Do existential strategies of resilience among LGBT people represent authentic freedom, or adaptation to moral oppression?
The term "existential" refers to philosophical inquiry into fundamental human existence, including questions such as "What is reality?" or "What is meaningful living?" Resilience is the capacity to survive and thrive despite challenges and adversities. Authenticity means being true to oneself or genuine. Freedom is the absence of external constraints and coercion, and the possibility for self-determination. Moral oppression includes social structures that judge certain behaviors, identities, or beliefs as wrong. These concepts are interrelated and relevant to the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other non-heterosexual individuals (LGBTQ+), who face various forms of discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. This essay will explore how these terms relate to each other and apply them to specific contexts.
Theoretical Framework
To understand whether existential strategies of resilience among LGBTQ+ individuals represent authentic freedom or adaptation to moral oppression, it is necessary to consider the broader social and cultural forces shaping their experiences. According to philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, existentialism emphasizes individual choice in the face of an indifferent world, where one creates meaning by making decisions that matter. Existential psychologist Rollo May argued that we all struggle with anxiety about our mortality, but this can be harnessed to create a rich life full of purpose. In contrast, social constructionism argues that personal and societal realities are constructed through language and power relations, rather than existing objectively. Queer theory critiques normative assumptions about gender, sex, and desire, while intersectionality recognizes the complex ways that identity categories interact.
Personal Agency vs. Social Constraints
Theorists such as Friedrich Nietzsche and Michel Foucault suggest that power structures create systems of domination and subjugation, limiting human possibilities and suppressing resistance. These ideas resonate with LGBTQ+ experiences of marginalization, violence, and exclusion.
Some queer activists argue for reclaiming traditional roles and expectations to resist dominant norms, such as the use of drag or camp. Others seek alternative spaces outside mainstream culture, like gay neighborhoods or online communities. There may also be internalized homophobia or transphobia within individuals, leading them to conform to heteronormativity or patriarchy despite its harmful effects. Still, others resist oppressive institutions, such as churches or states, challenging laws or policies that harm their community. This shows how resilience can both reflect authenticity and adapt to moral oppression simultaneously, revealing the complexity of these concepts in practice.
Authenticity and Freedom: A Related Dichotomy?
Existential strategies of resilience among LGBTQ+ people may involve embracing their identities, but this does not necessarily mean they are free from external constraints.
A person might identify as non-binary and dress accordingly, yet still face discrimination when seeking employment or housing. Likewise, coming out can be liberating but also risky due to social stigma. Queer theorists have critiqued the idea of "coming out" as assimilation into straight/cisgender norms, instead advocating for more radical forms of self-expression and community building. Other LGBTQ+ individuals might pursue freedom by rejecting labels altogether, seeing identity categories as limiting or divisive. Here, existential strategies of resistance become a tool for liberation rather than adaptation to moral oppression. The relationship between authenticity and freedom is complex, with each reinforcing the other while presenting obstacles to the other.
Whether existential strategies of resilience represent authentic freedom or adaptation to moral oppression depends on the context and individual circumstances. Some LGBTQ+ individuals may adopt mainstream norms to survive or thrive within an unjust society, others challenge those norms through resistance and creativity. Both approaches demonstrate agency and resilience, illustrating how these concepts interact with each other in real life. Further research is needed to understand how power structures shape queer experiences and how queers resist them, including intersectional analyses that consider race, class, ability, etc.
Do existential strategies of resilience among LGBT people represent authentic freedom, or adaptation to moral oppression?
The notion that resilience is an essential element for survival has been researched extensively in numerous disciplines. In terms of understanding how individuals cope with adversity, existential resilience may be defined as the capacity to embrace one's existence and purpose despite difficult circumstances. It implies taking personal responsibility for one's actions and reactions while also acknowledging the limitations imposed by external forces such as society's norms or expectations.