kvarter Volume 03 • 2011 akademiskacademic quarter
Flirting with the Law Queer Culture beyond Transgression?
Alla Ivanchikova is Assistant Professor of World Literature at The Univer- sity of Alaska Fairbanks. Her research focuses on globali- zation and transnational approaches to contemporary literature with a particular emphasis on issues of gender, sexuality and race. I am particularly intrigued by “tran- sitions” – transient literary formations that emerge dur- ing the times of rapid social transformations and cultural crises, which determined my interest in contemporary African and East European literatures.
We are no longer under the rule of law, but of grace. Saint Paul (Romans 6:14)
I fought the law and the law won. The Clash
Historically, queer desire has been imagined as destructive of the social order – an ultimate transgression and a quintessential crime. The figure of the queer offender has been conjured by the fre- quently overlapping discourses of criminology, anthropology, sexology, and most recently, psychoanalysis in both its Freudian and Lacanian versions (Hart 28). Psychological instability, latent or over criminality, and even the mark of psychosis have been linked to queer subjects’ failure to subscribe to the imperatives of compulsory heterosexuality as manifested in the Oedipus com- plex through which sexual difference and appropriate develop- mental goals are inscribed in the subject’s psyche. The residue of this disciplinary history through which same-sex desire has been criminalized, infantilized, and presented as corrosive of the social matrix, continues to preoccupy and titillate contemporary modes of representation.
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(2010) Alla Ivanchikova Mulholland Drive Drive Mulholland Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Basic Instinct Volume 03 Black Swan (1999), (1992), identification for the general public. All these examples feature psycholog All these examples feature . dis- (2010) Single White Female Talented Mister Ripley Talented (2003), and more recently, recently, (2003), and more (1995), Telephone Telephone Monster At the same time, and just as frequently, the queer outlaw also At the same time, and just as frequently, Transgression of the limit – be social, moral, or a reli it a legal, Transgression who emphasize the queer as the unruly, disruptive force – a force – a force force disruptive who emphasize the queer as the unruly, outside of the that is, ultimately, of negation and transgression by These theorists oppose the views expressed subject’s control. Sullivan who famously suggested that Andrew writers such as should abandon after gay marriage becomes legal, gay culture political activism and settle comfortably within the limits circum to Sul responds scribed by the law and the social norm. Warner livan’s conservative vision by contending that sexuality is neces ace” 36) – a destructive force that is productive in its very de limitations. on the subject’s in the havoc it wrecks structiveness, work, Foucault also presented Following Canguilhem in his later and the normative, elaborating an extensive analysis of the norm resist subversion, and and popularizing ideas of transgression, anal comprehensive Foucault’s by Influenced normativity. to ance contem ysis of a complex interplay between sexuality and power, the norm suspicion towards profound harbor queer theorists porary upon the acceptance predicated the vision of the social and towards Halberstam, and Duggan Berlant, of that norm. Edelman, Warner, normativity of critics prominent the most of some as be cited can Lady Gaga’s the Oedipal law through ically unstable characters who transgress unleash the social law through and of heterosexuality their refusal committing an act of murder. ing violence and, ultimately, served as the point of self-identification for the subculture’s par ticipants. Queer culture has had a long-lasting affair with the no early writing, transgression In Foucault’s tion of transgression. sexuality: every limit has to be constitutes the very essence of is concep Transgression to be broken. is there every rule crossed, (“Pref affirmation” “nonpositive a as romanticized) (and tualized gious interdiction – has been the trademark of queer desire in two in desire of queer trademark has been the – gious interdiction a homophobic as served outlaw queer the foremost, and First ways. a point of fantasy and thus the queer outlaw is easily decipherable fantasy, As a homophobic culture popular century twenty-first early and twentieth- late in as such films through Kiss Butterfly (2001), quarter
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The Kids are Alla Ivanchikova Serving in Silence The L Word – Sea Word The L Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 [2000], , this negotiation takes the (2010) is one of the most recent (2010) is one of the most recent The Kids The BBC3 series [2010]), I demonstrateI [2010]), BBC3 series Common Ground The Marine Lip Service Lip [1999], [2010] and Investigator [2008]), of which But is every notion of the law and the limit always heteronorma But is every notion of the law and More importantly, queer subcultures created iconic images of iconic images of created queer subcultures importantly, More paper, I explore recent narratives of queer transgression and argue argue and transgression queer narratives of recent explore I paper, that the latest evolution of such narratives signals an attempt to re define queer subculture’s collective vision of normativity and law. lesbian cinema ( By focusing on two examples in recent tive? Are narratives of transgression necessarily “queer”? Can we the framework that constructsavoid conceptualizing the law within queer subjects as necessarily sexual minorities as dissidents and outlaw subjects? This is a difficult question topose. In asking such writers,gay conservative of pitfalls the avoid to has one question, a immature, as transgressions” “queer dismiss who Sullivan, as such At the same time, this and even politically suicidal. irresponsible, coun more as this century in crucial become to bound is discussion tries grant gays and lesbians full rights of citizenship and as main thisIn increase. to continues minorities sexual of visibility stream son 5 queer outlaw is seen as a hero examples. In such narratives, the forgiv or justified either as depicted are committed crimes the and able as crimes of passion. All Right of the iconic image of a lesbian that we have witnessed an erosion outlaw as both media events attempt to negotiate their way out of In the narrative of transgression. quently, the queer quently, outlaw figures as the disturber of heterosexual family or in a heterosexual to normativity embodied love – a threat to break queer character is forced a couple. In other scenarios, the One of the obvious exam unfair. the law because the law itself is Ask Don’t is the infamous Don’t unfair ples of a law considered ( films many of topic the became which policy, Tell [1995], sarily messy, turbulent, disrespectful of laws and antagonistic to antagonistic and laws of turbulent, disrespectful messy, sarily being a cul He also insists that limits