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COPYRIGHT AND USE OF THIS THESIS This thesis must be used in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Reproduction of material protected by copyright may be an infringement of copyright and copyright owners may be entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. Section 51 (2) of the Copyright Act permits an authorized officer of a university library or archives to provide a copy (by communication or otherwise) of an unpublished thesis kept in the library or archives, to a person who satisfies the authorized officer that he or she requires the reproduction for the purposes of research or study. The Copyright Act grants the creator of a work a number of moral rights, specifically the right of attribution, the right against false attribution and the right of integrity. You may infringe the author’s moral rights if you: - fail to acknowledge the author of this thesis if you quote sections from the work - attribute this thesis to another author - subject this thesis to derogatory treatment which may prejudice the author’s reputation For further information contact the University’s Director of Copyright Services sydney.edu.au/copyright Theory, politics and community: Ethical dilemmas in Sydney and Melbourne queer activist collectives *** Kate O’Halloran 2015 A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Gender and Cultural Studies School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences The University of Sydney Declaration of Originality I declare that the substance of this thesis has not been submitted already for any degree, nor is it currently being submitted for another degree. I certify to the best of my knowledge that all sources of reference have been acknowledged in this body of work. Signed: Kate O’Halloran 22 October 2015 2 Abstract U.S.-based queer theory began with an explicit ethical agenda tied inseparably to real- world politics and activism. Key scholars Eve Sedgwick, Judith Butler, Michel Foucault and Gayle Rubin proposed that the political potentiality of queer lay in the ‘way of life’ and affective and relational virtualities it could bring about, and not as a progressivist movement defined by its radicalism in opposition to movements ‘past’ (especially feminism and gay and lesbian politics). In this thesis I argue that the translation of this ethical agenda has been problematic within theoretically-informed queer activist collectives in Sydney and Melbourne. These collectives are often plagued by intra-group conflict and feelings of ostracisation and exclusion. For example, this is exemplified in the activist practice of ‘calling out’ which shuts down rather than opens up the possibility of ethical movement towards other bodies, and productive encounters with difference. This then produces alienation amongst some members on account of not sharing the ‘dominant’ queer position on a number of issues covered in this thesis: from gay marriage debates to contemporary manifestations of the ‘feminist sex wars’. The thesis traces the historical contexts and precedents for these debates, notably U.S.-based queer theory, and the particularly conservative political context out of which it arose and that gave rise to its often polemical mode of address. I argue for a more ‘ethical’ ways of being in collectivity with other bodies that encourage productive connection rather than diminution of those bodies involved. In this I draw on case studies such as the RuPaul’s Drag Race (2009-) and Wicked Women communities as examples of difficult but productive encounters with antagonism that suggest new, productive paths for an ethics of localised queer activism. 3 Table of Contents Declaration of Originality .................................................................................................................. 2 Abstract ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................. 4 List of illustrations ............................................................................................................................. 5 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION - QUEER ACTIVIST ETHICS ....................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER ONE - THE QUEER POLEMIC IN TRANSLATION: THEORY, HUMILITY AND SELF- REFLEXIVITY ..................................................................................................................................... 41 CHAPTER TWO - HOMONORMATIVITY, HOT POLITICS AND GAY MARRIAGE ................................. 82 CHAPTER THREE - ANTI-SOCIALITY AND QUEER ENOUGH FUTURES ............................................ 