LGBTQ + Criticism is

LGBTQ+ Criticism finds its origins in the 90s, primarily in the United States, as critics brought attention to and expanded on some issues explored in gender studies and feminist criticism. LGBTQ+ criticism focuses on the representation of nonnormative or nonbinary gender and sexual identifications in literature, as well as the socially constructed nature of such societal elements. Additionally, queer theory has served to destabilize what has otherwise been considered the dominant ideology and normalization of heterosexuality.

Key Terms: Dialectic; Hermeneutics; Semiotics; Text & Intertextuality; Tone


Foundational Questions of LGBTQ + Criticism

  • Does the text present characters that elide or cross gender and sexual identifications? 
  • How do the text’s characters subvert the dominant ideology of heterosexuality?
  • Does the work affirm, challenge, or negate traditional ideas of men, women, and romantic relationships?

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