Asia in popular media was predominantly represented as sexually conservative with heterosexual narratives culminating in marriage. The 21st century, however, witnessed a surge of queer depictions that challenged the dominance of the heteronormative. This panel invites papers exploring representations of non-normative sexualities and genders from media industries within Asia. We are seeking in-depth discussions about queer narratives in films – independent as well as mainstream, television programs, and webseries. How do these different media formats shape the queer? To what extent does censorship affect these depictions? What roles do studios/production houses play in crafting queer subjectivities? How is the queer embodied in these narratives? What measures do queer bodies take to navigate diverse spaces – social, romantic, communal, and domestic? What alternative forms of family lineage are constructed by the queer, and in what ways? Continuing along these lines, how do we read the queer at the intersection of class, caste, region, religion, and gender?

This panel seeks papers addressing queer representations in Asian cinema broadly. Presenters working within media, cinema, gender and queer studies, and any related fields are welcome to send their proposals.

Please submit your abstracts via the NEMLA portal.