Performing the Pain: Opening the (Crip) Body for (Queer) Pleasures
Main Article Content
Keywords
queer theory, pain, crip
Abstract
With a view to interdisciplinary dialogue(s) between queer theory and disability studies, this article discusses the work of Bob Flanagan and his partner Sheree Rose. Specifically, it focuses on their queer S/M practices as a strategy of negotiating disability/pain, but also as a practice redefining notions of (disabled) embodiment. It also discusses Flanagan and Rose’s queer/crip politics as an opening for “desiring disability.”
References
Ahmed, S. (2004). The cultural politics of emotion. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press.
Bauer, R. (2005). When gender becomes safe, sane and consensual: Gender play as a queer BDSM practice. In E. H. Yekani, & B. Michaelis (Eds.), Quer duch die Geisteswissenschaften. Perspektiven der Queer Theory (pp. 73-86). Berlin: Querverlag.
Bendelow G. A. & Williams S. J. (1995). Transcending the dualism: Towards a sociology of pain. Sociology of Health & Illness, 17(2), 139-165.
Butler, J. (1993). Bodies that matter: On the discursive limits of "sex." London/New York: Routledge.
Carr, C. (1997, November 18). The pain artist. The Village Voice, p. A1.
Cassell, E. (1992). The body of the future. In D. Leder (Ed.), The body in medical thought and practice (pp. 233-249). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer / Springer.
Deleuze, G. (1989). Venus in furs, and coldness and cruelty. New York/London: MIT Press.
Foucault, M. (1979). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. London: Penguin.
Foucault, M. (1988). Truth, power, self. An interview with Michel Foucault. In L. H. Martin, H. Gutman & P. H. Hutton (Eds.), Technologies of the self. London: Tavistock.
Garland-Thomson, R. (2001). Seeing the disabled: Visual rhetorics of disability in popular photography. In P. K. Longmore & L. Umanski (Eds.), The new disability history: American perspectives (pp. 335-374). New York: University Press.
Greenblatt, S. (1980). The renaissance self-fashioning. From More to Shakespeare. Chicago/ London: The University of Chicago Press.
Hart, L. (1998). Between the body and the flesh: Performing sadomasochism. New York: Columbia University Press.
Juno, A. & Vale, V. (Eds.). (1993). Bob Flanagan: Supermasochist. San Francisco: RE/Search.
Kauffman, L. S., (1998). Bad girls and sick boys: Fantasies in contemporary art and culture Berkeley, CA / London, UK: University of California Press.
Kotarba, J. A. (1983). Chronic pain: Its social dimensions. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Leder, D. (1998). Pain and the 'dys-appearing' body. In S. J. Williams & G. Bendelow (Eds.), The lived body: Sociological themes, embodied issues. London: Routledge.
Lorde, A. (1984). Uses of the erotic: the erotic as power. In Sister outsider: Essays and speeches by Audre Lorde (pp. 53-59). Trumansburg, NY: The Crossing Press Feminist Series.
McRuer, R. (2006). Crip theory: Cultural signs of queerness and disability. New York: New Yorker University Press.
McRuer, R. & Wilkerson, A. (2003). GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 9, 1-23.
Meiners, E. (1999). Sick and twisted: Reading revolting research. Qualitative Studies in Education, 12(5), 565-586.
Morris, D. (1991). The culture of pain. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Price, J., & Schildrick, M. (2002). Bodies together: Touch, ethics and disability. In M. Corker & T. Shakespeare (Eds.), Disability/postmodernity: Embodying disability theory (pp. 62-75). London: Continuum.
Rubin, G. (1993). Thinking sex: Notes for a radical theory of the politics of sexuality. In H. Abelove, M. A. Barale, & D. Halperin (Eds.), The lesbian and gay studies reader (pp. 3-45). New York/London: Routledge.
Sandahl, C. (2003). Queering the crip or cripping the queer? Intersections of queer and crip identities in solo autobiographical performance. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 9, 25-56.
