Introduction

Welcome everyone to GWS-180, Queer Feminist Theories, led by Profe Esther Hernandez-Medina!

Each section in this book deals with a different subtopic about the theories and frameworks of varying feminist and/or queer scholars, from Audre Lorde to Chandra Talpade Mohanty to Maria Lugones. Part I, “Bodies, Sexuality, and Taboos,” embraces Lorde’s understanding of the erotic to delve into oftentimes unspoken topics such as sex work and ableism. Part II is called “Bodies, Sexuality, and Technology” and traces several branches of 21st-century feminisms as they relate to physical and technological manifestations of the human body and sexuality. Part III, our largest section, is titled “Black, Indigenous, and Decolonial Alternatives.” This section expands on the foundational concepts of transnational, Black, and Indigenous feminisms that birthed modern feminist discourse to make connections to media studies, environmental justice, and medical biology. Last but not least, we have Part IV, “Emancipatory Politics and Social Movements.” This section highlights the work of contemporary feminists who are examining concepts of sociopolitical freedom and queer futurity.

We also want to take time to acknowledge our professor, Profe Esther Hernandez-Medina, our library assistants, Kenneth Cotich and Nazia Islam, our guest speakers, Arisleyda Diloné and Josefina Báez, and our peers at the Center for Speaking, Writing, and the Image (CSWIM) for all of their assistance throughout this semester. We are super excited to present this book to you all, and we hope that you enjoy it!