Writing the Queer Body for Queer Writers

"To write something, to make art of it, is to make a claim about its value. Even in our age of marriage equality, when as a culture we tell ourselves a very flattering story about gay liberation, it remains the case that our culture despises the queer body, especially the queer sexual body," Garth Greenwell writes in an essay for The Guardian. "To write about the queer body not just explicitly, but with all of the resources of the literary tradition, to write it in a way that foregrounds beauty and lyricism is, I hope, a way to cherish that body. It’s a way not to argue for its value but to recognise and proclaim its value, and to lavish it with the peculiar, ennobling dignity art can bestow."

In this 6-hour seminar, we will look at ways the queer body has been portrayed in literature over time, how the cishet gaze has historically been imposed on our stories, and the ways in which queer and trans writers have been reclaiming the ways in which our bodies are represented on the page. We will analyze existing work and there will be time to discuss particular scenes that the writers may be working on that deal with queer bodies and queer sex.

While this class has been designed with LGBTQ+ writers in mind and will center the perspectives of those writers, all writers are welcome.

Class Format

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.