Queer Theory Coiner Teresa de Lauretis Dies at 87

The academic who coined the term 'queer theory' saw its later popularity as a 'vacuous creature of the publishing industry'.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Teresa de Lauretis, the academic who coined the phrase 'queer theory' in 1990 to describe a field of study that would 'rethink the sexual in new ways,' died on February 3 in San Francisco at the age of 87. While she never attained the fame of other queer theorists like Judith Butler and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, her invention of the term was a significant event that helped bring academic respectability to the field. However, de Lauretis later criticized the term as becoming overhyped and 'vacuous,' arguing that it had shifted away from the 'nitty-gritty of sexuality'.

Why it matters

De Lauretis' coining of the term 'queer theory' was a pivotal moment that helped establish a new academic field, leading to the publication of influential texts and the creation of prestigious university positions. However, de Lauretis' later critiques of the term's evolution highlight ongoing debates about the direction and purpose of queer studies.

The details

De Lauretis coined the term 'queer theory' as the title of a 1990 conference she organized at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she taught. In an introductory essay for a 1991 special issue of the journal Differences that she edited, de Lauretis argued that queer theory could offer 'new forms of community' and 'resistance to cultural homogenization' that previous fields like gay and lesbian studies had lacked. While earlier texts like those by Leo Bersani, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, and Judith Butler did not use the term 'queer theory,' major works published after 1991 embraced it.

  • The 'Queer Theory: A Working Conference on Lesbian and Gay Sexualities' organized by de Lauretis was held on February 10-11, 1990 at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
  • De Lauretis' introductory essay critiquing gay and lesbian studies and outlining the goals of queer theory was published in a 1991 special issue of the journal Differences.

The players

Teresa de Lauretis

An academic who coined the phrase 'queer theory' in 1990 to describe a new field of study that would 'rethink the sexual in new ways.' She later criticized the term as becoming overhyped and 'vacuous'.

Judith Butler

An academic and author associated with the development of queer theory, whose book 'Gender Trouble' was published in 1990 before the term 'queer theory' was widely used.

Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick

An academic and author associated with the development of queer theory, whose book 'Epistemology of the Closet' was published in 1990 before the term 'queer theory' was widely used.

David Halperin

A prominent academic in the field of queer theory who wrote an essay in 2003 praising the field while also observing an irony in its 'acquisition of academic respectability'.

Stephen H. Balch

The former president of the National Association of Scholars who criticized the growth of queer studies as repudiating the proper goals of academia.

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What they’re saying

“The moment that the scandalous formula 'queer theory' was uttered, it became the name of an already established school of theory, as if it constituted a set of specific doctrines, a singular, substantive perspective on the world.”

— David Halperin, Prominent academic in queer theory (The New York Times)

“Despite its implicit (and false) portrayal of lesbian and gay studies as liberal, assimilationist and accommodating of the status quo, queer theory has proven to be much more congenial to established institutions.”

— David Halperin, Prominent academic in queer theory (The New York Times)

“Queerness, while still carrying something of its historical connotations of sexual abnormality, quickly covers them up by presenting itself as gender-inclusive, democratic, multicultural and multispecies, and thus effectively shifts the ground away from the nitty-gritty of sexuality.”

— Teresa de Lauretis (The New York Times)

The takeaway

The evolution of 'queer theory' from a term coined by Teresa de Lauretis to describe a new field of study rethinking sexuality, to a widely used academic idiom, highlights ongoing debates about the purpose and direction of queer studies. While the term helped bring academic respectability to the field, de Lauretis' later critiques suggest the need to return to the 'nitty-gritty of sexuality' that was the original impetus behind queer theory.