In the article, “Intoduction to Desiring Disability: Queer Theory Meets Disability Studies,” Robert McRuer and Abbie Wilkerson argue the term homonormativity entails seeking an access into an established set of practices, instead of contesting the institutions. They write, “Lisa Duggan writes of neoliberal gay organizations such as the Independent Gay Forum, which ‘position[s] itself against antigay conservatism and queer progressive politics— between which poles the ‘differing views’ of its listed writers may range.’ ‘The new neoliberal sexual politics of the IGF,’ Duggan continues, ‘Might be termed the new homonormativity – it is a politics that does not contest dominant heteronormative assumptions and institutions but upholds and sustains them while promising the possibility of a demobilized gay constituency and privatized, depoliticized gay culture anchored in domesticity and consumption’” (9). An example of this can be bids on gay marriage. Rather than challenging and contesting the heteronormative institution of marriage, a gay couple seeks access into the practice, by wanting also to get married. Homonormativity can be seen as a discourse of acceptance and tolerance which contests with violence already embedded in heteronormativity. With this said, how can there be a resistance? According to their article, McRuer and Wilkerson argue that queer disability studies can be a point of resistance, by creating a space where heternormativity can be contested and challenged. A space where the alleged “tolerated” different body (one that’s queer or disabled) can instead become recognized in a space that, “an incredible variety of bodies and minds are valued and identities are shaped” (14). A space where, “Multiple corporealities,” can act, “in nonexploitative ways” (14). This resistant space can also be created in activism and art.
The Axis Dance Company’s performances can be an example of creating a resisting space that values “multiple corporealitites… in nonexploitative ways.” As an example of resistance in “desiring disability”, this company uses dance to convey the movement of multiple different bodies as art, in attempt to resist other popular discourse on “desiring disability”. McRuer and Wilkerson explain “resistance” as a strong way to describe “desiring disability,” in opposition to the other three ways of seeing the theory. These theories being: universalizing dismissal (i.e. we are all humans and disabled, and therefore disability is not important), fetishistic appropriation (i.e. disability is represented as a tolerated token to which abled-bodies can feel good about accepting), and neoliberal capitalism and militarism (i.e. homonormativity) (14). Resistance, on the other hand, dismisses the universalizing/tokenizing and acceptance to dominant framework, by creating a space where every body can be celebrated for their difference in a multiplicity of desire. The Axis Dance Company represents this space, because we assume that the convention of dance (in this medium) as a very strategic and choreographed art, which attempts to utilize specific bodies (and props) for very specific reasons. Hence, the wheel-chairs are celebrated and used as a special physical prop, in which the dance relies on. The “disabled” bodies in the dance, and the “disabled” props, are celebrated and vital to the visual story and narrative. Rather than seeking access to the heteronormative institution of dance, The Axis Dance Company resists the norm, by mixing a wide variety of bodies (disabled and abled) to create a new space (a new world) of dance that celebrates the multiplicity of desire. Blankly stated, The Axis Dance Company is not just comprised of disabled people contesting to heteronormative modern dance standards.
With this is mind, let’s take a look at Lady Ga Ga’s “Paparazzi” music video. I’d like to challenge the disability that’s visually shown and represented in this music video as representing a similar resistance to “desiring disability”, in that it creates a space where different bodies are celebrated and work to complete the narrative. In this story we see a performance in a space where multiple corporealities are at work. We see a space that resists the norm of able-bodied dancers, by integrating a disabled thread into the choreography. However, this can be challenged, because the space can also be considered exploitive, and thus victim to a discourse of fetishistic appropriation, because Ga Ga is playing a role, and not actually disabled. What are your thoughts?
Work Cited:
McRuer, Robert. Wilkerson, Abby L. “Introduction.” QLQ. 9.1 (2003): 1-23
Lady Ga Ga "Paparazzi" music video, directed by Jonas Akerlund. Found on Youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2smz_1L2_0&ob=av2e
I think your examination of the portrayal of disability in Lady GaGa's video is very interesting. In one sense, I think this work can be seen a positive visual representation of disability in that it shows someone "successful" and famous as a disabled body. However, that's where it seems to stop.
ReplyDeleteI remember when this video first came out the amount of controversy around what others deemed as exploitation of disabled persons. I think that even if GaGa was trying to do a good deed by resisting the norms of disability, the fact that she switches between able-bodied and disabled throughout the video highlight the cinematic nature of her "condition".
I think this is an interesting example of disabilities in modern pop culture that points to many of the things we discussed in class.
I can't tell yet what I think abut the video--there were so many elements to it that it is hard to pick out commentary specifically on disability. Was she saying that when one becomes disabled they become invisible (to the public eye)? Was she using disability in a fetishistic manner or was she critiquing that very act?
ReplyDeleteI think what this really did was get me thinking about the concept of disability-as-identity. One can be disabled from birth, but one can also become disabled through some event. No one goes to a Cher concert and becomes gay. If one really wanted to, they have the agency to make themselves disabled. While it is not necessarily a desirable identity to the general population, it fascinates me that one can pretty simply (however often irreversibly) gain access to this identity.
Something very interesting about Gaga's portrayal of disability lay in the fact that she has an "invisible" disability. Gaga has a rather severe case of Lupus, an autoimmune disease that can be physically disabling. I feel that she gives a positive image, especially when it is backed with the information of her illness, and the fact that she is constantly speaking out for acceptance of all people, whether they be gay, disabled, or just plain weird.
ReplyDeleteI must say that I feel like Gaga is both fetishizing disability and criticizing the idea of doing so. She attempts to make disability sexy, simply because she is so sexually forceful in general, making disability a possibly object of desire, which at the same time goes against the norms of accepting and even desiring those who are disabled.
Also, I like your explanation of "desiring disability." I had an "AHA!" moment while reading your blog. Bravo.
Your analysis of McRuer and Wilkerson's concept of "desiring disability" is spot-on and very well-argued. And I love the visual cultural production you chose to incorporate and the questions you're asking of it. You set this up very well in offering multiple readings of the video in relation to constructions of disability, embodiment, resistance, and exploitation (and the other comments on your post demonstrate that this video makes for a great discussion prompt). Fantastic job.
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