In contemporary society, queer temporality is defined as an alternative mode of experiencing time that challenges traditional linear progression and instead embraces nonlinear and cyclical patterns. This concept has been explored extensively in the fields of philosophy, literature, sociology, and anthropology.
Its implications for personal and collective becoming have received less attention. By disrupting normative life trajectories, queer temporality can offer new possibilities for self-discovery, identity formation, and social change. In this article, I will explore how queer temporality impacts these processes, highlighting some key examples from literature, art, and everyday experience.
Let's consider how queer temporality intersects with personal becoming. Traditional models of human development emphasize linear progression, where individuals pass through various stages of growth and maturation towards a predetermined endpoint. According to this model, one becomes an adult, then enters into a heterosexual relationship and family, eventually retires and passes away. While these stages may be meaningful for many people, they can also feel restrictive or limiting. Queer temporality offers a different way of understanding the process of becoming, one that involves multiple cycles of growth, regression, and transformation.
In the novel "The Bluest Eye," by Toni Morrison, Pecola Breedlove experiences multiple cycles of loss, grief, and renewal before finally achieving self-acceptance. Similarly, the film "Moonlight" portrays Chiron as a character who cycles between masculinity, vulnerability, and intimacy throughout his life, ultimately arriving at a place of authenticity and wholeness. These examples show how queer temporality allows individuals to navigate their own unique paths of becoming, free from societal expectations.
Queer temporality can also impact collective becoming, enabling groups to challenge dominant narratives and create new forms of connection and community. By embracing cyclical patterns, queer communities can resist the linear progressivism that underpins much of mainstream politics and culture.
Indigenous peoples have long understood time as circular, with each generation building upon the wisdom of those who came before them. In contrast, western society often prioritizes innovation over tradition, valuing what is new and disruptive rather than what has been tried and true. Through its emphasis on intergenerational learning and collaboration, queer temporality offers an alternative approach to social change.
It can foster new modes of relating, such as nonlinear intimacy, where partners explore different stages of development together rather than following a predetermined trajectory. This was explored by feminist theorists such as Judith Butler, who argued that intimacy can be reimagined beyond heterosexual norms to include more fluid and open relationships.
We should consider how queer temporality might impact our understanding of personal and collective becoming over time. By challenging traditional notions of progression and regression, this concept can offer new ways of viewing history and evolution. Instead of seeing change as linear and inevitable, we might instead see it as cyclical and ever-evolving. This perspective could lead us to recognize the value of past traditions and rituals while also recognizing their limitations. It could inspire creative solutions to contemporary problems, drawing on both old and new ideas.
I hope this article has illuminated some of the many ways in which queer temporality can disrupt normative life trajectories and create space for new forms of becoming. As we continue to grapple with questions of identity, community, and social justice, let's remember the potential power of embracing nonlinearity and cyclicity in our own lives and communities.
In what ways can queer temporality disrupt normative life trajectories, and how might this impact our understanding of personal and collective becoming over time?
Queer temporality involves the rejection of traditional linear chronology and embraces non-linear experiences of time. This disruption of normative life trajectories challenges dominant narratives that prioritize progress, continuity, and stability as markers of success. Instead, it allows for more fluid understandings of identity development, encouraging individuals to explore multiple identities and relationships throughout their lives.