113 CHAPTER FOUR - FEMINIST FUTURES: SEX WARS, TEMPORALITY AND RESSENTIMENT .............. 141 CHAPTER FIVE - RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, COMMUNITY, AND UNASSIMLABLE DIFFERENCE .......... 167 CHAPTER SIX - PIRATE JENNY’S AND WICKED WOMEN: GENDER, AUTHENTICITY AND VISIBILITY ...................................................................................................................................................... 195 CONCLUSION - ETHICS, ALTERITY AND POLITICS ........................................................................... 224 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 231 4 List of illustrations Figure 1 ‘Lisa’ 2014, Queer Edition Honi Soit [digital image] In: Honi Soit, Week 8, 12 Semester 2, p. 18. Figure 2 Knowlton, A 2000, The Trouble with Normal [book cover] At: 55 http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41PM3FYGXWL.jpg (Accessed 19 March 2015) Figure 3 Stand Up For What You Believe In, Even if You’re Standing Alone 2013 108 [meme] At: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151337272372775&set=gm. 453077938099405&type=1&theater Figure 4 O’Halloran, K 2011 Feminism Back by Popular Demand [photograph] In 154 possession of: The author, Sydney. Figure 5 Riot Grrrl Berlin 2011 What Happened to Sisterhood? [flier] In possession of: 164 Kate O’Halloran, Sydney. Permission to use this image was given to me by the Riot Grrrl Berlin movement via email on 27/2/15. Figure 6 Mimi (left) and India Ferrah (right) talk family and community 2011 [TV still] 169 From: Totally Leotarded: RuPaul’s Drag Race. Directed by: Nick Murray, U.S.A., 7 February. Figure 7 Mimi Imfurst sits alone 2011 [TV still] From: Queens in Space: RuPaul’s Drag 171 Race: Untucked!. Directed by: unknown, U.S.A., 31 January. Figure 8 Shangela angrily addresses Mimi while Alexis looks on 2011 [TV still] From: 172 Queens in Space: RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked! Directed by: unknown, U.S.A., 31 January. Figure 9 Dorian Corey explains ‘reading’ 1990 [film still] From: Paris is Burning. 180 Directed by: Jennie Livingston, U.S.A. Figure 10 Manila participating in Reading is Fundamental 2011 [TV still] From: Ru Ha 181 Ha: RuPaul’s Drag Race. Directed by: Nick Murray, U.S.A., 7 March. Figure 11 An African-American drag queen reading a ‘straight’ group of African- 183 Americans 1990 [film still] From: Paris is Burning. Directed by: Jennie Livingston, U.S.A. Figure 12 You Got “She-Mail”! 2014 [TV still] From: Shade The Rusical: RuPaul’s Drag 187 Race. Directed by: Nick Murray, U.S.A., 17 March. Figure 13 Female or She-Male mini challenge 2014 [TV still] From: Shade The Rusical: 188 RuPaul’s Drag Race. Directed by: Nick Murray, U.S.A., 17 March. Figure 14 Figure 14. Still of ‘tan mom’ (left) and BenDeLaCreme (right) playing Female 188 or She-Male 2014 [TV still] From: Shade The Rusical: RuPaul’s Drag Race. Directed by: Nick Murray, U.S.A., 17 March. Figure 15 There’s Nothing Like a Wicked Woman 1990 [digitised illustration] In: 211 5 Wicked Women, vol. 1, no. 9, p. 39. Figure 16 Cover of Wicked Women vol. 2, no. 6 1992 [photograph] In: Wicked Women, 217 vol. 2, no. 6. 6 Acknowledgements I think I fantasised about writing these almost every day of this five-year project. In what has been an incredibly difficult journey it was one of the few things that kept me going. The main reason I did manage to finish this project was the support of one person: Sarah Bock. For being someone I could always bounce ideas off in a non-judgemental way, for instilling in me the value of generosity and kindness while also fuelling my passion and honesty, thankyou so much. For caring unconditionally for me after two major operations, and for being there for me in Berlin when I was feeling so adrift. You are the most wonderful human being I know. You inspire me every day to live more ethically in the world. Next I would like to thank my supervisors. I have had the very unusual experience of having had four major supervisors for this project. I would like to thank them in reverse-chronological order. Elspeth Probyn: I think I told you the other day that you ‘stole’ my opening line for these acknowledgements (in Sexing the Self you write: ‘When I was writing this book I fantasized about this moment. As the signal of the end of a long project, the time of acknowledgements seemed like an impossible dream’). Immediately I thought, ‘couldn’t have put it better myself’. It struck me that this is an experience I have had over and again whilst writing this project.