Widely celebrated as a foundational text of the Harlem Renaissance, Nella Larsen's 1929 short story Passing engages with its titular subject in more ways than one. While racial disappearance undoubtedly constitutes the thematic center of the text, Larsen's narrative also implicitly addresses the theme of sexual transition. This is most easily observed in Irene Redfield, who manages to "pass" as heterosexual while simultaneously harboring a desire for the enigmatic Clare Kendry's repressed erotic desire for Clare not only contextualizes the former's obsession with the latter, but makes also shed light on the exact nature of Irene's troubled relationship with her husband, Brian. Furthermore, such a reading offers another lens through which the reader can interpret Irene's questionable actions. In response to critics who argue that queer reading and theorizing are little more than acts of ideological and political navel-gazing, I argue that examining Passing from a queer perspective does not undermine the gravity of Larsen's narrative. Rather, the thematic implications of this perspective harmonize with Passing's moral message. Ultimately, Larsen's work is a concise treatise on the psychological dangers of repression and self-loathing. A queer reading does not confuse or diminish this message: it strengthens and enriches it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Irene's infatuation with Clare is evident from their first meeting at the Drayton Hotel, the memory of which causes "[b]right red [flame] spots in Irene Redfield's warm olive cheeks” (Larsen 11). The feeling is obviously reciprocated: in the letter to Irene, Chiara observes: «I can't help but desire to be with you again, as I have never desired anything before; like a pain, a pain that never ceases” (11) of Clare have a decidedly homoerotic tone. 16) and a smile that Irene considers “a little too provocative” (15); later in the story, she employs a similar figure when she notes that Chiara “was just a little too beautiful” (70). Irene and Clare culminates in a scene full of hushed sensuality: “[l]oooking at [Clare], Irene Redfield had a sudden and inexplicable rush of affectionate feelings. Reaching out, he grabbed both of Clare's hands in his own and cried out with something like awe in his voice, 'Dear God! But aren't you lovely, Clare!'” (65). Although Larsen never explicitly states that the relationship between these two women is homoerotic, one can glean from this textual evidence that the possibility of a romantic and sexual subtext would not be far-fetched. Far from distracting from Larsen's main narrative of internecine racism. and self-loathing, reading Switching from a queer perspective adds another layer of complexity to Irene's already nuanced character. Just as Clare “passes” as white in part by marrying a white man, it can be argued that Irene “passes” as heterosexual through her participation in heteronormative, albeit sexless, marriage. A successful and lauded doctor, prodigiously devoted to his profession and also a complete pushover, Brian is the perfect husband for Irene, who unconsciously seeks to maintain the illusion of heterosexual propriety and respectability without compromising her aversion to male intimacy . Larsen's narrator leaves little room for interpretation regarding Irene's motive in marrying Brian: For Irene, “security.