A Queer Theory : Written By Richard Blanco

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Everyone has their own take on controversial subjects faced in society, and no matter what age we live in, this particular subject seems to stay just as relevant in the generation before as it does today. The poem written by Richard Blanco titled â Queer Theory: According to My Grandmotherâ (2012), which

explains how the authorâ s grandmother views his open gayness, as well as the

photograph titled â Two Men Inspecting the Grass Closelyâ (Details unknown),

together deal with how society views the LGBT community, which is illustrated in the arguments of human identity, stereotypes held by others, and values held by society. First, the poem titled,â Queer Theory: According to My Grandmotherâ is

from the perspective of Richard Blancoâ…show more content…
Although this concept of what being queer really looks like is a topic bouncing throughout this poem, there is also the controversy of where the line is drawn between masculinity and femininity. As the poem goes on, the grandmother begins to get more outrageous with her commands stating â -shampoo is just for women.

So is conditioner. So is moose. So is hand lotion.â (line 38-41), as well as

â Men donâ t cook- they eat. Eat everything you want, except: deviled eggs Blow Pops Croissants Cucumber Sandwiches Petit foursâ (line 46-51). When the

odd, demented requests start showing, one can only start to wonder where these rules can start to take a toll on oneâ s self identity. With these types of

remarks made by his own grandmother, the line is drawn and redrawn over again by what is considered the collective idea of â queerâ by her generation. Although Blancoâ s response or reaction is not shown anywhere in this poem, it

must have hit him harshly. In oneâ s path to finding their own sexual

orientation it is a very common concept to either be out of the closet and proud or be very quiet and ashamed of what they identify with. This important step in self empowerment shapes human identity, the reality of being accepted by loved ones cannot be in lacking otherwise all forms of self expression is lost within hate. In his own words he describes this

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