SLP Series: Queer Embodiment
By Sophie Shekarchian
As Pride month draws to a close, we want to celebrate and support our LGBTQIA+ community. We hope your Pride month was fulfilling, and we stand alongside our fellow Lesbian, Gay, Trans, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Agender, and beyond individuals, not just in June, but throughout the year. In this newsletter, I will introduce the concept of queer embodiment.
Before exploring queer embodiment, it is vital to acknowledge and honor the diverse continuum of identities encompassed within the LGBTQIA+ community. It is essential to understand that not all individuals in this community identify with the term queer. Furthermore, it is crucial to recognize the profound impact of different forms of trauma, including those rooted in racism, heterosexism, classism, and sexism. These traumatic experiences can have far-reaching consequences, leading to a diminished sense of self, psychological dislocation, devaluation, complex grief and loss, feelings of rage, a mindset focused on survival, and an intense longing for dignity and a sense of belonging.
It is especially important to consider this in the current climate, where there has been a surge in legislation aimed at restricting the rights of transgender and nonbinary people. In 2023 alone, over 500 bills have been introduced in the United States with the intention of curbing these rights. Many of these measures have already been enacted into law, imposing restrictions on crucial aspects such as gender-affirming medical care, name and gender marker changes, restroom access, and participation in sports and public performances.
It is critical to approach the topic of queer embodiment with an understanding of these broader contextual and psychosocial factors. In addition to this understanding, the following insights are offered from my personal, psychological, and academic perspectives, which have inherent limitations. However, my hope is that they may still serve as a source of inspiration to explore your own sense of queer embodiment.
So, what exactly is embodiment? It refers to feeling deeply connected to the physical sensations in our body, mind, and spirit, as well as feeling connected to those around us.
When we use the term queer, we are reclaiming a word that has historically been used pejoratively. In the context of queer embodiment, queer represents an alternative way of living, deviating from conditioned heteronormativity. It encompasses an embodied identity, sexuality, behavior, and a unique way of living and navigating the world. As bell hooks once stated, queer is about being at odds with everything around you and finding a place to speak, thrive, and live authentically.
Queer embodiment is a way for us to be curious and explore the way systemic constraints have been internalized and the ways in which our full somatic presence can be freeing. By connecting with others and ourselves, not solely for the pursuit of productivity and societal ideals but as a form of resistance to them, we can tap into the profound sense of aliveness, life force, and love that is inherent within us. By centering queer joy as well as metabolizing and releasing dominant narratives and doctrines, we nestle space between joy and pain, allowing us to be there. Feeling seen through camaraderie and taking risks through a shared desire to rest, here are some ways to find both bite-sized and expansive moments to embody queerly:
Immersing oneself in nature through hiking, appreciating the beauty of the clouds, and being mindful of the soles of our feet as they touch the ground outside.
Engaging in creative activities like preparing nourishing foods, creating collages with old magazines (example pictured) and uninhibitedly dancing to nostalgic songs.
Connecting with others and cultivating chosen family through sports leagues, classes, events, shared humor, and laughter.
Practicing internal attunement by implementing breath-work and yoga into our life practice.
Engaging in a conscious practice of distancing ourselves from our devices by deliberately leaving our phones in another space during our sleep and making an active effort to stay away from them for about one hour before going to bed and one hour after waking up.
Cultivating healthy dependency dynamics by engaging in the potentially nurturing process of caring for animals through fostering or rescuing.
Being emotionally mirrored and validated through reading, sharing, and listening to the personal stories and testimonials of LGBTQ+ individuals.
Advocating for trans rights by supporting gender affirming care and other trans issues by reaching out to your senators and letting them know the harm these anti-trans laws are causing. As well as, never assuming a person’s pronouns and correcting ourselves, apologizing, and quickly moving on when getting it wrong.
Integrating humility by practicing curiosity and non-judgement when relating to others and self.
Experiencing intimate human connection through consensual erotic intimacy and practicing effective communication of wants, needs, and desires.
Some of these practices may help us normalize the nonlinearity of queerness and life, tap into our inner wisdom, and cultivate a deeper sense of connection and embodiment.
Psychotherapy itself has the incredible potential to align with queer embodiment. It provides a dedicated space that becomes uniquely ours, where we can openly navigate the challenges we face and discover a sanctuary to express ourselves, flourish, and discover our authentic identities. Through therapy, we are empowered to cultivate self-awareness, embrace the complexities and contradictions within ourselves, and foster meaningful connections within our own being, our community, and the world around us.
By fostering connections in therapy and with nature, animals, and kindred beings, we can defy societal judgments and false-self pursuits based on heteronormative expectations. I in no way intend to downplay the struggles of surviving within our societal frame, but by embracing queer embodiment, we have the potential to center our capacity to live authentically and uncover profound meaning in the fabric of our daily lives.
Additional Resources
Books
The Politics of Trauma by Stacie Haines
Podcast
Healing Intergenerational and Ancestral Trauma with Linda Thai (Series SRIW, Ep 5, 206)
Healing intergenerational trauma and building secure relations within ourselves and our communities with brain & body modalities - Linda Thai
Listen to the episode here.
Articles
Bold. Fearless. Flourishing. Tap into L.A.’s LGBTQ+ scenes
Article written by Sophie Shekarchian
