Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

David Getsy: In Theory...
by Andrew Davis
2007-10-17

This article shared 6505 times since Wed Oct 17, 2007
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


David Getsy, a School of the Art Institute of Chicago professor whose specialties range from trans/queer theory to modern art, talked with Windy City Times about those very concepts.

Windy City Times: You teach transgender and queer theory. I've thought about that latter phrase for a while, [ and ] it struck me that the definition of 'queerness' has changed, so the definition of 'queer theory' has probably changed as well.

David Getsy: I don't know if the definition has changed so much as it actually has become increasingly stabilized. It depends on the time period we talk about.

If we're talking about the use of the term 'queer' into the 1950s, we're talking about something entirely different. The popular usage came about in the 1980s as part of the non-assimilationist tactics that were the politics of visibility of organizations such as the [ AIDS group ] ACT UP, Queer Nation and so forth. In the early '90s, the term was gradually co-opted and became a convenient catch-all term for gay, lesbian, bisexual ( and, later, transgender ) people. So the notion of 'queer' has been stabilized. It was an insult that was appropriated and used as a way to articulate a kind of power; instead of 'Oh, you're queer,' it's now something one says about oneself: 'I'm queer.'

What's interesting about 'queer' is that it is an adjective that describes an object or person and that it implies something that's normal, which that queer object is not. You have a 'queer' something; all of those implications are what so interesting about the power of the term. So the insulting meaning used earlier was dead-on in saying there was something not normal in calling someone a person a 'queer;' now, it's a challenge—'If I'm not normal, I challenge you to tell me what 'normal' is.' Queerness is always in practice, and the concept of it is, by definition, mobile and unstable.

There's a whole history of how [ specialists in ] cultural studies, literary theory and sociology [ among others ] started investigating different ways of thinking through identity and sexuality. So queer theory emerged a little bit later as an academic specialty that brought together all these [ disciplines ] about how we understand the world.

WCT: Now we have lawsuits flying around people saying, 'That's so gay.'

DG: Words are powerful, and sometimes we try to legislate words from being used—but that misses the point.

There are always going to be negative terms thrown around. What are people implying with that term? It can be said in a chiding, loving way, but it's also used to establish what's proper and what's improper. There's a power struggle going on: The person saying that can be trying to reduce the other person to a stereotype. It's a great way to control someone.

One of the key texts [ of queer theory ] is by Michel Foucault, who said that power is everywhere and, to some degree, is exerted by everyone all the time. What's so complex is that all interactions like the uses of these words involve the wielding of power.

WCT: Let's talk about sexuality and art. Does sexuality involve sexual orientation, the act of sex or something else?

DG: Sexuality is a whole range of things, from a sexual identity ( defining ourselves by who we fall in love with ) to what we do in bed. It's about how we think of ourselves, including eroticism and desire. Sexuality is one of the main categories through which we think about who we are and who other people are.

Sexuality is such a large component of people's lives that it's sometimes hard to visualize and depict; you can look back at these Roman silver cups and Greek vases with sexual acts depicted on them. But there are the different ways that people use art to think about their place in the world—and sometimes that is much harder to recover. The interesting thing about sexuality is that it sometimes takes a lot of work to figure out how it manifests itself in literature and art. It's just like a good relationship—the sex may be what you remember, but the relationship is deeper than that.

WCT: You minored in African art when getting your Ph.D. How is sexuality depicted in art from [ that continent ] ?

DG: Africa is a huge continent with hundreds of different cultural groups, and sexuality is depicted [ widely ] . There's actually quite a similar problem to what we have with Western art, but I'm actually hedging on your question because it's also very different to think about what art means in a non-Western culture; it's not art the way we think about it. We're talking about objects with great religious or spiritual significance. Regardless, you have places where sexuality is depicted overtly—images of pregnant women and priapic men. There are also plenty of depictions of couplings—usually male-female couplings, but there are exceptions to every rule. Then there is question of how sexual activity functions as part of that culture. The questions about how sexual lives become visible—or partially visible—in and through art are the same, but the answers tend to be very different than in Western art.


This article shared 6505 times since Wed Oct 17, 2007
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project set to hold its second annual exhibition 2024-04-19
- The LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project will hold its second annual exhibition Friday, April 26 from 6-8 p.m. at Center on Addison, 806 W. Addison St., in Chicago's Lake View neighborhood. This free and open to the ...


