Envisioning Queer Futures of / In Sociology

How are queer futures central to social equity? Building on the conference theme, this panel session invites papers that offer insights into queer futures beyond turbulent times. While some countries have made considerable headway in recognizing queer rights (e.g., same-sex marriage, adoption, legality of relationship, LGBTQ-inclusive education, etc.), others have more recently doubled down on restricting queer life in public and private space (e.g, criminalization of homosexuality, restricting same-sex parental rights, etc.). These issues lie at the intersection of key moral debates around human rights, legal protections, and cultural progress. Given the contemporary instability of queer human rights the world over, projecting the next frontiers in queer research is essential to understanding the future of queer life in all societies. We are especially interested in papers that can offer recommendations for queer futures and insights into the advancement of human rights for all in society. Building on the call of sociologists to reduce the joy deficit (shuster and Westbrook 2024) in sociology, we aim to accept papers that not only document and project trends of the queer future(s) but also that envision preferable outcomes for queer futures in our societies.