Trinh T. Minh-ha(1953- )與Gloria Anzaldúa(1942- )兩人不約而同都將雙性戀特質或酷兒屬性(queerness)關連到認同雜種化(the hybridization of identity)的現象上,而提出性特質與認同政治之間關係的問題;並且還特別質問女性主義理論與Judith Butler(1956- )所謂「異性戀慾望之母體的霸權」(the hegemony of the matrix of heterosexual desire)之間的關係。Trinh與Anzaldúa運用種族、階級、性別、族群性質、國族性質,與性特質的差異來困擾人文科學,而Butler在《性別困擾:女性主義與認同的顛覆》(Gender Trouble : Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. 1990)一書中,則特別聚焦在人文科學如何操弄異性戀特質與同性戀特質的對立上。Butler對「酷兒理論」發展的貢獻是,她從女同志批評(lesbian criticism)的立場,修正女性主義所提出的性別與性特質理論。除此之外,Butler也挑戰異性戀褊狹心態(heterosexism)。從酷兒理論家的觀點來看,異性戀褊狹心態是認識論的構成要素之一,在這個基礎上,人文科學才得以建立。酷兒理論甚至比女性主義更進一步提議,將性別視為性特質之社會建構,以及更廣義的社會建構觀念本身,都是以性目的與性認同為名,抵禦無意識慾望之異質性所帶來威脅。
酷兒理論成為1990年代重要的批判者。他們認為傅柯的理論不僅說明異性戀文化,也涵蓋了男同志追求常態的企圖。「酷兒」現在是一個變動性詞彙,反對任何形式的性常態化(normalization)。這種受女性主義及後現代理論影響、重新配置酷兒主體,深刻挑戰了主張「性是由生物決定」的本質主義主體理論。本質主義預設「酷兒」是從一種獨特的男同性性慾發展而來的,酷兒則挑戰這樣的主張。酷兒性慾表現的是追求多型態的(polymorphous)性慾形構與幻想,而不需根據強制性的性別認同來規範、控制和組織性慾主體。
Upon a darkened night
the flame of love was burning in my breast
And by a lantern bright
I fled my house while all in quiet rest
Shrouded by the night
And by the secret stair I quickly fled
The veil concealed my eyes
while all within lay quiet as the dead
CHORUS
Oh night thou was my guide
of night more loving than the rising sun
Oh night that joined the lover
to the beloved one
transforming each of them into the other
Upon that misty night
in secrecy, beyond such mortal sight
Without a guide or light
than that which burned so deeply in my heart
That fire t'was led me on
and shone more bright than of the midday sun
To where he waited still
it was a place where no one else could come
CHORUS
Within my pounding heart
which kept itself entirely for him
He fell into his sleep
beneath the cedars all my love I gave
From o'er the fortress walls
the wind would brush his hair against his brow
And with its smoothest hand
caressed my every sense it would allow
CHORUS
I lost myself to him
and laid my face upon my lover's breast
And care and grief grew dim
as in the morning's mist became the light
There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
there they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
there they dimmed amongst the lilies fair