HATE AND LOVE YOURSELF AT THE SAME TIME MAKE YOU ASHAMED AND GLORIlEDv )T IS A MUSICAL LANGUAGE OF AMBIVALENCE WHICH PROVIDES A PARTICU LARLY IMPORTANT FORM IN WHICH TO EXPRESS EXTREME EMOTIONS ,ISTEN TO THE WAY "ONE DESCRIBES HER 5NCLE %ARLES INSISTENT NEED TO BLASPHEME 7HAT ) REALLY LIKED WAS HOW HE TALKED ABOUT *ESUS IN A WAY ) UNDERSTOOD EVEN WHEN ) COULDNT PUT IT TOGETHER WITH ALL HE SAID (E TALKED ABOUT *ESUS LIKE A MAN DYING FOR NEED OF HIM BUT TOO STUBBORN TO SIT DOWN TO THE MEAL SPREAD WITHIN HIS REACH %ARLE TALKED THE LANGUAGE OF GOSPEL MUSIC WITH ITS RHYTHMS AND INTENSITY ) HEARD IN HIS DRAWLED PRONOUNCEMENTS THE SAME SWELLING ROUGH RAW VOICES THE RED FACED MEN AND PALE SWEATING WOMEN MOANING IN THE BACK PEWS h,ORD ,ORDv -OANING AND WAITING WAITING AND PRAYING hTO BE WASHED ,ORD *ESUS WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE ,AMBv 4HE HUNGER THE LUST AND THE YEARNING WAS PALPABLE
"ONES SENSE OF WORDS THAT hCOULD NOT BE PUT TOGETHERv INTO A COHERENT THEOLOGICAL MESSAGE IS SUBORDINATE TO THE FACT THAT SHE UNDERSTANDS THE hLANGUAGE OF GOSPEL MUSICv TO BE A LANGUAGE OF INTENSITY MOANING WAIT ING LUST HUNGER AND YEARNINGEMOTIONAL STATES SOMEHOW MADE hPAL PABLEv BY THE MUSIC "ONE NEEDS THIS LANGUAGE OF LOVE AND HATE BECAUSE IT HELPS HER TO UNDERSTAND -ORE IMPORTANT THIS LANGUAGE OF LOVE AND HATE HELPS HER TO FEEL 4ELLINGLY THE MOMENT WHEN "ONE MOST FEELS THE POWER OF GOSPEL WHAT SHE IMMEDIATELY DESCRIBES AS hREAL GOSPELv IS WHEN SHE ENCOUNTERS A CLAPBOARD CHURCH IN THE WOODS 4HIS CHURCH PROVIDES THE OCCASION FOR "ONE TO HEAR WHERE GOSPEL COMES FROMFROM THE OVERWHELMING SENTIMENT OF !FRICAN !MERICANS h!T THAT ) FROZE REALIZING THAT SUCH A CHURCH OFF SUCH A DIRT ROAD HAD TO BE A COLORED CHURCHv !ND THIS MOMENT ALSO PROVOKES A DIFlCULT MOMENT OF "ONE ENCOUNTERING RACIST HATE SPEECH (ER COMPANION 3HANNON USES THE SLUR h.IGGERv )N RESPONSE "ONE ACKNOWLEDGES h-Y VOICE WAS SHAKING 4HE WAY 3HANNON SAID @NIGGER TORE AT ME THE TONE PITCHED EXACTLY LIKE THE ECHOING SOUND OF !UNT -ADELINE SNEERING @TRASH WHEN SHE THOUGHT ) WASNT CLOSE ENOUGH TO HEARv
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"ONES WHITE TRASH STATUSA STATUS MOST TRAGICALLY MARKED BY HER STATUS AS A VICTIM OF INCESTHAS MADE HER VULNERABLE TO THE KINDS OF HATE SPEECH ATTACKS SHE SO READILY IDENTIlES AS SHARING THE SAME PITCH AS hNIGGERv BOTH ARE SLURS THAT ARE ALSO EXPERIENCED AS THE LANGUAGE OF INJURY "UT IT IS THE !FRICAN !MERICAN SLUR IN PARTICULAR THAT HELPS HER UNDERSTAND THAT LANGUAGE CAN TEAR 4HE LANGUAGE OF SLUR IS SO CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE LANGUAGE OF hREAL GOSPEL v AND "ONE HERE CAN FEEL AND UNDERSTAND THE KIND OF HATE SHE MUST ALSO ENDURE AS A SUBJECT SYSTEMATICALLY BLOCKED FROM FULL OR LEGITIMATE STATUS IN THE HOSTILE WORLD THAT HATES ITS hNIGGERSv AND ITS hTRASHv (ORTENSE 3PILLERS REGARDS h!FRICAN !MERICAN SERMONS ;AND THE RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE THEY CONTAIN= AS A PARADIGM OF THE STRUCTURE OF AMBIVA LENCE THAT CONSTITUTES THE BLACK PERSONS RELATIONSHIP TO !MERICAN CULTURE AND APPRENTICESHIP IN ITv "ONE SIMILARLY REGARDS SERMONS AND GOSPELS PARTICULARLY !FRICAN !MERICAN GOSPELS AS PARADIGMATIC OF THE AMBIVALENCE SHE MUST CONFUSINGLY NEGOTIATE AS SHE CIRCULATES WITHIN A CULTURE AND SOCI ETY IN WHICH SHE IS NOT LEGITIMATE SHE IS A BASTARD AN INCEST VICTIM A MINOR GIRL AND WHITE hTRASHv 4HE AGONY OF !FRICAN !MERICAN EXPERIENCE SO DEEPLY FEELS LIKE "ONES AGONY 4HERE ARE POWERFUL ANALOGIES OCCASIONED BY THE PENETRATING FEELING AND POWER OF RELIGION BETWEEN hRACEv AND OTHER FORMS OF SOCIAL EXCLUSION THAT ARE HARD TO ARTICULATE ESPECIALLY IF ONE IS A YOUNG GIRL WITHOUT ANY STATUS AT ALL )T IS NO WONDER THAT THEORISTS AND ACTIVISTS AND NOT JUST CHARACTERS IN A BOOK EXCAVATE THIS EMOTIVE CONNECTION THIS HIGH PITCH OF HATRED FEELING AGONY HUNGER AND LUST TO COMMUNICATE THE hTRAGEDIES OF A CHILDv "UTLER AS ) MENTIONED ABOVE SUGGESTIVELY MANIPULATES CHILDHOOD TRAGEDIES SUCH AS INCEST TO PROPOSE THE PRODUCTIVE QUALITIES OF AN UNEXPECTED RESISTANCE WE CAN AND SHOULD CALL A RACIALIZED POLITICS 3HE CONCLUDES HER ARGUMENTS WITH A LYRICAL APPEAL TO THE hSOCIAL DEATHv AND THE hSHADOWY REALMv OF THOSE WHO FALL OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF NORMATIVE PUBLIC SPHERE h'IOR GIO !GAMBEN HAS REMARKED THAT WE LIVE INCREASINGLY IN A TIME IN WHICH POPULATIONS WITHOUT FULL CITIZENSHIP EXIST WITHIN STATES THEIR ONTOLOGICAL STATUS AS LEGAL SUBJECTS IS SUSPENDED v WRITES "UTLER h4HESE ARE NOT LIVES BEING GENOCIDALLY DESTROYED BUT NEITHER ARE THEY BEING ENTERED INTO THE LIFE OF THE LEGITIMATE COMMUNITY IN WHICH STANDARDS OF RECOGNITION PERMIT FOR AN ATTAINMENT OF HUMANNESSv "UT RATHER THAN SEE THESE POPULATIONS AS HELPLESSLY MORIBUND SOMETHING ABOUT THIS STATUS IS PRODUCTIVE OR USEFUL "UTLER WONDERS
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(OW ARE WE TO UNDERSTAND THIS REALM WHAT (ANNAH !RENDT CALLS THE hSHADOWY REALM v WHICH HAUNTS THE PUBLIC SPHERE WHICH IS PRECLUDED FROM THE PUBLIC CONSTITUTION OF THE HUMAN BUT WHICH IS HUMAN IN AN APPARENTLY CATACHRESTIC SENSE OF THAT TERM )NDEED HOW ARE WE TO GRASP THIS DILEMMA OF LANGUAGE
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THAT EMERGES WHEN hHUMANv TAKES ON THAT DOUBLED SENSE THE NORMATIVE ONE BASED ON RADICAL EXCLUSION AND THE ONE THAT EMERGES IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE OF THE EXCLUDED NOT NEGATED NOT DEAD PERHAPS SLOWLY YES SURELY DYING FROM A LACK OF RECOGNITION DYING INDEED FROM THE PREMATURE CIRCUMSPECTION OF THE NORMS BY WHICH RECOGNITION CAN BE CONFERRED
4HE SHADOWY REALM THE REALM OF THE HAUNTING DEATH OF THOSE WHO DO NOT BELONG TO THE PUBLIC SPHERE POSES A hDILEMMA OF LANGUAGE v A DILEMMA SUMMARILY DESCRIBED AS THE hMELANCHOLY OF THE PUBLIC SPHEREv "ONE FEELS THIS MELANCHOLY OF HER OWN LACK OF POSITIVE RECOGNITIONS THAT ARE MORE VALUABLE OF DERIVATIVE PALPABLE APPELLATIONS OF TRASH WHICH ARE AKIN TO NIGGER "UT THROUGH LOVE HATE GOSPEL HER EXISTENCE IN THE SHADOWY REALM OF NONCITIZENSHIP PRODUCES A MELANCHOLY LANGUAGE FULL OF THE AMBIVA LENCE THAT CANNOT LET GO OF THE PAIN THAT MUST LOVE AND HATE AND THAT MUST PRODUCE A RAWNESS THAT IS NOT AS INTELLIGIBLE AS MUCH AS IT IS FELT 3OMEHOW THIS RELIGIOUS LANGUAGEWHICH FUNCTIONS MORE AS A DILEMMA OF LANGUAGE RATHER THAN CLEAR THEOLOGICAL MESSAGESPRODUCES DElANCE IN "ONE 3HE DESCRIBES IN TERMS THAT COULD BE THE VERY DElNITION OF MEL ANCHOLY WHAT SHE LIKES ABOUT THE WAY RELIGION EXPRESSES THE INCOHERENCY OF HER SHADOW EXISTENCE "ONE RESPONDS TO HER INABILITY TO BE hSAVEDv IN VARIOUS "APTIST CONGREGATIONS SHE KNOWS THERE WAS NO MAGIC OR GUILT THAT WOULD BE PURGED FROM HERSELF .EVERTHELESS RELIGION PROVIDES SOME KIND OF COMFORT AND IT IS A HOSTILE COMFORT ) SNEEZED AND COUGHED FOR A SOLID WEEK LYING LIMP IN MY BED AND CRYING TO EVERY GOSPEL SONG THAT CAME OVER THE RADIO )T WAS AS IF ) WERE MOURNING THE LOSS OF SOMETHING ) HAD NEVER REALLY HAD ) SANG ALONG WITH THE MUSIC AND PRAYED FOR ALL ) WAS WORTH *ESUS BLOOD AND COUNTRY MUSIC THERE HAD TO BE SOMETHING ELSE SOMETHING MORE ) COULD HOPE FOR ) BIT MY LIP AND WENT BACK TO READING THE "OOK OF 2EVELATION TAKING COMFORT IN THE HOPE OF THE APOCALYPSE 'ODS RETRIBUTION ON THE WICKED ) LIKED 2EVELATIONS LOVED THE 7HORE OF "ABYLON AND THE PROMISED RIVERS OF BLOOD AND lRE )T STRUCK ME LIKE GOSPEL MUSIC IT PROMISED VINDICATION
7HAT "ONE ENJOYS HERE IS THAT RELIGIOUS WORDS PROVIDE A REVERSAL OF THE DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH SHE lNDS HERSELF IN WHICH SHE EXPERIENCES THE WICKED AS THOSE AROUND HER WHO TEAR INTO HER MUCH LIKE 3HANNONS DISDAIN FOR hNIGGER v WHICH IS SO MUCH LIKE THE DISDAIN THROWN AT "ONE BY OTHER WORDS 2ATHER THAN BE hSAVED v "ONE ENJOYS THE POWER AND FORCE OF THE WORDS THAT PROMISE SOME KIND OF INTENSE OPPOSITION TO THOSE WHO OPPRESS HER )N THIS WAY SHE AFlLIATES HERSELF WITH SOMETHING THE SHADOWY REALM OF NONCITIZEN OFTEN DEEPLY EVOKES A LANGUAGE OF BLACKNESS )N AN INQUIRY INTO 2ALPH %LLISONS )NVISIBLE -AN 3PILLERS ARGUES h"Y REVISING AND CORRECT
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ING @BLACKNESS INTO A CRITICAL POSTURE INTO A PREEMINENT SITE OF THE @MUL TICULTURAL LONG BEFORE THE LATTER DElNED A NEW POLITICS AND POLEMIC %LLISON HARNESSED @BLACKNESS TO A SYMBOLIC PROGRAM OF PHILOSOPHICAL @DIS OBEDIENCE ;HIS WORKS= MAKE @BLACKNESS A PROCESS A STRATEGY OF CUL TURAL CRITIQUE RATHER THAN A CONDITION OF PHYSIOGNOMY ANDOR THE EMBODI MENT OF THE AUTO BIOS GRAPHEv )N THIS PROVOCATIVE FORMULATION BLACK NESS IS THE SYMBOLIC CRITICAL POSTURE THAT ANYONE AS 3PILLERS BELIEVES CAN INHABIT AS AN INTENSE AND NECESSARY FORM OR lGURE OF OPPOSITIONA POSTURE THAT LOOKS PERHAPS IN UTOPIAN WAYS TO ANOTHER FUTURE ONE FULL OF BLOOD AND VINDICATION WHEN CERTAIN WRONGS MIGHT BE MADE RIGHT "LACK NESS FOR 3PILLERS AND %LLISON SHOULD NOT BE CAPTURED AND OVERLY INFUSED WITH NARRATIVES OF AUTHENTICITY AND ESSENTIALISMBLACKNESS SHOULD NOT MERELY BE TESTIMONY OR AUTOBIOGRAPHY "LACKNESS INSTEAD FUNCTIONS MOST EFFECTIVELY AS A POWERFUL LANGUAGE OF CRITIQUE !ND "ONE SPEAKS AS IF SHE IS BLACK IN ORDER TO MAKE A FORCEFUL OPPOSITION TO THE PUBLIC SPHERE THE LIBERAL NATION STATE THAT DESPISES AND EXCLUDES HER "UTLERS OWN WRITING REVEALS SIMILAR RHETORICAL EMPHASES OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WHAT THE SHADOWY REALM OF CONFUSING LANGUAGE MIGHT PERMIT IN TERMS OF ITS OPPOSITIONAL POTENTIAL )N DESCRIBING !NTIGONES INCESTUOUS PROMISCUOUS CLAIM ON THE HUMAN WHEN SHE IS SUPPOSED TO BE EXCLUDED WE KNOW THAT !NTIGONE hIS NOT OF THE HUMAN BUT SPEAKS ITS LANGUAGE 3HE SPEAKS WITHIN THE LANGUAGE OF ENTITLEMENT FROM WHICH SHE IS EXCLUDED PARTICIPATING IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE CLAIM WITH WHICH NO lNAL IDENTIlCA TION IS POSSIBLEv !NTIGONE MUCH LIKE "ONE HAS NO RIGHT TO SPEAK IN THE WAYS SHE DOES BUT NEVERTHELESS SHE DOES AND AS SHE DOES PRODUCES THE POSSIBILITY OF HER OWN DARK BLACKENING OPPOSITION TO THAT LANGUAGE THE TWO WOMEN ARE FORCED TO INHABIT !NTIGONE SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE OF THE STATE AND "ONE WE CAN ARGUE DOES THE SAME THE LANGUAGE OF THE !MERICAN 3TATE DESPITE CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY IS STILL VERY MUCH A RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE !S *ANET 2 *AKOBSEN AND !NN 0ELLEGRINI PROVOCATIVELY AND CORRECTLY ASSERT h4O BE TRADITIONALLY !MERICAN IS TO BE TRADITIONALLY #HRISTIAN IN A CERTAIN WAY v SO WE CAN ARGUE THAT THE PUBLIC SPHERE IS CERTAINLY ALSO A RELIGIOUS PUBLIC SPHERE WITH AN OFlCIAL RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE "OTH FEMALE lGURES OF INCEST SPEAK AUTHORITATIVE LANGUAGES BUT UNDERMINE THOSE LANGUAGES FORC ING THEM hINTO PERPETUAL CATACHRESIS SHOWING HOW A TERM CAN CONTINUE TO SIGNIFY OUTSIDE ITS CONVENTIONAL CONSTRAINTSv !N OUTLAW lGURE SUCH AS "ONE OR !NTIGONE hACTS SHE SPEAKS SHE BECOMES ONE FOR WHOM THE SPEECH ACT IS A FATAL CRIME BUT THIS FATALITY EXCEEDS HER LIFE AND ENTERS THE DISCOURSE OF INTELLIGIBILITY AS ITS OWN PROMISING FATALITY THE SOCIAL FORM OF ITS ABERRANT UNPRECEDENTED FUTUREv
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5IF6ODJWJM3FMJHJPVT1VCMJD4QIFSF #ERTAINLY THIS IS DANGEROUS lGURATIVE TERRITORY "UT THE lGURATION THE STYLE OF QUEER EXPRESSION IS OFTEN WHERE MUCH OF CONTEMPORARY POLITICS ABOUT SEXUALITY IS AND NEEDS TO ENGAGE AS WE MOVE TOWARD THE hABERRANT UNPRECEDENTED FUTUREv WHEN HOMOSEXUALS PEDOPHILICALLY AND INCESTU OUSLY DElLE THE !MERICAN FAMILY WITH DEMANDS FOR THINGS LIKE MARRIAGE RIGHTS !FTER ALL A 53 SENATOR AND OTHER FUNDAMENTAL #HRISTIANS ARE MAKING MUCH OF THE HOMOSEXUAL INCESTUOUS PEDOPHILIC PANIC UP IN THEIR HEADS THEY ARE BEING INVENTIVE AND lCTITIOUS RHETORICAL AND EFFECTIVELY SO WITH VERY REAL CONSEQUENCES 7HAT ) WANT TO STRESS IS THAT QUEERS ARE SIMILARLY MAKING THEMSELVES UP WITH SIMILARLY REAL CONSEQUENCES !LL OF WHICH MAKES SENSE SINCE THE 53 GOVERNMENT IS A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERN MENT RELYING ON THE MANNER IN WHICH PEOPLE DESCRIBE OR ARE DESCRIBED AND SPIN THEMSELVES OR ARE SPUN INTO PUBLICITY AS THEY PUSH FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND LEGAL ENFRANCHISEMENTS FROM THE NATION STATE 7HETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT THE 53 PUBLIC SPHERE AND ITS CITIZENS STILL WORK ON A DAILY BASIS WITH A RIGHTS BASED MODEL WHICH PRESUPPOSES THE !MERICAN REVOLUTIONARY IDEAL THAT INFORMED THE COMPLICATED AND INCOMPLETE TRANSFORMATION OF THE 5NITED 3TATES BY ITS $ECLARATION OF )NDEPENDENCE #ONSTITUTION AND ITS NOW PRECARIOUS "ILL OF 2IGHTS THE hREVOLUTIONARY CLAIM THAT THE SUBJECT OF POST MONARCHISM IS THE SUBJECT OF BIRTH THE SUBJECT OF UNIVERSAL INALIENABLE RIGHTSv &ROM THE VANTAGE POINT OF THE hLIKE RACEv RHETORICAL STRATEGY THE SIMILE FOR PUBLIC SPHERE ACCESS IS NOT ONE OF SIMILITUDE NOT A BORN THAT WAY ASSERTION OR EVEN A CLAIM OF lXED MINORITY STATUS BUT RATHER A POINT OF DANGEROUSLY PERHAPS HARMFULLY PRODUCTIVE AFlLIATION WITH THE EMOTIONS OF RACIAL DISTINCTION WITH AN AGREED ON MINORITY STATUS AND ITS SENTIMENTAL EFFECTS WITH LEG IBLY NOT BELONGING TO THE PUBLIC SPHERE OF BEING VIOLENTLY AND PAINFULLY EXCLUDEDOF BEING MADE OPPOSITIONAL OR hRACEDv BY THE MALICIOUS ASSO CIATIONS BETWEEN HOMOSEXUALITY AND PEDOPHILIA lGURING THE RUIN OF TRA DITIONAL !MERICAN CIVIL POLITICAL AND CULTURAL SOCIETY 1UEERS ARE HATED 1UEERS IN A SUGGESTIVE WORD ARE hRACEDv &OR THE RACE CLAIM MADE IN THE 5NITED 3TATES IS THAT SHADOWY REALM OFTEN INmECTED WITH LEGIBLE LANGUAGE PAIN AND SUFFERINGA FORM OF SENTIMENTAL LANGUAGE OF AN EXCLUDED AND FACTIONALIZED GROUP WITHIN THE 5NITED 3TATES CONJURING UP MEMORIES OF SLAVERY AND SEGREGATION THAT SHOULD NO LONGER BE TOLERATED IN A COUNTRY AND A PUBLIC TRYING TO MAKE AMENDS AND ADJUST TO hTRUEv EQUALITY "ERLANTS WORK ON CITIZENSHIP HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE hSENTIMENTAL POLITICSv THAT PERSISTS AS WE MAKE THE PUBLIC SPHERE RESPOND TO DIFFER ENCE AN EMOTIONAL POLITICS hBY WHICH MASS SUBALTERN ;MINORITY= PAIN IS ADVANCED IN THE DOMINANT PUBLIC SPHERE AS THE TRUE CORE OF NATIONAL
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COLLECTIVITYv 4HE PAIN AND SUFFERING DESCRIBED BY THE HATEFUL PLIGHT OF THOSE WHO FEEL OPPRESSED OR STRIPPED OF BASIC CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS INCREAS INGLY TAKES ABSOLUTE IMPORTANCE IN A CONmICT OVER WHETHER ONE BELONGS EQUALLY TO THE 5NITED 3TATES h.ATIONAL SENTIMENTALITY IS MORE THAN A CURRENT OF FEELING THAT CIRCULATES IN A POLITICAL lELD THE PHRASE DESCRIBES A LONGSTANDING CONTEST BETWEEN TWO MODELS OF 53 CITIZENSHIP v INSTRUCTS "ERLANT h)N ONE THE CLASSIC MODEL EACH CITIZENS VALUE IS SECURED BY AN EQUATION BETWEEN ABSTRACTNESS AND EMANCIPATION A CELL OF NATIONAL IDENTITY PROVIDES JURIDICALLY PROTECTED PERSONHOOD FOR CITIZENS REGARDLESS OF ANY THING SPECIlC ABOUT THEMv n !ND hIN THE SECOND MODEL WHICH WAS INITIALLY ORGANIZED AROUND LABOR FEMINIST AND ANTIRACIST STRUGGLES IN THE 5NITED 3TATES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY ANOTHER VERSION IS IMAGINED AS THE INDEX OF COLLECTIVE LIFE 4HIS NATION IS PEOPLED BY SUFFERING CITIZENS AND NONCITIZENS WHOSE STRUCTURAL EXCLUSION FROM THE UTOPIAN !MERICAN DREAMSCAPE EXPOSES THE STATES CLAIM OF LEGITIMACY AND VIRTUE TO AN ACID WASH OF TRUTH TELLING THAT MAKES HEGEMONIC DISAVOWAL VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE AT CERTAIN MOMENTS OF POLITICAL INTENSITYv 4HESE TWO VERSIONS OF CITIZENSHIPTHE ABSTRACTUTOPIAN VERSUS THE SUFFERINGLOUDLEADS TO A FORM OF POLITICS THAT RELIES ON THE FUNCTIONAL CITATION OF PAIN h)DENTIlCATION WITH PAIN A UNIVERSAL TRUE FEELING THEN LEADS TO STRUCTURAL AND SOCIAL CHANGEv 4HIS CITATION THUS REASSERTS THE VALUE OF THE CLASSIC MODEL OF ABSTRACT EQUALITY h)N RETURN SUBALTERNS SCARRED BY THE PAIN OF FAILED DEMOCRACY WILL REAUTHORIZE UNIVERSALIST NOTIONS OF CITIZENSHIP IN THE NATIONAL UTOPIA WHICH INVOLVES BELIEVING IN A REDEMPTIVE NOTION OF LAW AS THE GUARDIAN OF PUBLIC GOOD 4HE OBJECT OF THE NATION AND THE LAW IN THIS LIGHT IS TO ERADICATE SYSTEMATIC SOCIAL PAIN THE ABSENCE OF WHICH BECOMES THE DElNITION OF FREEDOMv 1UEER ACTIVISM AND MINORITY COMPLAINT MOST CERTAINLY BELONG TO THE TRAUMATIC MODEL OF THE PAIN OF CITIZENSHIP AS VICTIMS OF HATE AS TARGET MEMBERS OF SOCIETY QUEERS USE THEIR INJURIES TO MARK SENTIMENTALLY THE FAILURES OF THE CLASSIC CITIZENSHIPS PROMISE WITH AN EYE ON BUT PERHAPS NOT YET A HANDLE ON EVENTUALLY BECOMING hCLASSICv RATHER THAN MERELY A hSUBJECT OF TRUE ;AND PAINFUL= FEELINGv "ERLANT HAS A WHOLE HOST OF RESERVATIONS ABOUT THESE COMPETING MODELS OF CITIZENSHIP ALL OF WHICH MAKE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF SENSE ESPECIALLY IF ONE WANTED TO MOVE BEYOND THE HIERARCHY AND HISTORIES OF VIOLENT EXCLU SION IMPLIED IN THESE VERSIONS OF CONSTITUTIONAL PERSONHOOD A HIERARCHY IN WHICH hTHE COUNTERHEGEMONIC DEPLOYMENTS OF PAIN AS THE MEASURE OF STRUCTURAL INJUSTICE ACTUALLY SUSTAIN THE UTOPIAN IMAGE OF A HOMOGENOUS NATIONAL METACULTURE WHICH CAN LOOK LIKE A HEALED OR HEALTHY BODY IN CONTRAST TO THE SCARRED AND EXHAUSTED ONESv 4HE CURRENT SYSTEM OF APPEAL AND COMPLAINT IS SERIOUSLY WRONG AND "ERLANT AND OTHERS ARE
