Although the introduction to the queer theory states the term ‘queer’ to be unaligned with any specific identity category, it also declares the term to be frequently used to describe homosexuality with respect to various theoretical contexts. I personally find it astonishing that such a term whose actual meaning is widely debated upon could such a profound and resolute impact on lesbian and gay studies. Whatever objections may have been voiced against this use of the term in the context of homosexuality, in my opinion, it has had a profound impact on transforming general knowledge, policies and public acceptance for homosexual individuals.
I agree with the constructionists’ point of view that identity is a result of enculturation, of personal understanding on the road to self-discovery, and is ever evolving. An understanding of the constructionists view on homosexuality has enabled me to experience the variation of its meaning across different cultures, and by reading various literature on the subject, across time. Although the French historian Michel Foucault describes homosexuality as “a certain way of inverting the masculine and feminine in oneself”, one can argue that that this is not the case.
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Modern origins of homosexuality have been traced back to the molly houses by Bray from where, he argues, developed the first public perception of homosexuality in terms it of being a social identity and a way of life rather than just and act or inclination and with which I am in full agreement with. Such social gatherings gave context to the community’s cultural identity and their chosen way of life. I agree with John D’ Emilio’s notion that following the introduction of a capitalist system in the United States’ economy, homosexuality was a response to the restructuring of the family system as well as the triumph of industrialization and the urban sprawl.
