Queerness

Sunday, September 15, 2019
First Aired:
Sunday, March 5, 2017

What Is It

女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋、跨性别者、变性人……可以肯定地说,在过去的几十年里,关于性别和性的新观念已经进入了主流意识。然而,这些身份的基础是酷儿这个概念。但是酷儿的定义是什么呢?它既是一种性别认同,也是一种政治认同吗?“酷儿”是如何颠覆或挑战我们对性别和性取向的观念的?John and Ken welcome Susan Stryker from the University of Arizona, author ofTransgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution.

Listening Notes

What does it mean to be queer? Is it a sexual identity? Political identity? Or something else? Has it turned into simply an empty umbrella term? John and Ken introduce these questions as the episode begins. Ken suggests that the queer identity remains both contested and in flux. John questions the usefulness of a term that has such a hard to define meaning. By examining the original definition of the word, however, they both can see why it this former slur has been reclaimed by people of varying genders and sexualities.

Our hosts are joined by Susan Stryker, Professor of Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Arizona and former Director of the Institute for LGBT Studies. Susan delves into the history of the word queer and the reasons for its reclamation. Ken remains puzzled about the particular choice of queer as the umbrella term for non-normative identities, to which Susan explains the historical beginnings of queer's modern usage and the benefits that it offers. An audience question via Instagram sparks discussion over the questions of what role pronouns play in one's life and identity.

一位观众通过电子邮件提出了一个关于性别厕所的问题。苏珊认为,公共浴室不可避免地需要重新设计,并解释了对性别浴室的价格进行教育的必要性。肯想知道,在多大程度上,酷儿身份能够与它似乎在原则上反对的常态化结构和思想相一致。约翰提出了电视和媒体在向社会大规模展示酷儿身份方面的重要性。随着这一集的结束,我和苏珊讨论了这些想法。

Roving Philosophical Reporter (seek to 6:43): Shuka Kalantari speaks with a trans woman who was forced to spend years in a male prison, and the choreographer of a queer-centric, dance theatre piece.

60-Second Philosopher (Seek to 46:03): Ian Shoales谈到了过去同性恋的复杂性以及Milo Yiannopoulos的堕落。

Transcript

Comments(6)


Harold G. Neuman's picture

Harold G. Neuman

Thursday, August 29, 2019 -- 7:47 AM

"Queer" is such an archaic

"酷儿"是对其他性取向的一个古老术语。每当我听到或读到它时,我都会感到害怕。有人(至少是这个人)会认为,有了其他性别的个人和群体所取得的进步,就会有人想把这个贬义从现代词汇中抹去。或者,人们认为它仍然有一个观点,尽管我无法理解这个“观点”可能是什么。“N”这个词紧紧地依附在我们的语言中,而且,黑人之间使用这个词仍然是可以接受的。来自见习人员的问题:其他有色人种(西班牙裔;印第安人;亚洲/太平洋岛民;等等)来使用“N”字?或者如果他们这样做,他们也会被打死吗? I do not know, nor do I know if these sorts of questions are ever asked. With all the so-called political correctness and sensitivity flying around these days, one (this one) really begins to wonder how such contingencies might be overlooked. Trendiness has a way of eventually losing its appeal---and, impact. I don't follow anyone on Twitter; Facebook; Instagram or other venues. As long as my own life remains interesting, I can see no reason(s) for doing so. So, let's use queer in its' original context. Maybe some other-sexed people would also feel better about who they are? I hope this is not too radical for some to consider. If it is, those folks might ask themselves why they think so.

也许我会建立我自己的博客,嗯?不,坏主意……我不是一个追随者(除非你把“哲学谈话”也算在内),所以我不应该指望任何人会中国伊朗亚洲杯比赛直播追随我。

RepoMan05's picture

RepoMan05

Friday, October 4, 2019 -- 3:10 AM

Queer, weird, and odd, are

Queer, weird, and odd, are all terms for spoild meat. Id say it were the catholics and british who made: anything out of their subjective interpretations of anything: out of the ordinary - a thing of revulsion that were lacking right to exist. British liked it because they liked power. Catholics liked it because they liked the excuse to slave rape imprisoned little boys.

Queer isnt very special of a word really. Betwern these three, which single word would you choose to represent "extra-subjective sexuality" if not "queer?"

