Queer temporality is an academic concept that refers to the experience of time as it relates to queer identities and communities. Queer temporality seeks to challenge traditional linear narratives of time by exploring non-linear and cyclical temporalities that are more congruent with non-normative experiences. This article will explore how queer temporality can illuminate ethical approaches to memory, history, and collective legacy.
The conventional understanding of time as a linear progression from past to present to future is deeply rooted in Western culture and is often used to justify dominant power structures. The linear model implies that there is one correct way of experiencing time, which privileges certain groups while marginalizing others. By contrast, queer temporality offers a different view of time as fluid, flexible, and multidirectional. It recognizes that time is experienced differently for different people based on their gender identity, sexuality, race, class, ability, etc., and that these differences may be tied to unique cultural and historical experiences.
Some queer people may feel disconnected from linear time due to trauma or other forms of oppression, while others may perceive multiple simultaneous times within themselves or their communities.
By challenging the linear model of time, queer temporality also challenges traditional conceptions of history, memory, and collective legacy. In a linear model, history is viewed as a series of discrete events that occur chronologically and lead inexorably towards a predetermined endpoint. But in queer temporality, history becomes less about a fixed timeline and more about intersecting, overlapping temporalities that coexist and influence each other. Queer histories cannot be contained within a single narrative but must be understood as intertwined with other histories, such as those of women, people of color, and disabled individuals. This approach emphasizes the importance of preserving diverse perspectives and recognizing how they shape our shared past and future.
Queer temporality can offer insights into ethical approaches to memory and legacy. Traditional models of remembrance often focus on a singular storyline, privileging dominant narratives at the expense of minoritized ones.
In queer temporality, memories are fluid and multidimensional, allowing for multiple stories to exist simultaneously. This perspective invites us to consider how different groups experience and remember the same event differently and to engage in dialogue across these divergent viewpoints. It encourages us to acknowledge how power dynamics impact who gets remembered, whose stories get told, and what stories get forgotten or erased.
Queer temporality can help us rethink collective legacies beyond narrowly defined institutions like families or nations. By exploring non-normative experiences of time, we can recognize that collective memory may be passed down through informal networks, such as friendships, communities, and cultural traditions. We can also see how collective memory is shaped by individual relationships and the unique ways we interact with time.
Some queer couples create new rituals and practices around birthdays, holidays, or anniversaries that reflect their shared identity and experience of time. These traditions may not fit neatly within mainstream understandings but have great value in shaping our sense of community and belonging.
Queer temporality offers an alternative approach to understanding time that challenges traditional linear models and emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives, fluidity, and interconnectedness. Through this lens, we can explore new ethical approaches to memory, history, and collective legacy that prioritize inclusion, dialogue, and the preservation of marginalized voices.
How might queer temporality illuminate ethical approaches to memory, history, and collective legacy?
Queer temporality refers to the concept that there is no single way of experiencing time and that different individuals may perceive time differently based on their social identities, lived experiences, and cultural backgrounds. In this context, it can be argued that queer temporality can help us understand how different groups of people remember and construct historical narratives differently.