AUTHOR=King Andrew , Hall Matthew 

TITLE=Queer(y)ing aging—potentialities and problems in applying Queer Theory to studies of aging and later life

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sociology

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sociology/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1228993

DOI=10.3389/fsoc.2023.1228993

ISSN=2297-7775

ABSTRACT=Queer Theory is a radically deconstructionist perspective within the humanities and social sciences. Since its initial emergence in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the field of sexualities studies, Queer Theory has increasingly been used to challenges normative notions of self, identity, temporality and the nature of being, more broadly. Whilst Queer Theory has been utilised, to some extent, in gerontology and ageing studies, this article makes an original contribution to this endeavour, assessing the potentiality and problems with queer(y)ing three aspects of ageing: chronology; cognition; and frailty and vulnerability. To achieve this, the article draws on ideas from some key Queer theorical writers, existing studies of queer ageing and illustrates theoretical points with qualitative data collected from two LGBTQ+ projects to illustrate. The article also considers problems with Queer Theory in challenging normativities associated with ageing. It is concluded that despite problems, Queer Theory remains an important and valuable theoretical approach for disturbing and challenging many of the norms and understandings that shape and constrain older LGBTQ+ people's lives, in particular, and therefore have importance for how we think and understand ageing and later life sociologically.