Queer experience is associated with non-conforming gender expression, sexual orientation, and behavior that deviates from societal norms and expectations. Temporality, on the other hand, refers to the passage of time measured in units like seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years, and decades. When we talk about temporality, we refer to a conceptual framework that includes ideas such as duration, sequence, chronology, timeliness, and order. In this context, temporal phenomena are the patterns of change over time that can be observed in a variety of domains, including biological, social, physical, cultural, and technological. Queer individuals often face discrimination and stigmatization because they challenge traditional gender roles and sexual preferences. This has led them to question mainstream ideas about how time works and to explore alternative perspectives on the relationship between identity and time.
Queer people may view their lives as disjointed or fluid rather than linear because they have experienced multiple identities and relationships throughout their life. They might see themselves as existing outside of standardized categories and instead adopt a more dynamic approach to constructing their sense of self. One way queer individuals can resist social linearity is by refusing to adhere to rigid narratives of how their lives should unfold. Instead, they seek to live authentically, embracing diverse experiences and relationships without being confined to binary notions of past, present, and future. Through this approach, queer individuals reclaim power over their own stories and create new possibilities for living in the world.
Queer experience of temporality challenges conventional understandings of time as a linear progression from past to present to future.
Many queer individuals reject the idea that their personal history is defined solely by heteronormative norms and expectations. Instead, they view their past as complex and multifaceted, comprising experiences that span different identities and relationships. By doing so, queer people destabilize the notion that all human beings must follow a predetermined path towards adulthood and marriage, with children and a stable career.
Queer communities often use language that defies social linearity, such as "now," "later," and "before." This emphasis on immediacy highlights the importance of living in the moment and prioritizing current desires and needs over long-term plans.
Queer experience of temporality represents a rejection of societal norms that dictate how we think about ourselves, our relationships, and our place in the world. It allows us to see time as fluid and dynamic rather than fixed or predictable.
Is the queer experience of temporality an act of defiance against social linearity?
Some scholars argue that queerness is characterized by its resistance to dominant heteronormative structures and expectations (e. g. , Ochs 2016). This includes nonlinear forms of time perception and temporal practices (Langdridge et al. 2014), which may be understood as a form of temporal disruption.