of any sort. queer culture, viable and has no other sexuality, around that is organized ture and transgressive to embrace this disruptive ethical choice but that fact. politically around of sexuality and organize nature and literature through queer outlaws that have been disseminated Transgression of a set a limit, moral befilm. code, it or a a law, so narratives in motion. Most fre cial norm, is what often sets these quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 The Kids Are All Right The Kids are All Right The Kids are creates a counternarrative within which the law is a counternarrative creates does not break away from its subcultural origins: it is an away from does not break Lip Service Even though it was directed and produced for a wide audience, and produced Even though it was directed mainstream. In other words, its foundation is within the lesbian its foundation is within the lesbian In other words, mainstream. and its message is adapted for a general public. It speaks subculture understands; as an act of self-represen the language the subculture represen homophobic frequently with dialogue a in less it is tation, (in the consumption tations of lesbians developed for heterosexual with the tradition of indie in tune cinema) and more mainstream lesbian cinema of the last two decades on which Cholodenko draws is also very confident about the film’s place in The director heavily. biological mothers but are biological siblings as both “moms” used The family Cholodenko chooses the same anonymous sperm donor. to present to the mainstream audience is not a loosely defined as onbased are ties kinship which in unit knit tightly a but semblage blood ties. The invisible sperm donor serves as glue that cements the relations, blood continuous of knot tight one family together in audience view is as a legitimate family which helps the mainstream kinship is based on blood ties). (since heterosexual The Kids into the over of the subcultural content example of the crossing The “Lesbian Outlaw” in “Lesbian Outlaw” The July 2010, Lisa Cholodenko’s in Released joyed solid commercial success. The film features a lesbian couple, to who struggle Moore), Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne – Joni two teenage children their marriage while raising preserve As and reviewers Laser. noted, the film strikes a pleasant balance between familiarity and strangeness by offering arecog plot that is (exploring the issues of inter audience nizable to the mainstream yet commitment, and trust) generational communication, long-term about non-traditional kinshipeducating that very same audience different have Laser and Joni instance, For (Shoquist). arrangements form of subverting (transgressing) the narrative of transgression, transgression, of the narrative subverting (transgressing) of form while I draw examples as exclusively heteronormative. no longer viewed this is the of independent cinema because the lesbian tradition from many similari best. It is clear to me that, despite tradition I know dis that are gay male cinemas make two traditions ties, lesbian and should investigate whether mytinct, although overlapping. Others production. gay male subcultural applies to recent argument quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 , if any? The Kids is certainly not a narrative of transgres The Kids However, while openly embracing the normative, the film is sub while openly embracing However, in that came under scrutiny The iconic representation On the surface, solidified in lesbian indie cinema gradually over the last two dec solidified and transgression. personifying the narrative of rebellion ades, of hetero the destroyer as prominently most into focus She comes is who woman a heterosexual By winning the heart of sexual love. by de either involved with or married to a man, and ultimately, the les their (usually stagnant, inauthentic) relationship, stroying the celebrates desire, same-sex of potency the affirms outlaw bian and corruption value of authentic life, and exposes the inherent Are Ok”). Are nodes a life of their own: they are tly iconoclastic. Iconic images have where collective desires converge and get transfixed. Iconic images frequently function as signifiers of narrative conventions – cultural shortcuts that contain a wealth of meaning. When such conventions change, these images can come under attack as signifiers of these What are conventions, and can be taken down as no longer relevant. being dismantled in the icons that are has figure outlaw The outlaw.” lesbian “a call to propose I what is not that different from heterosexual families and trusts that the al of normalcy the see to and eager ready is audience mainstream In fact, the lesbian family she ternative family life on the big screen. depicts in the film is painfully “normal.” Theylive in a large all- and stick to conventional an SUV, American suburban home, drive masculine of the two moms) being with Nic (the more gender roles two, the of feminine more softer, the Jules, and breadwinner the The couple’s het in the relationship. being the emotional caretaker eronormative lifestyle has not gone unnoticed and the filmre queer theorists as by such prominent ceived some scornful reviews Kids the (“Only Duggan and Ok!”) Not are Kids (“The Halberstam the larger world: she mentioned that by depicting a lesbian family she mentioned that by depicting world: the larger with two teenage kids, she was simply “tapping into the Zeitgeist” (Karpel). This confidence is important; it is an outcome of both the Rachel visibility – Ellen Degeneres, lesbian in mainstream increase Sue Rhona Cameron, United States; Sarah Waters, Maddow in the maturity and sense of – and also the subculture’s Perkins in the UK accumulated cultural wealth. Cholodenko states that lesbian families are sion. In her interview, quarter
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, Lucy, a les , Lucy, Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting through the very through At the end of such of the end At 2 Volume 03 High Art transgression and , follows this convention. In assigns it to its proper place as place assigns it to its proper
