Some examples of texts that I would consider adding to the syllabus are:
- “Stonewall” by Martin Duberman, which is a historical account of the 1969 Stonewall riots and the birth of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
- “The Argonauts” by Maggie Nelson, which is a personal and critical exploration of gender, sexuality, and family.
- “Orlando” by Virginia Woolf, which is a novel about a gender-fluid character who lives through several centuries of English history.
- “Fun Home” by Alison Bechdel, which is a graphic novel that examines the intersections of sexuality, gender, and family through the story of the author’s coming-of-age.
- “Gender Trouble” by Judith Butler, which is a seminal work of feminist and queer theory that explores the construction of gender and sexuality.
- “Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin, which is a novel about a young man struggling with his sexuality in 1950s Paris.
These texts would provide a rich and diverse range of perspectives and experiences for students to explore and engage with. They would also provide a foundation for discussions of key concepts and issues in queer theory, such as the construction of gender and sexuality, the marginalization of LGBTQ+ people, and the challenges and opportunities of living as a queer person.