In the past decade, there has been an increasing awareness of the impact that social media has had on the way we communicate. With the rise of platforms like Instagram and TikTok, people are now able to share snippets of their lives online for others to consume in bite-sized chunks. This has led to a new form of performativity that challenges traditional concepts of identity and authenticity. Queer practices of performance interrogate these boundaries by questioning what it means to be "authentic" in a digital age where everything is up for interpretation.
The term "queer" refers to those who do not identify with heteronormative gender roles and sexualities. It is often used as an umbrella term for LGBTQ+ individuals and can refer to anyone who does not conform to societal expectations regarding gender, sex, or romantic relationships. The word "performance" can be defined as any act that is deliberately staged for public consumption, whether it is a play, concert, or even a simple act of everyday life. When queers take up space on social media, they are engaging in a form of performance art that subverts dominant norms. By presenting themselves as something other than what society expects them to be, they challenge our ideas about what is natural or real.
One way in which queer performance art questions the boundaries between authenticity and artifice is through its use of drag culture. Drag performers use makeup, costumes, and exaggerated mannerisms to create characters that blur the lines between male and female identities. They may also use humor and irony to highlight the artificial nature of gender roles and stereotypes.
RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Gigi Goode created a character called Sasha Colby that was described as "the ultimate femme fatale." Through her performance, she challenged traditional ideas about femininity and masculinity while still celebrating both identities.
Another way in which queer practices of performance interrogate the boundaries between authenticity and artifice is through their use of intimacy. Many queer performers use personal narratives to share their stories with the world. This can include coming out stories, discussions of mental health struggles, or reflections on sexual experiences.
These performances often blur the line between public and private spaces, as they invite viewers into the most vulnerable aspects of someone's life. In doing so, they question whether there is such a thing as an "authentic" self that exists outside of performative contexts.
Queer performance art explores the relationship between identity and technology. As we become more connected to our devices, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between what is "real" and what is not. Queer artists like Sophia Banks use digital platforms to explore this idea by creating multimedia projects that play with the concepts of reality and fiction. Her project "The Virtual Girlfriend" uses algorithms to generate a fake girlfriend for users who are lonely or bored. By creating this AI-generated persona, Banks questions the limits of human connection in a digital age where everything is simulated.
Queer practices of performance challenge our assumptions about what it means to be "authentic" or "artificial." They push us to consider how our identities are shaped by social norms and expectations, and encourage us to embrace the complexities of our own experiences. Whether they are using drag culture, sharing personal narratives, or experimenting with technology, queer performers remind us that identity is always in flux and never fixed.
How do queer practices of performance interrogate the boundaries between authenticity and artifice?
Queer practices of performance can be used as a means of exploring and challenging social norms and expectations related to gender identity, sexual orientation, and personal expression. Through these performances, individuals can create new identities that challenge traditional understandings of what it means to be "authentic" or "natural. " At the same time, however, there is always the potential for these performances to become overly artificial or staged, leading to questions about their legitimacy and credibility.