The ‘neat concept’ of sexual citizenship: a cautionary tale for human rights discourse
2009; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 15; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/13569770802674220
ISSN1469-3631
Autores Tópico(s)Feminism, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
ResumoAbstract The growing interest in human rights discourse is a welcome development for strategic lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activism and the appropriation of such a global signifier continues to move LGBT political claims into the mainstream. However, such language appropriation or strategic deployment opens debate as to its meaning and the limits of its descriptive power. For example, the popularity of citizenship discourse in the early 1990s led to an array of commentary from social and political theorists sketching the contours of epistemological meaning and potential policy outcomes. In the wake of this, queer social theorists pontificated on the meaning of 'sexual citizenship'. Citizenship was the new black and everyone was wearing it. Citizenship was interesting because it had, and still has, purchasing power within a liberal democratic tradition. Human rights discourse is interesting for similar reasons. This article's cautionary tale addresses the twofold concern: 'what is at stake in focusing on "human rights"?' and how can such a strategic linguistic shift be 'explained by political and sociological theories'? In raising these concerns, the article encourages those articulating human rights to be mindful of the potential variety of frames – readings and strategic or competing activists and academic agendas – within which this discourse might be used or, potentially, abused. Keywords: citizenshipwelfareLGBT rightssexual citizenship Acknowledgements For their helpful comments on versions of this paper, I would like to thank Jyl Josephson, Tony Smith, Cynthia Burack, the editors of this volume, Kelly Kollman and Matthew Waites, as well as anonymous reviewers. Additional informationNotes on contributorsAngelia R. Wilson Angelia R. Wilson is a senior lecturer in politics at the University of Manchester. Her research explores the intersection between feminist political theory, queer theory and policies regulating sexuality. This has taken two forms recently. First, she is completing a study entitled Why Europe is 'Gay Friendly' (and Why America Never Will Be) (forthcoming 2009), exploring the European and American differences in politics, cultures and social values underpinning divergent policies regulating the lives of lesbian and gay citizens. Second, she is finishing a project on the US Christian Right in the 2008 US presidential election, which builds on themes from her book Below the Belt: Sexuality, Religion and the American South. Email: a.r.wilson@manchester.ac.uk
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