Uncomfortably Queer

The textbook "Unbehaglich Queer" (published by transcript publishing house Germany in 2022) by Martin J. Gössl is to be translated into English by the FWF-funded publication project and thus made accessible to an international audience. The monograph deals with the thematic field of queer forms of gender roles and sexualities in modern societies. In doing so, a cultural and social anthropological perspective is used to explain the question of which norms of everyday life shape and influence non-queer but especially queer people. This is followed by the logical question of what is perceived as normal in the first place and whether much of this normality is not also found in a queer - such as lesbian-gay - culture. The spotlights are put on prosperity, success, amusement, sexuality, beauty, culture(s) and some more, in order to clarify similarities but also differences in a heteronormative world. Furthermore, the publication reveals visible demarcations of a queer discourse; thus, conveys frankly clarity of what and who can help shape an apparent "normality" and what or who cannot. Actually it is precisely these socio-cultural insights that are important as more and more people discard traditional notions of gender and sexuality, seek and use new forms of expression, and consequently social visibility is placed on a heavily tabooed subject area. However, the focus is not on the view from the outside of a social minority, but on the critical analysis of the ostensive different moment in which there is so much "normality". Not the persons as individuals or groups, but the collective actions, media images and the common ideals are deconstructed for analytical reappraisal without any claim to completeness. Thus, current references are connected with queer-theoretical and scientific results in order to subject a partial aspect of this diverse world for a critical discussion.

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