High Art The law is what, by designating its object, delivers desire its object, delivers desire The law is what, by designating attains its au thereby Desire autonomy. to its repetitive we to un How are tomatism in the form of transgression. when what is transgression There derstand transgression? negatively named by the say, – which is to is prohibited it that lives through law – becomes the object of a desire (79)self in the site and place of the subject. The examples are too numerous to mention – this is a narrative to mention – this is a numerous too The examples are In a transgression narrative, the key actors are Law and Desire Law and Desire the key actors are narrative, In a transgression convention that has had a long and rich history. Cholodenko’s ear convention that has had a long and rich history. lier film, bian artist, is firmly positioned both outside the norm and as the love. She is independently rich, despises of heterosexual destroyer addict. She is also a drug habitually. the rules and breaks authority, of social conven Lucy is explicitly sexual, daring, and disrespectful tions that condemn infidelity and privilege heterosexual coupling. that triggers change in Syd – a hetero She acts as an agent of desire nist’s love (or lust) is overdetermined by a rich set of overlappingset of rich by a overdetermined is lust) (or nist’s love is in a relationship, woman is heterosexual, the desired prohibitions: class, in differences the by unattainable more even made often is and of the subject aim, her achieve To race. age, or religion, ethnicity, several obstacles (the pro (the outlaw) thus has to overcome desire in differences of adultery, the prohibition hibition of homosexuality, class, race, or age), and hasfinally, to face the man who steps in to within the entirely narrative unfolds The his relationship. defend motion,in desire sets that interdiction the is it Law; the of domain of desire. yet the law masquerades as the arch-nemesis The dialectic of prohibition and desire is crucial in the structuring of in the structuring is crucial desire and The dialectic of prohibition The object of the protago the lesbian outlaw. the plot that features repressive nature of the social norm (the Law). (the norm the social of nature repressive (in older is either punished protagonist narratives, the lesbian for her transgression rewarded recent movies, films), or in more dialectic engaged in a complex but in fact are that appear to clash In his brilliant agency. its shape and gives desire in which the law Badiou explains the way desire, analysis of the dialectic of law and desire, simultaneously activates prohibition same gesture, quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 explicitly addresses the figure of a lesbian outlaw as icon as outlaw lesbian a of figure the addresses explicitly provides the most dramatic example. Nikki, the show’s the most dramatic example. provides The Kids The Among the recent movies that choose to celebrate the act of trans that choose to celebrate the movies Among the recent narrative convention that produced the outlaw: the quiet life of a the outlaw: the quiet life narrative convention that produced by the stranger who enters their suburban couple gets disrupted lives – first as a friend, then as a threat. the However, film reverses cou in a clever twist: the suburban couple is now a lesbian the roles Paul – of love – is now a man. ple and the outsider – the destroyer – is the biological father of both children sperm donor and the the “moms’” teenage into son brought the who family de by Laser, cides to track his biological father down as part of his teenage rebel fies the flow of desire leaving the spectators cheering and when Nikki, Helen with sleeping by law the breaks fiancé, her leaves Stewart success Nikki’s prison. of out lover inmate her get to hard fights then and the un with Nikki’s release is spectacular: the storyline ends multiple trans Nikki’s London. of streets in the couple kissing likely The law is there vindicated, celebrated, and rewarded. are gressions love is Heterosexual the law itself is corrupt. because broken be to theon obstacle an constitutes it well, because, destroyed be to also love.gay of path same the of lines the along unfolds film The it. deconstruct to only ic tagonize the Law by disobeying correction officers’orders, inciting a full-blown prison riot. Thedissent among prisoners, and leading film insists on Nikki’ssymbolic innocence by clarifying that her the policeman had tried to rape crime was one of self-defense as Nikki’s girlfriend. The law and its representatives – police officers, correction officers, politicians, and bureaucrats are– thus coded as no matter how while Nikki’s transgression, corrupt, bad, unfair, the by captured gets heart Nikki’s Predictably, justified. is gruesome, her prison wing governor Helenmost unattainable object of all – woman en law-enforcing) law-abiding (and Stewart, a heterosexual gaged to be married. By multiplying the obstacles, the film intensi sexual woman who moves into Lucy’s building with her boyfriend moves into Lucy’s building with sexual woman who James, only to be swept off her feet by Lucy’s charisma. Lucy dies an from of overdose cocaine at the end of the film and thus is pun relationship. of a heterosexual as the destroyer ished for her role TV prison series, than punish it, a popular British rather gression Bad Girls, lesbian protagonist, is an inmate sentenced to “life” in prison for an to continues she bars, behind Locked officer. police a murdering quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 , 2). Jules is not attracted to his straight the act of queering is performed by a hetero the act of queering is performed Q = negation (heteronormativity). The Kids The made obvious that if queerness is a function of disruption a function of disruption made obvious that if queerness is In a Queer Time and Place In a Queer Time To dispel forthcoming objections, I would like to stress that Ju like to stress would I objections, forthcoming dispel To However, there is nothing scandalous or retrograde about this or retrograde is nothing scandalous there However, of what Halberstam describes as “queer temporality” – “life un inheritance, and child rear scripted by the conventions of family, ( ing” with relationship a heterosexuality of promise the and masculinity phone a in when, evaporates Paul to attraction Her offers. man a conversation, he confesses the desire to create a “normal” family Jules In a moment of comical relief, with Jules and the children. exclaims: “I’m gay!” and hangs up the phone. Paul’s nascent het be described as Q (lesbian) = negation of the Law (heterosexual of the Law (heterosexual be described as Q (lesbian) = negation marriage), in male) = nega as: Q (heterosexual sexual man and can be described tion of the Law (lesbian marriage). “queer at a as presented is attraction to Paul sexual intense les’ Jules traction” is as drawn opposed romance. to to a heterosexual Paul because of his queer qualities: his almost boyish rebellious for conventions, and his overt unapologetic ness, his disregard himself as someone Paul describes college dropout, A sexuality. His lifestyle is an example who is unable to deal with authority. ence (see, for instance, Halberstam, “The Kids are Not Ok!”). “The Kids are ence (see, for instance, Halberstam, is not maintains that queerness plot. Contemporary queer theory of of a function that as a disruption works an identity – it is more it express can we fashion, quasi-Lacanian a In heteronormativity. as a formula: Kids The can perform this function un within a narrative, a straight person lesbian outlaw narrative can While the der the right circumstances. lion against his parents. Paul is coded as a stereotypically butch les Paul is coded as a stereotypically lion against his parents. not by the subcultural, but decipherable references bian (through (Ivanchikova). and acts as an agent of desire viewers) mainstream that prohib the social norm Paul disregards Like the lesbian outlaw, its adultery and enters an affair with Jules. Because therole of the queer that outlaw roleplayed – insuch the a protagonist significant – is now played by