Queering History
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word queer can be used to mean odd or strange, but in our modern lexicon, I'm sure more people know the word as it relates to sexual and gender identity. The intellectual investigation of queerness is referred to as queer theory and one of the main goals in this pursuit is to question the established, starkly divided, and socially accepted categories of gender and sexuality (Zavala). This is done through the confrontation of heteronormativity, which is the notion that heterosexuality is the good or normal baseline of sexual identity. Queer theory itself is also invested in considering all parts of one’s identity and experiences and integrating them into an intersectional model of study. In this way, queer theory is also concerned with socio-economic issues, race, and many other aspects of the human condition. “[To queer] means to challenge or to critique assumptions about the stability of sex, gender, and sexuality, as...
