Queer theory

Queer theory is based in gender and sexuality. 

Queer theory is made up of both a queer reading and theorisation on the idea of queerness itself. But since queer theory don’t refer to standard ideas of what seen as normal. Queer theorist take advantage of the term queer using it to include transsexuals, sado-masochists and all other marginalized sexualities as well as homosexual and heterosexuals. Like with the feminist movement the main goal is to look into the portray and overview of gender. Queer theory goes a step further and looks at it in two parts, the “role taking” part and the “self” part of the subject. But fall back into the same problem that feminism as a large focus of the theory is made on the main focus group. Like how the third wave feminist movement was made out to be only a group for middle aged white woman and leaving out others that don’t fix into that demography. It looks like the same is happening with queer theory as the main demography of the movement seems to be middle aged gay men. Others felt that you couldn’t include heterosexuals as they where alreally seen as the norm calling it heteronormativity.

Due to this over the year it been started that’s the term queer can’t be use to label ever film made with a gay subject matter, themes and characters. With film produced for a gays and lesbians audience. As queer theorist wants to view the subject of queer as something that is not part of the norm. It conflict with the ideas of the film produced for a gays and lesbians audience who wanting to build up a since of normative in there sexual perspectives. For example Brokeback Mountain tells the story of an ill fated love affair between two cowboys. It counts as queer cinema because it stereotypes gay behaviour and viewing the homosexually as always being out of the normal based on the act of one of the characters getting married and having kids. Where a movie breakfast on Pluto might be more suited to a gay audience because instead of treating homosexually as something out of the norm like brokeback mountain. It focuses on challenging the norm and celebrates the sexual ideas it shows. Sometime trying to define what queer cinema is and what gay cinema lends to queer readings of films to see if they match the ideas of one or both of the categories. Films like top gun which on the surface don’t seem to be any different from any other 80’s action movie. Though with a deeper look you will find sighs of the queer theory. Going back to the idea of “role taking” and “self”.

But like with top gun a queer reading can be taken from almost any movie is it intention or not. Take the lion king for example even though it’s a Disney movie. You can find a queer reading if you focus on the character of scar. It is implied through his verbal and mannerisms action. Early in the film during a dialogue between simba and scar simba says, “Uncle Scar, you’re so weird” scar simple says back “you have no idea” how scar see himself as weird is never really clarified though it’s implied

And just before the “be prepared” musical number the hyena’s are talking about there dislike of the lions. They go on to says that they don’t see scar as a lion and saying he is “one of them”. Meaning that scar have become the “other” someone outside the main group of lion taking up alliance with the outsider the hyena’s.

After scar gets control of the pride lands. It starts to change from a once fertile, bright and full of life to a desolate, dry and completely dead. This is seen as symbolism showcasing the fact that homosexual can’t reproductive there by being show as unnatural to the natural order of things.

Thereby in scar’s defeat and simba re-establish the heterosexual idealogal and doing so makes the prides burst back into life. And scar is left to be killed by the “other” he had once leaded.

Bibliography

Filmreference .com

Theory.org