CEU eTD Collection In partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Arts in . in Gender ofArts ofMaster degree forthe In partialfulfillment B EING I NAPPROPRIATE Supervisor: Professor Allaine Cerwonka Department ofGenderStudies Central European University Central Budapest, Hungary Amy Watson Submitted to : Q 2009 By UEER A CTIVISM IN CTIVISM C ONTEXT CEU eTD Collection an engagement with the political economy. political the with an engagement beseen and toward as turning can andcommodification consumerism on they acritique offer movements arefound within activist largercontext of discourse, the an anti-capitalism asthese contemporary Furthermore, homonormativity and consumerism. , is in that sites indicators there these critiquethat against of anongoing are engage activism practices as Assuch,the relational process. part of a “power-to-do” inThey areengaging as commodified. queersubject portrayal the andof a with pinkthe activism,economy queer critical engagements to arereformulating asaresponse networks queer activist Contemporary depoliticize queersubjects. to capacity hasthe consumerism that speculation the account into take I identities. critical andlesbian viewof pinkeconomythe and of queer/ social commodification the queer activism largely Iengagewith race-blind.as beingclass-a depict Moreover, and limitations These parades. and pride asmainstream gay of Nation as well Queer practices particular I consider Specifically, itswithout limitations. not is queeractivism Yet, as a relational process of practices, as can be seen in the political undertakings of ACT UP. identity essencebasis foras as concept and identity political shiftedaction into the of which United queeractivism States, andtheory asa emerged disruption.depictdeliberations I of in the problems andconceptual events political discourse, theoretical of Out . in movement late 1960s,Iendthe withmaterialized in of what queer activism form the of queer This thesisfrom activism. agenealogical to approach gayliberation the offers Starting Abstract ii CEU eTD Collection ilorpy...... 59 Bibliography Conclusion...... 56 Twisting ...... 27 in Paradigm Queer Limited...... 16 ...... 3 Queer ...... 1 Introduction Table of Contents...... iii ...... ii Abstract Table ofContents ia ws ...... 57 Final Twist ...... 41 The Schwarzer Kanal ...... 30 (Re)Negotiating Norms: the squatting queer...... 47 A Brief History...... 43 iii CEU eTD Collection subjects. queer depoliticize consumerism capacity hasthe intothat to thespeculation account I take view of pinkthe commodification and the economy of lesbian queer/gay identities. and social largely depict queer activism as being class- and race-blind. Moreover, I engage with a critical of Queer Nation as well as mainstream gay and lesbian pride parades. These limitations with queer activism as it was/is seen in the 1990s. Specifically, Iconsider particular practices of ACT UP. ascanbe seenin practices, undertakings political the as basis for political action which shifted into the concept of identity as a relational process of queer activism in the form of Queer Nation. I depict deliberations of identity as essence and Starting from the movement in the late 1960s, I end with what materialized of political andconceptual problemstheoretical intheUnitedactions States. perspectives, istwist. anoteworthy andanti-capitalism of with effects the largely concerned are now certain activism of sites queer activism. of queer That moments and compel is influences motivate my hereparticular locate which to activism, effort of moments Asspecific queer activism.agenealogical to queer contemporary approach offer a glimpse into what can be seen as a shift, a twist, in queer activism by drawing on What Iam not offering here is a teleological account of queer activism or theory production. I on queer activism. Not because it needs to go forward, but because it needs another twist. root of the word is to twist. What I put forward in this thesis is a twist on queer. Specifically, nature. That queer can be compared tonature is a paradox. Yet, the nature of the word, the That queerhas taken so many turns, twists, u-turns issurprising. not Itis paradoxical inits Introduction Following Outing Queer, Queer Limited, is a deliberation on critical engagements In this thesis I will start by giving a reading on how queer activism emerged from 1 CEU eTD Collection methodology I chapterthree, for varies methodology outlinein places.my methodology appropriate the offerunderpins proposals onwhat their activism. in to order contexts and political from larger socioeconomic coming specificinfluences locate gathering, as well as the Schwarzer Kanal, aqueer trailer squat in . Furthermore, I positioning. Specifically,consider Queeruption I and queernetworks the which organize this which as inhabitingseek todisengage the queersubject adepolitized, commodified engagements in chapter two. Iexamine radical queer networks and various sites of activism critical in tothe canbe response sites, from seen as specific coming reformulating I do a cross-textual analysis of academic literature for the majority of the thesis. As my My last chapter, Twisting in Paradigm, offers a reflection on how queer activism, as 2 CEU eTD Collection institutional support, and economic sanctions” (Rubin 1984: 12). presumptionof mental a illness,to subjected disreputability, are them practice who criminality, individuals the scale, restrictedon the lower fall social occupations and or physicalbehaviors mobility,sexual As loss of mental health, respectability,certified with legibility, rewarded are socialhierarchy and inthis physical high stands mobility, behavior whose institutional “Individuals support, whereby, and material hierarchy sexual benefits. a sawas she what detailed She others. over valorized were practices sexual of types certain that out pointed especially onissues involving pornography, sadomasochism, promiscuity, lesbianism, etc. Essentially she 1 others. stigmatized hierarchicalinto sexual expressions structure of sexuality a valorized certain and which in Certainly, power. dismissing Rubinwasnot . wascallingfor She an examination owes a lot tofeminism’squestioning consistent ofthe subject’s positioninin society, politics, affiliation activism,which guides a as theory sexuality of and problematization identity,of I tendtothinkqueer, asan sexuality” 34), that encompass social (1984: organization of the While “Feminist lacks Rubin Gayle simply that, visionfully thought which held anglesof can an understanding feminism’s of problematization and identity hierarchy. of gender-based isimbued with one It activism. and theory queer of emergence the to reveal relevantmost the movements, as each informs various from stemming activism the and theory other. academic of interweaving an entail I will leadThis the reader through a specific trajectory whatledislocate of and theory. emergence the queer activism My to to inthis chapter aim I deem Outing Queer slippery slope. David Halperin suggests that when slippery suggeststhat slope. DavidHalperin “queerthe firstterm in uttered theory”was which queer I outline two activist which groups reclaimed queeras mobilization.a sign of subversion and the “problem”identity, of both of which gave impetustoqueeractivism.After activism theory. andsubsequently draw on Judithto IdiscussButler and Fuss Diane genderto influences with queer lead sketch andevents historical of briefly to majoran account the I chapter, this In serve call. this helpto may identity, of gender sex andasaquestioning of theory as a radical queer, think, perhaps, I a radical (ibid). intosex” of theory incorporated She was writing in reaction to the so-called “sex-wars” when feminism was split on how to deal withsex, Writing about the origins of a concept that evades definition necessitates running up a runningup necessitates evades definition that concept a origins of the Writingabout 1 She maintained that “feminism’s critique of gender hierarchy must be must hierarchy gender of critique “feminism’s that maintained She 3 CEU eTD Collection 2 of latethe 1960s and early when 1970s political and movementssocial proliferated. Itis significantly from homophilethe arguably movement due toit the surrounding social situation approach movementvariedliberation its gay The (Seidman seeking assimilation 1993: 111). alleviate homosexualityagainst byeliminating itas a social identity, thereby to sought and a trait as viewed they such As disease. condition—a abnormal as homosexuality an community saw shaped byamedical who of was andBilitis, Daughters queer politics and lesbian gay and identity attests politics to this. between The ongoingconflict account. in historical any and areoverlaps there dissonance Indeed, of sorts. “progression” chronological neat, been hasimply there a to that This isnot queer. at arrives finally he before status minority ethnic/essentialist an claimed which one to liberation to assimilation at aimed ones being from changed he describes, movements, the from of lesbian movementsinthe the early1990s. goals pre-Stonewall The to various and inwhichhe gay (whatbe cannow queer“culture”) outlines culture”, called continue with the gay liberation movement, Iwill first set itmore in context. included privacy (in it. place of out demand Activismtook during that timefreedom began to this which sexual the bedroom) and the for notonly moment did bedroom, whatone inpeopleright exposing the that butdemanding get to publicly displaya revolutionary marked era Stonewall the of movement liberation gay tale. The begin this sexuality. Yet,is bedroom One the such place status. hallmark have received and that place before I movements and paradoxes, event,one time,place. or Itisbestdescribed using moments language of the andideas, tensions. Yet, ofdisruptive (2003:340).Queertheory beactivism cannot pinpointed as and from stemming course, there are some ititnobody was; yet, was what knew an deLauretis, in1990by setting Teresa academic events, theorists, times A North American bedroom. American North A The first movement, the movement, as