Looking to the rich cultural history of queer and feminist performance in the U.S, this course examines performances of gender, sexuality, obscenity, and refusal. In this class, we will ask how the terms "feminist" and "queer" come to determine a specific piece of theater or performance art. Is it the author's own political affiliation that establishes the work as feminist? Is it the audience's reading that gathers a work of art under a queer rubric? Furthermore, where does feminist performance meet queer performance? Topics will include feminist body art, AIDS activism, queer nightlife, installation and performance art, video art, and memoir. Focusing in on strategies for engaging the many meanings of the words "queer," we will pair theoretical readings with theatrical sites. |