The Queer Gaze
THE QUEER GAZE has been Kulturhuset Oceanen’s literary series since 2023.
The term “The Male Gaze” was coined by Laura Mulvey to describe the gaze that views women as objects for heterosexual male pleasure. As a response, “The Female Gaze” emerged, seeking to disrupt this dynamic and position women as observers. With the program series The Queer Gaze, Oceanen further develops these terms by highlighting how the queer gaze deconstructs all gender-based power dynamics, allowing authors to act as subjects and tell their own stories.
The program offers Oceanen’s stage to one invited writer per evening, giving them the freedom to curate content based on a theme of their own choosing. Among previous themes and invited guests, we have seen: Sanna Samuelsson (Lust), Sandy Harry Ceesay (Physical Practice as Resistance), BAM — Burcu Sahin, Athena Farrokhzad and Merima Dizdarević — (The Queer Gaza), Maja Lee Langvad (New Kinships), Nino Mick (Experiment), Judith Kiros (Sapphic Fragments), Khaled Alesmael (In the Shadow of the Midnight Sun), Ida Linde & Kristofer Folkhammar (Tender Buttons), Hanna Rajs (Historians Will Call Them Close Friends), and many, many more.
Acknowledgements:
The Queer Gaze 2025 is made possible with the support of the Swedish Arts Council, the Swedish Academy and the City of Gothenburg.
THE NUCLEAR FAMILY
If Karl Marx was right when he said that the nuclear family is the mirror of the nation-state, what is then left for queers who dream? How can we find other ways to organize love, care, sexuality and economics? This evening we will drive out the internalized nuclear family through exorcism, so that together we can throw ourselves into the arms of the collective. The evening also offers a conversation with Silas Aliki based on their book Reglerna (The Rules). The conversation will be led by Malin Holgersson, project manager for The Queer Gaze.
Silas Aliki is the founder of Folkets Advokatbyrå and currently work there as a lawyer. They are also a political editor at Kontext. In addition to this, Aliki work as a freelance writer and lecturer, and has previous experience as, among other things, a professional officer and conversation leader for young trans people. In 2026, they will make their novel debut with Reglerna (The Rules)...
Also featured among the evening’s guests are Zafira Vrba Woodski and Andie Pirata.
Zafira Vrba Woodski is a Swedish-Czech artist, poet, death doula and interfaith minister based in Stockholm and Gothenburg. Zafira’s artistry explores chosen kinship, queer history writing, grief work, contemporary archaeology and trans perspectives. Since 2023, they have run High Heel Funerals & Ceremonies, which offers support and ceremonies to LGBT+ communities.
Andie Pirata serves up magic, debaucheries and punk under many names. This particular evening their name are Hello Kattastrofika – Holysexual Anarko Witch & Magic Bitch.