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HOLDING OUT FOR OTHER hDEMOCRATIC POSSIBILITIES v ONES THAT ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMPLEXITY AND DIVERSITY OF MINORITY EMOTION AND MINORITY STATUS "ERLANT HOPES THAT THE SUBALTERN WILL RECOGNIZE hTHAT THE SIGNS OF SUBOR DINATION THEY ;MINORITIES= FEEL ALSO TELL A STORY THAT THEY DO NOT FEEL YET OR KNOW ABOUT HOW TO CONSTRUCT THE NARRATIVE TO COMEv 4HE FUTURE AND THE UTOPIAN PROMISE OF A BETTER LESS COERCIVE ARTICULATION OF MARGINALIZATION IN THE NATIONAL CULTURE FUELS MUCH QUEER CRITICAL WORK TO BE SURE 4HERE IS AN UNDERSTANDABLE MISTRUST ONE ) FREQUENTLY FEEL IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF CONVENTIONAL AND OFTEN ABUSIVE FORMS AND RELATIONSHIPS OF CITIZENSHIP IN ADVANCING ANY DEMAND FOR SOCIAL AND STRUCTURAL CHANGE "UT WHILE WE ARE IN THE USEFUL AND NECESSARY MOOD TO HOPE AND IMAGINE AND OFFER EXCELLENT CRITICISMS AND THEORIES ABOUT WHAT COULD BE OTHERWISE IT IS ALSO CRUCIAL TO THINK ABOUT THE LESS DETECTABLE EVEN THE LESS DESIRABLE STRATEGIES OF COPING WITH THE CONlNES OF DOMINANT CULTURE OF THE ALREADY ESTABLISHED NATION STATE THAT AS ) HAVE SAID DOES NOT SEEM TO BE GOING ANYWHERE ELSE ANYTIME SOON 0ERHAPS AN EVEN QUEERER UNDERSTANDING OF THE lGURATIONS OF REPRESENTATIONAL POLITICS WILL EVACUATE AT LEAST FOR A LITTLE WHILE THE NEED FOR HOLDING OUT FOR SWEEPING UTOPIAN TRANSFORMATION OF THE PUBLIC SPHERE AND ITS NEOLIBERAL RUSES 7HEN QUEERS REFERENCE AS ) HAVE THROUGHOUT THIS ESSAY THE AVARICE OF THE RELIGIOUS RIGHTEOUS WHO MAKE QUEERS ASSUME THE BURDEN OF BEING INCESTUOUS AND PEDOPHILIC WE DEMONSTRATE THAT THE RELIGIOUS HATE OF QUEERS IS A POSITION IN RHETORIC AS MUCH AS IT IS AN IMMEDIATE AND UPSET TING EMOTIONA POSITION THAT AFlLIATES US WITH OPPRESSION THAT IS PERHAPS MORE LEGIBLE WITHIN A NEOLIBERAL PUBLIC SPHERE THAT IS RELIGIOUS NOT READY TO TRANSFORM AND LEND FULL CIVIL RIGHTS TO QUEER PEOPLE A RACED POSITION THAT HAS AT LEAST CAPTURED THE EMOTIVE ATTENTION OF A NATION THAT DID MAKE SOMEBUT NOT NEARLY ENOUGHSTRIDES TO MAKE RACIAL MINORITIES MORE FULLY MEMBERS OF SOCIETY )T MAKES SENSE THEN THAT MEMBERS OF A FOUR HUNDRED SOMETHING COALITION OF PROGRESSIVE CLERGY CALLED THE 2ELIGIOUS #OALITION FOR THE &REEDOM TO -ARRY HAS SIGNED A DECLARATION THAT STATES h&ROM THE SHAMEFUL HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN !MERICA THE INJUSTICE OF FORBIDDING PEOPLE TO MARRY IS EVIDENT AS A DENIAL OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTSv 4HE 3UPREME #OURT OF -ASSACHUSETTS IN ITS SECOND RULING ON SAME SEX MARRIAGE ON &EBRUARY RHETORICALLY AND EXPLICITLY REFERENCES THE HISTORY OF SEG REGATION RACIAL CIVIL RIGHTS AND "ROWN V "OARD OF %DUCATION h4HIS HISTORY OF OUR NATION HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT SEPARATE IS SELDOM IF EVER EQUALv 7HERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT THIS KIND OF LANGUAGE THIS KIND OF SENTIMENTAL JABBING )T IS AN ALLUSION A REFERENCE AND NOT AN EXPLICIT OR SPECIlCALLY ARTICULATED QUEER TESTIMONY ) AM HOPEFUL THAT THIS KIND OF EMOTIONAL RACIALLY INmECTED LANGUAGE IS THE TWIST WE NEED FOR A POLITICAL SPHERE THAT IS HYPEREMOTIONAL FULL OF
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SUSPICION AND HATE AND NOT WILLING TO BE RATIONAL )N THE CURRENT CLIMATE WHERE RELIGIOUS OPINIONS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITYS DANGEROUS CONNECTIONS TO INCEST PEDOPHILIA LIBERAL RUIN AND MORAL DECLINE mOURISH IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE WAYS THAT THESE WORDS CAN BE MERELY AND ONLY WORDS A LITERARY hDILEMMA OF LANGUAGE v AND HOW THOSE WORDS MAKE QUEERS HATED IN THE MOST SENTIMENTAL WAYS )T IS CERTAINLY A CIVIL WRONG TO CLAIM THAT RELIGIOUS HATE SPEECH MAKES US LIKE A RACIAL MINORITY "UT PERHAPS BY ENGAGING CIVIL RIGHTS IN SUCH AN UNCIVIL MANNER WE CAN THEN BEGIN TO GIVE OUR OUTRAGE BACK TO OURSELVES AND PUSH UP AGAINST LIBERALISMS IMPASSES INTO UNDERSTANDING THE CREATIVE AND RADICAL COPINGS OF QUEERS WHO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PERSISTENT SUBORDINATION THEY ARE FORCED TO FEEL EVERYDAY 7E MIGHT ALSO GET SOMETHING AS PECULIAR AS TWISTED ENFRANCHISEMENT SHORT CIRCUITING THE LIBERAL QUANDARIES THAT REQUIRE WE REMAIN FOREVER OUTSIDE THE LIBERAL NATION STATE IN A PUBLIC SPHERE THAT IS ALWAYS READY TO DESPISE AND h&AB &IVEv US
/PUFT 3EE *OHN $%MILIOS OPTIMISTIC BUT STILL VERY NUANCED ARGUMENTS ABOUT ,'"41 ISSUES MOVING FROM MARGIN TO CENTER IN THE !MERICAN NATIONAL CONSCIOUS NESS IN HIS COLLECTION OF ESSAYS 4HE 7ORLD 4URNED %SSAYS ON 'AY (ISTORY 0OLITICS AND #ULTURE $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 'EORGE #HAUNCEY QUOTED IN &RANK 2ICH h!ND .OW THE 1UEER %YE FOR 3TRAIGHT -ARRIAGE v .EW 9ORK 4IMES !UGUST &OR A NECESSARY CRITIQUE AND DEEP INVESTIGATION OF THE CONCEPT OF VISIBILITY ESPECIALLY LESBIAN VISIBILITY SEE !MY 6ILLAREJOS ,ESBIAN 2ULE #ULTURAL #RITICISM AND THE 6ALUE OF $ESIRE $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 3EE ALSO $%MILIO 7ORLD 4URNED AND 5RVASHI 6AID 4HE -AINSTREAMING OF 'AY AND ,ESBIAN ,IBERATION .EW 9ORK !NCHOR $OUBLEDAY &OR A RECENT STUDY OF THE COMPLICATED AND COMMODIlED TRANSFORMATION OF EVANGELICAL MESSAGE AND MEDIA SEE (EATHER (ENDERSHOT 3HAKING THE 7ORLD FOR *ESUS -EDIA AND #ONSERVATIVE %VANGELICAL $ESIRE #HICAGO 5NIVERSITY OF #HICAGO 0RESS &OR GREATER INSIGHT INTO THE CONSERVATIVE FORCES OF THE hINTIMATE PUBLIC SPHERE v SEE ,AUREN "ERLANT 4HE 1UEEN OF !MERICA 'OES TO 7ASHINGTON #ITY %SSAYS ON 3EX AND #ITIZENSHIP $URHAM .# $UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS &AMILY 2ESEARCH #OUNCIL WWWFRCORGGETCFM C !"/54?&2# ACCESSED *ULY &OR A COMPELLING AND PERHAPS CONTRADICTORY READING OF QUEER POLITICS AND CERTAIN FORMS OF NEOLIBERALISM SEE ,ISA $UGGAN 4HE 4WILIGHT OF %QUALITY .EOLIB ERALISM #ULTURAL 0OLITICS AND THE !TTACK ON $EMOCRACY "OSTON "EACON 3EE WWWGODHATESFAGSCOMMEMORIALHTML ACCESSED -AY )N HER "ETWEEN *ESUS AND THE -ARKET 4HE %MOTIONS 4HAT -ATTER IN 2IGHT 7ING !MERICA ,INDA +INTZ PERSUASIVELY DEMONSTRATES THE PERSISTENT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN RELIGIOUS AND RIGHT WING CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENTS IN THE CONTEMPORARY 5NITED 3TATES +INTZ ARGUES THAT hTHE TENETS FAMILIAR FROM RELIGIOUS CONSERVATISM
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)N *UNE THE 53 3UPREME #OURT DELIVERED A LANDMARK RULING THAT DECRIMINALIZED CONSENSUAL SODOMY ,AWRENCE AND 'ARNER V 4EXAS PRO TECTED THE LIBERTY TO ENGAGE IN hCERTAIN INTIMATE CONDUCTv AS A DIMEN SION OF A PERSONS PRIVACY AND AUTONOMY *USTICE +ENNEDY WRITING FOR THE n MAJORITY EXPOUNDS ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL MEANING OF LIBERTY (E BEGINS WITH THE TENETS OF CLASSICAL LIBERALISM THAT THE STATE RECOGNIZES AND MAKES VISIBLE THE hDWELLING v THE hHOME v AND hOTHER PRIVATE PLACESv TO PROTECT hPERSONSv FROM THE STATES OWN INTRUSIVE POLICING !ND THEN +ENNEDY ARGUES THAT THIS LIBERTY AND FREEDOM hEXTENDS BEYOND SPATIAL BOUNDS ,IBERTY PRESUMES AN AUTONOMY OF SELF THAT INCLUDES FREEDOM OF THOUGHT BELIEF EXPRESSION AND CERTAIN INTIMATE CONDUCT 4HE INSTANT CASE INVOLVES LIBERTY OF THE PERSON BOTH IN ITS SPATIAL AND MORE TRANSCENDENT DIMENSIONSv 4HE ,AWRENCE DECISION REPUDIATED THE "OWERS V (ARDWICK RULING AND EXPLICITLY EXTENDED THE RIGHTS OF PRIVACY AND SEXUAL FREEDOM TO ADULT CONSENTING HOMOSEXUALS *USTICE +ENNEDYS DECISION DREW ON OVER THIRTY YEARS OF 3UPREME #OURT DECISIONS THAT LIMITED GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN THE REPRODUCTIVE CHOICES OF WOMEN IN TERMS OF BOTH CONTRACEPTION AND ABORTION )N ,AWRENCE AND 'ARNER V 4EXAS THE TERRAIN OF PRIVACY AND SEXUAL FREEDOM SHIFTED FROM HETEROSEXUAL REPRODUCTION TO ADULT SEXUAL INTIMACY MORE BROADLY !DULTS MAY CHOOSE TO ENTER UPON THIS RELATIONSHIP IN THE CONlNES OF THEIR HOMES AND THEIR OWN PRIVATE LIVES AND STILL RETAIN THEIR DIGNITY AS FREE PERSONS 7HEN SEXUALITY lNDS OVERT EXPRESSION IN INTIMATE CONDUCT WITH ANOTHER PERSON THE CONDUCT CAN BE BUT ONE ELEMENT IN A PERSONAL BOND THAT IS MORE ENDURING 4HE LIBERTY PROTECTED BY THE #ONSTITUTION ALLOWS HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS THE RIGHT TO MAKE THIS CHOICE
3IGNIlCANTLY +ENNEDYS DECISION BROADENED THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS OF PRIVACY BEYOND THE MARRIED HETEROSEXUAL COUPLE AND THEIR BEDROOM WHICH HAD DOMINATED THE REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM CASES OF THE S TO EARLY S TO ENCOMPASS THE HOMOSEXUAL COUPLE IN THEIR HOME AND PERHAPS BEYOND 4HE PARAMETERS FOR EXERCISING LIBERTY AND PRIVACY FROM GOVERN
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MENT INTERFERENCE REQUIRED THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BE BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS 4HE 3UPREME #OURT RULING IN ,AWRENCE PRODUCED A PRIVACY SHIELD FOR HOMOSEXUAL COUPLES +ENNEDYS OPINION FOCUSED ON REDRESSING THE INEQUAL ITY BETWEEN HETEROSEXUALS AND HOMOSEXUALS 9ET THE HISTORICAL DYNAMICS OF INEQUITABLE POLICING AND PROSECUTION FEASTED ON DISTINCTIONS OF RACE NATIONALITY AND CLASS !S BOTH THE HISTORIANS AMICI BRIEF AND +ENNEDYS DECISION EXPLAIN THAT SODOMY PROSECUTION IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY HAS INTENSIlED TO TARGET HOMOSEXUALS OUR OWN HISTORICAL AND LEGAL ANALYSIS MUST RECOGNIZE THE SOCIAL INEQUITIES AND PREJUDICES AND THE DYNAMICS OF SOCIAL SPACE THAT SHAPED THE POLICING OF SODOMY ,AWRENCE AND 'ARNER V 4EXAS OFFERS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER WHERE AND FOR WHOM DOES PRIVATENESS APPLY HISTORICALLY AND LEGALLY 5NDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES DOES A PERSON HAVE PRIVACY MOBILITY AND FREEDOM OF INTIMATE CONTACT UNFETTERED BY GOVERNMENT POLICING 4HE SPECIlC CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ARREST OF *OHN 'EDDES ,AWRENCE AND 4YRON 'ARNER EXPLICATES THE 3UPREME #OURTS FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL AUTONOMY AND PRIVACY OF HOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT IN THE HOME /N THE NIGHT OF 3EPTEMBER *OHN ,AWRENCE A lFTY lVE YEAR OLD WHITE MEDICAL TECHNICIAN 4YRON 'ARNER A THIRTY ONE YEAR OLD BLACK UNEMPLOYED MAN AND 2OBERT 2OYCE %UBANKS A FORTY ONE YEAR OLD WHITE NEIGHBOR WERE SOCIALIZING IN ,AWRENCES APARTMENT IN THE SUBURBS OF (OUSTON 4EXAS ,ATER THAT EVENING %UBANKS CALLED THE POLICE AND REPORTED THAT A MAN WAS BEHAVING ERRATICALLY WITH A GUN 4HE POLICE MET %UBANKS IN THE PARKING LOT AND %UBANKS DIRECTED THEM TO ,AWRENCES EIGHTH mOOR APARTMENT 4HE POLICE BARGED INTO THE UNLOCKED APARTMENT AND DISCOVERED ,AWRENCE HAVING ANAL INTERCOURSE WITH 'ARNER 4HE POLICE ARRESTED ,AWRENCE AND 'ARNER FOR hHOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT v HANDCUFFED THEM AND HAULED THEM OFF TO JAIL %UBANKS LATER SERVED lFTEEN DAYS IN JAIL FOR MAKING A FALSE POLICE REPORT ,AWRENCE AND 'ARNER WERE CONVICTED OF hDEVIATE SEXUAL INTER COURSEv IN (ARRIS #OUNTY *USTICE #OURT AND lVE YEARS LATER THEY SUCCESS FULLY APPEALED THEIR CONVICTION IN THE 53 3UPREME #OURT 4HE LOCATION OF THE ARREST*OHN ,AWRENCES APARTMENTAND THE 4EXAS STATUTE THAT EXPLICITLY CRIMINALIZED HOMOSEXUAL SODOMY HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH THE LEGAL AND POLITICAL TENSION OF HOW THE PRESUMED PRIVACY OF THE HOME IS AT ODDS WITH HOMOSEXUAL SODOMY 4EXAS HAD IN REPEALED SEX LAWS THAT CRIMINALIZED ALL ANAL SODOMY AND ORAL SEX AND ADOPTED A HOMO SEXUAL CONDUCT STATUTE THAT PROHIBITED ORAL AND ANAL SEX WHEN PERFORMED BY PERSONS OF THE SAME SEX !T THE TIME OF THE CONVICTION NINETEEN STATES HAD SODOMY STATUTES THAT BARRED CONSENSUAL ANAL OR ORAL SEX BUT 4EXAS WAS ONLY ONE OF lVE STATES THAT HAD LAWS TARGETING SAME SEX PARTNERS
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)N THE ACTUAL CASE OF ,AWRENCE AND 'ARNER V 4EXAS INTERRACIAL RELATIONS MAY BE IMPORTANT YET UNREMARKED CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE DETAILS OF THE POLICE ACTION THAT LED TO THE LEGAL CASE (ISTORICALLY CONCERNS ABOUT INTER RACIAL SODOMY AGGRAVATED FEARS OF SEXUAL AND SOCIAL DANGER AND CATALYZED ANXIETIES ABOUT THE UNDERMINING OF THE SOCIAL ORDER 4HE POWER OF A 53 3UPREME #OURT RULING IS THE ABILITY TO ABSTRACT THE SPECIlC CIRCUMSTANCES INTO FAR RANGING RULES OF LAW DOCTRINE AND JURIDICAL GOVERNANCE AND YET MUCH OF THE TEXTURE AND TENSIONS OF SOCIAL LIFE ARE LOST WHEN WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT -Y OWN RESEARCH OF EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY SODOMY COURT CASES IN THE WESTERN 5NITED 3TATES AND #ANADA SHOWS THAT SEXUAL IDENTITY IS NOT THE DETERMINING FACTOR IN PROSECUTING SODOMY BUT RATHER DIFFERENTIALS OF CLASS AGE AND RACE SHAPE THE POLICING THAT LEADS TO SODOMY AND PUBLIC MORALS ARRESTS 0URSUING THESE SOCIAL AND SPATIAL DYNAMICS ILLUMINATES THE SOCIAL AND SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF DIFFERENCE THAT REGULATE SEXUAL RELATIONS AND PRIVILEGE INDIVIDUAL AUTONOMY AND SEXUAL LIBERTY IN PUBLIC SEMIPUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES $URING THE lRST DECADES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY THOUSANDS OF MEN AND BOYS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD CONVERGED ON SMALL TOWNS AND NEW CITIES IN WESTERN .ORTH !MERICA 4HESE MALE MIGRANT LABORERS TOOK ON SEASONAL WORK IN SAWMILLS FARMS AND CANNERIES FROM "RITISH #OLUMBIA TO #ALI FORNIA -IGRANTS FROM )NDIA 0OLAND #HINA !RMENIA -EXICO AND THE MIDWESTERN 5NITED 3TATES LIVED TOGETHER IN BOARDINGHOUSES BUNKHOUSES AND WORK CAMPS -ALE MIGRANT SOCIABILITY WAS ENTANGLED INTO THE CULTURE AND MOBILITY OF THE STREETS 4HE GEOGRAPHY OF THE RAPIDLY URBANIZING TOWN AND CITY PROVIDED THE SETTINGS AND SPACES FOR CASUAL FORTUITOUS AND DAN GEROUS ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN MEN AND BOYS OF DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES CLASSES AND AGES -IGRANT MALES ENCOUNTERED EACH OTHER ON THE STREETS ALLEYS AND PARKS AT THE TRAIN AND STAGE DEPOTS AND OTHER PUBLIC SPACES WHERE MEN CONGREGATED 4HEY SOCIALIZED AND DRANK IN SALOONS AND BROTHELS AS WELL AS THE BUNKHOUSES AND HOTELS ROOMS THEY RENTED FOR A DAY OR WEEKS 0OLICE WALKING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD BEATS OBSERVED PUBLIC ACTIVITY AND THE SOCIAL RELATIONS OF THE STREET 4HE POLICING OF POTENTIAL CRIMINAL ACTIV ITY INCLUDED THE REGULATION OF IMPROPER SOCIAL AND SEXUAL ACTIVITY SUCH AS VAGRANCY SOLICITING PROSTITUTION LOITERING PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS AND LEWD AND LASCIVIOUS CONDUCT -ANY OF THE COURT CASES THAT ) HAVE RESEARCHED WERE BROUGHT FORWARD THROUGH THE POLICING OF MIGRANT SOCIABILITY &OR EXAMPLE IN -ARYSVILLE #ALIFORNIA IN THE EARLY MORNING OF &EBRUARY TWO POLICE OFlCERS DROVE BY A &ORD COUPÏ PARKED IN A SECLUDED SPOT ABOUT A BLOCK FROM RESIDENCES FARTHER DOWN THE STREET 4HE OFlCERS SUSPICIONS WERE AROUSED BY SOMEONE INSIDE THE CAR LEANING AGAINST THE PASSENGER WINDOW ASLEEP WHO hLOOKED LIKE A -EXICANv 4HEY PULLED 2OLA 3INGH
