I love the way this book started, because I feel that I instantly connected with Warner’s idea that sex is something that can build someone up, full of pride and whatever other positive feelings, but it can also be something we feel ashamed of ourselves for participating in, and not everyone enjoys it.
The idea of having good kinds of sex and bad kinds of sex is a result of creating a “normal” idea of sexuality or intercourse, when in reality, there’s no right way to do each other. By normalizing any kind of sexual behavior to push all of the negative feelings about sex (more so those who don’t enjoy it than those who do) especially our shameful ones, humans find solace in the idea that their “sex” is less shameful and more socially acceptable in most situations. I think that Warner is trying to say that in our process of normalization, society has pinned homosexuals, polygamists, and promiscuous beings as those who should be shamed in order to comfort themselves, and there’s no need for any of this social stigma, but it was created nonetheless. I think Warner means to say it serves no purpose but to be judgmental.
As we progress throughout the book, it become more and more interesting. Personally, I think the author is not just speaking on behalf of the problems associated with the gay and lesbian communities.Warner's work seems to point out the source of many injustices. For example he states "Political groups that mediate between queers and normals find that power lies almost exclusively on the normal side" (Warner, 44). So basically, those in power are what defines normal. What does it mean to be normal though? To me it seems that it consists of not altering policies and the whole idea behind queer justice is going against normal norms.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, I love the author's work when he states how normal does not necessarily have a positive contextual meaning. "Put in those terms, there doesn't seem to be a choice at all. Especially not in America, where normal probably outranks all other social aspirations" (Warner, 53). In other words, being normal is like a pecking order. The idea is trying to become better than the other person so it becomes a matter of discrimination. Whether this is politics or social issues, I think we can all agree that structure can go too far creating injustice.