a heterosex the making of lesbian indie cinema and retro (transgressive) ual man, the plot appears both scandalous to the lesbian audi to heterosexuality) grade (in its ostensible return quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 As Cholodny demonstrated in regard to women’s writing, nar As Cholodny demonstrated in regard The family, especially the one based on blood ties, which in the The family, By making a heterosexual man fill therole of the iconic queer lies. As power relations change, the conventions within the subcul change, the conventions within As power relations lies. lesbi bound to change as well. When gays and tural tradition are itself has to the norm, the norm no longer excluded from ans are life to accommodate new show plasticity and change in order styles. redefineCholodenko’s thefilm narrative makes an effort to of transgression by mocking it, flipping it on its head, and thus but also makes obvi and versatility, nature exposes its constructed ous its limitations. does not completely embrace the normative but tests its limits, normative but tests its limits, does not completely embrace the alternative and the capacity to accommodate pliability, plasticity, sexuality and kinship. society the in reified power of relations embody conventions rative as a spinster who is featured narrative in which a lesbian A at large. of negativity endlessly challenging hetero functions as the force sexual lifestyle, loveless marriages and corre stifling domesticity, status of lesbians and gay men as outside thesocial the sponds to destined to be Unable to have families of their own, they are law. fami of heterosexual – destroyers the – either demonic or heroic family, although shaken to its core by Jules’ infidelity, survives nev survives infidelity, Jules’ by core its to shaken although family, out The again. ok be to seem things and restored, is trust ertheless, is no longer celebrated. The appeal is recognized, whose sex law, of a narrative convention isiconic image that served as a shortcut evoked only to be unseated. has been coded as strictly hetero tradition of lesbian indie cinema fam lesbian the rewrites film The thing. a such longer no is sexual, and domesticity. routine, sentimentality, normalcy, the site of as ily to survive the attack. it is designed Not immune to transgression, The film tries to work out a newrelationship with the norm – it eronormative desires (for a family, stability, status) serve to reaf status) serve stability, (for a family, desires eronormative firm (or perhapsrevive) Jules’ queer identity and also push Jules back into her marriage. narra existing the complicated and problematized film the outlaw, and thus nature, constructed exposed this role’s tive convention, opened it up for redefinition. The figure of the al homewrecker, though alluring at first, is no longer seen as heroic. Deemed an in The condemned. is expelled, and his transgression Paul terloper, quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova Lip Service Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 – the first season of a (2010) Lip Service ) and structurally resembles the the resembles ) and structurally series produced in the United States; in the United series produced Lip Service , Frankie is a citation. Glamorized by the , Frankie is a citation. Glamorized by the The L Word The L The L Word The L The Kids takes place in Glasgow and is a gritty, funny, entertaining funny, gritty, a is and Glasgow in place takes Like Paul in The appeal of the new series is that it is driven by characters rath characters by driven is it that is series new the of appeal The new relationship. One matter that they do not struggle with is being that they do not struggle One matter new relationship. as a political issue and is gay – homosexuality is never addressed The central storyline followssimply a fact of life for these characters. her life back together after havingCat (Laura Fraser) who tries to get by her ex-girlfriend Frankie (Ruta Gedmintas) – an her heart broken Just as Cat seems to have angst-driven charismatic photographer. enough emotionally to start dating again, Frankie comes recovered back into her life to pursue her once more. however, the show departs from its American prototype in a num American prototype its the show departs from however, ber of ways. main characters of the show strug er than by a political agenda. The started, trying to get their careers gle with a variety of issues, such as or starting a surviving a breakup, negotiating friendship and love, outlaw figure. Promiscuity, defiance, and disregard for convention for disregard and defiance, Promiscuity, figure. outlaw al morality and manners situate Frankie neatly within the parame Although not a narrative. by the transgression ters demarcated world, to the criminal criminal herself, Frankie maintains proximity typical of the outlaw figure. For instance, she spends the entire se her that out find to only past her of secret the uncover to trying ries which long lost biological mother had been implicated in a murder, is a lead her to abandon Frankie, and that her biological brother cinematic apparatus, Frankie is visually reminiscent of Shane (an of Shane (an cinematic apparatus, Frankie is visually reminiscent iconic character from women. Harriet Braun claims subcultural authenticity (she states women. Harriet Braun claims of lesbian sexu an authentic representation that she wants to create conventions, seeks to mainstream ality), and rather than adapting of The reviewers to universalize subcultural styles. comparison with Flirting with the Law: Law: Flirting with the BBC3 Channel, Commissioned by more even better, an Harriet Braun – provides by miniseries created with the changing relationship the subculture’s vivid example of 2010 and disseminated in the UK in the Fall of normative. Broadcast became one of fans via youtube, the show quickly worldwide by its discussed events of the year. the most successful and most widely Service Lip of young lesbian lives of a group British drama that focuses on the quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 ]) to eventual recogni Cass-Maran ). “[t]he reaction to Sam has been a complete shock. … I re “[t]he reaction and I didn’t real ally did think it was quite a minor role ( been.” has that Sam to reaction a be would there ize is Me – At Home It seems that by making Frankie a central character, writer Har a central character, It seems that by making Frankie Sam figures as a harbinger of an emergent plot in structure which Sam Mur prerogative. the law is no longer seen as a heterosexual ray is a police officer, a D.S. (detective sergeant), who really loves neverAlthough literally embodies the law. her job and represents, psycho in uniform, D.S. Sam Murray conveys an aura of authority, of police lesbian openly An confidence. calm and maturity, logical what by stand to able be to seems she peers, her by respected ficer, real life) who plays Sam was instantly catapulted into fame as she life) who plays Sam was instantly real icon. Peace found this posi found herself becoming a major lesbian with the idea, and struggled highly contradictory tion of stardom bewould