The topic of how queer resilience is defined and understood has been widely debated, with many scholars suggesting that it may be best conceptualised as a way to understand how individuals and communities respond to social oppression. Queer resilience has emerged as an important area of study within feminist theory, particularly as it relates to the study of gender and sexual identity. This paper will examine how queer resilience can be theorized as a form of ethical, creative, and collective flourishing under systemic oppression.
One approach to understanding queer resilience is through the lens of critical race theory. Critical race theorists argue that systemic oppression is a pervasive and persistent feature of modern society, one which affects all aspects of social life including institutions such as education, employment, health care, housing, and criminal justice. According to this perspective, systemic oppression involves structures or systems of power that are maintained through social practices such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. Systemic oppression operates at multiple levels, from individual microaggressions to institutional policies and laws.
Queer resilience has been described as a process by which marginalized groups develop strategies for surviving and thriving in the face of systemic oppression. It can be viewed as a form of resistance, whereby queer individuals and communities refuse to accept the status quo and instead strive to create spaces for themselves outside of dominant societal norms.
Queer people have created their own language, art forms, music, and cultural practices that challenge mainstream values. They also organize and mobilize around issues that matter to them, such as LGBTQ+ rights and anti-racism.
Another way of conceptualizing queer resilience is through the lens of feminist theory. Feminist scholars suggest that queer resilience can be understood as a form of agency, whereby individuals assert their right to self-determination despite oppressive conditions. This approach emphasizes the importance of collective action and solidarity between different marginalized groups, particularly those who experience intersecting forms of oppression (e.g., black women).
Queer resilience is not just about individual strength but about creating new ways of being together. Queer resilience requires collaboration with others, sharing resources, and building community. Collective flourishing involves cultivating relationships based on mutual respect and care. In doing so, it allows individuals to draw upon each other's strengths, build networks of support, and create safe havens from oppression.
There are several approaches to understanding queer resilience as a theoretical framework for ethical, creative, and collective flourishing under systemic oppression. Critical race and feminist theories provide useful frameworks for thinking about how these communities respond to social injustice, while highlighting the importance of collective action and solidarity.
Queer resilience provides an important resource for understanding how individuals and communities navigate difficult circumstances and find meaning in their lives.
How can queer resilience be theorized as a form of ethical, creative, and collective flourishing under systemic oppression?
Queer resilience is a concept that has been defined by scholars as an individual's capacity for surviving and thriving within systems of oppression, while also critiquing and resisting them. Queer resilience is often linked to social justice movements such as LGBTQIA+ rights, which aim to dismantle heteronormativity and cisnormativity in society and create spaces where all people can express their gender and sexual identities freely.