RepoMan05's picture

RepoMan05

Friday, October 4, 2019 -- 3:12 AM

Also, i dont think it would

Also, i dont think it would take you long to be sick of "other-sexed individuals" either. I mean, if you had to write that every time and actualy addressed a topic, you'd hate it intensly after very short order, im sure.

你创造圣言(任何你不允许说的词)所造成的问题是,你最终制造了越来越多的圣言和更深更坚定的怨恨。甚至像“失望”这样的常用词也变成了可怕的常用语。

At some point folks, you have to put down the douche bags.

Arendt's picture

Arendt

Tuesday, September 17, 2019 -- 2:08 PM

Thank you for exploring this

Thank you for exploring this challenging topic; however, I have serious concerns about several aspects of this show:

1) That the show affirmed the gender fluidity movement's premise that sex is non-binary; and, seemed to suggest that the categories of female and male may very well have outlived their usefulness.

As a woman who has experienced eight "memorable" instances of sexual harassment, including 2 instances of violent sexual assault and 2 instances of lengthy, determined and aggressive stalking that may have resulted in rape or worse...all by male human beings, human beings with penises, I found the the show's dismissal of the bathroom issue as "silly"...alarming.

Not only are human males, on average, stronger and more violent than human females, they are also far more likely to commit all types of sexual harassment, including assault, stalking, exhibitionism and voyeurism. And, there is no reliable data that men who self-identify as women (many of whom retain male genitalia and are still sexually attracted to females) are any less violent than males who don't.

As such, women (i.e. human beings born with ovaries, human beings who are often subject to menstruation, pregnancy (sometimes, forced), child birth, lactation, and menopause) deserve sex-segregated spaces that acknowledge their material biological reality...sex-segregated communal toilets, showers, locker rooms, domestic abuse shelters, and prisons...spaces where girls and women are especially vulnerable to male sexual harassment.

2) That in a show on sex and gender, zero of the four voices heard (those of Ken Taylor, Josh Landry, Susan Stryker, and Ian Shoals) were WBW (women born women). How is this even possible? How can a discussion on sex and gender leave out the viewpoint of human beings actually subject to menstruation and pregnancy?

3) That in a show on sex, gender, and queerness ( VERY controversial issues these days), where were the voices critical of the gender fluidity movement?

Philosophy Talk presents itself as a show that questions everything. But, one has to wonder: is it really ready to question the assertions of the new gender fluidity movement?

RepoMan05's picture

RepoMan05

Thursday, October 3, 2019 -- 7:54 PM

You note a lot of statistics

You note a lot of statistics and im not going to refute them, but would you consider that it might be natural that males have a stronger sex drive than females, and that, males are less selective than females?

能不能通过观察表型规范来解决这些问题呢?我们很容易发现自然的问题,但否认我们的自然并不能改变它。客观性不因主观性而改变。说“强奸是坏事”并不能改变这是完全自然的。两性都有这方面的本能。

什么样的解决方案是可能的。我建议你做运动。就像拳击一样,在体育赛事的范围内,牺牲我们的福祉仍然可以被视为是道德的。

Leaving no outlet for natural behaviors has shown itself to be counter productive to "respecting the rule of law." People are doing it everywhere all around you as you read this.

A competitive evolution type impregnation sport. Various selection events finished off with an old fashioned game of chase. Escaping impregnation takes home the big pot of gold. Top male and female athletes to finally have some way to compete in the same sport. World wide betting pools. Instant prenatal fame and fortune for offspring. Born famous. Perhaps nations as a whole could make war like concessions based on such outcomes, avoiding bothersome slaughters and timeless resentment.

What's wrong with nature? Morality should have some natural basis. Morality should not be denying the existance of our nature altogether. Denying someone their nature is itself the hight of immortality.

RepoMan05's picture

RepoMan05

Friday, October 4, 2019 -- 6:33 PM

No, rather than bringing more

No, rather than bringing more freedom, the new gender ideals have put us deeper into a cage. Now not only do we have to respect everyones opinions about straight people, now we have to respect a handful of other subjectivist crap.

Gender is a delusion in the first place. How can anything be the opposite gender and not be a delusion also.

Now we have to accept more delusions. This just put more nerves on the floor. Things on the floor get stepped on. Thats what floors are for.

So now, thats what nerves are for.

Why doesn't anyone ever say that "no one has the right to force others to accept or entertain subjectivity," as an answer to all this inhumanist positioning?

British loyalists aren't against structural violence. They're only against not being in control of it.