Understanding Queer Perspectives on Privilege, Whiteness, and Class
Explore the nuanced concepts of privilege, whiteness, and class through a queer lens as discussed in Bruce Henderson's book "Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries." Delve into the invisible benefits of privilege, the implications of whiteness as a societal construct, and the intersectionality of social and economic class dynamics, shedding light on the complexities of power, discrimination, and vulnerability in everyday life.
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Chapter 5: Queering Privilege Whiteness and Class Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Privilege Conscious and unconscious benefits by being a member of a group that has historically had social and economic power Very often the majority of people in a population, but may be a minority (as in the 1% having economic power in the United States) Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Whiteness as a Concept Nakayama and Krizek: Whiteness as majority Whiteness as default Whiteness as natural Whiteness as synonymous with majority Whiteness as all-encompassing Whiteness as European Bruce Henderson, Queering Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Peggy McIntosh: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack Historical precedent: W.E.B. Dubois: white people do not have to think about their whiteness McIntosh: not that all white people use everything in the knapsack on a daily basis, but that it is there Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Different Shades of Whiteness (and Other Hues): Queering Social and Economic Class Class: a more complex term than simply economic wealth Standard Divisions in the United States: Upper class Middle class Working and/or lower class (not always synonymous) Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Lisa Henderson: Class Attributes A relatively and potentially unstable economic position in social system committed to economic hierarchy and exclusion A form of social power over others and vulnerability to discrimination, prejudice, stigmatization, and pain Recognizable in the cultural practices of everyday life Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Upper/Middle-Class Queers: White-Collar Professionals Privacy most important concern Example: Anderson Cooper s coming out Issues for other white-collar professionals: job security and advancement Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
John Browne: An Action Plan for Breaking The Glass Closet Actively set direction from the top Create and support LGBT resource groups Encourage straight allies Set concrete goals and measure against them Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Brownes Action Plan, continued Get LGBT to accept individual responsibilities Identify role models and tell their stories repeatedly Set clear expectations for those working in conservative countries Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Middle-Class Queers: Growing or Disappearing? Lines between upper middle class and middle class less distinct in recent decades Function in part of more people with undergraduate college degrees than in past Primary concern: respectability Is the middle class becoming an unmarked category? Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Media Representations of Middle-Class Queer Experiences Will and Grace: Will and Grace as recognizable white-class professionals Will s police officer boyfriend: class issues Jack as creative class worker Karen as upper-class economically; upwardly mobile socially Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Middle-Class Media, continued Modern Family: Mitchell and Cam as normative couple Critiques of characters as stereotypes Adoption of Lily: completing the nuclear family Unmarked acceptance in extended family Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Working Class Queers: Communities of Labor/Sites of Isolation Primary concerns: community and/or cohesion Alienated labor: Marxist term Lack of emotional or affective commitment to the work performed Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Working-Class Lesbians Kennedy and Davis, Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold (1993) Mid-1900s: Buffalo NY, urban manufacturing center House parties (especially among African Americans) Butch-femme roles: domestic/romantic couples Space where African American and white women interacted Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Anne Balay and Queer Steelworkers Steel Closets: Voices of Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Steelworkers (2014) Interviews with queer-identified steelworkers in Chicago, IL and Gary, IN Includes transgender workers (understudied in working-class analyses) Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Balay, continued Steelworkers function as archetypes of working-class masculinity Steel mills tend to be isolated from whatever urban life there is in a community Little to encourage workers to socialize outside workplace Damned if you do, damned if you don t: self-disclosure Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Balay, continued Secrecy vs. privacy : the former carries risk of exposure, the latter a privilege of the upper class For queer women, can led to sexual violence For queer men, can create cycle of desire and disgust Devalues queer experience as anything other than cause for control, power, and rejection Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
The Shower: A Site of Conflict for Gay Men In steel mills, daily use of shower ends workday Queerest possible space : site of male-male nudity and exposure Dangers of testing masculinity and normativity Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Experiences of Out Steelworkers Some lesbians report acceptance by straight male co-workers Result of assumption that lesbians are like men in desire for female bodies and, sometimes, gender expression as masculine Gay men report more rejection and threats of violence; some find sexual opportunities, particularly if willing to assume bottom role (which some straight men view as making the sex closer to heteronormativity) Class mobility often precludes queer steelworkers from leaving place of work Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Lower Class Queers: Everybody s a Little Bit Gay Lower class socioeconomic description here, not value judgment on worth of groups of people Nancy Isenberg: white trash phrase historically used to dismiss or demonize white rural outcasts Lisa Henderson, working class people are imagined as physically just too much. Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Series focuses on extended family in rural Georgia Title refers to daughter (Alanna), first seen on Toddlers and Tiaras Uncle Poodle : revealed as HIV+; accepted by family Honey Boo Boo quote: Ain t nothin wrong with bein a little gay. Everybody s a little gay Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
Spotlight on Literature: Dorothy Allison, Queer Bastard out of Carolina Born in 1949, Greenville, South Carolina Best known for semi-autobiographical novel, Bastard Out of Carolina Open about lesbian identity, as well as BDSM sexuality Tensions between her life as writer, artist, academic and her class origins and loyalty to family of origin. Bruce Henderson, Queer Studies: Beyond Binaries, Harrington Park Press 2019