represented by movement,The first movement, thehomophile asrepresented Society Mattachine Steven Seidman (1993) gives an historical account of the rise of “’postmodern’ gay 4 2 andfrom there I CEU eTD Collection this chapter. this white-skinned privilege, class privilege” (Smith inSeidman 1993:118-119).Yet, I allude to this ofprivilege: tension laterinkinds certain who have by women practiced viably “only as separatism lesbian viewed who color do, I also omit details on the tensions between and lesbian separatism with /womenmovementsof include lesbian feminism, as exemplified by Rich’sAdrienne “lesbiancontinuum” (1980). Indoing 3 essentialism andconstructionism. brings ultimately us the This question to identity—anof detailed account. sets the stage for the emergencewhich naturalizedultimately sexuality beingas inherent. As this of turn fundamentally events and conflicts of queerconsolidation of gay and lesbian politics,identities based on “gay essence” or “lesbian essence”— from here As group(s). such, membershipinhad group tobe minority the defined—ensuingI ina go into a more day.model is This based menon ideathatthe gay (a)minority and lesbians constitute dominantcharacterizes subsequent,gay the lesbian and movement of present 1970stothe the difference. In midthe an 1970s, model ethnic/essentialist emerged from liberation gay that democratization”In other (ibid). words,gay utopianliberation was too and dismissive of and individuation modes of interests, voices, desires, proliferation pleasures, of encourage the that “social spaces create to soughtwhich a thought as postmodernism Seidman faults liberationgay for striving for “human liberation” and being incompatible with liberation—from sexual Soundsand gender pretty social actually.constraints. good, Yet, racial, gender and sexual As struggles. liberation a NSM,gay sought exactly that— from broke As such,Marxist NSMpolitics working-classwhich struggles over privileged science asbeing totalizing institutions asmoral which forcesact shaping society (ibid: 106). which largely were, and still informedare, byapostmodern suspicion of and knowledge 116). Inother Seidman words, locates in gayliberation context newsocial movements with (ibid: vanguardism” and millennialism its in particular legacy, modernist the of much retains movement as being a “post-MarxianSeidman of framework notsurprising thattheoretical gay the liberation thedescribes therefore left discourse that leans in a postmodern direction yet Due to space constrictions, I leave out a discussion outlining differing trajectories of lesbian movements. Such movements. of lesbian trajectories differing outlining discussion a out I leave constrictions, space to Due Whatmodel ethnic/essentialist inevitably the invokes between is debate the 3 5 CEU eTD Collection lead to political action, can identity an while claiming is that makes hereFuss point The of re-reification. danger the the circumvent identity to as so identity reshift and shift constantly to ability the has mustdeconstruction that always be questionedlanguage asa containerlanguagemeaning of being to the producer meaning.of She shows to stop it from becomingfrom uncertainty, from to certainty Lacan, Derrida and Aristotle to from identity meaning of a 104). Shemake is able to this leadingclaim usthrough after historicalthe behind shifts the in identity and a reconceptualized easier to comprehend when placed in the context of identity. Fuss argues for afictitious use of utilization. its with potential underpins essentialism problem, “deploying” while itas anirreconcilable construes essentialism into” thedifferencebetween and“falling of into” “deploying” (1989b: 20).“Falling essentialism essentialism and social itconstruction,ishere where Fusscounters thishurdleby arguing essentialist While undertones? bring thisseems us an impasse to to between inthe debate evoking without Symbolic “woman”order outside the as“alwaysalready” can wetalk about how for level alinguistic on sense makes This fashion. in antagonistic intertwine essentialism and constructionism social that Fuss, to according then, It seems, discourse. essentialist anti- to backbone isthe essentialism that demonstrates Fuss Diane Essence”, ‘Risk of in “The concepts, intheir theoretical essentialism on of academia, relied poststructural world theory. feminist within constructionism and essentialism of analysis her on draw I this for politicalis fact empirical or fiction”influential (1989a:97).Fusshasbeen and in thisdebate simultaneously energizing ingay and lesbian theory as questionthe of whether ’gay identity’ model issues gaymovementthe of by “fewother stating havebeen as as and divisive “Thepolitics. In Question DianePolitics” on Identity of Fuss ethnic/essentialistthe draws identity andlesbian andgay queerpolitics between debate central area compromising a The necessarily problematic necessity of using essentialist notions as a strategy is asa strategy notions essentialist using of necessity problematic The necessarily By showing deconstructionistsinhabiting thatDerrida,Lacan even great and the the dehierarchized 6 political realm of identity politics (1989a: politics identity of realm political CEU eTD Collection who is rendered invisible as an as invisible an effect? who is rendered institute?” (305).Inother words,whogets decide to which identities(sexual) areaffirmed and gay or ought tobe renderedvisible, and internal which will exclusions rendering that visible identity)further(read: by asking the evenmorequestions, pertinent “Which version lesbian of essence of deployment Fuss’ extends and affiliation an is identity that here point important the makes She (ibid). term” the of contingency the affirm to necessary be will it result, a As represent. to itpurports those fully notit describe will but ofaffiliation, as aterm necessary ‘queer’ will be then of error, assertion the necessary is“if identity a again usingSpivak, states, “queer”, she sign, specific speakingaboutthe when byButler who, expoundedon further Thisis“error”. isit an also explains, “risk” asFuss only not isa essencethereof) the identity itis appropriation may be Thus, inaccurate (or unavoidable, always (1993a: 230). an identity while that out point to identity” of error “necessary the of notion Spivak’s Gayatri on very the she that callsthing inquestion into her 308).Elsewhere, article (ibid: shefalls back actually is. For,claiming asign entails the risk ofbeing “recolonized by sign”,whichisthe “anforces us constituency” (1993b:oppressed political thinkto 309), what of make visible benecessary might to claiming“lesbian” sign the that acknowledgement hesitant model of sexual identity and Iwill return to that later. importance tensions hereof for the is out pointing ethnic/essence the be of dehierarchized erasinginmust Thatidentity arealsonot differences. effects and renderedproductive power volatility its far as in so strategic is only notions, essentialist on based as identity, (fictitious) inconsistencies in production (ibid).stable politicalthe of subjects” theacceptance Thus, of moremature identity by politics militating tendency againstthe erase differencesto and as a incoherent,unstable and couldin potentially asalienanddisruptive, the endproduce identity view of that“Sucha Shestates identities. hierarchized of a chain entity static within Bringing specifically debate this into the realmof sexual identity, ’s 7 CEU eTD Collection politics failed to address their needs or concerns. For Seidman, this problematization of problematization this Seidman, For concerns. needs or theiraddress failed to politics and gay lesbian middle-class within concerns of white, thedominance andas representation notgroups, onlymarginalized by sexuality,intocalledtheir question identity politics the of politics. 4 ofthe cultures achievedthat 1970s” (1993: 106). lesbian in dominance and gay the working class gays, and sex rebels ethnic/essentialist tothe model identity of and community identity politics as having come from “people of color, third-world-identified of a re-examination for gays,impetus the poor and locates Seidman identity. sexual of model this from missing is often dehierarchized identity make to call Fuss’ that see we Thus, middle-class. limitedmodel, white, the (is) to as gay lesbians was ethnic/essentialist the andcount within individuals, something queerpolitics is suspicious of, as highlighted by Butler. asestablishlesbian politicscounts gay of must lesbian who constituencies and clear fight forFurthermore, in structures rights to power. of andliberties, gayand repressive order on granted failand basisthe waysofbehavior disrupt which of certain ethics to underlying are rights is out these pointthat to is What important defined? areequal rights whose terms and of itself (Elam 1994). We might ask for whom and to what purpose are rights utilized; surroundingwhich is discourse in should ‘rights’ the be problematic can on or easily discredited, as andWhile heterosexuals.rights status issomething valueof the recognition rights not that lesbians and gay by themselves valuable, Thispresenting lineas contributors. respectable reasoning follows of men are just like everyone“mainstream,” in society andgainingacceptance concerned hegemonic, the with assimilating else and can and accordingwords, Bell to lesbianand Binnie, and gaypolitical organizationsmainly are should receive the In other gay (2000:37). “good citizen” the samepushing with concerned is latter primarily the that lesbian bystating and conflictidentity politics between queer politics and gay particular, the Cathy Cohen, who I will discuss more in detail inchapter two, also sights this as being a limitationof queer Steven Seidman suggests that those who are made visible, those who were made to in identity, the of David anelaboration andJon question on with Binnie continue Bell 8 4 These CEU eTD Collection draw on work, his I leave his theory underdeveloped. the notion that there is a truth of sexuality. His work was enormously influential inmuch queer of theory.a social construction Yet, as I do not as the construction of truth itself. Instead, he showedwhich formed how whatknowledges was thought produced to be the “truth” about sexuality. In doing so, he exposed that sexuality was as of of and a fed and activism and “intellectuals “strategy” activists” theory-hungry xvi). alike in inspired Hall thatButler’s thecontends course (1999: emergence early the 1990s United States, is stillTrouble one of the most widely cited sources for queer theorists and activists ‘normalility’. In his book his In ‘normalility’. 