ABSTRACT
This chapter is an experiment that intersects academic toy theory and personal experience. The collision of the two bursts toys out of their packages and dismantles manufacturer intent, replacing it with unique, individual meanings and uses. Theorists note this process often results in the queering of toys, or the creation of narratives, through play, in which toys enact distinctly Queer stories that can be a reflection of their user’s identity or questioned identity. Jonathan then unites their process of creating a theatrical solo show about toys and the author’s own Non-Binary self with the work of said theorists in order to demonstrate personal, scholarly, and creative ways “loose” toys, or toys freed from their boxes, take on myriad meanings the farther they are from their company-given contexts. Thus, the resulting chapter is a hybrid, constantly interrupting itself, stacking meaning upon Queer meaning, aiming to hold them all within the confines of a small, plastic figure.
