Sexual Humor in Literature Confronts Taboos Around Queer Desire
Literature has always been a powerful medium for exploring social issues through the lens of fiction, including queer desires and identities.
These topics were often met with censorship and taboo due to society's conservative attitudes toward sex and gender norms. As such, writers have used various literary devices, including sexual humor, to challenge societal expectations and push boundaries. This article will explore how this form of humor challenges societal taboos around queer desire by examining three notable examples from American literature.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
In her novella "The Awakening," Kate Chopin explores the struggle of Edna Pontellier, who is trapped between her traditional family life and her emerging feminist and sexual identity. Throughout the story, Chopin uses sexual humor to confront the idea that women should conform to societal norms regarding relationships and sexuality.
When Edna goes swimming nude with Robert Lebrun, he expresses shock at her boldness, saying, "He was surprised at finding her so brazen."
Chopin subverts this expected reaction by having Edna retort, "I am not brazen; I merely live my life." This line challenges the notion that women must be modest and reserved in their sexual expression. By using sexual humor to highlight Edna's rebellious nature, Chopin makes it clear that she refuses to adhere to society's narrow view of female behavior.
The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall
Radclyffe Hall's lesbian novel "The Well of Loneliness" also confronts societal taboos through sexual humor. In one scene, protagonist Stephen Gordon visits a prostitute named Mabel who is secretly in love with her. When they talk about their relationship, Mabel jokes that Gordon would be jealous if she slept with another woman. Gordon replies, "Jealous? Not me! I wouldn't mind sleeping with any other girl you liked. I'm just a little curious as to what a real good lay feels like." By making these remarks, Hall shows how society views queer desire as deviant and immoral.
Through the use of humor, Gordon defies these expectations and embraces her own desires, despite the consequences.
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir "Fun Home" explores her coming-of-age as a queer person in a conservative family. Throughout the story, Bechdel uses sexual humor to explore her relationship with her father, Bruce, who was a closeted gay man.
When discussing his attraction to men, he says, "I am attracted to masculinity, but not necessarily to males per se." This line highlights how society expects men to be heterosexual, while ignoring the complexities of gender identity and sexuality.
When Bechdel describes being intimate with her female partner, she notes that it felt strange because "we both had penises," suggesting how homophobia creates a narrow view of sex and relationships. By using sexual humor to challenge societal norms, Bechdel shows how literature can empower those who have been marginalized for their identities.
These three examples demonstrate how sexual humor can confront societal taboos around queer desire by challenging conventional ideas about sex, gender, and relationships. By presenting queer experiences through a humorous lens, authors show that there is more than one way to express love and desire. In doing so, they create space for diverse voices and perspectives to be heard and validated, ultimately leading to greater understanding and acceptance in society.
How does sexual humor in literature confront societal taboos around queer desire?
Sexual humor has been used throughout history as a way of expressing forbidden desires. In literature, it is no different, where writers have utilized this kind of humor to break down cultural taboos around homosexuality and other forms of non-normative sexual expression. By using comedy and satire, these authors are able to speak openly about topics that would otherwise be considered taboo in polite society.