5 onJudithanswerI draw Butler. thisattempt question, to subversion and problematization identity of look like in activismqueer and theory. In an and identity,constructionism within the politics of weareleftwith question the whatof as Fornow, political I havestructures. ledyou through debate surroundingthe essentialism and social in alternative engage to attempts thwart ultimately would homonormativity, gay “good itcitizen” which,incan be argued, asIdo three with my chapter discussion on normal, the to normal”, to borrow an the of often regimes to in “resistance citedinterested are indetail), more phraselater explain Iwill (which from (1993: xxvi). This QueerNation by timethe article of Seidman’s at asembodied queeractivists, words, In other resistance poststructuralist suspicion identity,of further Seidman onto goes state: differentiates queer politicsfrom gay identity and lesbian Drawingpolitics. onthe identity ultimatelyis what the “postmodern rise again,gave gay to culture” andiswhat, Unfortunately, duetospace constrictions, I leave out an analysis of ’s (1990) insights of sexual Butler’s influence on queer theory and activism is substantial. Her book, Her issubstantial. and activism influence on queer theory Butler’s 1993: 131-132 emphasis mine). of politics subversion disruptive its with forces; social disciplining normalizing, to opposition its beof sort of theoretical insistent with to positionedwing Queer Nation, asa toopen order up alternative and social political poststructuralismpossibilities; seems Poststructuralism aims destabilize identity to of aground as politics in and theory , influenced, she by states, herinvolvement with lesbianthe and gay community in the 5 however, is not based on a stable identity or a further perpetuation of the ; and with its opposition to both the straight and gay mainstream” (Seidman mainstream” gay and straight the both to opposition its with and ; History of Sexuality: An Introduction, Volume I 9 , he traces the trajectory discourses of trajectory the traces , he Gender CEU eTD Collection Consensus is gained through the very insociety. actconsensus of gained its repetition, has which ascript which follow is they turnif makes only successful it seem are natural. utterances Performative says. or itnames what does It action. oran adoing perform which utterances rather are but speech, descriptive simply 6 performatives gender subversive As such, gender essence. as anaturalized constructs genderacts (gender ) specific of repetition the idea wasthat her it, simplify for academy. To the only not and that, it, little wasstill onhowone there conceptualization identity.Butler reshift changed could an many theorists were able to theorize aboutWhile the identity. “error” of examination of an identity,inspired has debate or call on us constructionism to deconstructessentialism/social above, AsIdescribed the genderedrolesexpose the (2003:73). of constructiveness to social which impelled those disenchanted with gay lesbian identity and Aspolitics. above, Istated it present the immanent possibility of contesting them” (ibid: 188). Herein laysher call actionto participating in preciselyenabled by those constructions,those to affirm the local possibilitiespractices of intervention through of repetition repetition subversive of strategies locate is…to task “Thestate: critical on to it. goes She that constitute subverts” also “fully butmasculinity, or femininity of anexpression with as beingcorrelative identity identity and, gender essential an is there therefore, that belief the exposes only not drag that being claim Her both expressivethe model gender andof notion of the a ”true (1999:174). mocks effectively psychic spaceand outer and inner between distinction the fully subverts drag as well “Ithat suggest states, gender, would Butler of revealconstructiveness social the 43-44). itButleris possible posits, disrupt this repetition to its assumedand expose naturalness (1999: ofbeing”, sort anatural substance, then, of produce of appearance the overtimecongeals to stylization body,the actswithinof asetof repeated frame ahighlyrigid regulatory that ifis “Gender For, therepeated change resist structures. normative potential andto to it words,aswasandother norm, in is agenderhas one still understood, parodying the often She draws on Austin’s (1962) notion of performative utteranceswhich holds that certain utterances are not Drawing on Esther Newton’s suggestion that impersonation has the ability to ability the has impersonation female that suggestion Newton’s Esther on Drawing 6 have the potential to disrupt this naturalized essence. In naturalized essence. thisdisrupt to potential havethe 10 CEU eTD Collection dismissed. I do not mean to over-exaggerate Butler’s influence. Certainly, drag shows, acts mean shows, acts Butler’s influence.of dismissed.I donot drag Certainly, toover-exaggerate be not hadin queeractivism have can effectButler’s theorizations empowering critiques, the gender norms ismissingare formed from Butler’s analysis (2000: 117). Despite these subversive gender performatives as she claims historical thatthe within“context” which Thisstructures. in falls line Rosemary with Hennessy’s critiqueButler’s on notion of it.underpinning This takesfor ‘just’ is granted subject the that neverfully outsidepower of iconisfrom anddragqueen, RuPaul, culture there adefinitepopular Butlerian ethos state, “We are all born that on posters with slogans events queer seenatcontemporary is still thisreading” “bad Yet, naked. The rest is just drag.” Although this phrase originally came that you can radically alter at will. In an interview in 1992, she states: somethingyou somethingon, cansimplyput she genderto that that which suggested reduced jump criticism on to wasquick Butler easy. that itwere as if gender, one’s choosing and Butler’s led to theory notionthe subjectthe hasanunlimitedthat of amountagency inpicking be a dismissal to the historicity of power mechanisms in presentation” mallsthe and atkiss-ins (2003:83). enforcing “queer- spectacles of intheir betheatrical below, andcan seen which Iwilldescribe gender norms. In a sense, thepossibilities upby opened notes, andasHall wereenormous, theories Butler’s of implications The of resistance. acts political which had been plaguing them. Dragandsubversive genderperformativesbe seencame to as identities understandings rigid of gender break of essentialist out the offeredstrategy to a 74). and understanding the of taking on a gender asakind of consumerism (in Hall 2003: you other,sothatwhat getisradically of like thecommodification gender, something my be stylize it, Icanchangeit evening andthat again then gender, something decidebe which gendercan Iwantto today. I take out apiece of clothing and change The bad reading goes like this: I can get up in the morning, look in my closet, and However, this sort of strategy, this parodic subversion of gender was taken by some to 11 were incorporated by incorporated Queer Nation, were CEU eTD Collection stigmatization from from public stigmatization general the asbeing (straight) further bare to had they that meant also it but lovers, and friends their of loss the mourning slippage on hierarchythe of For sexual expressions. gay the notcommunity, meant this only meant further AIDS(GRID) others, over sexual practices certain of valorization the about stigmatized If beginning sexual the we rememberacts. Rubin’sconcern, chapter, this at of to identity death.reduced was Thus, sexual astigmatized speaking, to in amannerof men, men these men)(gay were defined by (gay sexual their sex), andcondemned, practices was itgay was sex, causedthought, HIV/AIDS.that And sincegay sex is by practiced gay disease in resulted men becominggay “ AIDS That waspeggedasagay 1991:311). (Nunokawa heterosexual) population” (read: notin “general specifically, those groups, at-risk the beingonly which adisease affected as off AIDS shuffled Services, andHuman of Health of Department the Director the Heckler, by Margaret asrepresented government, The U.S 51-52). in2003: 1980s. (Hall theearly feltbe acutely to started of disease the affects the when men received gay that stigmatization Power (ACT UP) and Queer Nation were the result of this crisis. on gay lesbian andmovements. Two AIDSand queer activist Unleash Coalition groups, to identity essentialized the events not, of had late1970sand the or profoundimpactearly 1980s to an image of lethal welded physicalmetaphorically themselves find people gay deterioration” disease, mental of taint the off in throwing (1984: 26). What she is depicting gay the Ascommunity. “JustGayle Rubin states, whenis homosexuals have had some success AIDS; and for of into center acrisis the involves adetour first Queer Nation to The road queer activism. gender play and subversion identity.of received a sort of cult of personality status and her influence has motivated years of conscious she However, Butlercamearound. before been happeninglong had subversive genderdisplay That AIDS was first called GRID—Gay Related Immunodeficiency, is telling of the of is telling Immunodeficiency, Related GRID—Gay called first was AIDS That of beencitedasan embodiment often has Nation Queer above, As Ihavementioned marked 12 men” ‘(ibid: 312, emphasis in original). It in original). emphasis 312, ‘(ibid: men” marked . CEU eTD Collection Out of this on,ACTAIDS homophobiathe fight totake UPcouldn’t required anymore” us (1993:316). desperation,portrays the asbeing of organizers group the overwhelmedbattles with “thedealing with Queer ” (Rubin 1984: 25).AsACTbecame more UP visible inthe