Queering the Norm: Reinterpreting the Heterosexual Ideal
Author(s): Katrina C. L. Eichner
Year: 2015
Summary
This paper aims to problematize the concept of heteronormativity through a queer perspective. Too often, heterosexuality is posited as a universal norm against which queer identities can be examined. Through a look at archaeological deposits associated with heterosexual relationships and practices - such as courtship, marriage, and prostitution- this discussion queers the 'normalness' of heterosexuality by showing that an ideal heterosexuality is rarely, if ever, truly performed. Using examples from a 19th c. military fort and community in West Texas, this paper will investigate how a queer framework can produce a more fluid, thus more inclusive, understanding of sexual practice in the past. Moreover, by using performance theory to challenge the concept of a lived normative experience, this investigation engages with progressive politics that aim to reevaluate the social constructiveness of sexual identity.
Cite this Record
Queering the Norm: Reinterpreting the Heterosexual Ideal. Katrina C. L. Eichner. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Seattle, Washington. 2015 ( tDAR id: 434169)
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Keywords
General
Heterosexuality
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Performance
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Queer Theory
Geographic Keywords
North America
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United States of America
Temporal Keywords
19th C.
Spatial Coverage
min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology
Record Identifiers
PaperId(s): 269