Articles

The Queer Experience: A Phenomenological Approach to Life Trajectories from the Perspective of Diversity and Gender

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Abstract

Queer theory has had a central premise since its foundation: to destabilize identities and understand them as contested sociocultural constructs. This article combines conceptual elements from queer theory and phenomenology to understand the formation of queer subjectivities and experiences. This research was conducted by studying adult queer book clubs in Quito, Ecuador. Through an ethnographical methodology, the processes of subjectivation within these communities are reconstructed, as well as their cultural practices. The result is an insight into queer populations that suggests that their queer experiences transcend the categories of homosexuality and transsexuality, and are instead shaped by identifications, life trajectories, and shared experiences. Finally, it conceives a marica experience category that takes local conditions and intersectional relations under consideration. 

Keywords: queer theory, phenomenology, LGBTI+, qualitative research, gender diversity

How to Cite:

Polo-Rojas, N. D., (2025) “The Queer Experience: A Phenomenological Approach to Life Trajectories from the Perspective of Diversity and Gender”, DiGeSt - Journal of Diversity and Gender Studies 12(1), 51-68. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/digest.91697