The Queer Art of Failure

by Jack Halberstam

Unknown Binding

Published September 19, 2011

Reviews

[jesse slater · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow !!!

“At the same time the empty pools stand like ruins, abandoned and littered with leaves and other signs of disuse, and in this ruined state they represent a perversion of desire, the decay of the commodity, the queerness of the disassociation of use from value.” p. 111

[Colin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Largely absurd. Everything interesting and imaginative is "queer", apparently. It's probably best not to think too much about this. Most of her examples are from cartoons, so she gives an example of the monster in the bedroom scaring the children in Monsters Inc as a powerfully queer scene. Er... Mate, have you really thought this through?

Weirdly the very transgressive, very imaginative film Trainspotting is just about the only movie she discusses that she thinks isn't queer. Why?
Well, as near as I can tell, because they're working class.

There's a weird tangent where she breaks off to talk about the role of gay men in the development of fascism. I have no point if reference with which to gauge whether she has a point, but I have to admit the er... ballsiness... Of the attempt.