Communicative Sexualities: Queer and Feminist Theories in Practice Jacqueline M. Martinez Arizona State University Queer and Feminist Theories in Practice Jacqueline M. Martinez Arizona State University

Introduction History Purpose Presumptions History Purpose Presumptions

What’s To Come Theoretical and methodological commitments –Feminist theory –Queer theory –Phenomenology Communicology Semiotic phenomenology Theoretical and methodological commitments –Feminist theory –Queer theory –Phenomenology Communicology Semiotic phenomenology

And What Comes Next Teaching the course –Semester long research project –5 groups with 6 members each –Focus on their lived-experience of sexuality Teaching the course –Semester long research project –5 groups with 6 members each –Focus on their lived-experience of sexuality

And Finally Engaging Our Bodies –Identifying subject matter –Identifying the site of study –speech, linguistic representation, and culture in the research process Ethical Considerations Engaging Our Bodies –Identifying subject matter –Identifying the site of study –speech, linguistic representation, and culture in the research process Ethical Considerations

Feminist and Queer Theory Human existence as situated, ambiguous, contingent, and free Human embodiment & performativity Sexuality essentially multiple Human existence as situated, ambiguous, contingent, and free Human embodiment & performativity Sexuality essentially multiple

Human Existence Situated Contingent Ambiguous Free Situated Contingent Ambiguous Free

Embodiment & Performativity Persons as acted upon Stylized repetition of acts Mundane becoming of the body Temporality ->contingency Subversion and disruption Persons as acted upon Stylized repetition of acts Mundane becoming of the body Temporality ->contingency Subversion and disruption

Sexuality Essentially Multiple Power of presumed binary Performative silence & the closet Sexual ignorance and knowledge Power of presumed binary Performative silence & the closet Sexual ignorance and knowledge

Sedgwick: Sexual Differences Same sexual acts different meaning The sexual limited or not to the genital Sexuality greatly or slightly central to self Sex thought about much or little Wanting a lot of sex or wanting little sex Sex must be meaningful relationally or not Same sexual acts different meaning The sexual limited or not to the genital Sexuality greatly or slightly central to self Sex thought about much or little Wanting a lot of sex or wanting little sex Sex must be meaningful relationally or not Particular sexual preferences seem innate or not Sex as heightened discovery or routine Preference for spontaneity or predictability Sexual orientation as more or less autoerotic Permanent or changing

Teaching the Course Expose basic categories of sexuality –Biological categories –Social role or gender categories –Both biological and social role or gender categories –Categories of sexual practice Expose basic categories of sexuality –Biological categories –Social role or gender categories –Both biological and social role or gender categories –Categories of sexual practice

Biological Categories Male: persons who are born with biologically male sex organs (XY chromosomes, testes and penis) Female: persons who are born with biologically female sex organs (XX chromosomes ovaries, vagina, mammary glands) Intersexed: persons who are born with some variation of male and/or female chromosomes (not XY or XX) and sex organs Male: persons who are born with biologically male sex organs (XY chromosomes, testes and penis) Female: persons who are born with biologically female sex organs (XX chromosomes ovaries, vagina, mammary glands) Intersexed: persons who are born with some variation of male and/or female chromosomes (not XY or XX) and sex organs

Social Role Categories Masculinity: personality characteristics associated with biological males by virtue of cultural and social norms; may be manifested by any person Femininity: personality characteristics associated with biological females by virtue of cultural and social norms; may be manifested by any person Masculinity: personality characteristics associated with biological males by virtue of cultural and social norms; may be manifested by any person Femininity: personality characteristics associated with biological females by virtue of cultural and social norms; may be manifested by any person Heterosexual Nuclear Family: male and female practicing exclusive monogamy and procreation under authority of marriage Non-Heterosexual Family: non-heterosexual persons parenting children

Biological and Social Transgendered: gender and personality identifications that are contrary to biological sex (if clearly male or female); may be manifested by any human being Transsexual: persons who have physically altered their bodies (by hormones and/or surgery) to change from one biological sex to the other biological sex Transgendered: gender and personality identifications that are contrary to biological sex (if clearly male or female); may be manifested by any human being Transsexual: persons who have physically altered their bodies (by hormones and/or surgery) to change from one biological sex to the other biological sex