anyone think don’t I gay, was Ruta (“If denial initial from paying me any attention at all” [ tion and astonishment: (the heterosexual actress who plays Frankie) that she was destinedshe was that Frankie) plays who actress (the heterosexual (Gedmintas). It also show aired to become a lesbian icon after the citation.via icon an create to attempted Braun that argued be can beauty “cannot assert itself saveAfter all, as Roland Barthes put it, crea the in employed clichés However, (33). citation” a of form a in detected and criticized liber tion of Frankie’s character have been audience. the show’s target and by ally by almost every reviewer audience is intriguing because itFrankie’s lack of rapport with the the show’s visual glamori seems to have been unexpected. Despite Cat’s new date, preferred zation of Frankie, the audience strongly in lesbian (a Peace Heather Actress Peace). (Heather Murray Sam drug dealer. Frankie’s world is oversaturated with connotative connotative world is oversaturated with Frankie’s dealer. drug cover helps thief, a with affair an has she – transgression of markers gets ar almost and suicide, commits almost overdose, up a drug of the functions as “the destroyer in. She also for breaking rested couple” as she manages to two jeopardize during relationships the course of the show. success of the trans the proven riet Braun expected to capitalize on cinema. She warned Ruta Gedmintas narrative in queer gression quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 Becky: Cat’s on a blind date with the cop. Becky: Cat’s on a blind date with thing. have thought cop was Cat’s Frankie: Wouldn’t going to be is a gay cop. She is hardly she Becky: Well, some bat-wielding thug, is she? it right on, does gay it makes Frankie: So what, if you are it? (Frankie storms out.) sire. During sire. a snappy exchange in which flirtation and interroga andlaw the of lure the Cat succumbs to indistinguishable, are tion of theme the to returns film The date. second a on out her asks Sam the police station as a queer space by featuring a steamy lesbian lesbian Sam’s Importantly, 3). (Episode office Sam’s in scene sex Cat to her she introduces identity is not an issue in her career; from advice relationship seeks and half” “other her as co-workers her friends – male police officers at the station. relationship Their previously coded in lesbian cinema. The police station (Sam’s work coded in lesbian cinema. The previously Cat’s (and the viewer’s) where as a space place) is featured precon redefined. and out teased are enforcement law about notions ceived Instead of figuring as a site of homophobia and oppression, it is as a queer space in which the viewer is invited to, liter presented qual iconic an acquired has that scene the In law. the with flirt ally, a police station when she becomes into Sam’s Cat is brought ity, heartlessly by “power- victim of mugging. Expecting to be treated hungry homophobes” and “bat-wielding thugs,” Cat is defensive the police sta as Sam comes to her rescue, and nervous. However, of lesbian de site fascinating a and inscribed as reoriented is tion to work out their own attitudes to law enforcement: law enforcement: to work out their own attitudes to The question of whether Sam is indeed a “thug” or “right on” is have been and its representatives vital because of the way the law is right while having the law on her side. Cat meets Sam through Sam through the law on her side. Cat meets is right while having Nervous Cat an online dating site, and their firstdate is a disaster. about stereotypes fool out of herself by spouting makes a complete says: she things, other Among date. first their during officers police who homophobes power-hungry police are “Most people think obviously I don’t think up suspects. Well, get their kicks beating that, not and like clearly that.” you The are show thus consciously about the police and ideas stereotypical deploys and interrogates try and cop” “the as Sam to refer frequently characters The law. the quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting writes: flirts with the law, Volume 03 Shane). She did all the Lip Service ” business started every not Lip Service , the Law intensifies desire (positively) through se A Gay Gal’s Guide to Popular Culture, Guide to Popular Culture, Gay Gal’s A Lip Service So when this whole “ one assumed Frankie’s Ruta Gedmintas would be the the of “Shane” the was She lesbothrob. resident show’s (yes, yes – I know she’s group I really hoped people would like Sam as much as I did like Sam as much as I did hoped people would I really also very lucky we were I think when I was writing her. us away in her auditionto have Heather Peace, who blew and has given such a fantastic performance. That said I that Sam think it was impossible for anyone to predict A”) would become a bit of a dykon! (“Q & It is intriguing that the show’s creator Harriet Braun was not Harriet Braun was not creator It is intriguing that the show’s In lowing excerpt from a review is representative of how the character is representative a review lowing excerpt from of the author Snarker, Dorothy within the subculture. was perceived a blog titled Yet the audience’s response to Sam verged on collective hysteria. on to Sam verged the audience’s response Yet Sam became Despite being a supporting rather than a lead character, The fol reviews and fans. by both the most widely discussed figure only butflirts then with goes the on law, a date with the law (so to and ponders whether she should mar speak), has sex with the law, ry the law as well. to be successful. In an inter whether this plot line was going sure view released in the “Extras” section of the DVD, she expresses a cheering for Cat and Frankie. Shehope that the audience would be they will also be I don’t know, then adds rather shyly: but “maybe, for Cat and Sam.” When asked whether she howexpected rooting who played her) would become,popular Sam (and Heather Peace Braun says: is ap – it does not achieve its surreptitious thus neither illicit nor transgression. peal through duction rather than defining it negatively through interdiction. fam law (military, with the lesbian cinema argued While preceding government), ily institution, police, to imagine a new relationship sexualizes it, and invites the viewer with the normative through the figure of Sam and Cat’srelation to follow Cat who notship with Sam. The audience is encouraged quarter