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OUT AND DISCOVERED (ARVEY #ARSTENBROOK A hYOUNG MAN ;WHO= WAS LYING IN THE SEAT WITH HIS HEAD UNDER THE WHEEL HIS PANTS DOWN TO HIS KNEES HIS UNION SUIT UNDERWEAR SPLIT OPEN HIS COAT TURNED UP AND HIS RECTUM EXPOSEDv 4HE OFlCERS GRABBED #ARSTENBROOK AND ROUSED HIM FROM A DEEP SLEEP #ARSTENBROOK STARTED THROWING PUNCHES AS THEY JERKED HIM OUT OF THE CAR 7HAT HAD BEGUN AS POLICE CURIOSITY ON A ROUTINE PATROL BECAME AMPLI lED BY RACIAL SUSPICION !PPARENTLY THE PRESENCE OF A DARK MAN IN A PARKED CAR AT NIGHT WAS ENOUGH CAUSE FOR SUSPICION !LTHOUGH ONE OFlCER HAD INITIALLY MISTAKEN 3INGH FOR A h-EXICANv AND LATER TESTIlED THAT HE WAS A h(INDU v THE OFlCER TREATED HIS INITIAL CONFUSION ABOUT 3INGHS RACIAL IDENTITY AS IRRELEVANT 4HE POLICE PRESUMED THAT NEITHER A -EXICAN NOR A (INDU BOTH OF WHOM WERE TYPICALLY MIGRANT LABORERS WOULD OWN AN AUTO MOBILE 2ACIAL SUSPICION QUICKLY TURNED INTO POLICE INVESTIGATION WHEN THEY DISCOVERED A WHITE MALE PARTIALLY UNDRESSED AND UNCONSCIOUS IN 3INGHS COMPANY 4HE POLICE OFlCERS ARRESTED BOTH MEN AND HAULED THEM TO THE POLICE STATION FOR OBSERVATION AND MEDICAL EXAMINATION %VENTUALLY 3INGH WAS CHARGED WITH A hCRIME AGAINST NATUREv )N COURT 3INGH TESTIlED THAT HE HAD MET #ARSTENBROOK NEAR THE STAGE DEPOT ON 3ECOND 3TREET #ARSTENBROOK WAS SITTING IN HIS CAR AND ASKED IF 3INGH WANTED A RIDE 3INGH RESPONDED THAT HE hWANTED TO GO TO 9UBA #ITYv 4HEY DROVE TO THE SECLUDED SPOT WHERE THE OFlCERS HAD FOUND THEM #ARSTENBROOK CLAIMED THAT HE WAS TOO DRUNK TO DRIVE HOME 7HEN HE WAS CALLED TO THE STAND #ARSTENBROOK COULD NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING OF THE EVENING UNTIL HE HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO THE POLICE STATION (E DID NOT REMEMBER PICKING UP 3INGH AND DENIED THAT ANYTHING HAPPENED BETWEEN THEM !LL HE COULD RECALL WAS THAT HE WAS DRUNK #ARSTENBROOKS DENIAL OF SEXUAL ASSAULT DID NOT HINDER THE PROSECUTIONS CASE NOR DID IT IMPEDE THE JURYS CONVICTION )N THE APPEAL THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY REASONED THAT hHAD #ARSTENBROOKS PERSON BEEN SUBJECTED TO SUCH AN ASSAULT IT IS REASONABLE TO SAY HE WOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED THEREFORE SOME UNCOMFORTABLE OR UNUSUAL INJURY AND WOULD HAVE BEEN EAGER TO TESTIFY TO SUCH INJURY 4HERE IS NO REASON WHY HE SHOULD BE INCLINED TO PROTECT A STRANGE (INDU WITH WHOM HE HAD NO PREVIOUS ACQUAINTANCE /N THE CONTRARY HAD HE EVEN SUSPECTED SUCH AN ASSAULT HE WOULD HAVE FELT HIMSELF HUMILIATED AND OUTRAGEDv /NE COULD WELL ARGUE THAT #ARSTENBROOK WOULD HAVE SUF FERED MORE HUMILIATION BY PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH 3INGH $URING THE TRIAL HE WAS REPEATEDLY REFERRED TO AS THE h#ARSTEN BROOK BOY v TREATED AS THE UNDERAGE VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THEREBY PROTECTED FROM ANY PUBLIC INTERROGATION OF HIS SOLICITATION OF 3INGH 4HERE ARE SEVERAL PUZZLING ELEMENTS THAT EMERGED IN THE TRIAL TESTIMONY BUT OCCASIONED LITTLE COMMENT BY THE ATTORNEYS OR JUDGES &IRST THERE WAS
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NO REFERENCE MADE TO THE OWNERSHIP OF THE CAR SECOND DURING THE LUNCH BREAK OF THE TRIAL THE PROSECUTOR URGED #ARSTENBROOK NOT TO TURN UP AS A DEFENSE WITNESS AND THIRD HIS PARENTS OR GUARDIANS WERE CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT !S IT TURNS OUT #ARSTENBROOK WAS A MEMBER OF A PROMINENT SMALL BUSINESS FAMILY IN -ARYSVILLE THAT HAD LIVED IN THE REGION SINCE THE LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY (ARVEYS FATHER AND UNCLE WERE LANDOWNERS AND HAD A HISTORY OF CONTRACTING SERVICE WORK FROM THE CITY 0ROBATE RECORDS REVEAL THAT IN -AY NINE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE SODOMY ARREST #ARSTENBROOKS FATHER DIED #ARSTENBROOK TWENTY SEVEN AT THE TIME WAS NAMED EXECUTOR OF THE WILL 6OTING RECORDS PROBATE RECORDS AND THE BIOGRAPHICAL DETAIL IN THE TESTIMONY ALL POINT TO #ARSTENBROOK AS A TWENTY EIGHT YEAR OLD FOR MER LINEMAN FOR 0'% WHO LIVED IN -ARYSVILLE IN DURING THE TRIAL PROCEEDINGS )N MANY WAYS THE VERY POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A PRIVATE SPHERE WAS PRE CARIOUS FOR MIGRANT MALE LABORERS "ODILY AUTONOMY WAS QUESTIONABLE AND PRIVACY DID NOT OBTAIN IN THE GOVERNMENTS UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERRACIAL AND INTERCLASS MALE MIGRANT WORLD (OW CAN WE RETHINK THE SPACES PRAC TICES AND CULTURES OF PUBLIC SEX AND THE PURSUIT FOR CONTACT UNINHIBITED BY STATE SURVEILLANCE AND INTERVENTION 1UEER STUDIES SCHOLARS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE RAISED AN ARRAY OF THEORETICAL QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS THAT RESONATE WITH THIS EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY HISTORY OF SODOMY CASES 0RIOR TO THE ,AWRENCE DECISION THE LATE TWENTIETH CENTURY 3UPREME #OURT RULINGS ABOUT PRIVACY NARROWLY PROMOTED HETEROSEXUAL DOMESTICITY AND SEXUAL EXPRESSION 4HE hZONE OF PRIVACYv ARGUMENT APPLIED FROM THE 'RISWOLD V #ONNECTICUT DECISION TO "OWERS V (ARDWICK LIMITED WHAT SPACES COULD BE CONSIDERED CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED !CCORDING TO THE QUEER STUDIES SCHOLAR -ICHAEL 7ARNER h4HE @ZONE OF PRIVACY WAS RECOGNIZED NOT FOR INTIMATE ASSOCIATIONS OR CONTROL OVER ONES BODY OR FOR SEXUALITY IN GENERAL BUT ONLY FOR THE DOMESTIC SPACE OF HETEROSEXUALS 4HE LEGAL TRADITION TENDS TO PROTECT SEXUAL FREEDOM BY PRIVATIZING IT AND NOW IT RESERVES PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR THOSE WHOSE SEXUALITY IS ALREADY NORMATIVEv 7ARNER FUR THER ARGUED THAT hYOUR ZONE OF PRIVACY REQUIRES THE SUPPORT OF AN ELABORATE NETWORK OF STATE REGULATIONS JUDICIAL RULINGS AND POLICE POWERS AND IF IT IS BASED ON THE PREJUDICIAL EXCLUSION OF OTHERS FROM THE RIGHTS OF ASSOCIATION OR BODILY AUTONOMY YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED THEN YOUR PRIVACY IS ANOTHER NAME FOR ARMED NATIONAL SEX PUBLIC TO WHICH YOU SO LUCKILY BELONGv 2ICHARD -OHR IN 'AYS*USTICE ! 3TUDY OF 3OCIETY %THICS ,AW CHAL LENGES THE REASONING IN "OWERS BY ARGUING THAT SEX IS hINHERENTLY PRIVATEv AND SHOULD BE PROTECTED NO MATTER WHERE IT OCCURS )NSTEAD SCHOLARS LIKE 7ARNER AND 7ILLIAM ,EAP ARGUE THAT THE PRACTICES OF PUBLIC SEXUAL CULTURE INVOLVE hNOT ONLY A WORLD EXCLUDING PRIVACY BUT A WORLD MAKING PUBLICNESSv 4HIS PUBLIC SEXUAL CULTURE HAS ITS hOWN KNOWLEDGES PLACES
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PRACTICES LANGUAGES AND LEARNED MODES OF FEELINGv /NE LEARNS THE CODES OF SUBCULTURE ITS RITUALS TYPOLOGIES AND hIMPROVISATIONAL NATURE OF UNPRE DICTED SITUATIONSv 0UBLIC SEXUAL CULTURE IS A COUNTERPUBLIC TO THE NORMS OF PUBLIC MORALITY WHICH OFFER PUBLIC STATUS EXCLUSIVELY TO PRIVATIZED HETEROSEXUALITY )TS PUBLICNESS IS CONSTITUTED IN TRANSMITTING AND CIRCULAT ING SEXUAL KNOWLEDGES THAT ARE MADE CUMULATIVE 4HE EROTICS AND BODILY SENSATIONS ARE BOTH PUBLIC AND EXTREMELY INTIMATE 4HE MIGRANT SOCIABILITY OF THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY THAT ) HAVE DESCRIBEDWITH ITS PUBLIC MEETING OFFERING DRINKING CONVERSING AND SEXUAL TRYSTSMAY HAVE ITS COROLLARY IN THE LATE TWENTIETH CENTURY PRAC TICES OF CRUISING 4HE KIND OF BELONGING THAT CRUISING CREATES ACCORDING TO 7ARNER IS hDIRECTLY EROTICIZING PARTICIPATION IN THE PUBLIC WORLD OF THE INTIMATEv (E EXPLAINS THAT hCONTRARY TO MYTH WHAT ONE RELISHES IN LOVING STRANGERS IS NOT MERE ANONYMITY NOR MEANINGLESS RELEASE )T IS THE PLEASURE OF BELONGING TO A SEXUAL WORLD IN WHICH ONES SEXUALITY lNDS AN ANSWERING RESONANCE NOT JUST IN ONE ANOTHER BUT IN THE WORLD OF OTHERS 3TRANGERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO REPRESENT A WORLD OF OTHERS IN A WAY THAT ONE SUSTAINED INTIMACY CANNOTv 4HE GAY MALE SUBJECT 7ARNER ASSUMES HAS BOTH FREE ACCESS TO PARTICI PATE IN THE PUBLIC WORLD OF THE INTIMATE AND MAY ALSO RETREAT TO A PRIVATE REALM OF INTIMACY 4HE CLASS AND RACE PRIVILEGES OF THIS UNDIFFERENTIATED SUBJECT DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY INEQUALITY OR DIFFERENCE IN THE RAPPORT SUB JECTIVITY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS MALE SUBJECTS hWORLD MAKING PUBLIC NESSv AMONG OTHER MALES )N HIS ANALYSIS 7ARNER IGNORES THE DIVERSITY OF SOCIAL RELATIONS THE RELATIVE DIFFERENCES AND PRIVILEGES STATUS OPPORTUNI TIES AND CONSTRAINTS 4HE AXIS OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT IS PROMINENTLY AND SIGNIlCANTLY SEXUAL IN 7ARNERS ANALYSIS #LASS AND RACE DIFFERENCES THE DIFFERENCES OF ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY THE DIFFERENTIAL RELATION TO PUBLIC SPACES AND HOW THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE DYNAMICS OF SOCIABILITY EROTICS AND SUBJECTIVITY ARE NOT DISCUSSED 3AMUEL $ELANYS QUEER ETHNOGRAPHY AND MEMOIR OF THE RADICAL TRANS FORMATION OF 4IMES 3QUARE HOWEVER SITUATES INEQUALITY AND INTERCLASS AND INTERETHNIC CONTACT AT THE CENTER OF HIS ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC SEX AND SEXUAL PUBLICS $ELANY VALORIZES CROSS CLASS CONTACTS IN PUBLIC SPACE THAT ENCOM PASS A RANGE OF RANDOM INTERCLASS AND INTERETHNIC SOCIAL ENCOUNTERS IN URBAN PUBLIC SPACES WHICH HE HEURISTICALLY DISTINGUISHES FROM THE PRO FESSIONAL MOTIVE DRIVEN INTRACLASS PRACTICES OF NETWORKING (E CONTRASTS BAR GOING AND OTHER INSTITUTIONAL SOCIAL PRACTICES OF NETWORKING FROM THE BROADLY SOCIAL RANDOM PRACTICES OF CONTACT WHICH HE ARGUES INCLUDE THE ENDLESS VARIETY OF CASUAL SEX AND PUBLIC SEXUAL RELATIONS !S AN hOUTDOOR SPORT v CONTACT IS hCONTOURED IF NOT ORGANIZED BY EARLIER DECISIONS DESIRES COMMERCIAL INTERESTS ZONING LAWS AND IMMIGRATION PATTERNSv (OWEVER
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$ELANY OBSERVES THAT THE S CAMPAIGN TO hCLEAN UPv AND hGENTRIFYv 4IMES 3QUARE IS DRASTICALLY NARROWING THE hVARIETIES OF EROTIC LIFE v hDAMP ENING INTERCLASS CONTACT AND FORECLOSING THE PROMISE AND NECESSITIES OF A DEMOCRATIC CITYv (E PROCLAIMS THAT IN A hDEMOCRATIC CITY IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE SPEAK TO STRANGERS LIVE NEXT TO THEM AND LEARN HOW TO RELATE TO THEM ON MANY LEVELS INCLUDING THE SEXUALv $ELANY FURTHER EMPHASIZES THAT THE VITALITY OF QUEER PUBLIC LIFE AND SEXUALITY HAS THRIVED ON THE ABUNDANCE OF hINTERCLASS CONTACTv DESPITE DECADES OF MARGINALIZATION AND POLICING BY DOMINANT HETEROSEXUALLY NORMATIVE SOCIETY 4HE INTIMATE CONTACT OF MIGRANT MEN INTERFERED WITH THE BOUNDARIES OF A RACE AND CLASS SEGREGATED SOCIETY 4HE VISION OF FREE MOVEMENT AND ASSOCIATION THE MINGLING OF THE RACES THAT SOME MAY HAVE PRESUMED WAS THE PROMISE OF DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIP AND CIVIC BELONGING HOWEVER WAS UNDER THE CONSPICUOUS SUSPICION AND SURVEILLANCE OF THE MIDDLE CLASS DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND POLICE MAGISTRATES AND WORKING CLASS POLICE OFlCERS 4HEY INTERPRETED THE ACTIVITY AS ENHANCING AND LEADING TO IMMORALITY THAT REQUIRED SURVEILLANCE PARTICULARLY AT ANY MOMENT WHEN THE MIGRANT MALES ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THEIR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES FROM PUBLIC VISIBILITY INTO THE MURKY ARENA OF THE SEMIPRIVATE )N THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR MIGRANT MEN TO PURSUE hPRIVACYv OR TO ENJOY FREEDOM FROM STATE SURVEILLANCE OF THOSE SPACES REMOVED FROM PUBLIC VIEW SUCH AS AUTOMOBILES BOARDINGHOUSES BARS AND GAMBLING HOUSES 4HESE COUNTERSITES AND LANDSCAPES OF QUEER CONTACT AND COMMUNITIES WERE SHAPED BY BOTH THE ACTIVITIES OF MIGRANT MEN AND POLICING 4HESE QUEER SEXUAL PUBLICS EXPOSED THE CONTRADICTIONS OF NORMATIVE EXPECTATIONS AND mUIDITY AT THE BORDERS OF PUBLIC SPACES 4HE QUEER AND HOMOEROTIC PRESENCE CAN UNSETTLE THE VERY DEMARCATIONS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE )N THIS CONTEXT WHAT DOES PUBLIC SPACE MEAN )S THE MIDDLE CLASS FRAMING OF PUBLIC SPACE AS THE SITE OF SAFE PUBLIC SPECTACLE OF MIDDLE CLASS CITIZENS DOMESTIC STATUS BEING CHALLENGED AND RESISTED BY THE MANY WAYS THAT SQUARES STREETS ALLEYS ARE CREATING A SPECTACLE OF MIGRANT SOCIAL LIFE ! PROMENADE OF FORTUITOUS ENCOUNTERS AND JUXTAPOSI TIONS ALLOWS MASCULINITY CLASS STATUS AND PHYSICALITY TO BE DISPLAYED AND TO TEST SENSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE MIGRANT MALES AND THE WORKING CLASS AND MIDDLE CLASS WOMEN CHILDREN AND MEN WHO ALSO TRAVEL AND USE THE SAME LOCATIONS 1UEER STUDIES SCHOLARS HAVE VIGOROUSLY QUESTIONED HOW MODERN NATIONALIST CITIZENSHIP ENTITLEMENT AND VALUED PUBLIC EXPERIENCE IS CONTINGENT ON THE PUBLIC PERFORMANCE OF RESPECTABLE DOMESTICITY AND COUPLED HETEROSEXUAL INTIMACY )N THE TWENTY lRST CENTURY THE 3UPREME #OURTS ,AWRENCE RULING HAS POTENTIALLY ACCORDED FREEDOM FOR PRIVACY WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF A HOMOSEXUAL DOMESTIC IDENTITY 4HE DECISION HAS BEEN WIDELY HAILED AS A
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VICTORY FOR GAY RIGHTS !ND YET SOME SEXUAL RELATIONS AND SOCIAL CONTACT REMAIN UNPRIVILEGED AND UNPROTECTED 3CHOLARS OF ETHNIC STUDIES COLO NIAL STUDIES GENDER STUDIES AND QUEER STUDIES HAVE QUESTIONED HOW THE USAGE OF MINORITY hIDENTITYv AND hCOMMUNITYv TENDS TO IGNORE SOCIAL VARIETY AND mATTEN DIFFERENCES )NCOMMENSURATE LIVES ACTS POLITICS AND WAYS OF KNOWING ARE FREQUENTLY SUBSUMED INTO A UNITARY CATEGORY SUCH AS hLESBIAN v hGAY v hHOMOSEXUAL v AND hTRANSGENDERv ,EGIBLE IDENTITIES AND SOCIAL TAXONOMIESTHOSE OF RACE CLASS RELIGION SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDERHAVE SHAPED MUCH OF WHAT WE THINK OF AS MINORITY HISTORY WITHIN THE NATION STATE !S HISTORIANS MUCH OF OUR PREOCCUPATION HAS HAD TO BE THE DOCUMENTATION OF hDEVIANCE v hDIFFERENCE v hQUEERNESS v AND hALERITYv THAT IS BOTH PROHIBITED AND INCITED IN LAW POLICING MARKETS LOCAL EMBODIMENTS AND CULTURAL EXPRESSION h'AYv IDENTITY AND COMMUNITY AS AN URBAN 53 AND 7ESTERN %UROPEAN FORMATION HAS UNDERWRITTEN THE EPISTEMOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION OF THE QUEER PAST 4HROUGHOUT THE TWENTIETH CENTURY SOCIAL MOVEMENTS OF PROTEST AND SUBCULTURAL COM MUNITIES HAVE DEMANDED RESHAPED AND EXPANDED THE SCALE AND SCOPE OF THIS CIVIC CULTURE OF SEXUAL LIBERTY ASSOCIATION AND EXPRESSION 4HE HETEROGENEITY AND CONTRADICTORY TERRAIN OF SEXUAL DISSIDENCE HAS BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTAIN IN A UNITARY GAY IDENTITY AND COMMUNITY 9ET GOV ERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETYTHE POLICE THE COURTS INTEREST GROUPS AND THE MEDIAHAVE FRAMED THE DEBATE AS A CONTEST BETWEEN HETEROSEXUAL NORMS AND HOMOSEXUAL RESISTANCE ONE THAT THE 3UPREME #OURT IN THE ,AWRENCE DECISION SEEKS TO RESOLVE )N SHARP CONTRAST TO "OWERS WHICH DENIED ANY RIGHTS OF PRIVACY AND ANY RESPECTED PUBLIC STATUS TO GAY MEN THE ,AWRENCE DECISION PROVIDES REC OGNITION TO hHOMOSEXUALSv IN COUPLED RELATIONSHIPS AS VISIBLE SUBJECTS THAT CAN BE MANAGED GOVERNED AND AFFORDED THE LIBERTY OF hCERTAIN INTIMATE CONDUCTv (OWEVER THIS ONLY EMBRACES A SEGMENT OF THE PERSONS GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN VIGOROUSLY POLICED 4HE IMMENSE HET EROGENEITY OF HOW PERSONS LIVEIN SOCIAL RELATIONS LOCALES PRACTICES AND CULTURESCOUNTERS CONFOUNDS AND QUEERS THE NORMS OF COUPLED HOUSE HOLDS 4HE DECISION KEEPS INTACT THE PUBLIC SPHERE IDEALIZATION THAT PROTECTS THE LIBERTIES OF THOSE WHO POSSESS A RECOGNIZABLE HOME AND THEIR PUBLIC COMMUNICATIVE EXPRESSION (OMELESSNESS OR TEMPORARY HABITATIONS SUCH AS BUNKHOUSES 32/S AND VEHICLES MAY OR MAY NOT BE PRIVACY PROTECTED 1UEER KNOWLEDGE PROJECTS AND POLITICS MUST CONTINUE TO DESTABILIZE THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT PERSONHOOD AND CITIZENSHIP EMANATE FROM THE hDOMESTIC PRIVATEv AND COUPLED INTIMACY EITHER HETEROSEXUAL OR HOMOSEXUAL &OR THOSE WHO DO NOT POSSESS SUCH ATTRIBUTES THE hTRANSCENDENTv POSSIBILITIES OF LIBERTY IN INTIMATE CONDUCT EXPRESSION AND CIVIC LIFE ARE ALL CURTAILED )N THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY hFOREIGNv AND RACIALIZED MIGRANTS TRAMPS
