Rethinking Sexuality: Queer Theory, Identity, and the Politics of Representation

Abstract

Today, notions of sexuality are seen beyond their biological roots. Rather than understanding sexual acts and behaviour as biological truths, modern thinkers suggest the idea of constructing sexuality through culture, language, history, politics, media, and mechanisms of power. Queer theory, feminism, cultural studies, and post-structuralism have greatly challenged the conventional binaries of male versus female, masculine versus feminine, and heterosexual versus homosexual. The modern view on sexuality sees an individual as the carrier of a constantly changing and shifting identity. The present paper critically examines the evolution of discourses on sexuality in relation to theories developed by prominent scholars, including Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Adrienne Rich, and Gayle Rubin. In addition, this paper highlights the influence of globalisation, media, the digital era, and intersectionality on the formation of sexual identities in the 21^st century. Above all, this paper discusses the necessity of creating an identity framework that is humane, diverse, and adaptable.