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Ooooooh Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 moody looking through her hair and randy dropping of dropping her hair and randy moody looking through thing She was the bad girl. But a funny her skinny jeans. swoon way to fandom, everyone started happened on the we still love us some girl instead. Sure, ing over the good a Sam Murray to Sergeant Detective up Frankie. But bring of, “ ladies and you’ll hear a chorus of gay group cop is hot – and ridiculously so. hot Yes, the hot cop.” DS Sam…hotter than The L Word cast, hotter than the surface of cast, hotter Word DS Sam…hotter than The L toasted pitta bread the sun, hotter than the inside of a DS Murry *swoon* If Cat chooses Frankie over amazing-perfect Sam, I am boycotting the show She is literally the perfect gf. Sam is so f***ing swoon-worthy. Also, every show should start with her naked Frankie sizing up DSSam, gurl you plz you got nothing on Sam! (Quoted by Hal) The audience’s response to the series revealed that viewers are not that viewers are to the series revealed The audience’s response their own desire historically naïve or innocent; in fact, they suture it as a focal point of their collective fan onto an image, producing narrative conventions at work as tasies. The audience recognized conven these was supporting that apparatus cinematic the well as tions (which makes a salient point that the audience is never pas by these mechanisms). Spectatorship is produc sively constructed a potentbecomes media, social age of in the meaning, and tive of • • • • • convention involved in the creation of the “bad girl” (Frankie) while (Frankie) girl” “bad the of creation the in involved convention novelty of the “good and welcoming the energizing recognizing social other and Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, of age the In plot. girl” time and make in real to the show can respond media, fan cultures the by other viewers. From perceived impact on the way it is a real to iconize Frankie refused outset, it became clear that the audience apparatus. Instead, the fanswho was glamorized by the cinematic in making Sam’s image icon engaged their own cultural apparatus and fan vide and Facebook messages, collages Twitter ic (through os, fan fiction and cultural commentary). Here is an example of a time: with fans commenting on the show in real board Twitter Snarker’scritiques the and notices she as representative entry is quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 , the outlaw’s sex appeal is explicitly ac , the outlaw’s sex appeal is explicitly ). Responding to the audience’s anxiety over The Kids BirdBox 2 represents a turning point in narrative conventions that point in narrative conventions a turning represents Flirting with the law is risky business because the subculture still Flirting with the law is risky business because the subculture The ambiguous ending agitated the audience of the show. Fear show. the of ending agitated the audience ambiguous The Lip Service ing the relationship with the normative or the law through charac with the normative or the law through ing the relationship ters that embody the law’s positive characteristics. con The normative. the with relationship ambivalent an maintains cern that, in its encounter with the queer law, difference might be it seems that the old plots Yet, swallowed or co-opted is legitimate. as necessary and and transgression that code the law as corrupt positive do not have the same magical appeal they used to. Can we ful that the structural demands of the “transgression convention” demands of the ful “transgression that the structural would make Braun write Sam off the series, the audience launched turning accessories, and t-shirts Sam” “Team producing campaign a Brit Heather Peace into “the most famous lesbian in Great actress ain” (Peace, that there promised Braun in the next season of the show, Sam’s role would be “a lot more of D.S. Murray” in the second season (“The the that illustrated response audiences’ The Party”). GreatLezBritain weary of the outlaw character and is actively has grown subculture reconfigur of possibility the revealed also It alternatives. for looking episode of the series features Cat’s transgression as she jeopardizes jeopardizes she as transgression Cat’s features series the of episode as with Frankie. Frankie’s role with Sam by sleeping her relationship the the couple references to and thus as a threat the agent of desire theiconic status in to achieve an lesbian outlaw convention but fails in which the narrative structure show as it competes with the new couple and the law that is a lesbian couple she is seeking to destroy etc). as bad (homophobic, corrupt, she antagonizes is no longer seen ponderingleft is Cat as intriguing highly thus is show the of end The (the outlaw) or stay with Samwhether she should be with Frankie (the law). Just as in no longer celebrated. is knowledged, but her transgression co-creator of meaning. As Mayne points out, “spectators respond points out, “spectators respond As Mayne meaning. of co-creator to films in ways that may well be unauthorized, but nonetheless by the insti prescribed in terms other than those meaningful, [are] cinema” (28).tutions of narrative I call The “queering experimental the quality law.” of what Braun trans of narrative the as show the throughout visible was doing is The two pro new narrative structure. competes with the gression The last quite able to resolve. vide a tension that the show was never quarter
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174 Between (2007),
When Night is exposed the (2004), Alla Ivanchikova , Bad Girls SeasonsGirls Bad , Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 (2010). (1999) Lip Service Eloise I Can’t Think Straight Think I Can’t , The L Word Season 1 Season Word , The L (2009), (2004), destabilize the opposition between opposition between destabilize the (2004) Aimee and Jaguar and Aimee (1998), The Sea Purple Lip Service , Elena Undone , A Woman’s Love A Woman’s , , High Art and (2008), (2004) (1995) The Kids (1999-2001) Examples featuring this story line include, among many others: Examples featuring this story line include, Falling 1-3 Women Two See, for example, Coffman’s analysis of the Papin affair. analysis of the Papin affair. See, for example, Coffman’s World Unseen World 2 sents new possibilities for writers who wish to explore the possi who wish to explore sents new possibilities for writers bilities and the limits of queering the law. new a with us presented and outmoded as figure law-breaker queer iconic image, a creating new alphabet of affects for a new set of so dissolution of a certain narrativecial conditions. This signaled the allowed we are for new stories where convention and our readiness too.to flirt with the law and enjoy it Notes 1 possibly work out something we can call queernormative – not in – not call queernormative we can something possibly work out the the sense of normalizing queer or making to the concessions the law be of queering the law itself? When law but in the sense be that unattractive. this new face of the law may not comes queer, Both normativity and queerness, exploring the “queernormative,” or positioned strictly outside of thebetter queerness that is no longer be it used to be. The relationship normative, not in the same way and pre complicated more tween normative and queer becomes quarter
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kvarter akademisk - - - - ” 175 . DVD. . Trans. . Trans. The Cost Nov 15. Nov
Lip Service. . Kudos Film . Kudos . Trans. Caro . Trans. Alla Ivanchikova 43, 197-222. Flirting with the Law with the Flirting . Oct 19. Web. Jul 1, . Oct 19. Web. Volume 03 Senator Film Produk October Facebook Page. Facebook
. Sylvie Verheyde . Nov 22. Web. Jul 1, 2011 . Nov 22. Web. Dir. by Dir. . Trans. Richard Miller. New York: York: New Miller. Richard . Trans.