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AND HOBOES WERE SUBJECT TO HEIGHTENED POLICE SURVEILLANCE AND ARRESTS OF VAGRANCY AND SODOMY )N THE EARLY TWENTY lRST CENTURY hILLEGALv MIGRANTS HOMELESS hENEMY COMBATANTS v AND REFUGEES AWAITING ASYLUM PROCEEDINGS MAY BE THE MOST VISIBLE AND VULNERABLE SUBJECTS OF STATE POWER &OR THOSE IDENTIlED OUTSIDE NORMS AND NORMATIVITY THE LIBERTIES TO PURSUE hCERTAIN INTIMATE CONDUCTv REMAINS UNFATHOMABLE IN A LIBERAL ETHOS THAT LINKS PRI VATE INTIMACY WITH RESPECTED AND PROTECTED PUBLIC STATUS
/PUFT ,AWRENCE AND 'ARNER V 4EXAS 53 )BID n n 4HE 3UPREME #OURT DECISIONS ON REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM INCLUDE 'RISWOLD V #ONNECTICUT 53 %ISENSTADT V "ARID 53 2OE V 7ADE 53 0LANNED 0ARENTHOOD OF 3OUTHEASTERN 0A V #ASEY 53 ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS 'EORGE #HAUNCEY .ANCY & #OTT *OHN $%MILIO %STELLE " &REEDMAN 4HOMAS # (OLT *OHN (OWARD ,YNN (UNT -ARK $ *ORDAN %LIZABETH ,APOVSKY +ENNEDY AND ,INDA 0 +ERBER h(ISTORIANS #ASE AGAINST 'AY $ISCRIMINATION v AMICUS BRIEF n h4WO -EN #HARGED UNDER 3TATES 3ODOMY ,AW v (OUSTON #HRONICLE .OVEMBER h(OUSTON #ASE -AY 4EST 3ODOMY ,AW ,AWYER 3AYS (IS #LIENTS 0RIVACY )NVADED v $ALLAS -ORNING .EWS .OVEMBER 3TEVE "REWER h4EXAS -EN 0OST "ONDS #HALLENGE 3TATES 3ODOMY ,AW v .EW 9ORK 4IMES .OVEM BER h!RRESTS 7ILL 0UT 3ODOMY ,AW ON 4RIAL v 3AN &RANCISCO #HRONICLE $ECEMBER 4HE CONTEXT OF THE CASE HAS BEEN IMAGINATIVELY RECONSTRUCTED IN $ALE #ARPENTER h#OLLOQUIUM 4HE "OUNDARIES OF ,IBERTY AFTER ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS 4HE 5NKNOWN 0AST OF ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS v -ICHIGAN ,AW 2EVIEW n ,AWRENCE V 4EXAS n #HAUNCEY h(ISTORIANS #ASE AGAINST 'AY $ISCRIMINATION v n 0EOPLE V 2OLLO ;SIC= 3INGH 4HIRD #OURT OF !PPEALS 4RANSCRIPT OF 4ESTI MONY $ISTRICT #OURT 9UBA #OUNTY #ALIFORNIA 3TATE !RCHIVES 3ACRAMENTO !07! *UNE h(INDUv WAS BOTH THE FORMAL AND INFORMAL RACIAL CATEGORY USED TO DESCRIBE MIGRANTS FROM COLONIAL )NDIA -OST EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY MIGRANTS WERE 0UN JABI 3IKHS HOWEVER h(INDUv LESS EXPLICITLY DESIGNATED RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND MORE FREQUENTLY WAS SHORT FOR h(INDUSTANI v A GEOGRAPHIC OR NATIONAL IDENTITY 0EOPLE V 2OLLO ;SIC= 3INGH n )BID n 0EOPLE V 2OLLO ;SIC= 3INGH !PPELENTS /PENING "RIEF #ALIFORNIA 3TATE !RCHIVES 3ACRAMENTO (ARRY * #ARSTENBROOK 0ROBATE #ASE 9UBA #OUNTY 3UPERIOR #OURT -ARYSVILLE #ALIFORNIA lLED -AY 'REAT 2EGISTER OF 9UBA #OUNTY 'ENERAL %LECTION -ARYSVILLE ,IBRARY 0EOPLE V 2OLLO ;SIC= 3INGH #LERKS 4RANSCRIPT OF 4ESTIMONY #ALIFOR NIA 3TATE !RCHIVES 3ACRAMENTO
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THE SPECIlC RELIGIOUS HERITAGE OF THE 5NITED 3TATES h0URITANICALv IS THE NAME NOT JUST FOR THE RELIGIOUS TRADITION THAT HAS HISTORICALLY DOMINATED 53 POLITICS IT IS AT LEAST IN THE POPULAR IMAGINATION ALSO A SYNONYM FOR SEXUAL REPRESSION 7HILE ) AGREE IN PART WITH THE IDEA THAT RELIGION IS AT THE BASE OF SEXUAL REGULATION IN THE 5NITED 3TATES ) THINK THE TRADITIONAL STORY MISLEADS US AS TO HOW THIS REGULATION WORKS )N THE TRADITIONAL VIEW RELIGIOUS REPRESSION IS THE ROOT OF SEXUAL REGULA TION AND HENCE FREEDOM FROM RELIGION IS THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM 4HIS TRADITIONAL VIEW PLAYS INTO THE LARGER %NLIGHTENMENT NARRATIVE IN WHICH FREEDOM FROM RELIGION BRINGS ABOUT HUMAN LIBERATION )N CONTRAST TO THIS VIEW HOWEVER ) ARGUE THAT OUR PROBLEM IS AS MUCH SECULAR FREEDOM AS IT IS RELIGIOUS REGULATION )N FACT SEXUAL REGULATION IS SUCH A PASSION IN 53 POLITICS BECAUSE SEXUAL REGULATION IS CONSTITUTIVE OF SECULAR !MERICAN FREEDOM )T IS NOT THAT RELIGIOUS REGULATION AND SECULAR FREEDOM ARE THE SAME BUT THEY ARE MUTUALLY CONSTITUTIVE ) MAKE THIS ARGUMENT BECAUSE MODERN FREEDOM EVEN THE %NLIGHTENMENT FREEDOM THAT IS lRST AND FOREMOST SUPPOSED TO BE LIBERATED FROM RELIGION HAS ITS OWN RELIGIOUS ROOTS 4HOSE ROOTS CAN BE FOUND IN THE 0ROTESTANT 2EFORMATION AND THEY INFORM THE SPECIlCALLY #HRISTIAN SECULARISM THAT MARKS 53 CULTURE AND POLITICS 7E KNOW FROM -AX 7EBERS BOOK 4HE 0ROTESTANT %THIC AND THE 3PIRIT OF #APITALISM THAT THE FREEDOM THAT DOMINATES LIFE IN THE 5NITED 3TATES IS DEPENDENT ON THE REGULATED ACTIVITY THAT MAKES THE MARKET POS SIBLE ACTIVITY THAT 7EBER NAMES hWORLDLY ASCETICISMv !S 7EBER NOTES THIS FORM OF FREEDOM REQUIRES BOTH IMMENSE SELF DISCIPLINETHE DISCIPLINES THAT &OUCAULT CHRONICLES AS INDICATIVE OF MODERNITYAND REGULATIONWHAT 7EBER DOCUMENTS AS hEARNEST ENFORCEMENTv &REEDOM IN THIS SENSEAND THIS MARKET BASED SENSE OF FREEDOM BECOMES DOMINANT IN MODERNITYIS NOT THE REPRESSION OF ACTIVITY BUT IT IS THE REGULATED ENACTMENT OF ACTIVITY ALONG PARTICULAR LINES 7HILE THE DISCIPLINARY NATURE AND EVEN RELIGIOUS ROOTS OF MARKET BASED FREEDOM MAY BE FAMILIAR LESS COMMENTED ON IS THE FACT THAT THE 2EFORMA TION ALSO MARKED A MAJOR CHANGE IN SEXUAL RELATIONS ONE THAT INSTITUTED A PARTICULAR FORM OF SEXUAL FREEDOM !S ) SHOW IN DETAIL BELOW THIS SEXUAL FREEDOM IS INTERTWINED WITH THE MARKET AND IS CONSTITUTED THROUGH ITS OWN FORMS OF REGULATED ACTIVITY 3PECIlCALLY THE 2EFORMATION TIES THE IDEA OF INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM TO THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE 4HE FREE INDIVIDUAL IS THE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE SEXUAL ACTIVITY IS REGULATED IN MARRIAGEA RELATION EARNESTLY ENFORCED BY THE REFORMERS 4HIS CONNECTION BETWEEN FREEDOM AND SEXUAL REGULATION IS MAINTAINED IN THE SHIFT TO A MODERNITY THAT REMAINS MARKED BY THE 0ROTESTANT ETHIC 2EGULATION THEN IS INTERNAL TO THE MEAN ING OF MODERN FREEDOM INCLUDING THE MEANING OF SEXUAL FREEDOM -OST
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IMPORTANT IN A 5NITED 3TATES DOMINATED BY #HRISTIAN SECULARISM RELIGION IS NOT JUST RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR IDEAS OF SEXUAL REPRESSION IT HAS ALSO CRUCIALLY FORMED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF SEXUAL LIBERATION 7HAT THEN OF OUR POLITICS $O WE GIVE UP ON FREEDOM OR THE MORE MOVEMENT ORIENTED TERM OF LIBERATION AS A POSSIBLE SITE FOR ORGANIZING AND POLITICAL ACTION $O WE MOVE FOR EXAMPLE FROM GAY LIBERATION TO QUEER RESISTANCE 7HILE QUEER POLITICS INITIALLY PROMISED AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE PROBLEMATICS OF GAY LIBERATION AS A NUMBER OF SCHOLARS AND ACTIVISTS HAVE NOW CONCLUDED AND AS THE EDITORS OF THIS SPECIAL ISSUE MAKE CLEAR QUEER POLITICS HAS OFTEN FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THAT EARLY PROMISE 1UEER RESISTANCE HAS ALL TOO RARELY EMBODIED THE POSSIBILITY OF CONNECTIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE IDENTITIES THAT THE SHIFT FROM GAY TO QUEER HOPED TO PRODUCE !ND RESISTANCE HAS PROVEN TO BE A TERM TOO THIN TO ORGANIZE DIVERSE AND WIDE RANGING POLITICS %VEN THE PROGENITOR OF THE CONCEPT OF RESISTANCE -ICHEL &OU CAULT TURNED AT THE END OF HIS CAREER TOWARD QUESTIONS OF ETHICS TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE POSSIBILITIES THAT COULD NOT BE SUBSUMED UNDER THE IMPERATIVE TO RESIST 4HIS hTURN TO ETHICS v WHICH HAS BEEN TAKEN UP IN A NUMBER OF lELDS OF CRITICAL THEORY SUGGESTS A NEED TO REENGAGE WITH A SET OF QUESTIONS THAT THE QUEER CRITIQUE HAD AT ONE TIME HOPED TO BYPASS )N PARTICULAR IF FREEDOM IS AT LEAST PART OF THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION hWHY SEX v THEN WE NEED TO RETHINK OUR RELATIONSHIP TO FREEDOM -OREOVER THIS RETHINKING OF THE VALUE OF FREEDOM MAY ALSO ALLOW US TO REJOIN THE ALTERNATIVE AFlNITIES THAT CONSTITUTED PART OF WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO DISTINGUISH QUEER POLITICS )N THE HOPE OF EXPLORING THIS POSSIBILITY OF WHAT IS QUEER ABOUT QUEER THEORY NOW ) lRST TURN BACK TO THE GENEALOGY OF FREEDOMS ROLE IN THE SEXUAL OBSESSIONS OF !MERICAN POLITICS
5IF1PMJUJDTPG4FY 4HESE ARE NOT JUST THEORETICAL QUESTIONS !CCEPTING RELIGIOUS REPRESSION AS THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION hWHY SEX v AND FAILING TO ENGAGE OUR IMPLI CATION IN FREEDOM SETS UP A NUMBER OF PRAGMATIC PROBLEMS 4HE TRA DITIONAL VIEW OF RELIGIOUS REPRESSION UNDERWRITES A FORM OF GAY POLITICS THAT APPEARS TO BE NECESSARILY SECULARIZING AN APPEARANCE THAT HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY EXPLOITED BY THE POLITICAL 2IGHT WHETHER BY *ERRY &ALWELL WHEN LUMPING GAYS AND SECULARISTS TOGETHER IN THE BLAME FOR THE 3EPTEMBER ATTACKS OR BY "ILL /2EILLY CLAIMING THAT THE -ASSACHUSETTS 3UPREME *UDICIAL #OURT DECISION ON GAY MARRIAGE IS ANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE SECULAR ISTS 4HIS ASSOCIATION BETWEEN GAY RIGHTS AND SECULARISM WAS USED BY THE 2EPUBLICANS IN THE EFFORT TO BRING OUT CONSERVATIVE VOTES IN THE ELEC
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TION EVEN THOUGH *OHN +ERRY ALSO OPPOSED LEGALIZING GAY MARRIAGE AND TRIED TO ESPOUSE FAITH )T SEEMS ONE CANNOT BE BOTH GAY AND RELIGIOUS A DISJUNCTION THAT IS BELIED BY THE LIVES OF MANY GAY PERSONS AND THAT SPLITS GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENTS FROM PROGRESSIVE RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS THAT MIGHT PROVIDE CRUCIAL ALLIANCES 9ET GAY POLITICS HAS ALL TOO OFTEN BOUGHT INTO THE IDEA THAT BECAUSE THE PROBLEM OF SEXUAL REGULATION SEEMS BASED IN RELIGION THE ANSWER IS TO DEFEND SECULAR FREEDOM &OLLOWING THE PATH LAID OUT BY MODERN IDEAS OF FREEDOM CAN CLARIFY WHY WHATEVER GAINS MADE THROUGH THIS APPROACH HAVE BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY AN INCREASINGLY POWERFUL AND RELIGIOUSLY IDEN TIlED RIGHT WING *OHN $%MILIO lRST IDENTIlED THE IMPORT OF THESE ISSUES IN HIS NOW CLASSIC ESSAY h#APITALISM AND 'AY )DENTITY v ARGUING THAT GAY LIBERATION PARTICIPATES IN A DIALECTIC BETWEEN REPRESSION AND LIBERATION SUCH THAT LIBERATION AS EXHILARATING AS IT IS ALSO LEADS TO FURTHER REPRES SION $%MILIOS ESSAY lRST PUBLISHED IN IN 0OWERS OF $ESIRE 4HE 0OLITICS OF 3EXUALITY EDITED BY !NN 3NITOW #HRISTINE 3TANSELL AND 3HARON 4HOMPSON WAS PRESCIENT IN ITS PREDICTION OF AN INCREASINGLY CONSERVA TIVE POLITICS ORGANIZED AROUND THE IDEOLOGY OF hFAMILY v WHICH DID INDEED DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE S AND S ALONGSIDE A VIBRANT MOVEMENT FOR GAY LIBERATION $%MILIO IS SPECIlCALLY CONCERNED WITH A DIALECTIC BETWEEN GAY VISIBIL ITY AND POLITICAL REPRESSION $%MILIOS STATED REASON FOR WRITING THE ESSAY WAS A POLITICAL ONE (E ARGUES THAT UNDERSTANDING THE DIALECTIC OF VISIBILITY AND REPRESSION WILL ALLOW US TO SEE THAT THE POLITICS OF VISIBILITYSPECIl CALLY OF COMING OUTIS NOT IN AND OF ITSELF ADEQUATE NOR IS A GAY IDENTITY POLITICS 3UCH A POLITICAL FOCUS HE WARNS WILL ONLY PERPETUATE THE DIALECTIC CREATING A RIGHT WING BACKLASH ORGANIZED AROUND THE IDEOLOGY OF hFAM ILYv (E ARGUES INSTEAD FOR A BROAD COALITIONAL POLITICS TO CONNECT ALL THOSE WITH hSHARED INTERESTSv IN EXPANDING THE SOCIAL SPACE FOR LIVES OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS OF THE HETEROSEXUAL NUCLEAR FAMILY 4HESE INTERESTS INCLUDE A SET OF ISSUES HE NAMES AS hTHE AVAILABILITY OF ABORTION AND RATIlCATION OF THE %QUAL 2IGHTS !MENDMENT AFlRMATIVE ACTION FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND FOR WOMEN PUBLICLY FUNDED DAYCARE AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SOCIAL SERVICES DECENT WELFARE PAYMENTS FULL EMPLOYMENT ;AND= THE RIGHTS OF YOUNG PEOPLEv 9ET THOSE POLITICAL LESSONS WERE NOT HEEDED AND ) FOR ONE AM SORRY FOR IT $%MILIO COULD NOT IT SEEMS HAVE BEEN MORE PERCEPTIVE 4HE S AND S SAW MASSIVE LEAPS FORWARD IN TERMS OF GAY VISIBILITY ALONG WITH THE EXTENSION AND EVENTUAL SOLIDIlCATION OF RIGHT WING POLITICS MOST OF IT UNDER THE SIGN OF hFAMILY VALUESv 7ITH THE "USH ADMINISTRATION WE HAVE FOUND 2EPUBLICANS IN CONTROL OF BOTH HOUSES OF #ONGRESS AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH FOR THE lRST TIME IN DECADES &AMILIAL CONSERVATISM ALSO APPEARED IN VARIOUS GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENTS DURING THE S AND S
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AS ASSERTING THAT hWE HAVE FAMILIES TOOv BECAME MORE AND MORE A PART OF MAINSTREAM POLITICS 7HY WOULD !MERICAN POLITICS DEVELOP IN THIS WAYWHY WOULD A MOVEMENT IN THE S THAT WAS GREATLY FUELED BY PRO SEX RESPONSES TO THE !)$3 CRISIS A CRISIS THAT RADICALIZED MANY PRO SEX ADVOCATES TO MAKE CONNECTIONS ACROSS ISSUES LIKE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE POVERTY AND HOUSING PRODUCE A VISION THAT HAS CULMINATED TWENTY YEARS LATER IN THE MOST NARROW VERSION OF hGAY RIGHTSv 7HY HAVE WE DESPITE $%MILIOS WARNINGS IN A WIDELY READ INDEED FOUNDATIONAL ESSAY AND COUNTLESS OTHER INTERVENTIONS INCLUDING THOSE OF QUEER POLITICS MOVED SO FAR OVER THE LAST TWENTY YEARS DOWN THE PATH OF GAY VISIBILITY AND SINGLE ISSUE POLITICS 4O REINVIGORATE THE TYPE OF POLITICS THAT $%MILIO RECOMMENDS ) THINK WE MUST ALSO RECONSIDER OUR ANALYSIS 7E NEED A SHARPER ANALYSIS OF WHAT CONNECTS THE ISSUES THAT $%MILIO NAMES AND WE ALSO NEED A CLEAR SENSE OF HOW TO FORM MOVEMENTS THAT ADDRESS THESE INTERCONNECTED ISSUES ) SUGGEST THAT THE IDEA OF hSHARED INTERESTSv IS AN INSUFlCIENT BASIS FOR THESE CONNECTIONS 7HILE INTERESTS MAY BE SHARED ACROSS IDENTITIES THEY MAY ALSO CONmICT AND OVERCOMING THESE CONmICTS HAS PROVEN TO BE PARTICULARLY DIFlCULT &INALLY WE NEED A MORE EXTENDED ANALYSIS OF WHY THE DIALECTIC BETWEEN THE POLITICS OF GAY VISIBILITY AND THE POLITICS OF FAMILY VALUES SEEMS TO BE SO POWERFUL SUPPORTING NOT ONLY THE CONSERVATIVE POLITICS OF THE LAST TWENTY YEARS BUT ALSO INDUCING SO MUCH GAY POLITICAL ACTIVITY ALONG ITS PATH 'IVEN THE EVIDENT APPEAL AND SUPPOSED EFFECTIVENESS OF SINGLE ISSUE POLITICS WE NEED A BETTER VISION OF WHAT WE ARE lGHTING FOR )F NOT FREEDOM FROM REPRESSION THEN WHAT (ERE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE THAT RELIGION PLAYS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DIALECTICIN SEXUAL REGULATION AND IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF FREEDOMWOULD HELP US REFORMULATE CONTEMPORARY POLITICS OUTSIDE THE GRASP OF THE DYNAMICS THAT HAVE DRIVEN BOTH THE SUC CESSES AND FAILURES OF RECENT DECADES
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3FUIJOLJOHUIF%JBMFDUJDPG'SFFEPN "ECAUSE IT IS BOTH SO CLEAR AND SO PRESCIENT $%MILIOS ESSAY PROVIDES A CRUCIAL STARTING POINT $%MILIO ARGUES THAT THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE DIA LECTIC BETWEEN MATERIAL LIFE AND IDEOLOGY )N A STORY THAT IS NOW FAMILIAR TO US BECAUSE OF THE WIDE INmUENCE OF THIS ESSAY HE ARGUES THAT MATERI ALLY CAPITALISM CREATES THE CONDITIONS THAT ALLOW hINDIVIDUALS TO SURVIVE BEYOND THE CONlNES OF THE FAMILYv AND THUS TO ORGANIZE THEIR LIVES AROUND EROTIC INTERESTS NOT ACCOMMODATED BY THE NUCLEAR FAMILY STRUCTURE -ORE THAN THAT IN A POINT THAT WILL BECOME CRUCIAL FOR HIS LATER ARGUMENT CAPITALISM ACTUALLY CREATES CONDITIONS THAT UNDERMINE THE FAM
