Then and Now: A Study of Radicalism in "The Normal Heart" and "Clit Notes"

The goal of social justice theater is to inspire audiences to change the way they think, feel, or act pertaining to an oppressed group. Change is instilled through an assimilationist, radical, or matter of fact style of writing. Radical writing aims to shock and awe audiences, forcing them to acknowledge an issue and encourage them to create positive change. Holly Hughes and Larry Kramer utilize this writing style in their work to call attention to injustices against the LGBTQ community. Hughes’s Clit Notes and Kramer’s The Normal Heart were radical works when initially published and contain subject matter warranting them as radical in today’s society as well.