Scarry, E. (1985). The body in pain: The making and unmaking of the world. New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Smith, R. (1996, January 6) Bob Flanagan, 43, Performer who fashioned art from his pain, New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/06/arts/bob-flanagan-43-performer-who-fashioned-art-from-his-pain.html
Bauer, R. (2005). When gender becomes safe, sane and consensual: Gender play as a queer BDSM practice. In E. H. Yekani, & B. Michaelis (Eds.), Quer duch die Geisteswissenschaften. Perspektiven der Queer Theory (pp. 73-86). Berlin: Querverlag.
Bendelow G. A. & Williams S. J. (1995). Transcending the dualism: Towards a sociology of pain. Sociology of Health & Illness, 17(2), 139-165.
Butler, J. (1993). Bodies that matter: On the discursive limits of "sex." London/New York: Routledge.
Carr, C. (1997, November 18). The pain artist. The Village Voice, p. A1.
Cassell, E. (1992). The body of the future. In D. Leder (Ed.), The body in medical thought and practice (pp. 233-249). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer / Springer.
Deleuze, G. (1989). Venus in furs, and coldness and cruelty. New York/London: MIT Press.
Foucault, M. (1979). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. London: Penguin.
Foucault, M. (1988). Truth, power, self. An interview with Michel Foucault. In L. H. Martin, H. Gutman & P. H. Hutton (Eds.), Technologies of the self. London: Tavistock.
Garland-Thomson, R. (2001). Seeing the disabled: Visual rhetorics of disability in popular photography. In P. K. Longmore & L. Umanski (Eds.), The new disability history: American perspectives (pp. 335-374). New York: University Press.
Greenblatt, S. (1980). The renaissance self-fashioning. From More to Shakespeare. Chicago/ London: The University of Chicago Press.
Hart, L. (1998). Between the body and the flesh: Performing sadomasochism. New York: Columbia University Press.
Juno, A. & Vale, V. (Eds.). (1993). Bob Flanagan: Supermasochist. San Francisco: RE/Search.
Kauffman, L. S., (1998). Bad girls and sick boys: Fantasies in contemporary art and culture Berkeley, CA / London, UK: University of California Press.
Kotarba, J. A. (1983). Chronic pain: Its social dimensions. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Leder, D. (1998). Pain and the 'dys-appearing' body. In S. J. Williams & G. Bendelow (Eds.), The lived body: Sociological themes, embodied issues. London: Routledge.
Lorde, A. (1984). Uses of the erotic: the erotic as power. In Sister outsider: Essays and speeches by Audre Lorde (pp. 53-59). Trumansburg, NY: The Crossing Press Feminist Series.
McRuer, R. (2006). Crip theory: Cultural signs of queerness and disability. New York: New Yorker University Press.
McRuer, R. & Wilkerson, A. (2003). GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 9, 1-23.
Meiners, E. (1999). Sick and twisted: Reading revolting research. Qualitative Studies in Education, 12(5), 565-586.
Morris, D. (1991). The culture of pain. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Price, J., & Schildrick, M. (2002). Bodies together: Touch, ethics and disability. In M. Corker & T. Shakespeare (Eds.), Disability/postmodernity: Embodying disability theory (pp. 62-75). London: Continuum.
Rubin, G. (1993). Thinking sex: Notes for a radical theory of the politics of sexuality. In H. Abelove, M. A. Barale, & D. Halperin (Eds.), The lesbian and gay studies reader (pp. 3-45). New York/London: Routledge.
Sandahl, C. (2003). Queering the crip or cripping the queer? Intersections of queer and crip identities in solo autobiographical performance. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 9, 25-56.
Scarry, E. (1985). The body in pain: The making and unmaking of the world. New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Smith, R. (1996, January 6) Bob Flanagan, 43, Performer who fashioned art from his pain, New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/06/arts/bob-flanagan-43-performer-who-fashioned-art-from-his-pain.html
Article Sidebar
Published
Nov 3, 2014
Article Details
Issue
Section
Forums
RDS Journal is an open-access journal, create a free account to read full articles and to submit a proposal. For visual arts and multimedia, submission will be considered evidence that you are offering RDS the right to display your work without penalty, compensation or royalties.
Author Biography
Kateřina Kolářová, Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies in the Department of Gender Studies, Charles University, Prague
Kateřina Kolářová, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies in the Department of Gender Studies, Charles University, Prague. She may be contacted at: [email protected] or at: [email protected].