The Sociology Book

330

Seidman, in Difference Troubles:
Queering Social Theory and Sexual
Politics (1997), while acknowledging
the important contribution that
queer theory has made to modern
politics and culture, explores the
difficulties that can arise for those
who champion the politics of
difference. How do social thinkers
conceptualize differences, such as
sexuality or race, without falling
into the trap of reducing them to
inferior status?
His pragmatic response is
to argue for what he calls a “less
repressive view of difference”—a
social postmodernism in which
“queer” is a verb, describing
actions, and no longer a noun.

His aim is to challenge all norms

by recognizing difference and

having “an affirmative politics of

difference” rather than an “illiberal

kind of identity politics,” such that

“difference and democracy might

coexist.” Seidman insists that

queer theorists must, just as

other social thinkers do, take into

account other forms of social theory

and continue to critique key social

institutions and examine how

people live their lives.

There are many criticisms of the

“queer” concept and its theoretical

approach. Although it argues

against the concept of identity,

it has nevertheless become an

umbrella term that particularly

STEVEN SEIDMAN

Groups asserting self-identification sexuality have in recent years
challenged the assumption that male–female heterosexuality is the normal
sexual orientation. The symbols below are just a few of the many now used
to declare to the mainstream that different sexual identities exist.

refers to gay men, lesbians,

bisexuals, and transgender people.

In essence, “queer” can be seen

as a new label for an old concept.

In this way it has been used to

unify many diverse categories of

people and has been accused of

ignoring important differences

and inequalities.

A flawed approach?

Because queer theorists such as

the American David Halperin have

understood “queer” as a position

that can be taken by anyone who

feels they have been marginalized

due to their sexual preferences,

Australian academic Elizabeth

Grosz warns that it could be used

to validate ethically questionable

practices, such as those by

“sadists, pederasts... pimps.”

Queer theory has been accused

of focusing on sexuality to the

exclusion of other categories: when

Warner argues that pornography is

“queer” because—as a result of its

uninhibited enactments of sexual

fantasies—it is the opposite of

“normal,” he ignores the ways in

which the use of women in much

pornography relies on assumptions

of “normal” masculinity. In Queer

Race, South African academic Ian

Queer is by definition

whatever is at odds with

the normal, the legitimate,

the dominant.

David Halperin

US academic (1952– )

Orientation

Female couple

Male couple

An intersex or

genderless person

A transgender

person

A bisexual

person

Inspiration

Paired mirror of Venus astrological and

alchemical signs, traditionally used to denote

an organism of female gender.

Paired shield and spear of Mars astrological

and alchemical signs, traditionally used to

denote an organism of male gender.

The circle element of the Venus

and Mars signs, without the

gender-defining additions.

A combination of the male

and female gender signs.

The double-moon symbol is widely used in

northern Europe, in preference to a “reclaimed”

Nazi-era pink triangle used in some countries.

Symbol

Self-identification symbols