Queer Theory
Literary criticism that applies queer theory is concerned with the ways in which cultural texts challenge or reinforce the economic, political, social and psychological oppression of a people who do not follow traditional ideas of gender and sexuality. It studies texts with a consideration of the ways that the text construct and represent sexuality and gender.
At the heart of this mode of interpretation is the consideration of the following core conflict:
These slides contain a broad overview of what queer criticism does. They are good for students who want to remind themselves of some of this theory's key aspects, but, for a deeper understanding of what a queer critic does, explore the resources below.
The Hays Code was a set of rules that governed the content of American films from the 1930s to the 1960s. The code included strict rules about depictions of sexuality and gender, which limited the representation of queer identities on screen and reinforced heteronormative values. Read the slides to learn more about this production code and its impacts.
Under Construction - The page might be incomplete at the moment because things are still being added to it.
Through The Lens - Queer Criticism
Click the image to the left to access an article that explains the core tenants of queer criticism via an interview between a journalist and a professor of literary studies.
Queer Criticism in Action
Click the image to see some examples of queer criticism in action. Measure your own work against the models on this page to ensure that you are correctly applying this type of criticism.
Click the image to access further resources to help you understand queer Theory. On this page, you can find examples of queer criticism, explainer videos and further reading.