Understanding Crime
Week 5 Lecture Notes
Queer Criminology
Key Terms
• Biological sex- humans as being make or female, depending on the chromosomal expression,
internal reproductive organs, and the external genitalia.
• Intersex- a medical condition in which the development varies from normal and may result in
sex that does not t usual de nition of male or female.
• Gender- socially constructed category that re ects a set of behaviours and expectations
associated with person’s biological sex and social norms concerning masculinity and felinity:
- Physical appearance
- Gender identity
- Gender expression
• Cisgender describes people who identify as and express the same gender they were assigned
at birth upon their perceived biological sex.
• Transgender incorporates a range of identities, all of which do not conform to traditional gender
expectations and presentations:
- Transsexuals
- Cross- dressers
- Genderqueer
• Sexuality is broadly de ned as the unique pattern of sexual and romantic desires, behaviour,
and identity that each person possesses.
• Sexuality is not synonymous with gender identity:
- Sexual attraction
- Sexual behaviour
- Sexual identity (heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual, asexual and pansexual).
Acronym LGBTQIA
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, intersex, Asexual.
• At time there is another ‘’A’ in the acronym- allies who do not identify as LGBTQIA, but who
support the rights and safety of those who do identify as one of the letters.
• A blend of gender and sexuality terms.
• Expanding, aspects of gender identity became con ated with sexual orientation.
• The evolution of the identity perspective has developed beyond requiring homosexual
individuals to claim a space on the sexuality continuum as a stance against heteronormative
dominance to include an understanding of sexuality as developing and changing over time.
Developments- Queer Theory
• Queer theory recognises that gender and sexuality are two layers of identity that societies and
institutions associate with power.
• Disrupts the social and cultural pressures for individuals to behave in particular ways.
• Dismantles categories of gender and sexual identify to reject and make new power dynamics
possible.
• Each layer of identity, depending on the context, contributes to the level of power associated
with that identity.
• A power structure in which positions have been used to oppress and limit options for women
(regardless for sexuality) and all those whose sexuality, gender identity, and gender expression
di er from heterosexual men.
• Queer theory rejects binary understandings of gender and sexuality as a means of disrupting
hegemonic power structures.
Queer Criminology
• This theory is still developing.
• Two main goals:
- It strives to put lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA)
people at the centre of criminology inquiry.
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Week 5 Lecture Notes
Queer Criminology
Key Terms
• Biological sex- humans as being make or female, depending on the chromosomal expression,
internal reproductive organs, and the external genitalia.
• Intersex- a medical condition in which the development varies from normal and may result in
sex that does not t usual de nition of male or female.
• Gender- socially constructed category that re ects a set of behaviours and expectations
associated with person’s biological sex and social norms concerning masculinity and felinity:
- Physical appearance
- Gender identity
- Gender expression
• Cisgender describes people who identify as and express the same gender they were assigned
at birth upon their perceived biological sex.
• Transgender incorporates a range of identities, all of which do not conform to traditional gender
expectations and presentations:
- Transsexuals
- Cross- dressers
- Genderqueer
• Sexuality is broadly de ned as the unique pattern of sexual and romantic desires, behaviour,
and identity that each person possesses.
• Sexuality is not synonymous with gender identity:
- Sexual attraction
- Sexual behaviour
- Sexual identity (heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual, asexual and pansexual).
Acronym LGBTQIA
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, intersex, Asexual.
• At time there is another ‘’A’ in the acronym- allies who do not identify as LGBTQIA, but who
support the rights and safety of those who do identify as one of the letters.
• A blend of gender and sexuality terms.
• Expanding, aspects of gender identity became con ated with sexual orientation.
• The evolution of the identity perspective has developed beyond requiring homosexual
individuals to claim a space on the sexuality continuum as a stance against heteronormative
dominance to include an understanding of sexuality as developing and changing over time.
Developments- Queer Theory
• Queer theory recognises that gender and sexuality are two layers of identity that societies and
institutions associate with power.
• Disrupts the social and cultural pressures for individuals to behave in particular ways.
• Dismantles categories of gender and sexual identify to reject and make new power dynamics
possible.
• Each layer of identity, depending on the context, contributes to the level of power associated
with that identity.
• A power structure in which positions have been used to oppress and limit options for women
(regardless for sexuality) and all those whose sexuality, gender identity, and gender expression
di er from heterosexual men.
• Queer theory rejects binary understandings of gender and sexuality as a means of disrupting
hegemonic power structures.
Queer Criminology
• This theory is still developing.
• Two main goals:
- It strives to put lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA)
people at the centre of criminology inquiry.
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fi fi fi fl fl
