Is Nonce the New Queer?

Helen Gavin, Tracey Yeadon-Lee

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Changes in sexual tolerance move slowly and the publicly expressed acceptance of homosexuality is so recent that it is unclear what private attitudes underpin it. It is also unclear what confusion there is in the minds of the public that may be at odds with reality and legality. This chapter draws on the history of the pathologisation of homosexuality to show how the public vilification of the ‘queer’ has moved to expression of disgust about the ‘nonce’*, but that the private attitude is one where the two terms are interchangeable. *Nonce – English (UK) prison slang, also used in the general population, to denote a child sex offender, and refers to the segregation of paedophilic offenders from other prison inmates (Not On Normal Communal Exercise).

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationFascination of Queer
EditorsStefano Ramello
PublisherBrill
Pages35-45
Number of pages11
ISBN (Print)9781848880795
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 29 Apr 2011

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Is Nonce the New Queer?'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this