Queer Theory

A relatively young subfield in the broader communication discipline, queer theory has become a useful tool with which to approach the analysis of communication processes and artifacts. As early as the beginning of the 18th century, the word queer was used to denote a form of deviation from the norm, and usually carried with it a negative connotation. Queer was a descriptive term that was assigned to actions (particularly behaviors tied to sex and sexuality) deemed indecent in the eyes of the public. However, through the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, the term has evolved beyond its ties to questionable or suspicious behavior and into an overarching category for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender sexual identities and performances. Though the term still largely refers to ...