2012 UNC Greensboro April Parker
[QUEER CARE] An Annotated Bibliography on Culturally Specific Practices of care
Page |1
Introduction Parker T. Hurley, LMSW identifies as, "queer black female to male transsexual of working class origins who is a feminist, anti-capitalist, activist with able-bodied, US American, lighter skin, and educational privilege, who often passes as a Puerto Rican fag and is also a twin." I, April Parker, am his twin. Parker is currently enrolled at University of North Carolina-Greensboro (UNCG) to pursue a doctorate degree in Higher Education since 2009. His passions lie within working towards the healing and transformation of our homes, schools and communities, through selfcare, radical love, and working exhaustively at the intersections of all social justice movements. He is scheduled to defend his dissertation entitled "Explicating Queer Characteristics of Resiliency and Culturally Specific Practices of Care: Building a Queer Mentor Collective at a Southern Public University," in March 2013. In attempts to learn more queer theory and assist my twin in the daunting process that is this doctorate program we have collaborated and I agreed to assist in his research process while simultaneously completing the annotated bibliography for my reference class. This research is extremely relevant to the work that I am dedicated to as a graduate student in the Library and Information Studies program at the UNCG. I have committed myself to illuminate the challenges that gender and sexual minorities face within higher education. As a staple in every institution I choose to hold the library accountable for advocacy and for providing a safe space for the marginalized population, questioning and analyzing if the information written for, about and by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQQ) community available is plentiful, relevant and accessible.
Page |2
As a nontraditional student prior to my enrollment at UNCG I historically have had limited time on campus and minimal access to resources and academic advising. This led to disconnection me from my peers and potential mentors, and promoted further isolation. Lacking support from the administration and from my biological family I was propelled into building community elsewhere. As a teenage mom I learned it most definitely takes a village to raise a child. It is in my community where I found my strength and I have learned a great deal through organizing and relationships. As an ally to gender minorities and as a black, queer, woman I believe in the research and work that Parker is involved in and creating. It is important and urgent to illuminate the resiliency of this particular disenfranchised community, identify unique ways of caring for each other and highlight they ways we are living and thriving. Reference Interview The research question that we sought to answer was, “What does it mean to “queer” care?” Attempting to assist my brother in the research accumulation was challenging because he is a professional who is extremely familiar with the resources and had previously completed several literature reviews and has already prepared several chapters of his dissertation. In fact, what was unique to my interview is I was immediately supplied with a paper outline, a few chapters of completed writing, and framework for a literature review. Seemingly, this offering would make the research process simpler, however, in my opinion this in turn added to some of my research challenges. It proved to be difficult to discover new and meaningful material and resources to this professional since so much work had already been completed I had to investigate new databases and that was like discovering a new country on already occupied land. Since my brother and I clearly have such a familiar rapport with each other a lot of follow up questions were poised via alternative media such as email, text message and chat which
Page |3
proved to be extremely convenient. Upon my inquiry Parker confirmed he was interested in more grassroots theory, and statistical data. I was advised that eventually the ideas found about queer care, and the queer characteristics of resilience would have to be incorporated into the education system i.e. teaching citizenry, how to be a good person, and comparing it to queer citizenry and activism. Parker listed several previously identified cultural practices of care to help frame my search which included but were not limited to: families of choice, humor and erotic, mentoring as a way of life, experts in their own care, allowances for people to their own stories, define their own problems, acknowledgement of the history and community building endeavors that queers have employed to sustain themselves, queer practices of care, queer kinship and queer histories of demonstrating care. Parker also identified several individuals to who he accredits the basis for his theories such as: Nel Noddings, Bell Hooks, Patricia Hill Collins, Michael Apple, Audre Lorde, and several other scholars who define care. Background Information There are several decades of research which have highlighted the discrimination that sexual and gender minority individuals disproportionately endured, which leaves them among those most at risk for suicide, depression, substance abuse, academic failure, emotional distress, compromised relationships, and homelessness. Research which only serves to emphasize these maladjustments can only serve to paint a bleak picture of what it means to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) in this country. Currently and specifically LGBTQ college students have a visible presence across the nation but we still, “know more about the violence and the substance abuse of LGBT college students than we do in their academic achievements as well as their achievements outside of the classroom. Previous research has chronicled the trials and tribulations associated with a sexual minority status, it has done so,
Page |4
however, without incorporating concepts of care and resiliency...the perpetual reiteration of research that overpathologize queer identities…is in the service of the maintenance of a heteronormative status quo obscured within academia.” (Hurley 2011 unpublished dissertation) The gay movement of the 1970’s was the community’s persual of citizenship in the form of inclusion by gaining equal right and “normalizing” a gay identity. Equal rights demanded were legal protects against work discrimination to domestic partnership legislation. Homosexuals living in the closet are a social condition that is maintained by repressive logic. Repressive logic stems from the 1950’s postwar US majority consensus of homosexual identity being deviant and the first historical national movement to enforce normative heterosexuality by having institutions collaborate to control homosexuality. This led to exclusion from public life. Going forward homosexuals were continuously repressed by this invisibility, and culturally sanctioned violence, generation being born into self-hatred which “closeted” behavior was self-enforced. This repressive logic eventually failed and the formation of “quasi-public spaces” in the form of gay bars was created. Heteronormativity operates using these forms of cultural contamination, criminalization, intolerance and promoted disenfranchisement. Only married monogamous was embraced in the normative order and the hierarchy denounced any variation which led to societies ideas of good and bad sexual citizen. Knowing the history speaks to the endurance and perseverance of LGBTQ people. Identifying how as a culture LGBTQ overcome and thrive in a society that wasn’t created for them that their unique contributions is important to improve society as a whole.
