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Femme Theory: Femininity’S Challenge to Western Feminist Pedagogies

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Femme Theory: Femininity’S Challenge to Western Feminist Pedagogies FEMME THEORY: FEMININITY’S CHALLENGE TO WESTERN FEMINIST PEDAGOGIES by Rhea Ashley Hoskin A thesis submitted to the Department of Gender Studies In conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada (September, 2013) Copyright © Rhea Ashley Hoskin, 2013 Abstract Contemporary Western feminist scholarship fails to explore the backdrop to the naturalization of feminine subjugation. By analyzing the structures, histories, and theories of gender relations, this study dislocates femininity from its ascribed Otherness and, in doing so, demonstrates how empowered femininities have been overlooked or rendered invisible within gender studies. Femme, as the failure or refusal to approximate the patriarchal norms of femininity, serves as the conceptual anchor of this study and is used to examine how femmephobic sentiments are constructed and perpetuated in contemporary Western feminist theory. In part, this perpetuation is achieved through the pedagogical and theoretical exclusions from the texts chosen for gender studies courses, revealing a normative feminist body constructed through the privileging of identities and expressions. Privileging of identities is demonstrated through the designation of literary space and in an overview of dominant theories, such as how the feminine subject is maintained as the object of critique and as not able to be “properly” feminist. This assessment of gender studies course texts reveals a limited understanding of femme and femininity that maintains these identities as white, middle-class, normatively bodied, and without agency. Feminist theory demonstrates an embedded normative feminist subject, one marked by whiteness and body privileges. By deconstructing the privileging of theories of the normative feminist subject, this study argues that gender studies has replicated feminist histories in which the politics and concerns of the white socially privileged subject are the first to be addressed. While white femininity is present in hir Otherness and in critiques of hir femininity, the racially marked femme does not exist, even in absence. The femme—as a queer potentiality—offers a way of thinking and re- ii thinking through the limitations of contemporary Western feminist theory and the paradoxical preoccupations with the absented femme. iii Acknowledgements I dedicate this thesis to my mother, Debbie Hoskin and my partner, Karen Blair. In my life, I have come to understand how moments or events can lift you up or knock you down. As I finalize the details of this thesis, I am reminded of how indebted I am to the people whose belief in me outweighed my moments of defeat and, how, without any one of them, my life and my work would not be the same. For every high school teacher who discouraged my education, who interpreted my unidentified disabilities as indicative of my intellectual abilities, there was a teacher like Ms. Rankin who saw my potential and advocated on my behalf. Along with my mother, Ms. Rankin fought for me at a pivotal moment of my life, when other teachers would have rather I be put into remedial classes or drop out. For every college teacher whose ableism made it impossible for them to conceive of my successful future, and every single moment in my life when I was not believed in, there was a mother who would take on the world for me; whose encouragement and belief in my success continues to hold me up in my moments of self-doubt. An acknowledgement the length of this thesis could not capture the magnitude to which I am forever indebted to my mother's love and support. For every institutional hurdle I encountered in the education system, I had professors like Scott Morgensen, Katherine McKittrick, Margaret Little and Jane Tolmie. Scott and Katherine’s willingness to accommodate in creative ways stands as a model of allyship. Jane’s belief in me has been the wind beneath my wings and her critical insights have continuously pushed my work further than I could have imagined. Margaret has been more than a supervisor, but also my academic cheerleader, always displaying an unwavering faith in the strength of my work. I thank Caroline Pukall for her kindness and welcomed advice. Caroline’s insightful questions helped to demonstrate the reach of femme theory. For every sticky situation, there has been Aunt Wendy – who is always willing to go to bat for my family and me. There have been friends like Courtney Czechowski; whose brilliance and insight iv has never gone under-appreciated. Courtney has shown me the importance of chosen family and I am so grateful to call them my sibling. Although the make up of my family has never been conventional, I would be lost without them. I am grateful for the support of Tony Vani and the love of my Dad, Janine and Ellenore. Ellenore is one of many femmes who continuously inspire me. For every tear, every hardship, there was Jason Hoskin and Roger Sabo - whose life and death lend me strength and conviction. While losing my family has taught me the fragility of life and to eat ice cream while I can, it was the experience of having known Roger and Jason that taught me perseverance. For every defeatist moment, there was my adoring partner, Karen Blair, whose smile and laughter can part the stormiest clouds; whose creativity and innovation continues to pave new roads for my ideas. For each of my bizarre, abstract thoughts, Karen has been there to turn them into concrete applications. She is my partner, my best friend, my colleague and my soul mate. For every time I felt isolated by queer communities, I was reminded of the strength of femme and found comfort between the lines of femme literature and online femme communities. To the femmes in my life, and those I have yet to meet -- whose presence is often erased and whose voices often silenced; I dedicate this work to you. It is your perseverance in a world that continuously fails to show understanding or respect that reminds me to draw strength where no strength can be seen. For every challenge I have met, I have been fortunate to find resolve with the people and communities I love. It is to these people that I owe my accomplishments and to whom I dedicate this work. v Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... iv Chapter 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2 (Re)Conceptualizing Femme/Phobia .............................................................................. 7 Double Consciousness ................................................................................................................. 7 Femme-inist Genealogies: Subjugated Knowledges ................................................................. 10 Unpacking Dominant Conceptions of Femme ........................................................................... 13 (Re)Conceptualizing Femme ..................................................................................................... 16 Culturally Authorized Femininity .............................................................................................. 18 New Theoretical Approaches to Femininity: Femme Ambiguity .............................................. 21 Material Realities and Feminine Consumption .......................................................................... 23 Femme and Compulsory Able-Bodiedness ............................................................................... 26 Femme as Resistance ................................................................................................................. 27 Femmephobia ............................................................................................................................. 29 Femmephobia: Upholding Systems of Oppression .................................................................... 31 Forms of Femmephobia ............................................................................................................. 32 Covert Femmephobia ................................................................................................................. 33 Overt Femmephobia ................................................................................................................... 34 Femme Mystification ................................................................................................................. 35 Pious Femmephobia ................................................................................................................... 36 Resisting Femmephobia ............................................................................................................. 38 Chapter 3 Critical Approaches to Decolonizing Western Feminism ............................................. 40 Subjugated Methodologies ......................................................................................................... 41 Conceptual Methodology: Western Frameworks ...................................................................... 43 Situating my Methodological Approach: A Literary Review .................................................... 45 Developing Methodologies: Conceptualizing Theoretical Engagements .................................
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