Crimppublic, Nation was formed. As Thisidentities” (1993:313). be might a callfor Fuss’ identity reconceptualization politics.of one those remake constantly that ofidentifications political through theformed identities relational of most comprehensive asapolitics politics identity rethink begin to wecan “then perhaps Crimp states, relational”, affinity, took Assuch, identities” (193:316). identity ceased tobethe basisof action. basedon Affiliation, its place.be made…across began to identification “new political states, Crimp Douglas activist Under ACTpolitical UP, identity action This in resulted structure. and decentralized non-hierarchical underACTUP’s together beingbecame acoalition brought crisis the than sexual acts, other specific in practices people engaging done relational. not basedthat gay sex causes a gay disease. As HIV/AIDS affected manyon realms of life, and all types of “Andparticular, if misperception the bydismantling sexuality of perceptions denaturalizeto axiomatic sought identity separated is risk beingpeggedas from certainof contractingpopulations at certain They HIVto practices. identities;sex programs (as well as needlerather, exchange programs), ACTsex. In a word, theyUP have forcedaimed sex out of the bedroom and in-your-face.toACT shift As a result of safer- emphasis UP away safer- on pedagogy public to disobedience from civil ranging tactics employed They disease. beinga gay of representation as HIV/AIDS the andcontest visibility health concerns, of increase improve education, safer-sex from government, demandthe action be, to continue to forimpetus inFounded the formation ofACT and 1987,theaimsACTUP UP. were, of known “peopleas with AIDS”, they simply were AIDS) from dying wasthe unfortunate support tothose dyingfrom AIDS diseases related (they were notyet“living AIDS”, with or suggests that AIDS was used as a moral panic to “incite virulent The government’sU.S. negligence in pandemicresponding tothe andfailure offer to 13 CEU eTD Collection subvert it.subvert activists claim that they didwant not be a part of the center, but they also attacked and tried to identity gay as relational; the“good citizen”they pushed outof way. the only Not queer did inspired identity essence, byadestabilized as a of poststructuralist politics,ground claiming of Arisinglesbian of gay margin”anda tiredsighted on cultural (1993:200). the out debate legitimacyseeks by ‘straight’signifying, through that‘civilization’protocols, hasbeen who subject ‘homosexual’ the of rationality assertive the gone politics; identity liberation Berlantand it, Freeman succinctly “Gone assimilationistput the patience of some gay guiding dominantsocial, political andcultural spheres and practices of representation. As quo status heteronormative so, they genderandsexuality the normsundermined underpinning subversive gender performatives, they modes of exposed publicappropriate In doing conduct. and Freeman1993:196)bybehaving inappropriately. Drawing onButler’s“strategy” of ‘facts’ identity” of (Berlant into organizesallmanner of that sexual sexual practice apparatus Nation and kiss-ins.T-Shirts, staged Inaword, they“dismantle sought to thestandardizing Queer with around TheyUsed toIt”. in invadedmalls queer decadence,ran Queer. Get We’re “We’re Here, shouting banner of queer mobilized under the Nationals angry Queer informedThus, byACT UP’s coalition strategies and tactics in the public sphere, explain: movement, in the activists themselves Freeman, and Berlant Nation, Queer of descriptions banality, ordinariness, popularity and (1993: 198). akind of crucially, and spectacle, knowledge, of affect, involves adeployment always mode fordiscrimination,butin demonstration,of safe the ritual, which patriotic safefrom just not bashing, from safe just not means be safe sense To national in the experience. embodied and in everyday but loyalty in psychic just not them, insistence onfrom ACT UP [a]making complex understanding of political spaceall as fundamental to itsforpublic the transformation of public sexual discoursespheres in general…Queer Nationextend [took] up truly the safe kindsmeetingin an ACT Founded aimed April 1990, QueerNation at UPNewYork to for ofall democratic of the persons counterpolitics who occupy deployed on behalf of AIDS activism 14 CEU eTD Collection however, before Ido this, Iwill outline some limitations of queer activism. Iwillthird chapter gapwithcontinue filling that contemporary of sites queer activism, my like. looks gap. In fill helps QueerNation that whatqueerpolitics/activism conceptualize already oflesbianestablished modes and gaypoliticsis Yet,it(2002: 213). difficultto gay and lesbian movements. As Warnermaintains, queerpolitics did notsimply replace in point signifyaturning because sothey from Ido Queer Nation, ascoming queer activism received by all beto as unproblematic as I have depicted above. While Ihave concentrated on productions of signification. reshapeidentities notions of through sexual and genderchallenging cultural and social movementwould have usdo.Together Queer Nation ACTand UPaspiredradically to liberation of gay the liberation” “human asthe erase difference, seek to not such they did a eludes definition,proliferation promotes and hierarchized identity also the political realmof “queer” Fusssought.That politics that for, of called asRubin sexuality, its hierarchizedorder “nature”) assumed implicitly (due to disrupt out to they the Indoingset so, terms. andtheir on recognition demanded own the ostracize them,violencequeer activists in confronted theirinvisibility publicsphere of the Yet Queer Nation’s practices, as we will see in the next chapter, havebeen not chapter, seeinthe next aswe will Queer Nation’s practices, Yet By appropriating the verysign hadbeenthat historically deride,used to shame and and 15 celebration of desires, pleasures and voices. As CEU eTD Collection goal was to make the queer subject visible in public space. These groups infiltrated shopping infiltrated space. Thesegroups invisible make goal public to queersubject the was Suburbanthe inOutreach Homosexual Program (SHOP) (1993: 210).TheirSan Francisco groups under two banner the in Nation: of and Queer QueerShopping the Network specific Queer Nation’s actions which will be used for analysis. Berlant and Freeman describe Cathy Cohen and Rosemary Hennessy. Before I go into their engagements, I will first outline suchas from theorists some academic engagement critical hasicons prompted space and engage use inconsumerist to of spacesandcommodities ade-heterosexualization public of banneritis of queer, no surprise thatthey have received Yet,QueerNation’s canonicalstatus. manyfor Aspeople. themost vocal and visible organization of activists affiliatedunder the for thisamong endeavor. others Sycomore) Berstein Matt (aka Mattilda queeractivist Cohen and and Cathy Rosemary Hennessy theorists on academic draw I Europe. Western and America of North parts most in Pride) (hereafter seen in of activities Nation inmainstream parades and contemporary Queer gay the pride be can limitations These spaces. consumer and commodity based on the becomes asitpolitics depoliticize influence the pink tendsto in queerculture the queer Furthermore, of economy identities. inflected marginalizing the andclass sexual thereby race to reduces limitationis thatqueerpolitics Another pushed aside. get society that social realms of inmaterialitfar from becomesis sothen and basedoncultural that production divorced other it that is theory and activism queer with engagements critical such One engagements. critical being in on is reflecthow queeractivism these queer activism reformulated to response to of in engagesites contemporary with nextchapterwhichIwill set thefor the tone to order The aim of this chapter is to critically engage with limitations of queer activism.Queer Limited I do so in Queer Nation has come, it seems, to represent the paradigmatic site of activism queer of site represent paradigmatic the it to seems, has come, Queer Nation 16 CEU eTD Collection what she calls the “single oppression model”. This follows that because is heteronormativity model”. follows thatbecause This what calls oppression she “single the This overallcriticalengagementechoes Cohen’s with in invested queer politicsasbeingtoo of power are imbued with racial, class-inflected racial, with imbued are power of account thatoverlapping axes intofailed totake andSHOP by queeractivists Network white every time you enter this economic institution” (ibid). As such, the actions of Queer Shopping differently “racial norms youdue to construct that and as a threatening subject suburban malls”(ibid). a“queer Furthermore, mightmall of experience color” also the shopping“thein of also assumed those with but status associated to economic mall” the sexual codes “limited normative the to only not “exclusion and alienation” experience these otherthan that minority (1997:211).Shestates structures sexualityjust status power intersecting different of lens the through mall suburban the of space the experience and of“poor and working-class queers” who Network SHOPlies inher consideration Shopping practices with of the Queer space, herdiscontent family-orientated of heterosexual, underdeveloped. argument Freeman’s and Berlant’s I leave engagement, critical their on is my as focus and disagree, liberal ’gay business’ approach tosocial liberation” (1993: 213), the theorists withwhom Iengage here, 7 ‘y’. a nameinwith brand ‘GAP’ the the orreplacing ‘p’ “QueerBart” with producing T-shirts Nation also sought to question the implicit of American national icons by Queer contested. not is its heterosexuality that extent the to asexual space; “asexual” call aimedShopping Network insert to anovertly visibility queer inBerlantand what Freeman By invading Queer SHOPand mall, the 211). (ibid: malls” of the asexual surface antiseptic Shopping” “We’re We’re or Queer. You’re Goingin Here. Shopping” to“disrupt order the Going We’re Not “We’re Queer, Here. “”We’re bychanting parades” “miniature spectacular malls in urban and suburban cities in highly dressed camp