Page |5
Looking for Information Below is a list of subject headings and search terms, related to my topic, that were useful during my research. Lesbian
Gay couples
Gay
Students
Bisexuality
Family and Relationships
College Students
Male homosexuality/United States/History
Homosexuality
Lesbianism/United States/History
Lesbianism
Homosexuality/United States/History
Transexualism
Campuses
Group Participation
Leadership
Keyword Searches: Queer Care
Queer Kinship
Kinship
Families of Choice
Ballroom Culture
Butche/Femme relationships
Information Problems
The LGBT community self identifies in a multitude of ways, which broadens the search results but also makes finding relevant sources challenging. Individuals within the LGBTQ community have a rich diversity in sexual orientation and gender expressions which is not summed up in the enforced binary of gay or lesbian. Without knowing the complexities of the community it is almost impossible to meet this community’s needs, create collections relevant to this community, and effectively and adequately classify materials. Historically, because of the classifications within the library when the terms, 'gay' and 'lesbian' are searched most people are confronted with information pertaining to sexual fetishes,
Page |6
social deviance, pedophilia, sideshow exhibits, pornography, and the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). There are potentially meaningful comparisons to be drawn between consumers of library resources researching “homosexuality� to the ease of access, as well as the applicability of the retrieved information due to subject heading and content imbalance. Homosexuality was considered a mental health disorder until 1973. The Library of Congress has contributed to the inaccessibility of accurate information regarding the LGBTQ community and still we are undoing the harm of this classification. Ironically, it was not until 1988 that homophobia became an official heading used by the Library of Congress. The headings used by the Library of Congress are slow to evolve which impedes accurate headings and appropriate cataloging practices. Throughout these particular searches, there proved to be a lack of empirical studies performed, statistical information gathered. There is little to no scholarly research and clinical examination of the subgroups of the LGBTQ community like butch/femme partnerships. The clinical research on lesbian couples has continued to expand in the past thirty years, although it still remains a relatively small body of literature. Due to the illusive quality of the research questions being asked there was not direct source to reference. To seek out queer practices of care meant to weave many theories in order to support and explain the phenomenon.
Page |7
Sources:
Articles: Renn, K. A. (2007). LGBT student leaders and queer activists: Identities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer identified college student leaders and activists. Journal Of College Student Development, 48(3), 311-330. doi:10.1353/csd.2007.0029 Annotation: This qualitative study provides empirical data about the intersection of LGBT identity formation throughout college and leadership development while being involved in student organization. This article explores LGBT student leadership. It provides evidence of common patterns of involvement. This article proves to be helpful for those who need research to understand how students become LGBT student leaders and how identities vary among leaders.
Butler, J. (2002). Is Kinship Always Already Heterosexual?. Differences: A Journal Of Feminist Cultural Studies, 13(1), 14-44. Annotation: This article is a difficult read, and takes a lot of effort to interpret. The author is a founder of many queer theories. The author discusses the differences between kinship and marriage. The article is useful because it explains that when kinship is reduced to “family” and then applied only view that bond as the basis of culture it excludes queer parenting because it no longer fits into normative ideas of “family” or “kinship”.