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ILY 7HEN IT COMES TO GAY IDENTITY BECAUSE THE hFREEDOMv OF WAGE LABOR ALLOWS PEOPLE TO MAKE A LIVING OUTSIDE THE STRUCTURE OF THE FAMILY PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE ENGAGED IN HOMOSEXUAL PRACTICES OR MERELY HAD SAME SEX INCLINATIONS OR INTERESTS CAN NOW PURSUE THESE INTERESTS AS A CENTRAL PART OF THEIR LIVES (ENCE CAPITALISM CREATES THE MATERIAL CONDITIONS NOT FOR HOMOSEXUAL PRACTICE BUT FOR GAY IDENTITY 4HE IDENTITY AND COMMUNITY FORMATION THAT mOURISHED IMMEDIATELY AFTER 7ORLD 7AR )) ALSO CREATED THE CONDITIONS FOR A GAY LIBERATION MOVEMENT h! MASSIVE GRASS ROOTS LIBERA TION MOVEMENT COULD FORM ALMOST OVERNIGHT ;AFTER THE 3TONEWALL RIOTS= BECAUSE COMMUNITIES OF LESBIANS AND GAY MEN EXISTEDv 4HE PART OF THE ARGUMENT THAT IS LESS FAMILIAR HAS TO DO WITH THE DIA LECTICAL REPRESSION THAT ACCOMPANIES THIS mOWERING OF GAY IDENTITY AND EVENTUAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT $%MILIO BEGINS WITH A DIALECTIC BETWEEN VISIBILITY AND REPRESSION THAT WAS PARTICULARLY EVIDENT IN THE POLITICALLY REPRESSIVE S !LTHOUGH GAY COMMUNITY WAS A PRECONDITION FOR A MASS MOVEMENT THE OPPRESSION OF LESBIANS AND GAY MEN WAS THE FORCE THAT PROPELLED MOVEMENT INTO EXISTENCE !S THE SUBCULTURE EXPANDED AND GREW MORE VISIBLE IN THE POST 7ORLD 7AR )) ERA OPPRESSION BY THE STATE INTENSIlED 4HE 2IGHT SCAPEGOATED hSEXUAL PERVERTSv DURING THE -C#ARTHY ERA 4HE DANGER INVOLVED IN BEING GAY ROSE EVEN AS THE POSSIBILITIES OF BEING GAY WERE ENHANCED 'AY LIBERATION WAS A RESPONSE TO THIS CONTRADICTION n
"UT THIS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SOCIAL ACTION THAT CREATES GAY VISIBILITY AND REPRESSION THAT LEADS TO FURTHER SOCIAL ACTION IN THE FORM OF A SOCIAL MOVE MENT IS NOT A SUFlCIENT EXPLANATION FOR REPRESSION !FTER ALL IF CAPITALISM CREATES THE CONDITIONS FOR THE hFREEDOMv OF GAY IDENTITY WHY DOES IT NOT ESTABLISH A LAISSEZ FAIRE ATTITUDE TOWARD SEXUALITY 7HY ISNT FREEDOM SIM PLY hFREEv $%MILIO LOCATES THE ANSWER IN hTHE CONTRADICTORY RELATIONSHIP OF CAPITALISM TO THE FAMILYv /N THE ONE HAND CAPITALISM UNDERCUTS THE hECONOMIC FUNCTIONS THAT CREATED TIES BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERSv /N THE OTHER HAND hTHE IDEOLOGY OF CAPITALIST SOCIETY HAS ENSHRINED THE FAMILY AS THE SOURCE OF LOVE AFFECTION EMOTIONAL SECURITY THE PLACE WHERE OUR NEED FOR STABLE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS IS SATISlEDv 4HIS STILL DOES NOT TELL US WHY CAPITALIST IDEOLOGY SHOULD ENSHRINE THE FAMILY IN THIS MANNER 7HY SHOULD THE CAPITALIST IDEOLOGY OF PERSONAL SAT ISFACTION BE A FAMILIAL ONE 4HIS IS A PROFOUND QUESTION GIVEN THE SHARP AND INCREASING DISJUNCTION BETWEEN THE WAY THAT !MERICANS LIVE THEIR LIVES AND THIS IDEOLOGY )F THE NUCLEAR FAMILY FAILS SO MANY !MERICANS WHY IS IT SO ENSHRINED AND IDEOLOGICALLY ENDURING !FTER ALL AS A NUMBER OF HISTORIES RECOGNIZE PARTICULARLY FEMINIST HISTORIES LIKE 3TEPHANIE #OONTZS 4HE 7AY 7E .EVER 7ERE !MERICAN &AMILIES AND THE .OSTALGIA 4RAP AND
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%LAINE 4YLER -AYS (OMEWARD "OUND !MERICAN &AMILIES IN THE #OLD 7AR %RA EVEN THE S THE SUPPOSED TIME OF FAMILIAL BLISS WERE NOT AS DOMINANT IDEOLOGIES HAVE IMAGINED THEM 4ODAY MORE THAN HALF OF MAR RIAGES INCLUDING THOSE OF MANY RIGHT WING PUNDITS AND POLICYMAKERS WHO PROMOTE FAMILY VALUES END IN DIVORCE )F MANY IN FACT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT GET FROM FAMILIES THE TYPE OF EMOTIONAL SUSTENANCE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO GET UP AND GO TO WORK EACH DAY WHY DOES CAPITALIST IDEOLOGY NOT SUPPORT AND EVEN ENSHRINE THE VARIOUS TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS THAT ALLOW FOR PERSONAL SATISFACTION DESPITE THE EXPLOITATION AND ALIENATION OF WAGE LABOR ) ARGUE THAT WHILE hFAMILY v AND THE DOMINATIONS OF RACE GENDER AND SEXUALITY THAT IT ENTAILS MAY NOT BE DIRECTLY NECESSARY TO THE EXPLOITATION OF LABOR THEY ARE NECESSARY TO THE COMPLEX WHOLE THAT IS CAPITALIST SOCIAL RELATIONS 7HEN WE THINK OF MATERIAL LIFE WE SHOULD THINK NOT JUST OF RELA TIONS OF PRODUCTION BUT ALSO OF THE MATERIAL EMBODIMENTS OF SOCIAL RELATIONS !FTER THE &OUCAULDIAN REVOLUTION IN SEXUALITY STUDIES WE KNOW THAT SEXU ALITY AND FAMILY VALUES ARE NOT THE IDEOLOGY OF CAPITALIST MATERIALITY THEY ARE THE DISCOURSES THROUGH WHICH CAPITALIST SOCIAL RELATIONS ARE EMBODIED 4HUS PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTION ARE NOT TWO SEPARATE SPHERES THAT MIR ROR EACH OTHER RATHER BOTH ARE THE MATERIALITY OF CAPITALIST SOCIAL RELATIONS 7HAT WE NEED TO EXPLAIN THEN IS NOT THE RELATION BETWEEN MATERIALITY AND IDEOLOGY BETWEEN WHAT $%MILIO HAS NAMED AS THE RELATIVELY FREE MATERIAL RELATIONS OF PERSONAL LIFE AND THE IDEOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS OF THE FAMILY 7E NEED TO EXPLAIN THE RELATION BETWEEN THE EXPLOITATION OF WAGE LABOR AND THE DOMINATION OF SOCIAL RELATIONS 4HE QUESTION IS NOT WHY IS THE FAMILY IDEOLOGICALLY ENSHRINED WHEN MANY PEOPLE LIVE THEIR PERSONAL LIVES OUTSIDE ITS BOUNDS BUT RATHER WHY DO SOME FORMS OF SEXUAL RELATION DOMINATE OVER OTHERS !ND WHY MUST THOSE FORMS AS $%MILIO POINTS OUT ALSO ENTAIL GENDER AND RACIAL DOMINATION )N THINKING THROUGH THE PROBLEM THAT $%MILIO PUTS FOR USWHY IS THE SEXUAL FREEDOM INDUCED BY CAPITALISM ACCOMPANIED BY SEXUAL REGU LATIONWE NEED TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE ARE NOT FACING A DIA LECTIC BETWEEN CAPITALIST FREEDOM AND DOMINATIVE REGULATION BUT RATHER REGULATION IS INTERNAL TO THE CAPITALIST NOTION OF FREEDOM ITSELF &ROM THIS PERSPECTIVE SEXUAL REGULATION IS NOT THE ANTITHESIS OF MODERN FREEDOM IT IS CONSTITUTIVE OF FREEDOM AS WE KNOW IT -OST IMPORTANT FOR OUR PURPOSES INSOFAR AS OUR IDEAS OF GAY LIBERATION ARE PREDICATED ON CAPITALISM AND GAY IDENTITY THIS LIBERATION MAY CONTAIN DOMINATIVE RELATIONS WITHIN IT 4HE VERY IDEA OF GAY LIBERATIONTHAT WHICH WE ARE lGHTING FORCONTAINS WITHIN IT THE DOMINATION THAT WE ARE lGHTING AGAINST BECAUSE THE FREEDOM ENABLED THROUGH THE EXPLOITATION OF WAGE LABOR IS ITSELF ENABLED BY THE DOMINATIVE DISCIPLINES OF SEXUAL REGULATION %XPLOITATION AND DOMINATION ARE NOT IN THIS SENSE TWO SEPARABLE PROBLEMS
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NOR IS ONE THE IDEOLOGICAL CONSTRAINT OF THE OTHER 4HEY ARE BOTH MATERIALLY AND IDEOLOGICALLY INTERTWINED
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'SFFEPNBOEUIF1SPUFTUBOU8PSME0SEFS 4O UNDERSTAND HOW MODERN FREEDOM COMES TO ENTAIL A CONCOMITANT REGU LATION SPECIlCALLY SEXUAL REGULATION ) HAVE TURNED TO THE INITIAL MOMENT IN DEVELOPING THE ECONOMIC MARKET AS A SITE OF FREEDOM THE 0ROTESTANT 2EFORMATION -Y ARGUMENT IS NOT THAT SEXUAL ATTITUDES HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE THE 0ROTESTANT 2EFORMATION 2ATHER IF THE 5NITED 3TATES AS A NATION IS AN hIMAGINED COMMUNITYv IN "ENEDICT !NDERSONS TERMS THEN THE DOMINANT IMAGINATION OF THAT COMMUNITY IS 0ROTESTANT AND IN FACT SPE CIlCALLY #ALVINIST 4HE CONSOLIDATION OF THAT NATIONAL IMAGINATION HAS ALSO ENTAILED THE CONSOLIDATION OF A PARTICULAR SEXUAL IMAGINATION SO THAT PRACTICES LIKE MARRIAGE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFUSE AND SCATTERED OBSERVED UNEVENLY AND LESS FREQUENTLY THAN IS CURRENTLY IMAGINED WERE BROUGHT INTO THE CENTER OF NATIONAL LIFE 4HIS IMAGINATION IS FOUND NOT JUST IN THE EXPLICITLY #HRISTIAN DISCOURSE OF !MERICA BUT ALSO IN DOMINANT SECULAR DISCOURSE INCLUDING THOSE INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE 53 3UPREME #OURT THAT ARE CHARGED WITH MAINTAINING THE PUTATIVE hSEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATEv 4HE ROLE OF 0ROTESTANTISM IN MODERNITY IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE IN THE PUZZLE OF SEXUAL FREEDOM BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT THE RELIGIOUS HERITAGE OF THE 5NITED 3TATES DOES NOT JUST PROVIDE FOR SEXUAL REGULATION IT ALSO PROVIDES A PARTICULAR IMAGINATION OF FREEDOM FROM THAT REGULATION )N PARTICULAR THE FREEDOM FROM THE FAMILY OFFERED BY THE MARKET THAT $%MILIO MAKES SO MUCH OF REMAINS FUNDAMENTALLY 0ROTESTANT )T IS THIS RELIGIOUSLY DERIVED BUT NOW SECULARIZED NOTION OF FREEDOM THAT DRIVES LIBERATION INCLUDING SEXUAL LIBERATION TO PRODUCE FURTHER REGULATION )T IS THIS NOTION OF FREEDOM THAT DRIVES CAPITALIST AMBIVALENCE ABOUT THE FAMILY /NE OF THE MAJOR CHANGES INSTITUTED THROUGH THE 2EFORMATION WAS A SHIFT IN THE ETHICAL IDEAL FOR SEXUAL LIFE &ROM THE TWELFTH CENTURY ONWARD THE SEXUAL IDEAL FOR RELIGIOUS LIFE IN #HRISTENDOM WAS THE CELIBATE LIFE OF THE CLERGY AND THOSE WITH RELIGIOUS VOCATIONSMONKS AND NUNS 4HE 2EFORM ERS MOST NOTABLY ,UTHER AND #ALVIN DENOUNCED CELIBACY AS PART OF WHAT THEY DEPICTED AS THE #HURCHS PERVERSION OF THE 'OSPEL AND ENCOURAGED MARRIAGE AS THE IDEAL OF EVEN THE MOST RELIGIOUS LIFE 7HILE TODAYS DISCOURSE OF #HRISTIAN FAMILY VALUES MAKES IT HARD TO RECOGNIZE THIS WAS A MAJOR SHIFT IN #HRISTIAN UNDERSTANDINGS OF THE IDEAL OF SEXUAL RELATIONS "OTH ,UTHER AND #ALVIN TOOK THE POSITION THAT EVERYONE SHOULD ENTER A MARRIED STATE AND ,UTHER WHO HAD HIMSELF BEEN PART OF A RELIGIOUS ORDER WAS ESPECIALLY
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ADAMANT THAT CLERGY SHOULD MARRY -ARRIAGE THEN LIKE THE MARKET IS PART OF THE FREEDOM FROM THE CHURCH THAT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF MODERNITY ,IKE THE DISCIPLINE OF THE MARKET THE ELEVATION OF MARRIAGE AS THE IDEALAND FREEORGANIZATION OF SEXUAL LIFE ALSO INVOKES DISCIPLINES )N PARTICULAR THIS CHANGE HIGHLIGHTS WHAT &OUCAULT TELLS US IS A NEW FORM OF MORAL DISCOURSE IN WHICH THE MORAL IDEAL AND WHAT WE NOW CALL THE STATIS TICAL NORM CONVERGE 7HEN IT COMES TO SEX MARRIAGE WAS LONG THE NORM IN TERMS THAT WE WOULD NOW DElNE STATISTICALLY BUT IT WAS NOT THE IDEAL OF SEXUAL MORALITY WITHIN THE #HRISTIAN SOCIETIES &OUCAULT IS SO INTERESTED IN THIS CONVERGENCE BECAUSE IT SETS UP A PARTICULAR TYPE OF MORAL PROBLEM .ORMATIVE DISCIPLINERATHER THAN FOR EXAMPLE THE CULTIVATION OF VIR TUEBECOMES THE CENTERPIECE OF MORAL LIFE 4HE NORMATIVE REGULATION OF SEX IS NOT A REMNANT OF PREMODERN PERIODS THAT IS PROGRESSIVELY REMOVED BY MODERNITY BUT IS IF NOT NEW SIGNIlCANTLY REFORMED IN THE MODERN PERIOD 4HE MOVE TOWARD IDEAL AS NORMNORM AS IDEAL IS ALSO A MOVE TOWARD THE PARTICULAR UNDERSTANDING OF INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM THAT REACHES FULL mOWER IN THE %NLIGHTENMENT PARTICULARLY IN THE +ANTIAN UNDERSTANDING OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO GIVES THE LAW TO HIMSELF &OR &OUCAULT THIS FREEDOM AS AUTONOMY REQUIRES SELF DISCIPLINE IN WHICHTO PUT IT CRUDELYTHE IDEAL OF FREEDOM INDUCES US TO PRODUCE OURSELVES THROUGH THE NORMS OF THE HUMAN SCIENCES 4HOSE ARE THE NORMS OF AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUALISM INCLUDING THE DISCOURSE OF SEXUALITY 7E BECOME AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUALS BY FREEING OUR SELVES FROM THE IMPOSITION OF THE LAW BUT WE ALSO GIVE THE LAW TO OURSELVES 4HUS SELF DISCIPLINE BECOMES THE HALLMARK OF THE MODERN INDIVIDUAL AND IMPORTANTLY OF MODERN FREEDOM )N ,UTHER AND #ALVIN WE CAN SEE VERSIONS OF FREEDOM THAT STAND IN BETWEEN JURIDICAL LAW AND SELF DISCIPLINE ,UTHER IN THE PREFACE TO HIS TRANSLATION INTO 'ERMAN OF 0AULS ,ETTER TO THE 2OMANS STATES THAT THE FREEDOM FROM THE LAW OFFERED TO #HRISTIANS DOES NOT MEAN THAT #HRISTIANS DO NOT FOLLOW THE LAW h/UR FREEDOM IS NOT A CRUDE PHYSICAL FREEDOM BY VIRTUE OF WHICH WE CAN DO ANYTHING AT ALL 2ATHER THIS FREEDOM IS A SPIRI TUAL FREEDOM IT SUPPLIES AND FURNISHES WHAT LAW LACKS NAMELY WILLINGNESS AND LOVEv #HRISTIANS FOLLOW THE LAW BUT THEY DO SO BECAUSE THEY WANT TO &OR ,UTHER SPIRITUAL FREEDOM IS WANTING TO DO THE RIGHT THING )T IS A DISCOURSE OF DESIRE 4HE DISCIPLINES OF THIS FORM OF FREEDOM BECOME APPARENT IN ,UTHERS NEXT PARAGRAPH WHICH IS A READING OF AN ANALOGY IN 2OMANS BETWEEN THE POSITIONAND FREEDOMOF A WIFE AFTER THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND AND THE POSITION OF #HRISTIANS WHO HAVE hDIED TO THE LAWv 4HIS IS A STRANGE ANAL OGY IN MANY WAYS &IRST IF #HRISTIANS ARE IN THE POSITION OF THE WIFE THE LAW WOULD HAVE DIED TO THEM NOT THEY TO THE LAW "UT ,UTHERS GLOSS ADDS
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ANOTHER TWIST h4HE POINT IS THAT ;THE WIFE= IS QUITE AT LIBERTY FOR THE lRST TIME TO PLEASE HERSELF ABOUT TAKING ANOTHER HUSBANDv )T IS AN INTERESTING MOMENT BECAUSE THE 0AULINE AUTHOR IS NOT AT ALL CONCERNED ABOUT THE WIFE PLEASING HERSELF 4HE ONLY CONCERN THAT THE BIBLICAL TEXT EXPRESSES IS THAT THE WIFE WOULD BE CALLED AN ADULTERESS IF SHE LIVED WITH ANOTHER MAN WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS ALIVE AND NOW SHE IS FREE TO MARRY AGAIN AND LIVE WITH A SECOND MAN WITHOUT FEAR OF ADULTERY ,UTHER HOWEVER NOWHERE STATES WHETHER THE WOMAN WILL OR WILL NOT TAKE ANOTHER HUSBAND )N FACT HE EXPLIC ITLY STATES h4HE WOMAN IS NOT OBLIGED NOR EVEN MERELY PERMITTED TO TAKE A HUSBAND v BUT RATHER SHE IS AT LIBERTY TO PLEASE HERSELF 9ET IN ,UTHERS CONCLUSION TO THE ANALOGY #HRISTIANS ARE FREE TO hREALLY CLING TO #HRIST AS A SECOND HUSBAND AND BRING FORTH THE FRUIT OF LIFEv 4HE ANALOGY ONLY MAKES SENSE IF IT IS OBVIOUS TO ,UTHER THAT IN HER FREEDOM TO PLEASE HERSELF THE WOMAN WILL NOT ONLY CHOOSE THE CONJUGAL RELATION OF MATRIMONY FOR A SECOND TIME BUT SHE WILL ALSO PROCREATE WITH THIS NEW HUSBAND BRINGING FORTH THE FRUIT OF LIFE )N OTHER WORDS 0ROTESTANT FREEDOM IS AN INCITEMENT TO SEXUALITY OVER AGAINST THE CELIBACY OF PRIESTLY AND MONASTIC LIFE AND IT IS AN INCITEMENT SPECIlCALLY TO MATRIMONIAL AND REPRODUCTIVE SEXUALITY #LERGY AND THOSE WITH RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS ARE NOW FREE TO MARRY BUT THERE ARE LOSSES IN THIS FREEDOM 4HERE IS A LOSS OF ALTERNATIVES TO MARRIAGE A LOSS THAT HAS PARTICU LAR IMPLICATIONS FOR HOW WOMEN MIGHT PLEASE THEMSELVES !S A NUMBER OF FEMINIST HISTORIANS HAVE NOTED THE 0ROTESTANT DESTRUCTION OF MONASTIC LIFE MEANT AN END TO A MAJOR ALTERNATIVE TO MARRIAGE FOR WOMEN )T IS NOT THAT MARRIAGE IS BADTHAT PEOPLE INCLUDING WOMEN IN THEIR FREEDOM WOULD NEVER CHOOSE MARRIAGEBUT THAT MARRIAGE BECOMES THE ONLY EXPRESSION OF SEXUAL FREEDOM 4HE CHOICE BETWEEN MARRIAGE AND MONASTIC CELIBACY IS NOT NECESSARILY A WIDE RANGE OF OPTIONS BUT MONASTIC CELIBACY WAS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY OF LIFE ONE THAT ALLOWED SOME WOMEN ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT WITHIN THE #HURCH !ND THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN OTHER OPTIONS -ODERN FREEDOM MIGHT HAVE OFFERED MORE 4HE SHIFT TO MARRIAGE IS ALSO A SHIFT FROM COMMUNALISM TO INDIVIDUAL ISM -ONASTIC CELIBACY WAS ITSELF A COMMUNAL WAY OF LIFE AND WAS ALSO PART OF BROADER NETWORKS OF COMMUNITIES )N THE REFORMED WORLD HOWEVER THE #HRISTIAN WHO CLINGS TO #HRIST AND THE WIDOW WHO CHOOSES A NEW HUSBAND ARE lRST AND FOREMOST INDIVIDUALS "UT AS WITH MODERN FREEDOM INDIVIDU ALISM NEED NOT HAVE BEEN THE ONLY POSSIBLE ANSWER TO THE STRICTURES OF THE #HURCHS COMMUNALISM 6ARIOUS FORMS OF AFlNITYNEITHER COMMUNAL IN THE #HURCHS SENSE NOR INDIVIDUALISTIC IN THE MODERN SENSEARE POSSIBLE BUT THESE POSSIBILITIES ARE LOST IN THE NARRATIVE OF PROGRESS AND FREEDOM 4HE SWITCH TO MARRIAGE AS BOTH NORM AND IDEAL THEN IS PART OF THE PRODUCTION OF THE MODERN INDIVIDUAL AND OF THAT INDIVIDUAL AS FREE !
