September 2, 2026
How (Not) To Talk About Dolly Parton
The New York Times says Dolly Parton's glitz was a disguise for the real woman underneath. But if being is playing a role, there was never anything underneath. A response to Rhonda Garelick.
Articles for tag: David M. Halperin, Dolly Parton, feminism, gay desire
July 7, 2026
Queer Theory 101: What Does “Queer” Actually Mean?
What does queer mean? One takeaway from a quick review of—mostly negative—responses to Matthew Vines’s recent post for The New York Times, “I’m Gay, Not Queer. It Matters,” is that people are very confused about what the term queer means.
I’m a Queer Gay, Not Gay. It Matters.
Matthew Vines's New York Times essay argues that "queer" endangers gay rights. Drawing on David Halperin's account of gayness as identity, culture, and desire, I argue that the problem is not queerness. It's a politics that trades the dignity of others for approval.
Gay Desire: A Second Chance For Gay Theology
Tony Hoshaw is writing a book, in public, entitled Gay Desire: A Second Chance for Gay Theology. Building on David M. Halperin's book, How To Be Gay, Tony argues that the proper ground for gay theology is gay desire, not a theory of androgyny.
