This quarter, I have been reading alot of theory for various classes. Fortunately, these only complement each other. This week in Theatre Theory, we got to read Feminist/Queer Theory, which rolls nicely into my performativity readings for my Body class, one of which I posted. It turns out the the author of that piece, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, was one of my mentor's mentors! And he affirms that she is just as amazing as I suspected.
While I know very little formal theory, I feel that I have been exposed to feminist and queer theory, which made today's discussion fun. And even better than my dapplings is the fact that my mentor's area of expertise is Queer Theory! We have already tentatively made plans to continue the conversation, which was lively, energized and all over the map. More than the other theories, gender theories inform or can be seen everywhere, from heterosexual relationships to videogames.
Personally, I love the idea of "queer" as the non-normative. Which my brain reduced to seventh grade, where no matter who you were, you felt out of place somehow, trying to "fit in" or to "be normal". "Normal" is an enforceable fantasy, and queer is more inclusive, not limited to a narrow concept of sexuality, but general experience of the world, which is patriarchical. And more than anything it seems that gender theories are more interested in creating an awareness of how we participate in society, regardless of its structure. Are we complicit? Do we play roles? How do we generate identity?
This is what I love about grad school - feeling your brain expand or explode as it tries to absorb new ideas. Or even more exciting, how those new ideas change perceptions of old ones.
Another epiphany - if the whole teaching/PhD thing doesn't work out, I could be a dramaturg on medical shows, which blend some of my favorite things - geeky research, practical application and medicine/disease. And to celebrate/corroborate, there is a Mystery Diagnosis marathon on tonight!
sorry no photos. While very stimulating, things of late haven't been exactly photogenic.
on iTunes: Radio Tango Argentino
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