Queer temporality is the concept that time has no fixed chronology, but rather exists in an ever-changing state where past, present, and future are constantly shifting. It challenges traditional ideas about the passage of time and its relationship to identity and self-perception. For many LGBTQ+ individuals, this means rethinking how they view their own lives and experiences as they move through adulthood and beyond. In this essay, I will explore how queer temporality confronts linear narratives of aging, progress, and personal evolution.
Let's consider the notion of "aging." Traditional society tends to associate growing older with decline and loss, but for some queer people, it can be seen as a source of strength and wisdom. Rather than focusing on physical appearance or social status, they might value their experience and perspective more highly. They may also feel less pressure to conform to societal expectations around marriage, family, and career path, allowing them to live life on their own terms. This can create a sense of freedom and liberation, particularly if they have struggled with these pressures in the past.
We must examine the idea of "progress." Linear narratives of progress often focus on advancement toward a predefined goal or endpoint, but queer temporality rejects this concept by embracing fluidity and multiplicity. Instead of seeing themselves as moving towards a particular outcome, queer individuals may see themselves as constantly changing and adapting. They may not strive for a set destination or purpose but instead embrace the journey itself.
We need to look at "personal evolution." Queer temporality challenges conventional notions of development and growth, which tend to involve strict categories like childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. It suggests that identity is complex and multifaceted, and that we are always evolving in ways that cannot be neatly categorized into stages or milestones. For many LGBTQ+ individuals, their understanding of self-identity has been shaped by experiences throughout their lives rather than simply being defined by a coming out moment or transition. This means they may view themselves as constantly growing and changing, without feeling constrained by age or gender roles.
Queer temporality offers a unique way of thinking about time and its relationship to personal growth and change. By rejecting traditional linear narratives, it opens up new possibilities for how we understand ourselves and our relationships to others. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to this, exploring queer temporality can help us question assumptions and reimagine what it means to live authentically.
How does queer temporality confront linear narratives of aging, progress, and personal evolution?
The concept of Queer Temporality challenges traditional notions of time and age by emphasizing nonlinearity, disruption, interruption, and fluidity rather than progression or evolutionary trajectory. It questions normative assumptions about chronology, developmental stages, and life course trajectories that are central to many dominant discourses on identity formation and social change.