Before you take issue with the sensationalized efforts of the title of this posting, please take into account that context(s) may not always be obvious. Enjoy..
Identity Bitches
When first hearing the word disidentification your first thought wouldn’t be Jose Esteban Munoz’s “Performing Disidentification” (Munoz 1999). Your immediate thought wouldn’t be the Minoritarian “..subject a space to situate itself” (Munoz 1999) either. To not identify? Positionally it’s hard not to becoming slightly ecstatic at ones successful ability to “..be seen as assimilationist.” (Munoz 1999) among the “..majoritarian subjects..” (Munoz 1999). Queer radicals would call “..logics of heteronormative, white supremacy, misogyny.” (Munoz 1999) Is Munoz radical? Maybe not. Disidentification comes from a “..different theoretical paradigms” (Munoz 1999). Why is disidentification the ultimate social survival tactic? What is successful disidentification?
Beginning with “..formation of counterpublics..” (Munoz 1999) it might be worth noting that not all ‘publics’ may find Disidentification useful if considered a member of the “..majoritarian public sphere” (Munoz 1999). Furthermore this tactic particularly exists for and “..offer the Minoritarian subject a space to situate itself in history..” (Munoz 1999). This tactic socially involves the use of assimilation and resistance simultaneously as apposed to (Identification: Respondingly affirmatively and Counter Identification: Overly Rebellion), as discussed in class. Considering not to immediately take Munoz literally or exact. To be be or not to be. To live meticulously or in Approximations.
Brings to observation the function of “Essentialism versus anti-essentialism debate that surround stove of self-formation.” (Munoz 1999). What is “..fixed identity disposition” (Munoz 1999) and what is “..socially constructed..” (Munoz 1999) Nature versus Nurture or Nature and Nurture? It’s best to deviate from essentialism or generalize the lives of minorities or “..minoritarian subjects..” (Munoz 1999) and “..reduce identities to lowest-common-denominator terms.” (Munoz 1999). Almost comical to think that sexual and gender identities exist on a spectrum is perchance still considered a radical idea. Misidentification brings into debate identities as a Spectrum.
Slavoj Sizek was mentioned by Munoz who controversially once stated “Happiness is an unethical catagory.” sees disidentification as “..political possibility..” (Munoz 1999) expanding “..fictionalization to the point of political immobilization.” (Munoz 1999). Is this what is needed to achieve for the success of disidentification? Not everyone is able to achieve understanding in the value of assimilation. Possibly because the damage or “..dismissal of queerness” (Munoz 1999) has already been constituted. To survive or succeed possibly requires the ability to view ones “..privilege or class structure..” (Munoz 1999) objectively. SDS readings copiously and subjectively express their need of self-reflexivity and this could be seen as the practice of Objectivity.
As stated by Munoz “..theoretical work of Gomez’s practical performances..” (Munoz 1999) there makes a distinction of practice versus theory. Readings of Patrick Johnson might be brought into question. Disidentification brings the necessity of making distinctions between material bodies and theory. “No disidentification without the cultural work of people..” (Munoz 1999) obviously enlightened us that these people have material bodies. How often is it stated that one must use multiple strategies to exist in social settings? “..dominant public sphere simultaneously” (Munoz 1999) The spectrum of identities is one thing but the practice of Multiplicity is another.
Subscribe to The Morning Email.
Wake up to the day's most important news.
Is it appropriate to imply that one needs to succeed at disidentification? As Munoz points out “..resistance needs to be pronounced and direct..” (Munoz 1999) which stresses the function of resistance. Whether one is succeeding at misidentification, maybe one simply needs to be encourage a discussion of resistance. Resistance not just to the “..majoritarian public sphere..” (Munoz 1999) but to the continuing pressure of normality. What is the alternative? Regardless it might be coherent that we all design our own alternative or alternative(s) ways of living. Conceivably that is the diss, the ultimate diss. These alternative(s) may or may not been rooted in ones abilities, practices, and ultimate survival tactics of misidentification. It should be mentioned this essay was written intoxicated at Glad Day Bookstore on Church street, Toronto Ontario Canada.