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Abstract:

The author of this essay contends that, from both professorial and activist perspectives, queer theory should be interrogated to reveal the contributions it can make to understanding political communication relating to legal and civic issues affecting sexual minorities. Such understanding is critical to public advocacy advancing protection of homosexual individuals and groups. Queer theory raises difficult definitional problems, however. The author focuses on queer theory as a set of ideas loosely labeled postmodern or post-structuralist, originally applied in particular ways to gender and, more recently, to sexuality. The author observes that important benefits to gay politics have accrued as a result of queer theory. Yet because of its recent academic high profile, queer theory has been subjected to extensive criticism. It is suggested that there is strong need to translate central ideas of queer theory into a language which can be understood by intelligent and experienced people outside the academy.

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Vol. 45 Issue 2-4, p345-348 4p