Language & Sexuality (327-0-20)

Instructors

Gregory Ward
847/491-8055
2016 Sheridan Rd., Room 203
Office Hours: after class and by appt

Meeting Info

Cresap Laboratory 101: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

This course will explore the ways in which language is used to construct, negotiate, present, and/or conceal the sexual identity/ies and orientation/s of its speakers. The approach to the course will be primarily linguistic; we will investigate various aspects of language as used by members of various sexual identities, focusing on the language of and about gay men and lesbians. Among the topics to be covered will be "reclaimed epithets" (e.g. "dyke" and "queer"), gender vs. sexuality vs. sex, coming-out stories as gay genre, the sexual lexicon, cross-cultural sexual diversity, and the general role of language in creating, reifying, and reproducing sexual categories, identities, and intimacy.