This thesis examines queer feminine representation in the movie Stonewall (2015). One aim has been to analyse if and how the queer feminine characters have been constructed in a negative way based on hegemonic ideas about queer femininity. Another aim has been to analyse if and how the queer feminine characters can be recognized in a way that is subversive in relation to these hegemonic ideas. The material consists of the fictional movie Stonewall (2015), produced by Roland Emmerich, which is inspired by ”the Stonewall riots”. The Stonewall riots was a series of violent demonstrations carried out by queer people against the police that broke out on June 28th 1969 in New York City. Stonewall Inn was the name of the bar where the riots started, hence the name ”Stonewall”. My theoretical perspectives is based on theories about cultural dominance and deconstruction. My methodology consists of two different readings of the movie in line with the thesis’ two aims. The first reading shows that the queer feminine characters are represented in different negative ways in the movie based on hegemonic ideas of queer femininity. One example is how the older queer feminine characters are portrayed as sexual offenders and how their ”non-passing” femininity is made visible in different ways. Other findings in the thesis show how a deconstructive reading enables a different interpretation of the queer feminine representation. One finding shows how the queer feminine identity is used for provocation as a political strategy that turn a vulnerable position into a subversive position. Another finding shows how dreaming enable a space were the queer feminine characters can express themselves in a more freer way. My conclusions are that a deconstructive perspective enabled both a critique and a transformation of the hegemonic structures in my material. Because of lack of previous research on the historical construction of the Stonewall riots my thesis fill a knowledge gap. The thesis has relevance for gender studies as a field since it examines how norms of gender affect the writing of queer history.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:su-141654 |
| Date | January 2016 |
| Creators | Elias, Svedberg |
| Publisher | Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för etnologi, religionshistoria och genusvetenskap |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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