![beard gay definition beard gay definition](https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:eco%2Cw_1200/MTc0Mjg1NzU2MDAzNTI2NTI0/gay-men-are-you-a-jock-otter-bear-or-wolf.jpg)
But queer theory also analyses and critiques societal and political norms in particular as they relate to the experience of sexuality and gender. These are viewed as over-generalising theoretical constructs that produce an either/or mode of analysis that hides more than it clarifies and is unable to detect nuanced differences and contradictions. It goes beyond these so-called ‘binaries’ to contest general political (private/public) as well as international binary orders (democratic/ authoritarian).
It questions socially established norms and dualistic categories with a special focus on challenging sexual (heterosexual/homosexual), gender (male/female), class (rich/poor), racial (white/non-white) classifications. Queer theory emphasises the fluid and humanly performed nature of sexuality – or better, sexualities. It soon distanced itself from those approaches due to disagreements with the stable identities that LGBT studies suggest. Queer theory’s origins are in LGBT studies – which focus on sexuality and gender. It also questions established social, economic and political power relations – and critically interrogates notions of security. Queer theory is not just confined to sexualities or sexual rights. Indeed, a narrow definition of it would not be in line with queer theoretical tenets. Due to these themes, and because of its diversity, it is difficult to define queer theory precisely. It would also preclude a nuanced debate about the contents and forms of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) perspectives, queer scholarship and queer scholarly politics in IR.
![beard gay definition beard gay definition](https://s31242.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/tom-selleck-e1526641407944.jpg)
A single viewpoint in a field as diverse as IR would unnecessarily limit the range of scholarly viewpoints. Stemming from various fields that transcend a narrow view of IR, queer research applies an interdisciplinary outlook to advance new critical perspectives on sexualities, gender and beyond. Queer theory offers a significant avenue through which to deconstruct and then reconstruct established IR concepts and theories. This is an excerpt from International Relations Theory – an E-IR Foundations beginner’s textbook.