Of Grindr, Homotopias And Homosexual Discursive Sites in Alberto Fuguet’s Sudor
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Date
2019-03
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Abstract
Recent events, such as the debate on marriage equality in Chile in November 2017 or the passing of gender identity legislation in January 2018, show the current relevance of the debate around sexuality. In the midst of this public discussion, my research seeks to answer these questions: How does technology provide a political platform for the LGBTQ community in Chile? What is the contribution of literature in the debate? To which extent are discourses in gay-themed literature, film and social media interwoven? In this paper, I examine how Alberto Fuguet’s Sudor (2016) opens up a possibility for an alternative discursive site by inserting Grindr conversations as a narrative tool in his novel. Drawing on Foucault’s heterotopia and Edouard Glissant’s idea of opacity, I contend Sudor shows that, by resorting to specific language and jargon, gay men turn Grindr into a safe space where they consolidate a multiplicity of identity discourses. I call this space ‘homotopia’, a discursive site that is only intelligible for LGBTQ people, providing them with an opportunity to validate discourses that contest heteronormativity in Chile.
Description
Humanities: 2nd Place (The Ohio State University Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum)
Keywords
Grindr, dating apps, gay, technology, heterotopias/homotopias, discourse