AfterEllen Lip Service Season 1 Extras The Joel Kafetz Show Kafetz Joel The Max Färberböck Created by Maureen Chadwick and Ann Ann and Chadwick by Maureen Created Insane Passions: Lesbianism and Psychosis in The Normal and the Pathological Middletown: Wesleyan University Press. University Press. Middletown: Wesleyan . Dir. by Steven Woodcock. North Country Pic North Country by Steven Woodcock. . Dir. S/Z: An Essay Dir. by Dir. Saint Paul: The Foundation of Universalism , 1991. 2010. “Heather Peace – the Only Gay in the City.” City.” the in Gay Only the – Peace “Heather 2010. , 2006. Nov 16. Web. Jul 1, 2011. Jul 1, 2011. Nov 16. Web. . Dir. By Michael Winterbottom. First Run Features, First Run Features, Michael Winterbottom. By . Dir. Materializing Democracy: Towards a Revitalized Cultural Revitalized a Democracy: Towards Materializing . EP. CBC. 1979. . EP. Dir. by Darren Aronofsky. Fox Searchlight Pictures. 2010. Pictures. Fox Searchlight Aronofsky. by Darren Dir. , 1974. , 2003. Eds. Russ Castronovo and Dana D. Nelson. Durham: and Dana D. Nelson. Durham: Russ Castronovo Eds. , 2002. “Uncle Sam Needs a Wife: Citizenship and Den Citizenship a Wife: Needs Sam , 2002. “Uncle ., 1987. “Is the Rectum a Grave?” , 2010 “Q&A with Harriet Braun, creator of with Harriet Braun, creator , 2010 “Q&A , 2010. Interview. , 2010. Interview. , 2010. Interview. , 2010. Interview. , 2010. Interview. “The GreatLezBritain party for the ‘Lip “The GreatLezBritain , 2010. Interview. lyn R. Fawcett & Robert S. Cohen. New York: Zone Books. York: & Robert S. Cohen. New R. Fawcett lyn The Skinny. of Living andLiterature Film. Hill and Wang. egation.” Politics. Duke University Press. 1995. tures LTD. 2004. DVD. Odyssey. 2006. 2004. DVD. Odyssey. LTD. tures 2011. Service’ Season Finale.” DVD. and Television. Television and Film Kudos - Service Lip Jul 1, 2011. Web. tion. 1999. DVD. Optimum Home Releasing. 2001. Optimum Home Releasing. 2001. tion. 1999. DVD. Studio. 2004. This Picture 1999-2001. ITV Channel UK, McManus. Shed Production. Press. University Stanford Stanford: by Ray Brassier. Canguilhem, G. Cass-Maran, L., by Sonny Curtis. Written The Clash. “I Fought the Law.” Coffman, C. E. Barthes, R. Artisan, 2001. DVD. By Paul Verhoeven.1992. Basic Instinct. Dir. Berlant, L. Bersani, L Black Swan. Butterfly Kiss Between Two Women Between Two Braun, H. Braun, H. H. Braun, Braun, H. References Aimee and Jaguar. Femme). Love (Amour de Woman’s A 1-3. Bad Girls, Seasons Badiou, A. quarter
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Ed. Donald BullyBloggers Alla Ivanchikova . Oxford: Black . Oxford: Language, Coun New York: New New York: BullyBloggers Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 Nov, 2010. Web. Jul 1, 2011. 1, 2011. Jul 2010. Web. Nov, The Kids All Are Right Gaelick. Materializing Democracy: Towards a Revi Democracy: Towards Materializing Eds. Russ Castronovo and Dana D. Nel D. Dana and Castronovo Russ Eds. , 2010. “US National Longitudinal Lesbi , 2010. “US National Longitudinal 7: 4. 126:1, 28-36. In a Queer Time and Place. In a Queer Time Dir. by by Shamim Sarif. DVD. Enlightenment Dir. No Future: Queer Theory and the Death Drive Queer Theory No Future: . Dir. By Peter Jackson. 1994. DVD. Alliance Viva By Peter Jackson. 1994. DVD. . Dir. , 2011. Review of , 2011. . Dir. by Donna Deitch. DVD. Showtime. 2000. by Donna Deitch. . Dir. , 2005. , 2010. Interview with GreatLezBritain. , 2010. Interview with GreatLezBritain. , 2010. “The Kids Aren’t Alright!” Aren’t Kids “The 2010. , Fatal Women: Lesbian Sexuality and the Mark of Aggres of Mark the and Sexuality Lesbian Women: Fatal Pediatrics , 2005. Gender, Genetics, and Generation: Reformulat , 2005. Gender, . Dir. by Nicole Conn. DVD. Peccadillo Pictures. 2004. Pictures. by Nicole Conn. DVD. Peccadillo . Dir. ., 1977. “A Preface to Transgression.” to Transgression.” Preface ., 1977. “A , 2004. Dir. by Chris Oxley. 1999. DVD. Acorn Media. 2007. 1999. DVD. Chris Oxley. by Dir. , 2010. the “ONLY Kids Are All Right.” , 2002. “The New Homonormativity: The Sexual Poli Homonormativity: The Sexual , 2002. “The New Dir. by Lisa Cholodenko. 391 Productions. 1998. DVD. Cholodenko. 391 Productions. Lisa by Dir. Princeton: Princeton University Press. , 1994. , . Dir. by Jesus Garay. DVD. TLA Releasing. 2010. DVD. TLA by Jesus Garay. . Dir. film, 1998. Universal Studios. 2005. 2007. Productions. LGBT Family Studies 15. Web. Jul 1, 2011. 2011. Jul 1, 15. Web. Press. University York sion. ing Biology in Lesbian Kinship. Ed. Jennifer Robertson. Reader and Sexualities: An Anthropological Cultures well. 116-138 ter-Memory, Practice: Selected Essays and Interviews. ter-Memory, 29-52. Press. Ithaca: Cornell University Bouchard. F. ado of 17-year-old an Family Study: psychological adjustment lescents.” Jul 1, 2011. Oct 18. Web. tics of Neoliberalism.” Neoliberalism.” of tics Politics. Cultural talized Duke University Press. son. Durham: Jul 1, 2011. Jul 30. Web. ham: Duke University Press. High Art. High Think Straight. I Can’t Investigator. Ivanchikova, A. Halberstam, J. Halberstam, J. Hart, L. Hayden, C. P. Heavenly Creatures Elena Undone Eloise Foucault, M Gartrell, N. and Bos, H. Gedmintas, R. Dock.” the in Murray “DS Hal, Common Ground Duggan, L. Duggan, L. L. Edelman, quarter