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hFREEv COUNTRY LIKE THE 5NITED 3TATES MIGHT TOUT ITS OWN SEXUAL LIBERATION BUT AMBIVALENCE AND REGULATION WILL REMAIN BECAUSE A SPECIlC SEXUAL RELA TIONMARRIAGEIS CRUCIAL TO RIGHT SOCIAL RELATION IN THE FORM OF INDIVIDU ALISM 4HIS IS ONE REASON THAT THE PATH OF GAY IDENTITY WHICH STARTS WITH FREEDOM FROM THE FAMILY HAS LED US SO INEXORABLY BACK TOWARD GAY MAR RIAGE )T IS THROUGH MARRIAGEBY BEING ABLE TO SAY WHO WE FREELY CHOOSE TO MARRYTHAT GAY PEOPLE FULLY BECOME INDIVIDUALS #ALVIN TAKES THE FURTHER STEP OF CONNECTING THIS FREEDOM TO ECONOMIC RELATIONS 0ROTESTANT MARITAL LIFE INDICATES THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WILL NOT BE EXCESSIVE IN EITHER HIS RELATION TO 'OD OR TO WORLDLY GOODS )N ENUMERATING HIS hCONSIDERATIONS AGAINST ANCIENT MONASTICISM v #ALVIN MAKES CLEAR THAT MONASTICISM IS A PROBLEM NOT BECAUSE OF ITS SELF DENIAL BUT BECAUSE IT IS SPIRITUALLY AND MATERIALLY EXCESSIVE #ALVIN lNDS hANCIENT MONASTICSv TO BE SOMEWHAT BETTER THAN HIS CONTEMPORARIES WHOM HE ACCUSES OF hSUPER STITIONv IN THEIR WAY OF LIFE MEANING THAT THEY FOLLOW THE RITUAL AND EDICTS OF THE #HURCH WITHOUT APPROPRIATE REFERENCE TO WHAT THE 'OSPEL ACTUALLY SAYS 4HEY FOLLOW THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN READING THE 'OSPEL FOR THEM SELVES 4HE EARLY MONASTICS THOSE EARLY #HRISTIANS WHO PRACTICED CELIBACY BEFORE THE EDIlCE OF THE #HURCH WAS CONSTRUCTED CANNOT BE ACCUSED OF SUPERSTITION h9ET ) SAY THAT ;ANCIENT MONASTICS= WERE NOT WITHOUT IMMOD ERATE AFFECTATION AND PERVERSE ZEAL )T WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO FORSAKE ALL THEIR POSSESSIONS AND BE WITHOUT EARTHLY CARE "UT 'OD PREFERS DEVOTED CARE IN RULING A HOUSEHOLD WHERE THE DEVOUT HOUSEHOLDER CLEAR AND FREE OF ALL GREED AMBITION AND OTHER LUSTS OF THE mESH KEEPS BEFORE HIM THE PURPOSE OF SERVING 'OD IN A DElNITE CALLINGv 4HE IDEAL OF THE MODERATE HOUSEHOLDER IS OF COURSE THE CONNECTING POINT BETWEEN SEXUAL LIFE AND ECONOMIC LIFE SHOWING THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF THE TWO -ARRIAGE DEVOTION TO A FAMILY AND TO A CALLING ALLOWS THIS INDIVIDUAL TO BE FREEFREE FROM GREED AMBITION AND OTHER LUSTS OF THE mESH 4HIS IDEAL OF THE MARRIED HOUSEHOLDER CONDENSES IN THE SINGLE INDI VIDUAL THE WORLD OF 2EFORMED SOCIAL RELATIONS ALLOWING #ALVIN TO USE HIS CRITIQUE OF THE VOW OF CHASTITY TO STAND IN FOR A CRITIQUE OF ALL MONASTIC VOWS (E CHOOSES NOT TO DISCUSS HIS OBJECTIONS TO THE OTHER TWO VOWSOF POVERTY AND OBEDIENCEBUT RATHER lNDS SUCH CRITIQUE UNNECESSARY AFTER THE ERROR OF CELIBACY HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED (AVING COMPLETED HIS LONG CRITIQUE OF CELIBACY HE CONCLUDES h) SHALL NOT STOP TO ASSAIL THE TWO REMAINING VOWS ) SAY ONLY THIS BESIDES BEING AS CONDITIONS ARE TODAY ENTANGLED WITH MANY SUPERSTITIONS THESE VOWS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN COMPOSED IN ORDER THAT THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN THEM MAY MOCK 'OD AND MEN "UT LEST WE SEEM TO CRITI CIZE EVERY LITTLE POINT TOO SPITEFULLY WE SHALL BE CONTENT WITH THE GENERAL REFUTATION THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN ABOVEv 4HE CLAIMhLEST WE SEEM TO CRITICIZE EVERY LITTLE POINT TOO SPITEFULLYvIS MADE IN A TEXT THAT IN
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ITS %NGLISH TRANSLATION IS OVER lFTEEN HUNDRED PAGES LONG )T IS NO ACCIDENT THAT #ALVIN CHOOSES THIS POINT ON WHICH TO RESTRAIN HIMSELF )N THE END HE DOES NOT NEED TO CRITICIZE THE OTHER TWO VOWSOF POVERTY AND OBEDI ENCEBECAUSE SEX COMES TO STAND IN FOR RIGHT RELATION TO THE MATERIAL WORLD AND RIGHT RELATION BETWEEN 'OD AND COMMUNITY 4HE 0ROTESTANT CAN lND PROSPERITY IN RULING A HOUSEHOLD RATHER THAN POVERTY IN COMMUNAL LIVING AND THE 0ROTESTANT RELATION TO 'OD IS DElNED BY THE INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM TO MARRY RATHER THAN BY OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMUNITY )N THE NEWLY FORMED 0ROTESTANT SOCIAL RELATIONS THE RIGHT RELATION TO THE IMMATERIAL SPIRITUAL WORLD IS NO LONGER GUARANTEED BY THE MATERIAL INSTITUTION OF THE #HURCH 2ATHER THE INDIVIDUAL STANDS ALONE BEFORE 'OD AND HIS A WORD ) USE ADVISEDLY RIGHT RELATION TO THE SPIRITUAL WORLD IS GUAR ANTEED BY THE IMMATERIAL SUBSTANCE OF FAITH ALONE 4HIS SHIFT IS PARTICULARLY ACUTE IN #ALVINISMS SYSTEM OF PREDESTINATION IN WHICH THE RULE OF 'OD IS SO COMPLETE THAT ONES SALVATION IS ALREADY DETERMINED BY 'ODS WILL /NE CAN NEVER KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHETHER ONE WILL BE AMONG THE SAVED OR THE DAMNED ! GOOD LIFE THAT IS MATERIALLY REWARDED IS AN INDICATOR OF SALVATION BUT IT IS NO WAY A GUARANTEE 7E HAVE TWO MAJOR SHIFTS HERE THE MATERIALIZATION OF 'OD IN THE WORLD IS NOW ACCOMPLISHED PRIMARILY THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL RATHER THAN THE COMMUNITY AND THIS MATERIALIZATION IS ITSELF SPIRITUALIZED 4RANSUBSTANTIATION NO LONGER OCCURS AND FAITH ALONE EMBODIES 'OD IN THE WORLD !T THE SAME TIME THIS NEW RELATION ALSO CARRIES THE SPIRITUAL MORE INTO THE MATERIAL WORLD !S 7EBER POINTS OUT BECAUSE GOOD WORKS IN THE WORLD NO LONGER DIRECTLY PRODUCE SALVATION WORK AND THE DISCIPLINE OF WORK PRODUCE GOODS THAT ARE PRIMARILY MATERIAL RATHER THAN SPIRITUAL 4HIS REWORKING OF THE RELATION BETWEEN THE IMMATERIAL AND THE MATE RIALA REFORMATION SYMBOLIZED AND EMBODIED THROUGH SEX AND MARRIAGE ALLOWS FOR THE FORMATION OF CAPITALISM #APITALISM IS ITSELF A REWORKING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MATERIAL AND THE IMMATERIAL #APITALISM WE MUST REMEMBER IS MORE THAN A SET OF MATERIAL RELATIONS IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY DEPENDENT ON ABSTRACTION THE ABSTRACTION OF LABOR INTO LABOR POWER )T IS NOT THAT PEOPLE DID NOT LABOR BEFORE CAPITALISM IT IS THAT THEIR LABOR WHEN NOT ABSTRACTED INTO LABOR POWER DID NOT PRODUCE SURPLUS VALUE AND HENCE DID NOT PRODUCE CAPITAL 4HE SHIFT TO 0ROTESTANTISM ALLOWED FOR THE SHIFT TO CAPITALISM NOT BECAUSE OF A MORAL SUPERIORITY INHERENT IN 0ROTESTANT SELF DISCIPLINE AS CONTEMPORARY MORALISTS ON THE POLITICAL 2IGHT WOULD HAVE IT BUT BECAUSE THE 2EFORMATION WAS A MOMENT THAT ALLOWED FOR THE REWORK ING OF BOTH SYMBOLIC AND MATERIAL RELATIONS 4HE 2EFORMATION PRODUCED A SYMBOLISM THAT ALLOWED CAPITALISM TO MAKE SENSE )T IS NOT THAT MATERIAL AND IMMATERIAL RELATIONS ARE NOT PRESENT BEFORE THE 2EFORMATION IT IS THAT THIS INTERRELATION WORKED DIFFERENTLY AFTER THE 2EFORMATIONTHE WAY THAT THE IMMATERIAL IS MADE MANIFEST IN THE WORLD IS DIFFERENT
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4HUS SEXUAL RELATIONS AND MARRIAGE IN PARTICULAR COME TO EPITOMIZE THE 0ROTESTANT ORDERING OF THE WORLD 3EX EMBODIES THE REMAKING OF THE RELATION BETWEEN MATERIAL AND IMMATERIAL WORLDS AND SEXUAL RELATIONS ARE KEY TO PRODUCING THE INDIVIDUAL RATHER THAN A COMMUNITY AS THE PRIMARY SITE OF RELATION TO 'OD 3EX LIKE THE COMMODITY IS FETISHIZED IN MODERNITY IT REPLACES FOOD AS THE SIN EXTRAORDINAIRE THE SIGN OF GLUTTONY AND DISSOLU TION AND IT ALSO REPLACES THE VOWS OF POVERTY AND OBEDIENCE AS THE SIGN OF RIGHT RELATION TO BOTH 'OD AND COMMUNITY 3EX BECOMES THE PREMIER SITE OF MORALITY 3EX IS NOT A REALM ANALOGOUS TO THE REALM OF PRODUCTION BUT RATHER A NECESSARY PART OF PRODUCTIVE RELATIONS !ND WHAT SEX PRODUCES IS THE INDIVIDUAL SPECIlCALLY THE AUTONOMOUS AND FREE INDIVIDUAL &OR $%MILIO INDIVIDUALISM IS THE SOURCE OF THE FREEDOM THAT MAKES GAY IDENTITY POSSIBLE #APITALISM CREATES THE CONDITIONS FOR GAY IDENTITY BECAUSE IT ALLOWS hINDIVIDUALS TO SURVIVE BEYOND THE CONlNES OF THE FAM ILYv 4HIS SAME INDIVIDUALISM IS THE BASIS FOR THE FREEDOM PROMISED BY 0ROTESTANTISM 4HE INDIVIDUAL STANDS ALONE BEFORE 'OD !ND THE INDIVID UALS RELIGIOUS VOCATION IS FREED FROM THE CONlNES OF THE COMMUNITYOF POVERTY CHASTITY AND OBEDIENCE 'IVEN 7EBERS CONNECTION BETWEEN THE 0ROTESTANT ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM THIS COINCIDENCE SHOULD NOT SURPRISE US BUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FREEDOM AND SEX IS A PROFOUND ONE 4HIS 0ROTESTANT FREEDOM IS ACCOMPLISHED IN PART THROUGH THE ELEVATION OF MARRIAGE TO THE NORMATIVE IDEAL ,UTHER AND #ALVIN DO NOT ENCOURAGE THOSE WITH A RELIGIOUS VOCATION TO LEAVE THE MONASTERY AND CONVENT AND LIVE ALONE IN THEIR FAITH AS PURE AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUALS ,UTHER AND #ALVIN ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET MARRIED AND THIS IS BECAUSE AS FEMINISTS HAVE LONG POINTED OUT AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUALS DO NOT ACTUALLY EXIST AUTONOMOUSLY 2ATHER THEY DEPEND ON THE LABOR OF OTHERS AND IN WHAT IS NOW CALLED THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY THEY DEPEND ON THE LABOR OF WIVES AND SERVANTS #API TALIST EXPLOITATION DEPENDS ON DOMINATION NOT JUST TO PROVIDE A RESERVE POOL OF LABOR BUT BECAUSE THE FREE AND AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUAL DEPENDS ON DOMINATION 4HE PROGRESS THAT MODERNITY IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE BY WHICH MORE AND MORE PEOPLE CAN BECOME AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUALS UNTIL EVENTUALLY ALL ARE EQUAL WILL ALWAYS BE A CONTRADICTORY MOVEMENT BECAUSE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUAL A PERSON WHO IS FREE FROM ALL DEPENDENCE ON OTHERS 4HE SAME FREEDOM THAT ENCOURAGES THE FORMATION OF GAY IDENTITY ALSO ENCOURAGES SEXUAL REGULATION )T SPECIlCALLY ENCOURAGES THE DISCIPLINES OF MARRIAGE 4HIS ANALYSIS HELPS EXPLAIN WHY SEX HAS DOMINATED 53 PUBLIC DIS COURSE 4HE PARTICULAR CONCEPTUALIZATION OF FREEDOM IN THE 0ROTESTANT IMAGINATION COMBINES THE IDEA OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERATION WITH A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON SEXUAL REGULATION 4HIS ANALYSIS ALSO SUGGESTS THAT THE WAY OUT OF THIS CONUNDRUM OUT OF THE CYCLE THAT $%MILIO SO PRESCIENTLY DESCRIBED
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IS TO FOCUS NOT ON GAY LIBERATION BUT ON REMAKING SOCIAL RELATIONS IN WAYS THAT UNDERCUT THE INDIVIDUALISM THAT ENABLES CAPITALIST EXPLOITATION AND REQUIRES SEXUAL REGULATION 4HE POINT AT WHICH GAY LIBERATION AND SEXUAL REGULATION MEET IS IN INDIVIDUALISM )T IS INDIVIDUALISM THAT SUSTAINS BOTH LIBERATORY AND REGULATORY DISCOURSES AND IT IS INDIVIDUALISM THAT SUSTAINS THE RELATION BETWEEN THEM 4HUS IT IS THIS MODERN INDIVIDUALISM THAT WE MUST RESIST IF WE HOPE TO SLIP THE CONSTRAINTS OF FREEDOM
"MUFSOBUJWF1PTTJCJMJUJFT 4HE FREEDOM OF INDIVIDUALISM NEED NOT BE THE ONLY FREEDOM THAT WE SEEK )T IS NOT THE CASE THAT INDIVIDUALISM DOES NOT ALLOW FOR CHANGE )N THE MODERN PERIOD IT IS BETTER TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL THAN NOT JUST AS IT IS BETTER TO HAVE RIGHTS THAN NOT 4HE TYPES OF CHANGES ALLOWED BY GAY LIBERATION AND CHRONICLED BY $%MILIO ARE VERY REAL AND THEY ARE IMPORTANTLY BET TER THAN REPRESSION "UT THE TYPE OF CHANGE THAT LEADS TO GAY RIGHTS ALSO TRAPS US IN THE DISCOURSE THAT ALSO CALLS OUT INCREASED REGULATION 4HIS IS BECAUSE CHANGE INCLUDING LIBERATORY CHANGE WHEN WITHIN THE DISCOURSE OF AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUALISM WORKS FOR CAPITALISM #APITALIST EXPLOITATION ALLOWS FOR INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM BUT THE VALUE OF THAT FREEDOM IS DElNED BY REGULATION INCLUDING SEXUAL REGULATION THAT MAKES THE INDIVIDUAL OPEN TO BOTH EXPLOITATION AND DOMINATION 4HE DANGER TO CAPITALISM IS THAT EXPLOI TATION WILL NOT BE EXPERIENCED AS FREEDOM OR PERHAPS MORE ACCURATELY THAT WHEN PEOPLE SEEK RELIEF FROM THE ALIENATION OF CAPITALISM THEY WILL SEARCH FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN AN INCREASE IN INDIVIDUAL AUTONOMY &REEDOM NEED NOT BE DElNED ONLY BY AN INCREASE IN INDIVIDUALISM FREEDOM COULD ALSO BE CONSTITUTED THROUGH ALTERNATIVE SOCIAL FORMATIONS 7E CAN FOR EXAMPLE IMAGINE DIFFERENT FORMS OF FREEDOM FORMS BASED NOT IN INDIVIDUALISM OR COMMUNALISM BUT IN VARIOUS AFlNITIES AND FORMS THAT CHALLENGE THE #HRISTIAN SECULARISM OF THE 5NITED 3TATES 7HILE THE ROOT OF !MERICAN SEXUAL REGULATION MAY BE RELIGIOUS SALVATION IS NOT TO BE FOUND IN SIMPLY SEEKING FREEDOM FROM THAT RELIGION 3UCH A SEARCH IS BASED ON THE IMAGINATION OF FREEDOM FROM THE #HURCH SOUGHT BY THE 2EFORMERS THE VERY IMAGINATION THAT FUELS THE UNSPOKEN ASSUMPTIONS OF #HRISTIAN SECU LARISM 4HE PROBLEM IS NOT A FAILURE TO BE SECULAR ENOUGH BUT THE FACT THAT OUR PUBLIC IMAGINATION OF A CENTRAL VALUE LIKE FREEDOM IS DOMINATED BY ONE PARTICULAR TRADITION 7HILE FREEDOM IS A CONTESTED TERM PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS STILL FREQUENTLY PLAY INTO THE DOMINANT IMAGINATION OFTENTIMES APPARENTLY WITHOUT REALIZING THAT THEY ARE DOING SO 7E CAN HOWEVER DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE VALUES THAT CAN ENABLE A SUBJECTIVITY BASED IN AND THROUGH AFlNITIES THAT ARE NEITHER THOSE OF INDIVIDUALISM OR COMMUNITY
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'SPN4IBSFE*OUFSFTUTUP"MUFSOBUJWF"GmOJUJFT "UT HOW ARE WE TO BUILD THESE NEW SOCIAL FORMATIONS (OW DO WE BUILD THE TYPE OF POLITICS THAT $%MILIO RECOMMENDS $%MILIOS ANSWER IS TO BRING TOGETHER ALL THOSE WHO SHARE AN INTEREST IN LIVING OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS OF THE HETEROSEXUAL NUCLEAR FAMILY &OR HIM SHARED INTERESTS RATHER THAN SHARED IDENTITY ARE THE BASIS OF RADICAL POLITICS )NTEREST IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE A MEANS OF TRANSCENDING IDENTITY YET THIS ARGUMENT DID NOT BRING INTO BEING THE ALLIANCES THAT IT CALLED FOR NOR HAVE THE MANY SIMILAR ARGUMENTS THAT WERE ARTICULATED THROUGHOUT THE S AND S ACTUALLY PRODUCED WIDESPREAD ALLIANCE POLITICS 4HIS SUGGESTS THAT SHARED INTERESTS MAY NOT BE AN ADEQUATE MEANS OF CONCEPTUALIZING HOW TO BUILD ALLIANCES 7E HAVE NOT CONSIDERED FULLY NOR ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED THE WAYS IN WHICH INTERESTS AMONG THOSE VARIOUS PERSONS AND COMMUNITIES WHO MIGHT NOT LIVE WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE NUCLEAR FAMILY ARE NOT NECESSARILY SHARED )F INTERESTS ARE SOCIALLY CONSTITUTED THE WIDE RANGING REPRESSION OF THE S ON WHICH $%MILIO FOCUSES GIVES US A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW INTERESTS THAT MIGHT HAVE BECOME BROADLY SHARED ARE INSTEAD CONSTITUTED AS OPPOSING 4HE S WERE A TIME OF MASSIVE SOCIAL CHANGE THAT INVOLVED THE REWORK ING OF RELATIONS AMONG GROUPS !S THE 5NITED 3TATES EMERGED FROM 7ORLD 7AR )) A SUPERPOWER THE QUESTION OF HOW THIS NEW POWER WOULD BE USED WAS A FUNDAMENTAL ONE 4HE ANSWER AS WE ALL KNOW WAS TO SPREAD CAPITALISM 4HIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE FORMULATION OF THE #OLD 7AR A WAR WITH BOTH INTERNATIONAL AND INTRANATIONAL IMPLICATIONS THAT ALLOWED THE REWORKING OF RELATIONS WITHIN THE 5NITED 3TATES AS WELL AS ACROSS THE GLOBE 53 NATIONAL IDENTITY WAS RECONSTITUTED AND RECONSOLIDATED IN RELATION TO A NEW WORLD ORDER AND THE REPRESSION OF SEXUALITY WAS CENTRAL TO THIS PROCESS )T WAS USED AS THE hSIN EXTRAORDINAIREv THAT COULD TAINT OTHER STRUGGLES AS CIVIL RIGHTS OR LABOR LEADERS WERE TARNISHED THROUGH SEXUAL ACCUSATION )T WAS ALSO A PART OF A NETWORK OF hEVILSv )NVOCATION OF THIS NETWORKWHETHER IN THE TROIKA OF hGODLESSNESS COMMUNISM AND HOMOSEXUALITY v OR IN SUSPICIOUS PAIRS LIKE hCOMMUNISTS AND INTEGRATION ISTSvMUTUALLY CONSTITUTED GENDER RACE CLASS AND SEXUAL RELATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF 53 NATIONALISM 4HE MUTUAL CONSTITUTION OF IDENTITIES IS OFTEN DRAWN ON IN FEMINIST AND QUEER THEORY AS A REASON FOR CONNECTING IDENTITIES AND ISSUES BUT AS THE HISTORY OF THE S SHOWS MUTUAL CONSTITUTION CAN ALSO BE USED QUITE EFFECTIVELY IN REPRESSIVE DISCOURSE TO CREATE CONmICTING INTERESTS 4HESE CONmICTS HAVE FREQUENTLY TAKEN PRECEDENCE OVER THE SHARED INTERESTS NAMED BY $%MILIO AND THEY HAVE BLOCKED THE REALIZATION OF ALTERNATIVE AFlNITIES
