Queer Theory for Lichens

Authors

  • David Griffiths University of Surrey

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25071/2292-4736/40249

Keywords:

symbiosis, lichens, queer, biology, ecologies

Abstract

An article published in The Quarterly Review of Biology in December 2012 ended with the sentence: “We are all lichens.” The article discusses symbiosis in organisms such as lichens as well as in humans, to argue that humans cannot be thought of as individuals by any biological criteria. In this article I follow this argument and offer a brief naturalcultural history of lichens to illustrate their argument and the work of biologist Lynn Margulis on symbiogenesis. Following this, I ask: if we have never been human – if we are all composites like lichens – then what does this mean for sexuality? I argue that lichens and other symbioses can open up a queer ecological perspective that can help counter the privileging of heteronormativity and sexual reproduction, and that this has consequences for both science and society.

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Published

2015-10-13

How to Cite

Griffiths, D. (2015). Queer Theory for Lichens. UnderCurrents: Journal of Critical Environmental Studies, 19, 36–45. https://doi.org/10.25071/2292-4736/40249

Issue

Vol. 19 (2015): From Queer/Nature to Queer Ecologies: Celebrating 20 Years of Scholarship and Creativity

Section

Academic

License

Authors retain copyright over their work and license their work for publication in UnderCurrents under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This means that the work is available for commercial and non-commercial use, reproduction, and adaptation provided that the original authors are credited and the original publication in this journal is cited, following standard academic practice.