inflected outfits, enacting While Berlant and Freeman claim that such actions were made to be ironic and to show “resistance to the to show “resistance to and beironic to made were actions such that claim Freeman and Berlant While 7 While Cathy Cohen states that such tactics were able to disrupt the implicit implicit the disrupt to wereable such tactics that states Cohen While Cathy 17 and sexual identities all at the sameat the time . CEU eTD Collection many attitudes on sale at the mall,’ then inclusion seems to be precisely the point” (Hennessyconsumption available to gays too, and to commodify queeridentity as ‘the most stylish of the of pleasures the make to was actions visibility mall of aim the “If For assimilation. anti- of claims their to counterproductive being as consumption commodity of spaces useof the Nation’s Queer sheproblematizes assumptions, cracksinheteronormative create engage in“’nonnormative’ procreation patterns and family (ibid: structures” 210). not does apparently which one identity, heterosexual coherent a assumes it Furthermore, it. into inclusion for calls ultimately institution, in this part take visibly to able being not at expressed rage family,the theheterosexual of theprivilege contests Straights” “I Hate and aretargeted and asheterosexuals queers” heterosexuals of between a binary divide is“IStraights” outa“reconstruction Hate that points Cohen (ibid), privilege byheterosexual invisible marginalized andrendered consistently being from “rage” of havecalled andqueer Freeman Berlantwhat came While slogan out this 1993: 200). Freeman life and family visible (Berlant “public fantasy” of especially from the werefamily being becausequeers heterosexuals procreating life, to denied “privilege” the deriding “gay population”, was to the widely essay,which circulated anonymously written with “Ithe Hate Straights” manifesto that was circulated by Queer Nation. This came from an be and seen heteronormativity.can notThis targeted arebeing In thissense,heterosexuals still togainseems its impetusby whoisdefining queer and whoisheterosexual (1997: 203). queerpolitics sexual categories, deconstruction of or on destabilization is emphasis placed to one feature. reduced be not can identities exploitation, class and , institutional by informed also While Hennessy, like Cohen, admits that Queer Nation’s tactics had the ability had to ability the tactics thatQueer Nation’s admits like Cohen, While Hennessy, Furthermore, Cohen questions although because of effectiveness the queer politics, 18 not heteronormativity (1997: 209-210). While heteronormativity (1997: 209-210). CEU eTD Collection assimilation; that they were indeed aiming for inclusion by making themselves visible. Her visible. themselves making by inclusion for aiming indeed were they that assimilation; anti- of their claims to was contradictory invasions mall aim the the of that her assertion 12 positions herself as(Hennessy 2000: 27-29). understood (and changed). be to Historical are structures material power these if feminism is be historicized also must known as processes Marxist these that feminism, contends whichHennessy Hennessy society. enemy, itdoes so without historicizing how the division ofas labor affectsoverlooked poweris structures of labor in contemporary division being important capitalist in the how societywords, is structured.other In Yet, while cultural production. materialismcultural often and pinpoints capitalism production of as mode an 11 10 (2005: processes. construction ofsocial 18-19). rendering incomplete an causing thus altogether, level first the ignores production cultural Hennessy, for argue I might as well as her, For embodiment. our we perceive how and emotions desire, weexperience subjectivity—how 4) practices social routine—everyday 3) interaction everyday 9 object is rendered invisible and the object takes on the illusion of having value of ownits (Hennessy 2000: 129). 8 impasse. a theoretical us to brings whichultimately project, queer of the overtones postmodern feminist be can with seen as aMarxistHennessy’s approach asincompatible the potentially materialism andhistorical materialism a larger discontentwith poststructuralism, and postmodernism splinteringthe between cultural structures arelost queerproject speaks to alongpower Hennessy’s problemwith thethe way. collapses the social into the cultural, meaning that material conditions which realm behindfollows production).its engage her not social This claim with queerdoes that the material process of theis there meaning implied heterosexual and todisrupt ineverything) or question not the commodity (i.e. exposingpotential shift to cultural the meaning significance or of commoditythe (i.e. that exposing the the had only abstractactions these activism, and theory queer with contention main laborHennessy’s or conditionsis this and words, other In implications. material its disrupt to failed they thatcommodity, went inthe assumed meanings heterosexual invisible the exposed tactics Queer Nation’s Furthermore,2000: 128). the use of facilitates its further fetishization. commodity the Stevi Jackson identifies four intersecting levels of the social: 1) structural—, law, state 2) meaning— Commodity fetishism is a Marxist term which describes how the human activity invested inproducing an There are, however,some who try to bring them together(Sears 2005). Hennessy contends that, unlike historical materialism, cultural structures. materialism and practices ignores making the causal meaning symbolic link between and Discursive the 9 and relies only on the cultural; Yet, her critique on the commodified queer identity can be taken further if to further bewe return identity taken can queer hercommodified the on Yet, critique 12 10 11 or rather, she contends that queer “praxis” erroneously which can not be solved here, nor does it need to be. to need it does nor here, be solved not can which 19 also construct 8 While CEU eTD Collection consumer culture has lead to “an imaginary, class-specific gay subjectivity for both straight for both gay subjectivity haslead to“animaginary, culture class-specific consumer welcomed identities moreinvisible.even Hennessy suggests increasedthat in visibility or less-assimilated inmarketplace renderscertain the identity social consolidated of this theeffect Yet, “ain and 24). identity (2000: marketplace” constitutes social the consolidates it is that different, consumption of sort this makes what yet consumed, always have lesbians participateto inidentity-based consumption. Ofcourse,as Chasin out,gays points and for gay and lesbians increased the opportunities and culture has lesbian presenceinconsumer and virtual has infiltrated spaces as well. themselves, years Americain in Western North pasttwenty the 2000: (Chasin Europe 29) and gay and lesbian businessesclientele, or marketedasbeing runby men gay and lesbians targeting marketing of influx the denying no is there true, ring sentiments Binnie’s and Bell’s differences within gay the community between lesbiansand and While(2000: 97). homogenize gay men and lesbians as “model consumer-citizens” and obscures class and racial and lesbians men the supposed higher of spending gay lucrative to power Binnie Belland business. refer as a “myth”DINKS Kids).As (Dual No Income such, winninggayandlesbian isseen customers as and point freedlesbian apparently couples, from financial the burden having of children, areknown as out that the on men assumption the andlesbians haveahigher income. gay that disposable Gayand proliferationBinnie 2000:96).Thisis emblematic of what canbe labeled the pinkeconomy iswhich based of this Bell and (in andadvertising” consumer goods niche with homo/market the target corporations discoursemainstream as “hyper-commodification, of era an experiencing are communities lesbian tends to understand qualm. Hennessy’s has remarked Jeffrey contemporaryEscoffier that gay and also expanding during the same time as the excitement of Queer Nation, then we might betterby appropriating consumervisibility based not they that this but they that demanded visibility,misgivings course, are,of spaces. If we consider the rise of the pink economy, which was This influx of identity-based marketing has lead to increased visibility of gay and gay of visibility increased to lead has marketing identity-based of influx This 20 CEU eTD Collection As what this visibility attests to is capitalism’s flexibility in expanding its markets into once into markets its expanding in flexibility is capitalism’s to attests visibility this what As most stylish of the many attitudes on sale at the mall,’” then they were doing so at face pleasures gaysconsumption of “queer availableby commodifying to too” as ‘the value. identity citizens. and welcomedwith new marketlesbian gay arms and are niche couples open mini wedding cakes” it(Murphy, 2004).Gay marriage, seems, buttresses the a economy as from luxury hotels offering honeymoon to specials restaurantcaterers offering“on-the-spot businesses ranging for several bringing in as capital werehurrahed overturned), judge (later Gay Francisco Toasts same-sex ,Weddings”,in point which atthat sanctioned bya subjects butsubjects notas social subjects” (ibid). Telling of this isa be visible as consumer to welcome whoare forvictory gays a“limited calls this Hennessy capitalism’smainstream ofgay‘styles’ for appropriation Asaudiences” (2000:112). such, lesbian images isless indicative of acceptance a growing ofhomosexuality of than “thethat Clark’s lesbians, study she states intensified thecommodification marketingon of of Danae to on of social change. Referring presence appearance takes the inor space consumer visibility increased that assumption is the economy, pink the of implications the imply, would come to in leather. sadomasochism) try and on involved10% discounta newsuit those on with or (bondage/domination and BDSM a receive to lesbians butch targeting advertisements mainstream imagining of absurdity the on moresexualities deviant invisible (in Bell andBinnie 2004:1811).Indeed, wemay comment thereby rendering sexual