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4HE NETWORK AS A WHOLE HELPS ENSURE THAT ALIENATION WILL BE EXPERIENCED AS A PROBLEM OF GENDER RACE ANDOR SEXUALITY RATHER THAN AS A PROBLEM IN THE RELATIONS OF PRODUCTION 4HE !MERICAN POLITICAL FETISHIZATION OF SEX WITHIN SUCH A NETWORK HELPS MANAGE THE RELATIONS BETWEEN MATERIALITY AND IMMATERIALITY THAT BOTH CONSTITUTE AND BURDEN THE AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUAL &OR CAPITALISM TO WORK THE ALIENATION CAUSED BY THE ABSTRACTION OF LABOR INTO LABOR POWER MUST BE EXPERIENCED AS FREEDOM )N FACT ALIENATION DOES PRODUCE THE FORM OF FREEDOM THAT ENABLES THE MODERN SELF )T IS THE MARKET THAT OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SELF INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF GAY IDENTITY "UT THE MARKET ALSO DEMANDS DISCIPLINE AND REGULATION AND THIS BURDENSOME ASPECT OF FREEDOM IS OBSCURED BY THE VERY STRUCTURE OF AUTONOMY )F THE SELF IS UNDERSTOOD ONLY AS AUTONOMOUS THEN hOTHERSv THREATEN THE SELF 4HE UNDERSTANDING INDUCED BY THIS DISCOURSE IS THAT ) WOULD REAP THE BENElTS OF CAPITALISM WITHOUT SUFFERING THE ALIENATION ) EXPERIENCE WERE IT NOT FOR THOSE OTHERS )MPORTANTLY THE SENSE THAT OTHERS ARE A THREAT IS NOT MERELY A DIS PLACEMENT OF THE FEELING OF ALIENATION OF CAPITALISM IT IS A REmECTION OF THE INDIVIDUALS STATUS AS PRODUCED THROUGH CAPITALISM 4HE INDEPENDENCE OF THE AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUAL IS PRODUCED THROUGH A HIERARCHALA DOMI NATIVEDEPENDENCE ON OTHERS 4HUS THESE OTHERS CAN THREATEN THE SELF NOT JUST BY ACTIVELY ATTACKING THE SELF BUT SIMPLY BY ASSERTING THEIR OWN AUTONOMY )F THIS SENSE OF THREAT FROM OTHERS WERE ONLY DISPLACEMENT IT WOULD BE EASIER TO EXPOSE ,IKE COMMODITY FETISHISM THESE ATTRIBUTIONS ARE SO POWERFUL BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT MERELY ILLUSIONS THEY HOOK INTO REAL RELATIONS 2EREADING THE NARRATIVE OF THE S PROVIDES A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW SUCH RELATIONS PRODUCE SEPARATED RATHER THAN SHARED INTERESTS )N THIS LIGHT TO UNDERSTAND FULLY THE PERIODS REPRESSION OF SEXUALITY WE CANNOT FOCUS ONLY ON THE DIALECTIC BETWEEN GAY IDENTITY AND ITS REPRESSION 7E HAVE TO PLACE GAY IDENTITY IN RELATION TO THE NETWORK OF REPRESSIONS THAT WERE INSTIGATED DURING THE DECADE AND WE HAVE TO PLACE THE PRODUCTION OF GAY IDENTITY AND SUBSEQUENT LIBERATION IN RELATION TO THE NASCENT SOCIAL MOVEMENTS OF THE IMMEDIATE POSTWAR PERIOD 7E CAN SEE THESE DYNAMICS AT WORK BY LOOKING AT EXAMPLES FROM THE ARTICLES APPEARING IN THE .EW 9ORK 4IMES IN THE S THAT MENTION HOMO SEXUALITY 4HE NETWORK OF THREATS TO THE h!MERICAN PUBLICv IS REITERATED SO AS TO SHOW THESE THREATS AS MUTUALLY CONSTITUTING WHEN THE 4IMES REPORTS ON A CONFERENCE OF THE !SSOCIATION FOR 'ROUP 0SYCHOLOGY 4HE 4IMES FOCUSES ON A PAPER BY $R #ORNELIUS "EUKENKAMP *R WHICH CLAIMS THAT WOMENS LIBERATION PRODUCES hA PRIMITIVE SITUATIONv THAT RESULTS IN BOTH HOMOSEXUALITY AND VIOLENCE
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;)N THE CASE OF WOMENS LIBERATION= THE SON IS PRESENTED WITH A MOTHER WHO IS THE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY IN THE HOME WHO DOMINATES WHERE THE FATHER ONCE DID )N THIS POSITION THE YOUNGSTER IS PLACED ON A SEE SAW SWINGING BETWEEN PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AGAINST ONE OR BOTH PARENTS AND OVERT HOMOSEXUALITY WHICH $R "EUKENKAMP THINKS THIS AMBIVALENT SITUATION PRODUCES $R "EUKENKAMP SAW THIS SITUATION IN THE FAMILY AS RESEMBLING PRIMITIVE SOCIETY 4HE YOUNGSTERS TOO WHO INCREASINGLY PARTICIPATE IN TRIBAL WARFARE GANG ACTIVITIES AND ACTS OF VIOLENCE ARE PRIMITIVE
)N THIS SCENARIO PROBLEMATIC GENDER RELATIONS ARE NEGATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH BOTH PATHOLOGICAL SEXUALITY AND ETHNICALLY TINGED VIOLENCE AS THE PRIMITIVIST TROPE OF TRIBAL WARFARE PROVIDES AN ETHNIC SPECTER TO MODERN DAY GANG ACTIVITIES 4HIS POTENTIAL FOR GUILT BY ASSOCIATION IS ONE REASON THAT CONTEMPORARY THEORISTS HAVE FOCUSED ON THE NEED FOR AND POSSIBILITY OF ALLIANCE ACROSS IDENTITIES ISSUES AND INTERESTS "UT THE ASSOCIATIONS BUILT BY SUCH CONSERVA TIVE DISCOURSES ARE OFTEN MORE EFFECTIVE IN SEPARATING THAN IN CONNECTING ISSUES &OR INSTANCE IN ANOTHER ARTICLE FROM THE POTENTIAL FOR GUILT BY ASSOCIATION IS USED TO PROMOTE THE IDEA THAT SEGREGATION IS IN THE INTERESTS OF EVERYONE ESPECIALLY THOSE SEGREGATED )N THE EXAMPLE ABOVE HOMO SEXUALITY IS DEPLOYED AS A CAUSE OF ETHNIC VIOLENCE BUT IN A DESCRIPTION OF hTENSIONv IN 'REENWICH 6ILLAGE ALSO FROM THE 4IMES PORTRAYS HOMO SEXUALS AS POTENTIALLY INNOCENT AND ALSO POTENTIALLY GUILTY BYSTANDERS TO VIOLENCE OVER hRACIAL MIXINGv )N THIS FAIRLY LONG ARTICLE THE HISTORY OF IMMIGRATION INTO THE 6ILLAGE AREA IS DESCRIBED IN GREAT DETAIL FROM THE lRST HALF OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY WHEN THE AREA hTHRIVED AS THE HOME OF THE WELL TO DO AND RESPECTABLE v THROUGH WAVES OF )RISH AND !FRICAN !MERICANS MOVING INTO THE NEIGHBOR HOOD UNTIL lNALLY WE REACH THE PERIOD OF )TALIAN !MERICAN PROMINENCE 4HIS HISTORY ESTABLISHES THE CURRENT PROBLEMS AS THE RESULT OF hNEWCOM ERSv ENTERING THE NEIGHBORHOOD 3PECIlCALLY THE ARTICLE IS CONCERNED WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE hBEAT GENERATIONv hAT THE SAME TIME THE FREEDOM THAT THE 6ILLAGE OFFERED BEGAN TO ATTRACT A NEW TYPE OF .EGRO FROM (ARLEM )N CONTRAST TO THE .EGRO ARTISTS AND WRITERS ALREADY IN THE 6ILLAGE THE NEWCOMERS HAD NO LITERARY OR ARTISTIC ASPIRATIONSv 4HESE NEWCOMERS PARTICIPATED IN SEXUALIZED RACIAL MIXING WHICH THE ARTICLE PORTRAYS AS THE TRIGGERING MECHANISM FOR MUCH OF THE VIOLENCE INCLUDING BEATINGS OF !FRICAN !MERICAN MEN AND VIOLENCE AGAINST BUSINESSES THAT ARE OPEN TO BOTH !FRICAN !MERICAN AND WHITE PATRONS 4HE DESCRIPTION OF RACIAL MIXING PITS !FRICAN !MERICANS AGAINST )TAL IAN !MERICANS WHO IN THIS SITUATION ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF hWHITENESSv
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AND YET ARE ALSO DIFFERENTIATED FROM THE EARLIER PERIOD OF hRESPECTABLEv WHITENESS &INALLY THE SPECTER OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS BROUGHT INTO THIS MIX WHICH ) QUOTE IN ITS ENTIRETY !NOTHER CAUSE OF FRICTION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE HOMOSEXUAL !S A RULE THE HOMOSEXUALS PRACTICE THEIR OWN KIND OF SEGREGATION 4HEY HAD THEIR OWN SECTION OF 7ASHINGTON 3QUARE 0ARK UNTIL THE POLICE EVICTED THEM RECENTLY 4HEY PATRONIZE PARTICULAR BARS AND PARTICULAR STREET CORNERS AND USUALLY KEEP TO THEMSELVES 3OMETIMES HOWEVER THEY PUT ON A MORE mAMBOYANT SHOW OF THEIR HOMOSEXUALITY !T TIMES STREET BRAWLS RESULT BUT HOMOSEXUALITY AT PRESENT IS MUCH LESS AN IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF ROWDINESS THAN IS THE MATTER OF RACIAL MIXING
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4HE INCENTIVE TO COUNTERIDENTIFY IS MORE THAN APPARENT IN THIS PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION 0EACE IS BEST MAINTAINED WHEN BOTH RACIAL AND SEXUAL RELATIONS ARE ORGANIZED THROUGH SEGREGATION 4HIS ARRANGEMENT MEANS THAT THERE ARE hGOODv !FRICAN !MERICANS THOSE WITH LITERARY ASPIRATIONS WHO MINGLE ONLY WITH OTHER OUTSIDERS THE hBEATSv AND hBADv !FRICAN !MERICANS THOSE WHO MINGLE SEXUALLY WITH WHITE WOMEN 4HERE ARE ALSO GOOD HOMOSEXU ALS AND BAD HOMOSEXUALS THOSE WHO KEEP TO THEMSELVES EVEN APPARENTLY AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN EVICTED FROM THEIR SEPARATE SPACE BY THE POLICE AND THOSE WHO mAGRANTLY DISPLAY THEIR SEXUALITY TO OTHERS 4HE CLEAR MESSAGE OF THE ARTICLE IS TO CREATE A SET OF hINTERESTSv FOR HOMOSEXUALS TO KEEP TO THEMSELVES SPECIlCALLY THEY SHOULD NOT MINGLE WITH OTHER SEXUAL OUTSID ERSTHOSE WHOSE SEXUALITY CROSSES RACIAL BOUNDARIES 4HE SYSTEM IS ARRAYED AROUND A CENTER AND YET NO ONE WHO RESIDES IN THE CENTRAL SPACE IS NAMED AS AN ACTOR NOR ARE THEIR INTERESTS EVER NAMED 4HE ISSUES AS PRESENTED ARE ONLY THE RELATIONS AMONG OTHERS AND THE VIOLENCE THAT MAY ENSUE IS PORTRAYED AS DEPENDING ONLY ON THE BEHAVIOR OF THESE OTHERS -OREOVER HOMOSEXUALS ARE HERE CONSTRUCTED AS A GROUP ENTIRELY SEPARATE FROM !FRICAN !MERICANS )TALIANS AND EVEN THE RACIALLY MIXED BEATS 4HE RACIAL MIXING OF HOMOSEXUAL LIFE IN THE 6ILLAGE DURING THIS PERIOD IS ERASED AS HOMOSEXUALS ARE CONSTITUTED AS PUTATIVELY WHITE 3EXUALITY AND RACE ARE THUS SIMULTANEOUSLY INTERCONNECTED AND UTTERLY DISTINCT ISSUES -OST IMPORTANT THE WAY THAT THE INTERCONNECTION IS FORMULATEDAS SEXUALIZED RACIAL MIXING THAT LEADS TO VIOLENCETENDS TO DISAGGREGATE RATHER THAN CONNECT SEXUALIZED AND RACIALIZED OTHERS IN THE SYSTEM
+BOFU3+BLPCTFO
"MUFSOBUJWF"GmOJUJFTBOE3FDPOmHVSFE7BMVFT 3HARED INTERESTS WHILE REAL ARE NOT ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE SIMULTANEOUS DIVISION OF THOSE INTERESTS 4HERE WERE MAJOR EFFECTS FROM THE REPRESSION OF THE S EFFECTS THAT ARE RARELY COUNTED IN THE RELIEF BROUGHT ON BY THE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS OF THE DECADES THAT FOLLOWED "UILDING ON RESPONSES TO THE 'REAT $EPRESSION AND 7ORLD 7AR )) THE S REPRESENTED A TIME OF SOCIAL OPENINGS ON A NUMBER OF ISSUESGENDER RACE CLASS SEXUALITY AND THESE OPENINGS WERE SOMETIMES ADDRESSED BY MOVEMENTS THAT CROSSED THE BOUNDARIES OF IDENTITIES 4HE REPRESSIONS OF THE S UNDERCUT THESE NASCENT ALLIANCES 4HE HISTORIANS #ATHARINE &OSL 0ATRICIA 3ULLIVAN AND *OHN %GERTON HAVE ALL ARGUED FOR EXAMPLE THAT AS &OSL PUT IT hTHE 2ED 3CARE OF THE POST 77)) YEARS THROTTLED THE BLACK WHITE ALLIANCES THAT HAD BUDDED DURING THE DEPRESSIONv 7HAT WAS DESTROYED IN THE S IS NOT THE EMERGENCE OF GAY IDENTITY PER SE BUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ALLIED SOCIAL MOVEMENT OF WHICH GAY IDENTITY IS A PART 4HE mOWERING OF POSSIBILITY IN THE LAST HALF CENTURY IS A PROFOUND TESTAMENT TO THE POSSIBILITIES THAT WERE SUSTAINED EVEN THROUGH THIS REPRES SIVE PERIOD !S $%MILIO POINTS OUT THE REASON THAT GAY LIBERATION COULD BURST ON THE SCENE AFTER THE 3TONEWALL RIOTS WAS BECAUSE GAY COMMUNITIES HAD BEEN FORMING AND GROWING THROUGH THE S 4HESE GAY COMMUNI TIES WERE NOT NECESSARILY ORGANIZED AROUND FAMILIAL FORMS OR EVEN AROUND COUPLES 3OME OF THESE COMMUNITIES INCLUDED CROSS RACIAL OR CROSS CLASS ALLIANCES 1UEER COMMUNITIES AT MOMENTS OVERCAME THE RACE AND CLASS SEGREGATION OF THE DOMINANT CULTURE AND S AND S SOCIAL MOVE MENTS FOR RACIAL JUSTICE ALSO INCLUDED CROSS RACIAL OR CROSS CLASS ALLIANCES THAT WERE LATER DESTROYED 4HESE NASCENT ALLIANCES AND THE GLIMMERINGS OF OPENNESS MIGHT HAVE BEEN STRENGTHENED OVER TIME 7HAT THE REPRESSION OF THE S ACCOMPLISHED WAS THE CHANNELING OF THE POSSIBILITIES EMBODIED IN THESE FORMATIONS TOWARD SINGLE ISSUE IDENTITY BASED MOVEMENTS THAT WERE SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER AND THAT COULD COEXIST WITH FAMILIAL FORMS SO THAT EVEN IN THE RESURGENCE OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN THE S THESE ALLIANCES COULD NOT BE FULLY REALIZED !LTHOUGH LATE S AND EARLY S GROUPS LIKE THE 'AY ,IBERATION &RONT UNDERSTOOD THEMSELVES AS CONNECTED TO WORLDWIDE LIBERATION STRUG GLESHENCE THE NAME hLIBERATION FRONT v ALL TOO SOON THESE CONNECTIONS BROKE DOWN IN FAVOR OF THE SINGLE ISSUE POLITICS THAT $%MILIO CRITICIZES IN 'AY RIGHTS GROUPS HAVE BEEN LED TO PURSUE THIS PATH BECAUSE THE FREEDOM THAT THEY MOST OFTEN SEEK IS ULTIMATELY ORGANIZED AROUND INDIVIDU ALISM AND INDIVIDUALS RIGHTS )T IS NOT THAT WE ARE TRAPPED IN A DIALECTIC BETWEEN LIBERATION AND OPPRESSION BUT THAT WE HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO SEEK A LIBERATION THAT CONTAINS THE DISCOURSE OF CONSTRAINT WITHIN ITSELF "ECAUSE
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OF THIS FACT THE SHARED INTERESTS OF MULTIPLE GROUPS IN LIBERATION HAVE BEEN COCONSTRUCTED WITH A SET OF DIVIDED INTERESTS THAT HAVE BLOCKED ALLIANCES 4O RECOGNIZE THESE DIVISIONS IS NOT SIMPLY A MISPERCEPTION THE DIVISIONS ARE REAL AND NEED TO BE ADDRESSED "UT WE DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO REMAIN TRAPPED IN THEM ! SHIFT IS NEEDED BUT NOT JUST FROM IDENTITY POLITICS TO SHARED INTERESTS 2ATHER OUR MOVEMENTS NEED TO SHIFT FROM IDENTITIES AND INTERESTS TO ALTER NATIVE AFlNITIES DIFFERENT VALUES AND RECONSTRUCTED INTERESTS 4HIS DOES NOT MEAN DOING AWAY WITH EITHER MATERIALIST POLITICS OR IDENTITY POLITICS !LTERNATIVE AFlNITIES DO NOT DO AWAY WITH IDENTITY POLITICS BECAUSE GOODS AND INTERESTS PUNISHMENTS AND DISCIPLINES ARE DIVIDED ALONG IDENTITY BASED LINES -ATERIALIST POLITICS CONTINUE TO BE CRUCIAL BECAUSE CAPITALISM CONTIN UES TO FORM THE CONTEXT OF POLITICAL POSSIBILITY "UT IF CAPITAL DEPENDS ON VALUES LIKE FREEDOM TO PRODUCE VALUEIF THE MATERIAL IS INTERTWINED WITH AND EMBODIED THROUGH IM MATERIAL VALUESMATERIALIST POLITICS NEEDS TO REWORK VALUES AS WELL AS INTERESTS *UST AS IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SHIFT FROM IDENTITIES TO INTERESTS A SHIFT FROM GAY IDENTITY TO QUEER RESISTANCE IS ALSO INSUFlCIENT TO PRODUCE THE TYPE OF NEW POLITICS THAT THE TURN TO QUEER INITIALLY PROMISED 4HE GREAT HOPE OF QUEER POLITICS WAS TO PRODUCE ALTERNATIVE AFlNITIES AND COMPLEX POLITICAL COMMITMENTS THAT WERE NOT TRAPPED IN SINGULAR IDENTITIES "UT AS WITH THE FAILURE TO PRODUCE ALLIANCES THIS HOPE WAS NOT REALIZED $EPLOYED AGAINST US WERE NOT JUST THE NORMS OF NORMATIVE IDENTITY FORMATION BUT ALSO THE VALUES OF A SUPPOSEDLY VALUE FREE MARKET 4HE VALUE OF FREEDOM IS PRECISELY THAT IT IS PRODUCTIVE OF BOTH ECONOMIC VALUE AND A PARTICULAR SET OF MORAL VALUESVALUES THAT INCLUDE BOTH THE IDEA OF HUMAN LIBERATION AND OF THE NEED FOR DISCIPLINE REGULATION AND DOMINATION 7E CANNOT DEVELOP A SUCCESSFUL QUEER POLITICS IF WE JUST RESIST THE DIS CIPLINE AND REGULATION 7E NEED TO CHANGE VALUES AS WELL AS RESIST NORMS #HANGING VALUES ALSO PROVIDES POSSIBLE SITES FOR BUILDING ALTERNATIVE AFlNI TIES 2ATHER THAN SIMPLY RESISTING FREEDOM QUEER POLITICS MIGHT CONNECT TO THOSE ALTERNATIVE GENEALOGIES OF FREEDOM LIKE THE ONES DESCRIBED BY 2OBIN +ELLEY IN &REEDOM $REAMS 4HE "LACK 2ADICAL )MAGINATION THAT ARE NOT TRAPPED IN DISCOURSES OF MODERN INDIVIDUALISM THE MARKET AND #HRIS TIAN SECULARISM )F IN MODERNITY SEX PLUS FREEDOM EQUALS REGULATION THEN ONE OF THE JOBS OF QUEER THEORY NOW IS TO CHANGE THE ARITHMETIC OF OUR POLITICS
