Speaking to silence: toward queering nonverbal communication

Area of Science:

• Communication Studies
• Gender and Sexuality Studies

Background:

• Existing nonverbal communication research and pedagogy frequently reinforce heterosexist and sexist ideologies.
• This perpetuates narrow understandings of gender and sexuality, excluding diverse subjects, practices, and relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critique the heterosexism, rigid essentialism, and exclusion of queer perspectives in nonverbal communication scholarship.
• To advocate for a more inclusive and representative approach to the study of nonverbal communication.

Main Methods:

• Historical overview of the field of nonverbal communication.
• Critical analysis of nonverbal communication textbooks, focusing on their treatment of gender and sexuality.
• Examination of exemplary communication research that challenges heteronormative frameworks.

Main Results:

• Nonverbal communication textbooks often exhibit conspicuous absences of queer subjects and pervasive heterosexism.
• The field tends to essentialize gender and sexual identities, limiting scholarly scope.
• Alternative research examples demonstrate the potential for queering nonverbal communication studies.

Conclusions:

• Nonverbal communication scholarship and pedagogy require significant revision to address ingrained heterosexist and sexist biases.
• Adopting a 'queer' approach can lead to more inclusive and comprehensive understandings of communication.