In the 1990s, queer theory has emerged as an influential mode of thought in the ongoing debate about empowerment issues. Queer theory is concerned with the non-essentializing nature of sexual identities and is premised on the notion of resistance to forms of domination, such as heterosexism and homophobia. The historical roots of queer theory are traced from the homosexual rights movement through the gay liberation movement. This history of homosexual resistance focuses on the grass roots efforts of the homosexual community to gain control from scientific experts in representing their own experience. This contextualist history provides a perspective for considering the contemporary relevance of queer theory for psychological theorizing and practice.