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. Jonas Åker Alla Ivanchikova The Kids Are All , and Female Per Flirting with the Law with the Flirting . Jan 21, 2011. Web. Web. . Jan 21, 2011. Volume . Oct 19, 2010. Web. . Oct 19, 2010. Web. 03 The Advocate. . Video. Dir. by by Dir. . Video. . QUODtv. Nov 8, 2010. Web. Nov 8, 2010. Web. . QUODtv. The Blue Angel The Kids Are All Right All Are Kids The . Feb 27, 2011. Web. Jul 1. Web. . Feb 27, 2011. . Dir. by Donatella Maiorca. Italian by Donatella Maiorca. . Dir. The Joel Kafetz Show Kafetz Joel The This is Me – At Home The BirdBox 2 Dir. by Lisa Cholodenko. Focus Features. 2010. 2010. Focus Features. by Lisa Cholodenko. Dir. . Ed. Dianne Hunter. Urbana: University of Il Urbana: . Ed. Dianne Hunter. . Dir. by Barbet Schroeder. 1992. DVD. Colum Barbet Schroeder. by . Dir. . Creator Harriet Braun. Prod. Kudos Film and Kudos Harriet Braun. Prod. . Creator Dir. by David Lynch. DVD. Universal Pictures. Pictures. DVD. Universal Lynch. by David Dir. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. The Norton Anthology . Interview. . Interview. . Interview. . Interview. . Dir. by Ned Farr. Red Road Studio, 2010. by Ned Farr. . Dir. . Interview. . Interview. Seduction and Theory: Readings of Gender, Representa Gender, Seduction and Theory: Readings of , 2010. Interview. Lisa Cholodenko, , 2010. Interview. , 2001. Dancing Through the Minefield: Some Obser Telephone – feat. Beyoncé feat. – Telephone Created by Ilene Chaiken. Showtime. Jan 18 2004 – Jan 18 2004 – by Ilene Chaiken. Showtime. Created , 2010. “This Is To Mother You.” You.” Mother To Is “This 2010. , , 1989. Marlene Dietrich, , 2011. Lisa Cholodenko, , 2011. . Jul 8. Web. Jul 1, 2011. Jul 1, 2011. . Jul 8. Web. . House of Gaga Publishing Inc. 2010. . House of Gaga Publishing Inc. . Dir. by Patty Jenkins. 2003. DVD. Columbia TriStar, 2004. 2004. 2003. DVD. Columbia TriStar, by Patty Jenkins. . Dir. Right 1997. bia TriStar, Magazine of Independent Film A Dreams Factory. 2009. DVD. Peccadillo Pictures. 2011. 2011. 2009. DVD. Peccadillo Pictures. Factory. Dreams Entertainment. 2006. 2001. Jul 1, 2011. Jul 1, 2011. Jul 1, 2011. Television.TriStar 1995.by SonyJeff Pictures Bleckner. Home Mar 8 2009. BBC3 Channel. 2010. Television. formance. tion, and Rhetoric 1989. 28-46. linois Press, 08, 2010. of Feminist Liter Practice, and Politics vations on the Theory, ary Criticism. Norton and Company. W.W. York: B. Leitch. New Vincent lund Single White Female Smith, D. Serving in Silence: The Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer Story Margarethe Colonel Silence: The Serving in Shoquist, L. Peace, Heather Peace, Heather Peace, Heather Di Mare) The Sea Purple (Viola The L Word. The L Lip Service Season 1 Monster Marine Story A Mayne, J. Drive. Mulholland Karpel, A. Right. All Are Kids The A. Kolodny, Lady Gaga. quarter
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Alla Ivanchikova The Atlantic. Flirting with the Law with the Flirting Volume 03 A Gay Gal’s Guide to Popular Culture. Guide to Popular Culture. Gal’s Gay A Dir. By Anthony Minghella. 1999. DVD. Par Anthony By Dir. Dir. by Patricia Rozema. Alliance Communi by Patricia Rozema. Dir. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. University Cambridge: Harvard The Trouble with Normal: Sex, Politics, and the Eth with Normal: The Trouble . Dir. by Shamim Sarif. 2008. DVD. Enlightenment by Shamim Sarif. 2008. . Dir. , 2011 My Big Fat Straight Wedding. Big Fat My Straight Wedding. , 2011 , 2011. Hot Fuzz. Hot , 2011. , 2001. cation Corporation. 1995. DVD. Wolfe Video. 1996. Video. Wolfe cation Corporation. 1995. DVD. 2008. Productions. Nov 8, 2010. Web. Jul 1. Nov 8, 2010. Web. Jul 1. 2008. Web. amount, 2002. ics of Queer Life. The World Unseen The World Snarker, D. Snarker, Sullivan, A. Mister Ripley. Talented M. Warner, Falling. Is When Night quarter
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