Categories of Sexual Practices Heterosexuality Homosexuality Heterosexual procreation Non-heterosexual procreation Non-procreation Bisexuality Multisexuality Asexuality Nonsexuality (Abstinence) Heterosexuality Homosexuality Heterosexual procreation Non-heterosexual procreation Non-procreation Bisexuality Multisexuality Asexuality Nonsexuality (Abstinence) Life-time monogamy Serial monogamy Polyamory polygamy Bondage, disicpline, sadomasochism Fetishism Autoeroticism Pedophilia Sexual violence

Semiotic Phenomenology Meaningfulness of lived experience Universal as manifested in the particular Focus on phenomena rather than idiosyncrasies of particular people Meaningfulness of lived experience Universal as manifested in the particular Focus on phenomena rather than idiosyncrasies of particular people

Dynamic Interrelatedness of Person and Culture CultureExperience Person Language Social Body InstitutionsLived Habit History Preference Social Practice Style CultureExperience Person Language Social Body InstitutionsLived Habit History Preference Social Practice Style

Basic Concepts of Phenomenology I Culture: sets of common patterns of perceptions and expressions that are re-created through communicative practice. Embodiment: human condition of living within culture where by humans unconsciously and pre-consciously take-up and recreate the norms of culture in experience Perception: the act of re-constituting the world as meaningful; occurs pre-consciously; is often mistaken to be “pure” or unaffected by social and cultural forces Sociality: the condition of being inextricably socially interconnected within human groups; this condition precedes conscious experience and is sustained through experience Culture: sets of common patterns of perceptions and expressions that are re-created through communicative practice. Embodiment: human condition of living within culture where by humans unconsciously and pre-consciously take-up and recreate the norms of culture in experience Perception: the act of re-constituting the world as meaningful; occurs pre-consciously; is often mistaken to be “pure” or unaffected by social and cultural forces Sociality: the condition of being inextricably socially interconnected within human groups; this condition precedes conscious experience and is sustained through experience

Basic Concepts of Phenomenology II Essential structure: that without which experience could not have been what it was Epoché: bracketing of presuppositions Noema: the “what” of experience Essential structure: that without which experience could not have been what it was Epoché: bracketing of presuppositions Noema: the “what” of experience Noesis: the “how” or modality of experience Intentionality: the directedness of consciousness Imaginative Free Variation: imaginatively varying parts of experience

Lived Experience and the Phenomenon Experience comes to us already structured Discover the reflexive condition in which the phenomena appeared Phenomenological intentionality Experiencer-experiencing-experienced Experience comes to us already structured Discover the reflexive condition in which the phenomena appeared Phenomenological intentionality Experiencer-experiencing-experienced

Phenomenological Methodology Phenomenological Description Phenomenological Reduction Phenomenological Interpretation Phenomenological Description Phenomenological Reduction Phenomenological Interpretation

Lanigan’s Illustration of Synergistic Relationships in Phenomenology Phenomenological Description 1. DESCRIPTION (entails) a. description b. reduction c. interpretation Phenomenological Reduction 2. REDUCTION (entails) a. description b. reduction c. interpretation Phenomenological Interpretation 3. INTERPRETATION (entails) a. description b. reduction c. interpretation Phenomenological Description 1. DESCRIPTION (entails) a. description b. reduction c. interpretation Phenomenological Reduction 2. REDUCTION (entails) a. description b. reduction c. interpretation Phenomenological Interpretation 3. INTERPRETATION (entails) a. description b. reduction c. interpretation

Engaging Our Bodies Meaningfulness of sexuality as subject matter of study Body and immediacy of lived experience as site of study Speech, culture, and linguistic representation in the research process Meaningfulness of sexuality as subject matter of study Body and immediacy of lived experience as site of study Speech, culture, and linguistic representation in the research process

Conclusion Ethical and political implications of our commitments in research and teaching practices