Gender and queer theories, today

In this inaugural lecture, the relevance, urgency, and subversive potential of gender and queer theories in both academia and broader society are examined. Through the lens of lived experience, public backlash, and academic activism, the entanglements of heteronormativity, institutional violence, and queer epistemologies are critically assessed as they challenge entrenched social hierarchies. Queer theory is not merely approached as identity discourse but as a framework for reimagining social structures, knowledge production, and the nature of public space. Emphasis is placed on the performative power of language, the political weight of naming, and the transformative capacity of alliances. Rather than aiming solely for inclusion, gender and queer theories are portrayed as committed to structurally subverting the heterosexual mode of production. A redefinition of democracy and the public sphere is advocated—anchored in anti-patriarchal, anti-racist, decolonial, and anti-capitalist values. Ultimately, queer theory is presented as an essential tool for envisioning and enacting more just and livable worlds.