I think the last part of class that focused most on the present and future of queer rights was the most exciting yet terrifying to learn about. The past has and always will influence how the present and future play out, but the present is considerably fascinating to me because it most directly affects us. Knowing that we have come so far since sodomy laws and being considered mentally ill is heartening (despite the fact that it's literally the very bare minimum). But like I talked about a little bit in Paper #3, the future for us as queer people in the United States is unpredictable.
I emphasized the importance of sustaining hope, and hope is infinitely important in the context of the fight for queer rights, but it certainly doesn't quell the fear and uncertainty of not knowing. The politics in this country have always fluctuated, not unlike a pendulum, and will likely continue to shift in ways we can’t even imagine. But I also feel like critical theory is a sort of guiding light in these times of uncertainty as it allows us the chance to ground everything we learn about and move forward with it. So that gives me a little bit of hope!
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