Towards a Feminist-Queer Alliance: A Paradigmatic Shift in the Research Process.

Building on the advances made by feminist reconsiderations of methods, methodology and epistemology, this paper calls for an alliance between feminist social science and the emerging field of queer theory and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender studies. By challenging the assumptions of traditional scientific approaches to research on sexual minority groups and sexual communities, a distinctly "queer" approach is advocated that adopts a reflexive position of subjectivity, context and performativity. Beginning with a critique of essentialist approaches that privilege gay/lesbian, man/woman, and object/subject, this queer approach to social science advances a framework of critical sexualities that moves social science and knowledge into an arena of inclusivity and multiple identities rather than monolithic dualisms and identity politics. The implications of this project are clear: a fundamental rethinking of identity categories that transcend traditional, stagnant dualisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]