identity” of forms an “’appropriate’ image of thisthat constructs out points Gamson Joshua UK, in the shows television on culture lesbian and gay of visibility increasedAnd and whileof speaking “poor the working-class beingqueers”. of exclusionary with invasions as Cohen’s echoes This mall and the audiences” (2000:112). discontent gay Thus, ifThus, as wereseekingby contends, “makequeers, Hennessy inclusion trying the to What isWhat further concerning for Hennessy,regardingboth mallinvasionsthe and, I 21 New York Times as consuming article, “San CEU eTD Collection (consumerism,blindness to class inequalities,etc.)” (2003: 88). contemporary notions of lesbian and gay identity and, inevitably, helps determine its least laudable homophobia”aspects (1979:and 474). Yet but Donaldchildren, just not Hall, drawing reproduce will society on D’Emilio, “capitalist ideological that to family remarks guaranteed and of the that “capitalismpreeminence” “elevation the to bothled enables however, This, ofproduction. unit bethe to ceased family the as 13 community, a of formation to apparent always is capital and community of intersection if the that claimed have and economy pink the of increase might ask if this affirmation carries with it ahefty price-tag. Many people have welcomed the itis Andlet’s behonest, we “potentially (Casey2007:126). affirming. Yet, problematic” be and affirming atonce whichcan communities and“stigmatized” “criminalized” people (gay or straight) need be concerned with practicing alternative lifestyles or generating lifestyles or alternative needbe practicing with concerned straight) peopleor (gay all that 2004: 225)? Not (Burkitt meanings” alternative andgenerate lifestyles alternative practice to resist, to want “makepeople whatwould by power,” than repressed rather the linesif are“seduced of,along haveeffect;something actually a consumers depoliticizing the next chapter. Yet under this logic, some mightin contend that neoliberalism consumer on culturediscussion might detailed a more into go will I politics. dictating is marketplace has become is ifsymbol of power thatunderconcerning, weconsider aneoliberalism, the marketplace on the acceptance gaining That theirhaveleft disposal. marketat the access to gaincoming to market,through power the then mightask whatwe whodo those have not actually entail exclusion.a violent if, Furthermore, Bell as andgroups Binnie to, are allude mightalso visibility wecansee mean that notalwayssocial recognition, does necessarily marketClark’svisibility assertion to that Again, reference 2000: 73). Hennessy’s echoing Binnie and (Bell marginalized be to continue will disadvantaged” economically and excluded power in a society obtain groups minority sexual how of symbols become economy based pink the with associated on the market” which practices marriage consumption and asgay is such into “institutions account that take has the effect that “thoseidentities couldwho renderare a socially“So what?” (Pellegrini 2002: 141). Yet, what this “so what” fails to John D’Emilio has pointed out that capitalism provided the material conditions for the gay community to exist 22 13 then the commodification of queer CEU eTD Collection which the alternative-prides and queer networks that to I will shortly degree explain the distance themselves acknowledge to from Pride. ‘spectacular’ I use however, Pride; oversimplifying Iam that and traps theoretical spectacular as‘inauthentic’ (Bell and Binnie 2004: 1813). I understand that these ethical,are political and implications of Pride. Furthermore, the use of the word sets up the problematic notionof the ‘authentic’, as in, 14 in spectacular pink economy culture. in with consumer also their participation but rights, equal for claims in only not politics, lesbian and gay mainstream call they what tendnextchapter, todismiss asbeing thisconflation misplaced anddistance themselvesfrom Idetail in and the activist networks groups explainbelow,as queer aswell contemporary the explained and inthepreviousGay chapter, Shame andTransgenialer CSD,which I will “homosexual identities” (2000: 113), she does not doso in error. However, Queer Nation, as I Hennessy thetermsstrings queer gay and lesbianand based together on their shared limitationshere if With with lesbian the of and extendsthis said, thisscope. politics gay engagement my activism, queer of limitations the highlight to was intention my that stated I gay and lesbian,it neverbe entirely can Thus, while beginningdetached. at the ofthis chapter liberties (Epstein whileand civil rights” 1996: 153).Yet, stands queeroften inopposition to civil of discourses the on reliance its with politics, gay and lesbian mainstream of project inclusionary the to in opposition stands it anti-assimilationist; frequently is “Queerness notes, between andlesbianbeAs mustgay negotiated. and politics queerpolitics Epstein Steven line seem asthe take on significance do to andnaming bitand categories becomea slippery limitations of queer politics. Itis here though where Imust interject toadmit that language has mainstream toelaborate onthe very gay realm pride paradesinorder pinkof economized problematic”. visiblevery Iwill explore potentiality this examination and an the of through their base, according to Hennessy, they fell short. alternativebut meanings, this wasthe aim Nation.by Queer of Yet using thecommodity as I use I termthe ‘spectacular’ noting that I am placing judgment on itanddevaluing politicalthe socialand Pride in most parts of North America and Western Europe are good examples of the be “potentially visibility can that Casey’s assertion moment toa like return I would 14 exhibition. are often They push used asplatforms to equal 23 CEU eTD Collection . 1969 uprising inNew York on ChristopherStreet against police violence against gay men, lesbians, and 18 in inCSD, started and NewYork Transgenialer 1998 identity. Gay for Shame, as abasis assimilation consumption and towards trend political Pride, consciously critique andexpose limitationsthe of dominantthe gay andlesbian found in Berlin, the “El Dorado for homosexuals”. market group “free-spending, to to the in travel brand-conscious” order target enthusiastic and companies influx make lesbian visitors bybuyingalso useof the andof advertising gay space local Further transnational and there. once Berlin accommodation and access to convenient as GermanWingsatmosphere. Furthermore, targeting andlesbian of gay canbetourists seenbysponsors such airline,a party for stage the Bull—set Red and Pilsner, Berliner Pride—Smirnoff, Berlin’s in active Sixt car question how much politicizing sponsors isachievedsuch when as oneshighlyvisiblethe rental and and into the military.a Yet, regardless of theplethora political agenda of the organizers of Pride, some might of hotels which provide tourists 17 amongrights others. http://www.lsvd.de/230.0.html; accessed May 20, 2009. adoption and benefits tax income as such inareas deal differences These affords. of marriage institution the 16 vary) later in the paper. The others. excluding still while latter love of and this polarizationof kinship fits with forms the ethics of recognized the queer ofstate networkskinds (while notingof certain that individual opinionsnormalization may forms” (Gamson 1995: 403), there is the counter notion that it supports assimilationist tactics whichpromote 15 the assimilationistmainstream of asachallenge to Shame agendas inNewYork emerged sponsorships of and Prides tourist packages targeted atgay people forPride. in corporate manifested as thegay‘lifestyle’ of recuperation of note capitalism’s havetaken in participation pink the and oncommodifiedrepresentation They gayness based economy. of one’s label’ as amerepresentation so-called‘queer the into buying They reject examples. such rights as marriage Unique to Germany and Switzerland, the term “ Day” (CSD), is used to commemorate the http://www. that claims in rights’ differences notable with partnerships civil same-sex recognizes example, for Germany, of family requirements gender “the of deconstructing possibility the it with carries marriage same-sex While Queer activists involved with numerous networks and ‘off-prides,’ or alternatives to alternatives or and ‘off-prides,’ networks numerous involvedwith Queer activists Mattilda (aka Matt Berstein Sycamore), co-instigator of states, “Gay states, of Shame Gay co-instigator Berstein Sycamore), Matt (aka Mattilda csd-berlin.de/index.php?m=17&; accessed December 30,2008. 15 or equalization of same-sex civil partnership benefits partnership same-sex civil equalization of or 24 17 18 in Berlin in1997,aretwosuch 16 andinclusion CEU eTD Collection 20 gayshame.html; accessed May 18, 2009 19 Homeless. Queers Who Should Have Never Come (Celebrities Awards “In” The Cope, Right-Wingers Helping Our Youth, Exploiting Space, Out of the Closet), Gay for Bestgoing TargetMarketing, to: Racist-Ass BestGenderFundamentalism,Whites-Only Best Pay Award, and Making district a highly withheldceremony Francisco’s award’s Castro camp-inflected inSan Moreawards banners counter-discourses, The participants of Gay Shame try to sabotage mainstream Prides by disrupting the event with Tiffany wedding bands, Grey Cosmo-tinis,Goose and all rabidthe of consumption” (ibid). rainbow flags, sweatshop-produced lies glamorous, all gay that beneath those of consumer thehappy challenge goal was “It violence thatour of further the to She state 241). goeson to sees needs” desirehypocrisy that of everyone’sa mainstream gay their (in elite Ruiz 2008: as the onchallengingcentered that action “agroup became direct and pride celebrations” desire for “want[ing] a different recipe”. adifferent for “want[ing] desire parade”. Instead of aiming for inclusion into society, the call for demonstration attests to a “for-profit Berlin andfor CSDa “poverty,” calling exploitation,” of “globalized of a critique inclusion in their apparent most is This inequalities. economic to blindness and consumerism, Berlin sponsorshipin utilization political corporate tactics, buttressed CSD’s assimilationist of from themselves