Goltz, D., & Zingsheim, J. (2010). It's Not a Wedding, It's a Gayla: Queer Resistance and Normative Recuperation. Text & Performance Quarterly, 30(3), 290-312. doi:10.1080/10462937.2010.483011 Annotation: “This essay documents and theorizes our weekend-long Gayla celebration: a political performance project of love, community, protest, and activism that enacted a series of performative rituals reconfiguring notions of family, kinship, and patriarchy. Initially conceived as a ritualized celebration of our relations, both with each other and with our multiple families,
Page |8
we later made the decision to craft this self-reflective essay to examine and theorize the sociopolitical stakes, potentials, and shortcomings of the Gayla as a form of queer performance protest.” This article depicts how the LGBTQ community comes together in the name of self and collective celebration in the name of gay rights. It is useful as it provides framework for analyzing performative resistance and “re-envisions” systems of family, kinship, and patriarchy. Steven Seidman (2001): From Identity to Queer Politics: Shifts in Normative Heterosexuality and the Meaning of Citizenship, Citizenship Studies, 5:3, 321-328 Annotation: This article is important and relevant as it explains the interrelatedness between queer identity, queer politics, and the correlation to the changes of social patterns of heteronormativity. Quotes from the article: “Individuals aspiring to the status of citizen must claim to possess the psychological, moral, and social traits that claimed not only to be normal, but to exhibit valued civic qualities such as discipline, rationality, respect for the law and family values, and national pride.”(Alexander, 1992) “Gay identity politics has reiterated the ideology of American individualistic liberalism.” Lisa W. Loutzenheiser & Lori B. MacIntosh (2004): Citizenships, Sexualities, and Education,Theory Into Practice, 43:2, 151-158 Annotation: This book is meaningful as it describes the formation of queer identity and citizenship within classrooms. Interestingly, it presents several deficits in current curriculum and classroom handlings that promote assimilation and segregation instead of illuminating and embedding the intersections of race theory and queer theory.
Page |9
Lev, Arlene Istar. "More than Surface Tension: Femmes in Families." Journal of Lesbian Studies 12.2 (2008): 127-44. Print. Annotation: This article is important because it highlights the gender expression of the butch/femme relationship and how the couples’ dynamics consist of specific characteristics of care such as: including the maintenance of long-term relationships, power and intimacy, domestic chores and child-rearing. The femme role in “homemaking,” that is, building and maintaining families, especially needs further exploration.” Summary directly from the article, I choice to keep it intact because of its significant contribution to an illumination of the butch/femme subculture, the issues and diversity of the LGBT community, “This article raises questions about the lack of scholarly focus on butch/femme couples and their absence in studies of lesbian couples and family-building. In an era of lesbian marriage and lesbian parenting, femme and butch coupling and family-building remain unspoken topics within family studies, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. Schippert, PhD, Claudia. "Containing Uncertainty: Sexual Values and Citizenship." Journal of Homosexuality 52.N0. 1/2 (2006): 285-307. Print. Almanacs: Katz, J. (1983). Gay/lesbian almanac: a new documentary in which is contained, in chronological order, evidence of the true and fantastical history of those persons now called lesbians and gay men ... / by Jonathan Ned Katz. New York: Harper & Row, c1983. Annotation: Analyzes the behaviors, feelings and sentiments that are now considered to be “homosexual acts” existed prior to the labeling. This book explores the social category focusing on America during the colonial period (1607-1740) and the modern United States (1880-1950). This book is helpful as it moves away from discussing the history of social attitudes toward
P a g e | 10
homosexuality but it presents the history of how the sexual categories have changed throughout time. This publication focuses on gay history in the United States and provides the reader with illustrations, excerpts and analysis of original documents. Part one of the text presents information from the year 1607 through 1740, part two begins at the year 1880 and chronicles through to the year 1950. Many different aspects of life are included in this text; medical issues, government, religion, and interpersonal relationships, to name a few. Over one hundred pages are dedicated to notes and index.
The lesbian almanac / compiled by the National Museum & Archive of Lesbian and Gay History, program of the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, New York. (1996). New York: Berkley Books, 1996. Annotation: This book provides a comprehensive background about lesbian issues and notable lesbian activists and individuals. Similar in format to its companion book, Gay Histories & Cultures: An Encyclopedia, this resource focuses on the lesbian influence in history and culture. Some examples of topics included in the publication are art, cultural identity, lesbian movement, and sport. Each entry is accompanied by a bibliography, cross-referencing, and illustrations or photographs, if available. The Subject Index and general Index assist readers in finding information within the text. Unlike its counterpart, this resource contains more information from an international approach and a broad perspective of contributors. The language and content is suitable for the novice researcher or undergraduate student. Haggerty, G. E. (Ed.). (2000). Gay histories and cultures: an encyclopedia (Vol. 2). New York: Garland.
P a g e | 11
Annotation: This reference provides the reader with concise information about the history and culture of gay men. Topics range from AIDS to Queer Theory. Each entry contains a bibliography, cross-references when applicable, and a photograph or illustration when available. Although most of the information pertains to American gay males, there are international aspects to the content of the reference book. A Subject Guide and general Index assist the reader in finding information. The language and content in each of the entries are easy to read and would be suitable for the beginning researcher or undergraduate student.
Books: Gates, G. J., & Ost, J. (2004). The gay and lesbian atlas / Gary J. Gates & Jason Ost. Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute Press, c2004. Annotation: Using the most recent data from the U.S. Census, this groundbreaking work offers a detailed geographic and demographic portrait of gay and lesbian families in all 50 states plus the top 25 U.S. metropolitan areas. This book consists of 250 full-color maps and charts. This book is important resource for the political and public policy communities, public health officials, social scientists, and anyone interested in gay and lesbian issues.