Gay News

WORLD Nigeria arrest, Chilean murderer, trans ban, Olivier Awards, marriage items 2024-04-19
- Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC's) decision to arrest well-known transgender woman Idris Okuneye (also known as Bobrisky) over the practice of flaunting money has sparked questions among several ...


Gay News

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago announces programs for May 17-19 season finale 2024-04-17
--From a press release - CHICAGO — Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) announced program selections for Spring Series: Of Joy, the final installment of Season 46, Abundance. The engagement will include four unique works, once ...


Gay News

ART Thousands attend EXPO CHICAGO at Navy Pier 2024-04-15
- EXPO CHICAGO: The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art drew thousands when it was held April 11-14 at Navy Pier, as the event continued to expand the parameters of the meaning of art. The exhibit—the ...


Gay News

Through a queer lens: Photographer Paul Mpagi Sepuya discusses Chicago exhibition 2024-04-12
- Paul Mpagi Sepuya is a photographer whose works incorporate several elements, including history, literary modernism and queer collaboration. The art of Sepuya—who is also an associate professor in visual arts ...


Gay News

Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison announces inaugural Cook County LGBTQ+ Youth Art Competition 2024-04-10
--From a press release - Schaumburg, Ill. — April 9, 2024 — Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison recently announced the firs ever LGBTQ+ Youth Art Competition. The competition's theme is "Pride is Power!" and will set the ton for Pride celebrations ...


Gay News

Open Space Arts's COCK offers a complex but compelling take on relationships 2024-04-08
By Brian Kirst - Premiering in 2009, Mike Bartlett's COCK was a comic revelation, exploring notions about fluidity and sexual labelling long before they became commonplace discussions. Granted, conversations about these issues will always ...


Gay News

City Lit Executive Artistic Director Brian Pastor talks theater, comics, queerness 2024-03-26
- City Lit Theater has announced its programming for the 2024-25 season—which will be the company's 44th. It will also be the first season to be programmed under the leadership of Brian Pastor (they/them), who will assume ...


Gay News

Jamie Barton brings nuances of identity to her Lyric Opera 'Aida' performance 2024-03-18
- Chicago's Lyric Opera is currently featuring a production of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida starring Michelle Bradley as Aida, Jamie Barton as Amneris and Russell Thomas as Radamès. The opera runs through April 7, 2024, with Francesca Zambello ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Lady Gaga, 'P-Valley,' Wendy Williams, Luke Evans, 'Queer Eye,' 'Transition' 2024-03-15
- Lady Gaga came to the defense of Dylan Mulvaney after a post with the trans influencer/activist for International Women's Day received hateful responses, People Magazine noted. On Instagram, Gaga stated, "It's appalling to me that a ...


Gay News

Chicago History Museum announces "Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s - 70s exhibition 2024-03-14
--From a press release - CHICAGO (March 14, 2024) — The Chicago History Museum is thrilled to announce its upcoming exhibition, "Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s—70s." Set to open on Saturday, May 18, 2024, this exhibition is ...


Gay News

Center on Halsted celebrates Dreams of Drag 2024-03-11
- On March 9, Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., in partnership with the Ralla Klepak Foundation, presented the Dreams of Drag Spring Cohort Class of 2024. The event featured performances from a class of new ...


Gay News

Center on Halsted hosts 6th Annual Intergenerational Talent Show 2024-03-03
- On the evening of Feb. 29, Center on Halsted held its 6th Annual Intergenerational Talent Show in front of a packed audience at the Hoover-Leppen Theater. The event brought together participants of the Center's youth and senior ...


Gay News

TAWANI Foundation commits $25K to StartOut, supporting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship 2024-02-08
--From a press release - CHICAGO — February 8, 2024 — The TAWANI Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that provides support in the areas of arts and culture, historical preservation, health and wellness, LGBTQ+ and human rights ...


Gay News

Center on Halsted opens two new art exhibitions 2024-02-07
- On Feb. 2, Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., hosted its latest gallery opening, presenting two solo exhibitions exploring the role of the artist and their relationships with their environments, albeit using vastly different styles. ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor
Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.