Queer Word- and World-Making in South Africa: Dignified Sounds

This book explores linguistic and performative strategies of resistance, or queer word- and world-making, in the everyday experiences of sexuality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It examines the meanings coded in words used to depict same-sexuality and the productive silences surrounding them, and how these meanings are embraced, altered, and resisted through labors of everyday existence. It will be of interest to scholars and upper-level students of anthropology, queer studies, and African studies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 04 May 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the intricate tapestry of everyday sexual experiences in the vibrant province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. By exploring personal narratives and various queer artifacts, it seeks to unravel the linguistic and performative strategies of resistance employed by the LGBTQ+ community, known as queer word- and world-making. The realm of non-normative expressions of gender and sexuality in South Africa becomes a stage for the politics of words, where the contested meanings and valuations of these terms are intricately reflected in the way they roll off tongues. It challenges the notion that sexualities can be reduced to mere acts, feelings, or identities, emphasizing instead their embodiment of desires that shape and influence social contexts.

Taylor Riley delves into the profound meanings encoded in the words used to depict same-sexuality, unearthing the productive silences that surround them. She examines how these meanings are embraced, altered, and resisted through the tireless labors of everyday existence. This volume offers a fresh perspective and personalizes the highly contested meanings associated with queer life and LGBTI rights in South Africa. It appeals to scholars and upper-level students of anthropology, queer studies, and African studies, inviting them to engage in a deeper exploration of the complexities and nuances of this vibrant community.

Weight: 424g
Dimension: 160 x 241 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367423933