The Others

I am very interested in the idea of the Other. It seems to me that this is one of the central issues in the field of queer and lesbian theory. I am not sure if this need to define who we are by who we are not is something that is inherent in our genes or if it is a social construct that has become so ingrained in our culture as human beings that it only seems to have been ever-present. This is by no means an attempt to make an excuse for the behavior that would exclude those who are different. We need the other in order to survive. There must be diversity in a species in order for it to thrive. By trying to deny the Other, or by trying to make it seem inferior, those in control only doom themselves. One way or another, as history has shown us, those who are pushed to the side because they are different from those with the power will find a way to be heard and eventually reckoned with. We can only exclude the Other as long as they remain unaware of the strength they possess. Once the illusion of the status quo is longer able to hold back the tide, they will come crashing down upon “Us” with a vengeance. The Other is not some subculture who need us to survive. Without the Other, we are only a group of different “Others” that could just as easily be pushed aside if we are deemed unworthy.