Queer Theory, Gender Theory--Riki Wilchins

In her third book, Queer Theory, Gender Theory: An Instant Primer, Riki Wilchins ventures from writing an autobiography (Read My Lips) and editing an anthology )GenderQueer) to writing theory explicitly. In particular, she seeks to take theory out of its current limited circulation among "academics and graduate students" (1) and reinvigorate its political center and make it accessible to activists.

Wilchins begins by giving brief histories of civil rights movements (chapters 1-3), follows with discussions of postmodern theory centered around Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault (chapters 4-6) complete with contemporary examples of uses of postmodern theory (chapters 7 & 8), and then proceeds to discuss postmodern theory's weaknesses (chapter 9-11), notably its lack of "any vision of constructive social engagement and political action" (100), and its tendency not to account for the varying perspectives people might encounter due to dimensions of difference, specifically race (chapter 10). Similarly focused on limitations and weaknesses, in chapter 11, Wilchins uses Judith Bulter's work to assert that identity-based politics, while in some ways facilitate political organizing and movement, inevitably and undesirably create margins and practice exclusion. The final chapter chronicling GenderPAC's founding and continue development and growth are offered by Wilchins as an example of theory being put into action.

Wilchins' purpose is to bridge queer theory and human rights activism in order to instill in academics the necessity of putting theory into action, and perhaps more importantly, to offer those unfamiliar with queer theory access to the possibilities such theorizing has opened up and makes available (as evidenced by the book's subtitle "An Instant Primer").

I was really excited when this book came out, so much so that I assigned it to an upper-level feminist theories class I was teaching. The reactions were missed. Some felt it was too abridged, and that its focus on being an "instant" primer sacrificed much needed nuance and complexity. Others really thought the book was accessible and understandable, which appealed to them. One of the biggest problems I found, though, were when students read this book and thought that afterwards then "knew it all."

I can't fault Wilchins for this, but I do think that there are ways in which the book lends itself to exactly this reading of it. A good text for a quick intro, and for folks new to the topic, but definitely only a beginning.