Kennedy, E., & Davis, M. D. (1993). Boots of leather, slippers of gold: the history of a lesbian community / Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy and Madeline D. Davis. New York: Routledge, 1993. Annotation: This subgroup of the LGBTQ community is understudied so it is directly relevant to the researcher’s dissertation. This book is important because it about the culture of survival and resistance of older working class lesbians. Specifically, they examine working-class lesbians from the mid-1930’s to the early 1960’s in Buffalo, New York. This book is useful and acts as a
P a g e | 12
primary account because it is the end result of a thirteen yearlong oral history project. The centrality of its focus being butch-femme roles makes this study groundbreaking work.
Balloch, S., & Hill, M. J. (2007). Care, community and citizenship: research and practice in a changing policy context / edited by Susan Balloch and Michael Hill. Bristol, UK: Policy Press, 2007. Annotation: As per Amazon.com, “At a time when Britain's care services are searching for ways of responding to the needs of increasing numbers of vulnerable people living in communities, this important publication opens up new options. Under the expert guidance of the editors, readers are offered a rich selection of contributions, along with a welcome international perspective - a reminder of the need for policymakers to engage more substantially with the 'community' tag of community care. Paul Henderson, Community Development Consultant�. This book may be helpful as it presents a non US centric perspective on community care.
Weston, K. (1991). Families We Choose: Lesbians, Gays, Kinship. Columbia University Press. Annotations: This book proves to be very informative as it explores the idea of kinship in lesbian and gay relationships, and the families that are formed within this community. The book defines family and compares the difference of biological and chosen family and the social, psychological, acceptance of the notion of selecting family. This book is useful as it discusses issues that concern LGBT families while creating families, and raising children. Goss, R., & Strongheart, A. (1997). Our families, our values: snapshots of queer kinship / Robert E. Goss, Amy Adams Squire Strongheart, editors. New York: Harrington Park Press, c1997.
P a g e | 13
Annotation: This book is an anthology of essays about families and same sex relationships. Some of the essays are written in first person, which is great because it contributes to the untold histories of the community. It discusses the complexities of marriage and the notion that this unification is solely entitled to heterosexual partnerships. It is a useful book because it requires both gay and straight people alike to examine the social structures in place, provoking new thoughts are always a good indicator of a substantial piece of literature. Eng, D. L. (2010). The feeling of kinship: queer liberalism and the racialization of intimacy / David L. Eng. Durham [N.C.]: Duke University Press, 2010. Annotation: This book investigates the interrelations of sexuality and race in the structuring of intimacy in efforts to dismantle the structuralist account of kinship. The work is meaningful because it speaks to the racialization of intimacy and queer liberalism using the historic case Lawrence v. Texas, a victory for gays and lesbians for its overturning of the antisodomy ruling of Bowers v. Hardwick (1986). Although it is a challenging read it is a significant contribution to both American and Asian American literature.
Quinn, J. (2000). The mentor: a memoir of friendship and gay identity. Annotation: This book is a personal narrative. The author shares his trials and tribulations as a gay teenager growing up in the south and his relationship with his mentor. His mentor acted as a guide during his youth. This is a valuable source because it is a first hand account of how mentorship within the culture can be extremely mutually beneficial to both parties involved. Weston, K. (1991). Families We Choose: Lesbians, Gays, Kinship. Columbia University Press. Annotation: This is an important book for many reasons, personally I think because of the cover. The cover is striking black gay men very close, young and being intimate with each other in a
P a g e | 14
loving way, which to me is a rare visual shared by printing companies. The book explores they ways that gays and lesbians construct their own personal notions of kinship by “drawing on the symbolism of love, friendship, and biology.” This book uses interview and previously printed fieldwork as its basis Noddings, N. (2005). Educating citizens for global awareness / edited by Nel Noddings; developed in association with the Boston Research Center for the 21st Century. New York: Teachers College Press, c2005. Annotation: This is an important book because Nel Noddings theories are a basis for the researcher’s dissertation. Article/ Video Autoethnographies Pidduck, J. (2009). QUEER KINSHIP AND AMBIVALENCE. GLQ: A Journal Of Lesbian & Gay Studies, 15(3), 441-468. Annotation: This article explores the relationship between queer thought and kinship through a study of video autoethnographies by Jean Carlomusto and Richard Fung. Autoethnography “is an autobiographical mode of research and writing that integrates a first-person voice with ethnographic cultural analysis.” This very unique compilation is an example of a study about queer kinship utilizing very thorough and full global viewpoints. This article applies queer theory and constructs relations between kinship and several forms of media including: family photography, home movies, and oral histories.