distance event the attending those and organizers the so, doing In pie.” wanting quo,”and the a “pieceof of be to “status the alternative apart asrefusingto pride “violence of assimilation”.assimilation”which (ibid: 238), abovewas alluded to . The of as “violence the to refers what Mattilda to attention call people’s to in order spectacle call for demonstration bluntly positions the ethos of the http://www.gayshamesf.org/slingshotgayshame.html#4; accessed 2009 May 18, “Vomit Out BudweiserPride and the Selling of QueerIdentities”: http://www.gayshamesf.org/slingshot Likewise, Transgenialer CSD’s call for demonstration attests to a critique of the 20 The purpose of the awards ceremony is to make a spectacle of the 19 and chants, and they hold Gay Shame Awards. This last event is 25 CEU eTD Collection how queeractivism is being inresponse thesereformulated engagements.to critical with this in mind that I will is it and homonormativity be coined can also This term assimilation”. “violence of saw as the engage with sites of contemporarylimitations. queer Mattilda activism these with are engaging of specific sites queer activism indications that are activism. There (akato reflect Matt Bernsteinon Sycamore) fromhetero(sex)uality. not is it as long as Gay sex(uality), Shame highlights whatchanneling forAnd assimilation. adesire Cohen in thequeer not interestedis but anything she while same the does economy pink the of valorization The 111). (ibid: others” invisible labor of lives and the on depends invariably that aprocess of matter commodification, a often is sexual identity visibility of [where]the capitalistlate up in“the consumption, circuits of have fun” (in Hennessy 2000:115).Thus, queer,for the Hennessy is and caught depoliticized production, or as Hennessyissues surrounding the political economy more,(even in opinion)inCohen’s favor of cultural states, drawingdisengage with to tendency queer activism’s to attest Their contentions dismissed. easily on Berubeso be not can think I that andlimitations out point and Escoffier,activism queer with discontent a to attest “to make troubleSHOP and can be seen as expecting(Probyn Cohen’s critical and engagementwith 1996: 140)and Shopping Queer Network too much from 70) andone unproductive by pitting the social versus cultural the and the realversus discursivethe particular politicalhave be “oversimplified been bysomedismissed to and (Bell outmoded” and Binnie 2000: action, their claims in favorof model”a “single oppression has beenhighlighted. Whilealso Hennessy’s claims queer neglectsimplications.Furthermore, Cohen’s suggestion that racial and classoppression cultural. of the infavor material the dismisses queer disproportionately that assertions Hennessy’ on I have limitations of as pinkeconomy the a representation lesbiangay of and culture. Ihave drawn also shown that basing politics on the commodity is not without its The limitations Ihavein delineated this donot chapter signal demiseof the queer In this chapter I have shown that both Gay Shame and Transgenialer CSD expose the 26 CEU eTD Collection for the queer subject. Sarah Ahmed engages with homonormativity inher homonormativity phenomenological Sarah with Ahmedfor queer subject. engages the forms spatial and temporalities normative of implications the of analysis in her it uses (2005) Halberstam Judith variety in sources. of itwith befound can a as engagement academic well. realm fall as this under commodification and consumerism such asneoliberalism, practices institutions mainstream butpegged asmarriage are normally andsociety, military, capitalist institutionsthe inclusion into Such them which ineffectual would render political actors. as seek groups constraints, and values, practices socio-economic and political heteronormative consumption. than Rather question depolitized, domesticity,demobilized, and here words in 2002:179).Thekey are anchored domesticity and(Duggan consumption” culture gay andaprivatized,depolitized constituency gay possibility the a demobilized of heteronormativebutupholds assumptions andinstitutions andsustains them promising while dominant contest not does that politics a “is homonormativity that states who Duggan politics. Iwillstart with mostthe widely definitionutilized as comingof word the Lisa from queer to as central heteronormativity well as homonormativity as to opposition recognize an to inactivism as well as theory queer within tendency by therecent be characterized can This shift chapter. previous inthe asoutlined activism of queer critiques the engages with and in activism be ashift queer seen as can what highlights insociety, prescribed place Schwarzer Kanal later in this chapter, this quote, which attests to a refusal of taking a Kitchen Wagon Sophie Grohmann, Line Kühl,andBettinain Mooshammer 2008 called, by directed film documentary of the narratives was from of one the taken quote The above Twisting inParadigm With the academic institutionalization of homonormativity came the widespread the came homonormativity of institutionalization academic the With : Der Kanal Der Schwarzer “I don’t want to say, please, please give me some space in there”. .. While I will attend to the particularities of the 27 TheFridgeunder the CEU eTD Collection which influential plays hetero- intheircritiqueand an role homonormativity. of Calling on politics. with queer critical engagements queer theory how activismindicate and activism inand is to beingreformulated response critiques points decades. Furthermore, they on to offer counter two has mobilized in past the not without limitations, they are also located within and a larger movements anti-capitalist small in relatively movement situated are whichexamples these While interactions. everyday and social structures into realm the out of andseep discursive the beyond go spaces which engage specificKanal, with involved time- Iseekto and Schwarzer those Queeruption with such imaginary networks very of of as radical and secondary sources real communities queer positioning such waspresentedthat and by critiqued amongHennessy Bylooking others. at disengage which queersubjectseek toasinhabiting the adepolitized, commodified work”. queer academic and activist contemporary in economy political toward “turn this of analysis my for stage the sets and setting theoretical by particularin inthisanthology practices(2007a) couples Gavin a Brown queer activist use of the term in a series of articles exploring sexualities, space and place. One article in (Murphy,Ruiz and 1).Theanthology, Serlin: political turn intoward broader economy contemporary work” andactivist queer academic commented on the pervasiveness of anti-homonormativity in what the editors see as “part of a Review futurethe in form the of Child”the (in Ahmed 2007:173).In an issue of which transmit itto intendsthen social to order, toauthenticate of]“affirm[ation astructure, And calls LeeEdelman (2004) onthetermin hisof concept oran “reproductive future” making them fall in line with prevailing notions of heteronormative institutions (2007:173). by would “straighten sexualup queereffects” that something to approach orientation as in 2008, dedicated tocritiques dedicated homonormativity, in2008, of andactivists theorists alike Queeruption and Schwarzer Kanal,have a specific with engagement spatial form In this Iwillchapter, and examine various radicalqueernetworks sites of activism 28 Geographies ofSexualities (2007), makes (2007), wide The RadicalHistory CEU eTD Collection internet, and my involvement with their mailing list. mailing their with my involvement and internet, couple hisethnographic analysis with sources together about Queeruption found onthe sharecomeinformation, to together community time” skills forand ashort (2007a:195).I can countries from activists different queer action—a radical spacewhere direct constructive indetailed of 2002 and account Queeruption “aLondon calls it queertactic of specifically (2007a) examines Queeruption another alternative.as Brown engages in an ethnographic few andfarin-between,mainly limited back alleys to and cruising spaces,GavinBrown gay alternatives to lesbian Bell that assertion spacesare and consumerist (2000) and Binnie’s 29 CEU eTD Collection activists with Queeruption associated not only offer heteronormativity a critique of butalso of As such, heteronormativity” (2007a:196) of live the confines outside to whoare attempting excluded sexual “celebratedissidents; they rather, seek and to defend the of people ininterested gaining equal or inclusion intorights institutions havewhich historically workshops, actions and parties right in the heart of the middle east [sic]”. 