Purpose
This article investigates the relationship between homosexuality and notions about children and childhood. Based on queer theory and childhood sociology, critical perspectives are considered regarding age and sexuality that are presented here as childish queer theory. The article is based on two different childhood arenas, pre-school and child culture.
Result
The conclusion is that both pre-schools and the reactions of adults to child culture accept heterosexuality imperceptibly, while queerness is made into something notable. The relationship between queerness and childhood is understood as something that is popular, at the same time as being questioned. The article presents this as conditional queerness, where the child and childhood become arenas for discussions about the best interests of the child, and where the child’s desired future is negotiated.
Design
The researcher has looked at two previous studies and interviewed five educators and a pre-school manager. In addition, the researcher has analysed a issue of the children’s comic called Bamse, in which a gay couple is portrayed. Based on critical perspectives on age and sexuality, this article discusses the types of normalisations that are created regarding childhood and heterosexuality, and how these normalisations affect how queer sexuality is included within the two childhood arenas presented in the material.
References
Sotevik, L. (2019). «Framtidsfantasier – Kampen om barnets bästa». Lambda Nordica: Tidskrift om homosexualitet, 23(3-4):47-72.