Disidentifications

Disidentifications is a term introduced by José Esteban Muñoz in his 2009 book of the same name. It refers to a mode of cultural reception and identification that operates through indirect means, often involving a distance or divergence from the object of identification. Rather than a direct affirmation or emulation, disidentification involves a process of making oneself anew through an engagement with cultural forms that may not explicitly represent one's own identity.

Muñoz argues that disidentification is a crucial strategy for those whose identities are marginalized or excluded from mainstream cultural narratives. It allows individuals to find resonance and meaning in cultural objects by appropriating, reinterpreting, and re-contextualizing them, even if those objects were not originally intended for them or do not perfectly mirror their experiences. This process is not about assimilation but about forging a connection that allows for self-creation and the articulation of a distinct subjectivity.

Key to disidentification is the idea that identification is never a simple mirroring. Instead, it is a process of working through a cultural text or artifact in a way that produces a new position for the subject. This can involve selectively engaging with aspects of a cultural product, finding queer potential in seemingly straight content, or identifying with a persona that offers a form of aspirational identification without demanding complete replication. Disidentification offers a framework for understanding how marginalized subjects creatively navigate and subvert dominant cultural logics.