Some may see it as an act of rebellion, while some find the term contradictory. For example, Michael Warner, in his criticization of Queer Politics from “Fear of a Queer Planet,” states his belief that the identification as “queer” is a political act of rebellion against normalcy and heteronormativity, that the preference of “queer” over “gay” or “lesbian” is a result of rejecting minoritization and assimilation that would occur under the gay and lesbian cultures. On the contrary to Warner’s beliefs, Natalie Kouri-Towe claims that “queer” is an unstable word to be used as an identity and a source of empowerment in her writing “Queer.” Her argument sprouts from the speculation that “the strength of ‘queer’ lies in disruption, discomfort, and failure to properly fit,” and that queerness is “only oppositional” (Kouri-Towe 6), meaning that once perfect assimilation or acceptance into normalcy is achieved, “queer” would lose its foundational meaning and …show more content…
To use as an example, in Yasmin Nair’s “Against Equality, Against Marriage,” where the issue of assimilation is discussed, “equal rights,” such as the right to gay marriage is merely a form of imitation of heteronormativity, because it implies that by imitating behaviors of heterosexual culture, those who do not fit into that culture would find inclusion and acceptance. Instead of working on embracing the difference and breaking down the restrictions of normalcy, society is teaching those who would be considered “queer,” who do not fit in with the majority that the only way for them to exist in this world is to imitate and blend in, such as through the traditional heterosexual practice,