Revista de Estudios Sociales

rev. estud. soc. | eISSN 1900-5180 | ISSN 0123-885X

In One Breath: Performance Theory as a Queer/Feminist Critique of Violence

No. 28 (2007-12-01)
  • Katharina Pewny
https://doi.org/10.7440/res28.2007.06

Abstract

This article discusses the different approaches to gender categories in feminist and queer theories. Whereas feminist theories seek to explicitly label femininity and masculinity, queer theories look to undermine the binary system of gender. When it comes to violence, however, both bodies of theories run into difficulty. How can a perpetrator’s maleness be named without naturalizing the sexual order? What might the function of violence be in the processes of producing genders? The performance “Who wants to, can come” exemplifies a way of constructing gender through senses. Sight, sound and movement are used to irritate the audience’s perception of, and thus their approach to, the traditional dichotomy of gender systems.

Keywords: gender, queer, performance, theater

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