Identity as a phenomenon of individual self- determination based on queer studies theory
Identity as a phenomenon of individual self- determination based on queer studies theory

Summary/Abstract: On the one hand, identity concerns the way in which an individual considers and con-structs themselves as a member of specific social groups: nation, social class, culturallevel, ethnicity, gender or occupation. On the other hand, however, it is related the way inwhich the norms of these groups make each individual think, behave, position and relateto themselves, to others, to the group in question and to external groups understood, per-ceived and classified as “otherness”.According to Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida and Julia Kristeva, queer theory questionsthe naturalness of an individual’s gender identity, sexual identity and sexual acts, arguingthat they are fully or partially social constructs and hence individuals cannot be describedby such general terms as ‘heterosexual’ or ‘female’. Queer theory therefore challengesthe common practice of categorising people to make them ‘fit’ into one or more specific,pre-defined categories.

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