+BOFU3+BLPCTFO
/PUFT ,ISA $UGGAN 4HE 4WILIGHT OF %QUALITY .EOLIBERALISM #ULTURAL 0OLITICS AND THE !TTACK ON $EMOCRACY "OSTON "EACON HAS DOCUMENTED THE ROLE OF SEXUALITY IN NEOLIBERALISM #LINTON SAW SEXUAL REGULATION AS VITAL TO HIS OWN REELEC TION AND HENCE SIGNED BOTH THE $EFENSE OF -ARRIAGE !CT AND THE WELFARE REFORM ACT IN THE SUMMER BEFORE THE ELECTIONS )MPORTANTLY WELFARE REFORM WAS A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN 53 ECONOMIC POLICY BUT IT WAS ACCOMPLISHED NOT THROUGH A DISCUSSION OF ECONOMICS BUT THROUGH A DISCOURSE THAT FOCUSED ON YOUNG WOMEN AND THEIR SEXUALITY WHO WERE ALWAYS PRESUMED TO BE WOMEN OF COLOR EVEN THOUGH STATISTICALLY MORE WHITE WOMEN THAN WOMEN OF COLOR HAVE DRAWN WELFARE BENElTS &OR AN ANALYSIS OF HOW WELFARE REFORM WORKED IN A NETWORK OF SOCIAL RELATIONS THAT INCLUDED ECONOMICS SEXUALITY AND RACIAL POLITICS SEE *ANET 2 *AKOBSEN h&AMILY 6ALUES AND 7ORKING !LLIANCES 4HE 1UESTION OF (ATRED AND 0UBLIC 0OLICY v IN 7ELFARE 0OLICY &EMINIST #RITIQUES #LEVELAND 0ILGRIM &OR AN IN DEPTH ANALYSIS OF #LINTONS IMPEACHMENT AND ITS RAMIlCATIONS SEE ,ISA $UGGAN AND ,AUREN "ERLANT EDS /UR -ONICA /URSELVES 4HE #LINTON !FFAIR AND THE .ATIONAL )NTEREST .EW 9ORK .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY 0RESS &OR A FULL ANALYSIS OF THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN lSCAL AND SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES SEE *AKOBSEN h&AMILY 6ALUES AND 7ORKING !LLIANCESv )N DESCRIBING THESE hMORAL VALUESv THE .EW 9ORK 4IMES MENTIONS ONLY TWO ISSUES OPPOSITION TO ABORTION AND TO hRECOGNITION OF GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLESv +ATE :ERNIKE AND *OHN - "RODER h7AR *OBS .O #HARACTER #OUNTED -OST TO 6OTERS v .EW 9ORK 4IMES .OVEMBER 4HE PERCENTAGE OF VOTERS CLAIMING hMORAL VALUESv AS THEIR PRIMARY CON CERN WAS ACTUALLY hDOWN FROM PERCENT AND PERCENT v SO THE hMORAL VALUESv VOTERS WERE NOT THE FACTOR THAT ENSURED THAT 'EORGE "USH WON THIS TIME &RANK 2ICH h4HE 'REAT )NDECENCY (OAX v .EW 9ORK 4IMES .OVEMBER (ISTORIANS HAVE LONG RESISTED THIS POPULAR STEREOTYPE WHEN DOCUMENTING THE SEXUAL PRACTICES OF THE 0URITANS &OR EXAMPLE *OHN $%MILIO AND %STELLE " &REEDMAN IN THEIR HISTORY OF SEXUALITY IN !MERICA STATE h%VEN AMONG THE 0URI TANS AND THEIR 9ANKEE DESCENDANTS SEXUALITY EXHIBITED MORE COMPLEXITY THAN MODERN ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THEIR REPRESSIVENESS SUGGESTv $%MILIO AND &REED MAN )NTIMATE -ATTERS ! (ISTORY OF 3EXUALITY IN !MERICA ;.EW 9ORK (ARPER AND 2OW = !ND IN A POINT WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR MY LATER ARGUMENT THEY CONTINUE h%ARLY !MERICANS DID INDEED PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR OF INDIVIDUALS 4HEY DID SO HOWEVER NOT IN ORDER TO SQUELCH SEXUAL EXPRES SION BUT RATHER TO CHANNEL IT INTO WHAT THEY CONSIDERED TO BE ITS PROPER SETTING AND PURPOSE AS A DUTY AND A JOY WITHIN MARRIAGE AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROCREATIONv !NN 0ELLEGRINI AND ) DEMONSTRATE THE RELIGIOUS AND SPECIlCALLY 0ROTES TANT BASIS OF SEXUAL REGULATION IN 53 LAW IN *AKOBSEN AND 0ELLEGRINI ,OVE THE 3IN 3EXUAL 2EGULATION AND THE ,IMITS OF 2ELIGIOUS 4OLERANCE .EW 9ORK .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY 0RESS &OR A FULL EXPLANATION OF THE #HRISTIAN NATURE OF 53 SECULARISM SEE *ANET 2 *AKOBSEN AND !NN 0ELLEGRINI h)NTRODUCTION TO 7ORLD 3ECULARISMS AT THE -IL LENNIUM v 3OCIAL 4EXT NO n -AX 7EBER 4HE 0ROTESTANT %THIC AND THE 3PIRIT OF #APITALISM TRANS 4ALCOTT 0ARSON .EW 9ORK #HARLES 3CRIBNERS 3ONS
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/N THESE ENFORCEMENTS SEE -ERRY % 7IESNER h.UNS 7IVES AND -OTH ERS 7OMEN AND THE 2EFORMATION IN 'ERMANY v IN 7OMEN IN 2EFORMATION AND #OUNTER 2EFORMATION %UROPE ED 3HERRIN -ARSHALL "LOOMINGTON )NDIANA 5NI VERSITY 0RESS n 3EE THE INTRODUCTION TO THIS SPECIAL ISSUE BY $AVID %NG *UDITH (ALBERS TAM AND *OSÏ %STEBAN -U×OZ &OR A DIFFERENT SET OF PROBLEMS WITH THE DEVELOP MENT OF QUEER POLITICS SEE $AVID (ALPERIN 3AINT &OUCAULT 4OWARDS A 'AY (AGIOG RAPHY .EW 9ORK /XFORD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS n &OR A DESCRIPTION OF SOME OF THE INADEQUACIES OF CRITICAL THEORIES THAT RELY SOLELY ON hTHE CRITIQUE AND EXPOSURE OF DOMINANT IDEOLOGIES v SEE %VE +OSOFSKY 3EDGWICK h! 2ESPONSE TO # *ACOB (ALE v 3OCIAL 4EXT NOS n 3EE FOR EXAMPLE &OUCAULTS THIRD VOLUME OF 4HE (ISTORY OF 3EXUALITY 4HE #ARE OF THE 3ELF TRANS 2OBERT (URLEY ;.EW 9ORK 6INTAGE "OOKS = AND THE WRITINGS AND INTERVIEWS COLLECTED IN THE VOLUME %THICS 3UBJECTIVITY AND 4RUTH ED 0AUL 2ABINOW TRANS 2OBERT (URLEY ET AL ;.EW 9ORK .EW 0RESS = WHICH WAS INTERESTINGLY THE lRST VOLUME OF THE %SSENTIAL 7ORKS OF &OUCAULT SERIES /N THE TURN TO ETHICS IN CRITICAL THEORY SEE -ARJORIE 'ARBER "ERNICE (ANS SEN AND 2EBECCA 7ALKOWITZ 4HE 4URN TO %THICS .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE +ERRY WAS THE lRST TO RAISE THE ISSUE OF FAITH IN THE THIRD PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE AND THEN LATER IN THE DEBATE POINTED OUT THAT HE HAD DONE SO &OR THE DEBATE TRANSCRIPT SEE WWWNPRORGTEMPLATESSTORYSTORYPHP STORY)D ACCESSED .OVEMBER 4HE ULTIMATE CULMINATION OF THIS hFAMILY VALUESv IDEA OF GAY RIGHTS WAS SUMMARIZED WHEN %LIZABETH "IRCH THEN HEAD OF THE (UMAN 2IGHTS #AMPAIGN CLAIMED SHORTLY AFTER ADOPTING CHILDREN THAT THE REAL DIVIDING LINE IN !MERICAN LIFE WAS NOT BETWEEN HETERO AND HOMOSEXUALS BUT BETWEEN hPEOPLE WHO ARE PAR ENTS AND PEOPLE WHO ARENTv 4IM 7EINER h0UBLIC ,IVES 'AY 2IGHTS ,EADER 3EES 3HIFT 4OWARD 0UBLIC !CCEPTANCE v .EW 9ORK 4IMES !PRIL $%MILIO REJECTS FUNCTIONALISM AND HIS ANSWER DEPENDS ON AN ANALOGY BETWEEN PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTION h4HE ELEVATION OF THE NUCLEAR FAMILY TO PRE EMINENCE IN THE SPHERE OF PERSONAL LIFE IS NOT ACCIDENTAL 4HE PRIVATIZED FAMILY lTS WELL WITH CAPITALIST RELATIONS OF PRODUCTION #APITALISM HAS SOCIALIZED PRODUC TION WHILE MAINTAINING THAT THE PRODUCTS OF SOCIALIZED LABOR BELONG TO THE OWNERS OF PRIVATE PROPERTY )N MANY WAYS CHILDBEARING HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVELY SOCIALIZED OVER THE LAST TWO CENTURIES WITH SCHOOLS THE MEDIA PEER GROUPS AND EMPLOYERS TAKING OVER FUNCTIONS THAT ONCE BELONGED TO PARENTS .EVERTHELESS CAPITALIST SOCI ETY MAINTAINS THAT REPRODUCTION AND CHILDREARING ARE PRIVATE TASKS THAT CHILDREN hBELONGv TO PARENTS WHO EXERCISE RIGHTS OF OWNERSHIPv $%MILIO CAN HARDLY BE BLAMED FOR APPEALING TO SUCH AN ANALOGY IN BUT IT NEVER QUITE WORKED !TTEMPTS TO BRING TOGETHER -ARXISM AND FEMINISM IN THIS ANALOGICAL MANNER ALWAYS SEEM TO MAKE REPRODUCTION A MIRROR IMAGE OF THE PRODUCTION PROCESS /NCE AGAIN THE CONCERNS OF WOMEN WERE REmECTIONS OF THE REAL CONCERNS OF THE WORLD AND OF MEN IN THIS CASE PRODUCTION 4HIS TYPE OF ANALOGY ALSO COULD NOT EXPLAIN THE WAYS IN WHICH GENDER OPPRESSION OPERATES WITH hRELATIVE AUTONOMYv FROM CAPITALIST FUNCTIONALISM AS #ORNEL 7EST HAS SAID OF RACE h-ARXIST 4HEORY AND THE 3PECIlCITY OF !FRO !MERICAN /PPRESSION v IN -ARXISM AND THE )NTERPRETATION OF #ULTURE ED #ARY .ELSON AND ,AWRENCE 'ROSSBERG ;5RBANA 5NIVERSITY OF )LLINOIS 0RESS = n 'ENDER OPPRESSION LIKE RACIAL OPPRESSION SEEMS TO mOURISH EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF CAPITALISM 7HILE RACISM AND SEXISM
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OFTEN WORK FOR CAPITALISM THEY ALSO HAVE LIVES OF THEIR OWN .EITHER FUNCTIONALISM NOR ANALOGY WILL ULTIMATELY SERVE AS EXPLANATION &OR A CRITIQUE OF ANALOGY THAT INCLUDES A TRENCHANT CRITIQUE OF $%MILIO SEE -IRANDA *OSEPH h&AMILY !FFAIRS 4HE $ISCOURSE OF 'LOBAL,OCALIZATION v IN 1UEER 'LOBALIZATIONS #ITIZENSHIP AND THE !FTERLIFE OF #OLONIALISM ED !RNALDO #RUZ -ALAVÏ AND -ARTIN & -ANALANSAN )6 .EW 9ORK .EW 9ORK 5NIVERSITY 0RESS 4HIS ANALYSIS OF THE INTERTWINING OF EXPLOITATION AND DOMINATION IS BASED ON A READING OF 'AYATRI #HAKRAVORTY 3PIVAKS h3CATTERED 3PECULATIONS ON THE 1UESTION OF 6ALUE v IN )N /THER 7ORLDS %SSAYS IN #ULTURAL 0OLITICS .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE n WHICH ) PROVIDE IN *ANET 2 *AKOBSEN h#AN (OMOSEXU ALS %ND 7ESTERN #IVILIZATION AS 7E +NOW )T v IN #RUZ -ALAVÏ AND -ANALANSAN 1UEER 'LOBALIZATIONS "ENEDICT !NDERSON )MAGINED #OMMUNITIES 2EmECTIONS ON THE /RIGIN AND 3PREAD OF .ATIONALISM ,ONDON 6ERSO .ANCY & #OTT 0UBLIC 6OWS ! (ISTORY OF -ARRIAGE AND THE .ATION #AM BRIDGE -! (ARVARD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS #OTT HOWEVER ASSUMES MARRIAGE IS CENTRAL TO NATIONAL LIFE RATHER THAN SEEING THE CONSOLIDATION OF MARRIAGE AT THE CENTER OF !MERICANNESS AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF CONSOLIDATING THE NATION *AKOBSEN AND 0ELLEGRINI ,OVE THE 3IN 3OME WOULD ARGUE ALTHOUGH YOU WOULD NOT KNOW IT FROM TODAYS #HRIS TIAN 2IGHT THAT MARRIAGE IS NOT A BIBLICALLY BASED IDEAL "Y EXAMPLE *ESUS WAS NOT A FAMILY MAN AND THE 0AULINE EPISTLES PREFER CELIBACY TO MARRIAGE 4HE 0AULINE AUTHOR SUGGESTS THAT MARRIAGE IS MERELY NECESSARY MOST PEOPLE CANNOT RESIST SEX AND SO MARRIAGE IS THE BEST ALTERNATIVE TO FORNICATION 4HE 2EFORMATIONS INTENSI lED FOCUS ON THE SINFUL NATURE OF HUMANS ALLOWS FOR A SLIPPAGE IN INTERPRETATION WHERE EVERYONE IS NOW SEEN AS BEST OFF IN MARRIAGE -ARTIN ,UTHER -ARTIN ,UTHER 3ELECTIONS FROM (IS 7RITINGS ED *OHN $IL LENBERGER .EW 9ORK $OUBLEDAY 4HIS IS THE PRECURSOR TO +ANTS GOOD WILL AND WE CANNOT FORGET THAT +ANT IS DEEPLY INmUENCED BY 'ERMAN PIETISM (E SHOULD NOT SIMPLY BE READ AS A hSECULARv PHILOSOPHER ,UTHER -ARTIN ,UTHER 3ELECTIONS "IBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP HAS SHOWN THAT THE CANONICAL LETTERS WRITTEN UNDER THE NAME h0AULv WERE NOT ALL WRITTEN BY A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL 3EE %LIZABETH #AS TELLI )MITATING 0AUL ! $ISCOURS OF 0OWER ,OUISVILLE +9 *OHN +NOX7ESTMINSTER ,UTHER -ARTIN ,UTHER 3ELECTIONS 3EE FOR EXAMPLE -ERRY 7IESNERS ACCOUNT IN h.UNS 7IVES AND -OTH ERSv OF HOW STRICTLY THE 2EFORMERS ENFORCED THE IDEA THAT MARRIAGE REPRESENTS WOMENS CALLING 7HILE SOME WOMEN VOLUNTARILY LEFT THEIR CONVENTS TO BECOME 0ROTESTANTS AND MARRY OTHERS IN AREAS CONTROLLED BY 2EFORMERS FOUGHT TO KEEP THEIR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES TOGETHER EVEN WHEN CUT OFF FROM THE #ATHOLIC #HURCH 7IESNER ALSO REPORTS THAT THE #OUNTER 2EFORMATION #HURCH MOVED TO RESTRICT SOME OF THE FREEDOMS THAT WOMEN IN RELIGIOUS ORDERS HAD EXPERIENCED THUS FURTHER NAR ROWING WOMENS POSSIBILITIES #ALVIN ELABORATES A MORALITY THAT RUNS COUNTER TO BOTH THE SPECIlC VOWS OF THE #ATHOLIC RELIGIOUS LIFE AND THE PROCESS OF TAKING VOWS ITSELF &OR HIM THE INTERIOR INTENTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL RATHER THAN VOWS TAKEN BEFORE THE COMMUNITY IS THE CRUCIAL INDICATOR OF MORALITY #ALVIN FOR EXAMPLE PRECEDES +ANT IN ARGUING
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THAT THE MORAL VALUE OF AN ACTION DEPENDS NOT ON ONES RELATION TO THE COMMUNITY BUT ON INTENTION h&OR BECAUSE THE ,ORD LOOKS UP ON THE HEART NOT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE THE SAME THING AS THE PURPOSE IN MIND CHANGES MAY SOMETIMES PLEASE AND BE ACCEPTABLE TO HIM SOMETIMES STRONGLY DISPLEASE HIMv *OHN #AL VIN 4HE )NSTITUTES OF THE #HRISTIAN 2ELIGION ED *OHN 4 -C.EILL TRANS &ORD ,EWIS "ATTLES VOLS ;0HILADELPHIA 7ESTMINSTER = HEREAFTER CITED IN THE TEXT ) AM NOT ARGUING THAT SEX IS SIMPLY ANALOGOUS TO THE COMMODITY BUT RATHER THAT SEX TOO GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS OF FETISHIZATION )T IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN -ARX FETISHISM IS A PROCESS OF WHICH THE COMMODITY IS THE ELEMENTARY FORM BUT FETISHISM IS NOT NECESSARILY RESTRICTED TO THE COMMODITY *OHN $%MILIO h#APITALISM AND 'AY )DENTITY v IN 0OWERS OF $ESIRE 4HE 0OLITICS OF 3EXUALITY ED !NN 3NITOW #HRISTINE 3TANSELL AND 3HARON 4HOMPSON .EW 9ORK -ONTHLY 2EVIEW #AROLE 0ATEMAN 4HE 3EXUAL #ONTRACT 3TANFORD #! 3TANFORD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS MAKES THIS POINT IN HER CRITIQUE OF LIBERAL POLITICAL THEORY 4HIS DOES NOT REQUIRE GIVING UP THE FREEDOMS THAT HAVE BEEN SO HARD WON IN MODERNITY )T DOES NOT REQUIRE DENYING THE VALUE AND THE POWER OF MODERN ACCOMPLISHMENTS BUT IT DOES REQUIRE REMAKING THESE FREEDOMS BECAUSE THE FACT THAT FREEDOM IS ACCOMPANIED NOT JUST BY EXPLOITATION BUT ALSO DOMINATION IS NOT AN ACCIDENT OR A MISTAKE THAT WILL SIMPLY BE REMEDIED BY PROGRESS $OMINATION IS INTERNAL TO BOTH EXPLOITATION AND MODERNITY &OR A HISTORY OF CONTESTS OVER THE TERM FREEDOM SEE %RIC &ONER 4HE 3TORY OF !MERICAN &REEDOM .EW 9ORK .ORTON FOR AN IN DEPTH EXPLORATION OF ALTERNATIVE VISIONS OF FREEDOM THAT HAVE FUELED RADICAL POLITICS SEE 2OBIN $ ' +ELLEY &REEDOM $REAMS 4HE "LACK 2ADICAL )MAGINATION "OSTON "EACON )N FACT ONE OF THE SUBJECT HEADINGS WITHIN THE ARTICLE IS h! 0RIMITIVE 3ITU ATIONv .EW 9ORK 4IMES &EBRUARY .EW 9ORK 4IMES 3EPTEMBER 4HE 4IMES DESCRIBES THE PERIOD OF )TALIAN !MERICAN PROMINENCE BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF hTHE BEATSv AS A TIME WHEN hTHE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS A CLOSED COM MUNITY WITH A VILLAGE ELDER PRESIDING (E ADMINISTERED NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE AND LITTLE OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE EVEN BY THE POLICE WAS TOLERATEDv 4HIS DESCRIPTION EFFECTIVELY LOCATES )TALIAN !MERICANS AS IMMIGRANTS WHO CONTROL THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF THE POLICE AND OUTSIDE THE LIMITS OF THE LAW 4HE 4IMES NAMES THE DOMINANT GROUPhTHE WELL TO DO AND RESPECTABLEv AND PRESUMABLY WHITE AND STRAIGHT ONLY IN REFERENCE TO THE PAST #ATHERINE &OSL 3UBVERSIVE 3OUTHERNER !NNE "RADEN AND THE 3TRUGGLE FOR 2ACIAL *USTICE IN THE #OLD 7AR 3OUTH .EW 9ORK 0ALGRAVE -ACMILLAN 3EE ALSO 0ATRICIA 3ULLIVAN $AYS OF (OPE 2ACE AND $EMOCRACY IN THE .EW $EAL %RA #HAPEL (ILL 5NIVERSITY OF .ORTH #AROLINA 0RESS AND *OHN %GERTON 3PEAK .OW AGAINST THE $AY 4HE 'ENERATION BEFORE THE #IVIL 2IGHTS -OVEMENT .EW 9ORK +NOPF /N POSSIBILITIES FOR CONNECTING ALTERNATIVE GENEALOGIES SEE *ANET 2 *AKOB SEN AND %LIZABETH ,APOVSKY +ENNEDY h3EX AND &REEDOM v IN 2EGULATING 3EX 4HE 0OLITICS OF )NTIMACY AND )DENTITY ED %LIZABETH "ERNSTEIN AND ,AURIE 3CHAFFNER .EW 9ORK 2OUTLEDGE
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