23 22 21 call notto “just consuming alifestyleus”. sold to as thereis andnon-commercial completely a often spontaneous, areparticipatory, gatherings onthe events the (do-it-yourself) ofculture, DIY ethos the around organization revolves juntos”. & trabajar crear pensar, and para study, together to think,“a create work espacioopportunity and an spaceun itself for “ameeting described queers”,notBarcelona asa as freefestival or party, butrather actions, workshops, bands, spoken dragshows,word, and film screenings. in Queeruption direct political for “home-base” a meals, vegan cooked communally parties, sex skill-sharing, discussions, providefor political space to ten days to betweenseven buildings landor squats from the last as they are based on the people who organize them, but generally each gathering differs Each Queeruption andVancouver. Tel-Aviv , Berlin,, , anarchist have queernetworks organized Queeruptions City, in York New SanFrancisco, and/or anti-capitalist varying then, Since gathering basedon creativeparticipation. and active an tocreateapoliticallyin inspiredqueer activistsabandoned order squatted building Queeruption http://queeruption.org/ http://queeruption.org/q2006/nologo.html; accessed May 2009.13, http://www.queeruption.org/barcelona/programaq8.html; accessed May 13, 2009. The activists networks involvedThe networks according activists Queeruption Brown, with are not, to The first Queeruption took place The first Queeruption in when anetwork took 1998 inLondon of anti-capitalist 21 In Tel-Aviv, Queeruption In Tel-Aviv,was “an Queeruption queer gatheringanarcho of 30 23 22 Since CEU eTD Collection , religion, culture) , do names (he not want reasons to be whatever involvedfor who, with those, such exclude practices to serve also (ibid). relationships—can polyamorous queer” if based only “sexon radicalness”—BDSM (bondage, domination andsadomasochism),sex in public, Berlin following the year (2007b: 2695). Brownsuggests in that this served toprovoke Queeruption the discussion for on how Alliance” “radical Youth “Frigid named anironically started party sex the around culminating 24 party. sex the of preparation the in seen be can politics identity point with.queeruptors engage to thepoliticscounter that offer identitiesdealingsites a activism within to with genderandsexuality and queer of complexities of the illustrate to example haveon this called (Cohen I 1997: 210). structures” andfamily engage patterns which not in“’nonnormative’ does procreation apparently one identity, heterosexual acoherent assumes slogan this I explained that chapter. previous Queer Nation’s utilization such slogans of Straights”Hate as “I which I discussedin the productive queerproject the counter you recall of questioning to identities. Iask reified to beseenas in hindsight, could, employed, they tactics the Yet terms. on their own accepted fighting and fortolerance moments of earlier inclusion, fought activism queer with be rage to homosexuality, men and women, female and male. While gay and lesbian activists were gender identities andsexuality andbuttresses a division between heterosexuality and concentrate on solidifying ahomosexual identity,which, by on default, relies correlating politics lesbian and Gay identity. of notion the approach to how on is politics gay and lesbian sexual and gender politics to what falls outside this realm as well. homonormativity. The tactics they employ to do so, range from active engagement with Queeruption where a room Queeruption forforWhile aroom where only women men and aroom setup. only this were beinexample inseparation sex this the the room party seen during of can the at An is identity “genderpromoted gatherings, self-determined”the 2694). 2007b: (Brown discussion about how to approach the complications of gender and sexuality identities,if, as is a lottime inevitablyparties leads outlining, planningand sex which promoting of to the Brown also points out that a group who felt alienated by the “overly sexualized” atmosphere of the gathering of the atmosphere sexualized” “overly by the alienated felt who agroup that out points also Brown As Brown As Brown articulates, one of their engagements obvious with sexual and gender whereAs Ihavefrom differ queerpolitics points ofthe previously,discussed one 31 24 Queeruptors spend Queeruptors lot aof CEU eTD Collection gender of constraints quotidianthe (Brown 2007a: 201).world” This results in, Brown subverting gender andsexuality norms are“Freed asthequeeruptors from sexualthe and for offers asafespace such, Queeruption As identities. reified through constraints enforced start with boundaries, Queeruption Iexperienced to as anoccasion myself” (ibid). gender),eitherinlanguage orin If society breakthought. queers wantbroader down genderto as “an enormous challenge not to assume or even define people’s identity (especially their assumptions of people’sother identities,describedgender but the experience of Queeruption all pronouns same The together. noted participant everyonenot that was mindful of their use, usingwhich variationsto “hir”,pronoun tryingavoid such ”ze”or as or to use the of ambiguous orunknown 2007:8).Suggestions (Vanelslander rangedfrom asking person the which one should use pronouns when speaking to or about someone whose gender was participant of Queeruption Amsterdam thenumerousdescribes discussions ontheways in andone contestation is site of another Language identities. gender or sexual person’s lived experience. for transformative room offers and and sexuality parties with thisin beyondsemioticengagement mind,goes gender with a assumptions about insex participation and/or of organization collective,liberate. Yet,the active theirto capacity but also holds the potential beto liberating for all. Of course, I would add, signs are limited in be asthenot only for constructed, affirming this some, signs in Queeruption servesto do, the is is asbeingone socially toattention here.Ifthisnecessity brought intothat called question is directly expression gender match a person’s must genitals that necessitates that system sex-gender essentialized The seemingly (ibid). appearances” from external they expected participantsthe assume “shouldnot thatthey find would genitals the theirplaymates on that throughout gatheringthe that emphasized genderidentity as being self-determined that and may not seem to be a very queer thing to do, Brown describes the signs posted everywhere These measures reflect an engagement with the limitations of identity social the and ofidentity limitations with an the engagement reflect These measures another about assumptions with engage to only occasion the not are parties The sex 32 CEU eTD Collection reminiscent of uneasy tensions between borders (Halberstam Queer 1992). between borders2006, Rubin (Halberstam reminiscentof tensions uneasy are /transsexuals male) to (female FTM and butch between wars” “border so-called the andexplode.Indeed, expose seeksto queerperspective which the male/female found also man/woman, borders the straight/gay, between reflect us/them, citizen/stranger, mentality of a racist andreinforce order in), adominant (or enforce keep peopleout used to http://bristolnoborders.wordpress.com/2009/03/06/no-border-camp-calais; accessed May 2009.28, situation even more precarious the makes migrants not only“illegal” help for to thoseanyone living forbidding law there aFrench and but there also people the to for support the give people who do try to help them. 26 enforcement of national borders. www.noborder.org; accessed May inthe 28, 2009. nation-states from repression against and of movement freedom for fight They seekers. asylum and 25 Borders in No part the take to bloc a queer outside of the realm of the ‘merely cultural’ and of sexuality. G8 summitin Heiligendamm, Germany,a 2007andattests to reflection queer politics of against atthe G8.Thewas furtherorganized the largerthe partof queerbarrioactivists kitchen and provided queeractivists with a safespacetosleep, andnetwork eat, with other a makeshift with was complete barrio The summit. the from leaders entering G8 prevent base’, or camp, for queer activists asasort The acted of year queerbarrio 2007a: 204). ‘home beforeQueeruption the (Brown whose goal was to set up Barcelona a the concretized at were later), to return Iwill blockade 2005(which in Gleneagles, on the motorway to meeting, of G8 the barrio’Eight) at (Group foroutside a‘queer Plans queergatherings. the of social approach structures. some how affecting gently thus gatherings, the of space the outside over carry to potential the their desires”(ibid). here The implication whathappens isthat these Queeruptionsduring has suggests, a“questioning social [of] the thatnormallyrelations free the restrict expression of In Calais there is a shelter called the Sangatte which “houses” 2000 migrants. The French government does not of migrants deportation and for centers detention to protest in 1999 in created was network NoBorders The Furthermore, discussions on the mailing list are, at the time of this writing, organizing writing, this of time the at are, list mailing the on discussions Furthermore, action in direct resulted have placeQueeruptions take at that Political discussions 25 camp in Calais, France Calais, in camp 33 26 in June 2009.Borders inJune CEU eTD Collection economy through help from “tax breaks “tax from help through economy aglobalized dominate corporations large,transnational areeconomized, services social market governs the politics, meansthat which of result barriers. The trade dismantling of increased an and deregulation privatization, through Thisisachieved sector. private the to government the from away politics financial of arestructuring on centering capitalism late of astrategy be neoliberalism, which asareaction movements seen can to scale anti-capitalist activismnetworks involved of the is with differentQueeruption with larger their conjuncture forms make of the someappears to of Yet,what 2004:179). today still bedetected (Muncie struggles “modernistand with ongoing frustration an rationalist and politics can and values” into intheir hands their respective matters own bytaking people wereenacted 1960s and after movements “counter-culture” ofthe1960s(McKay upheaval2). Indeed,social inthe 1998: social values” (2007a: 202). sexual mores butin their modest steps towards the development of alternative sexual value of these queer be. queerto Cohen model”posits political as oppression a “single on centered actions is be ceases light, in this to andqueeractivism, between people divisions inequalities and not found in their transgressionProtests at the G8 summitsof heteronormative and at No Border camps are a direct response to other forms of structures. This is shown in Queersthe Borders without manifesto: and on these have placedborders havethem inactivists reflected largerrealm social the of The DIY culture has soheavily queeruptors emphasized by linked been the to whoholdthose power (in andMoon Woodland 31). 2006: and of of profit borders, containment the people byfalseboundariesthat serveonly to / race sexualityby be this (whether ‘other’ as someone marking by power / genderinstitutionalized or any ownother ways means) of living. by wish thatprevent imposed us defining attempt the state, the and strictures to we our refuseIn a society to acceptbetweenwhich alwaysthis attemptscondition imposed sexualities, borders the we reject is clear: borders understandingof our As queer to strengthenof nations the positionbetween of genders, between our abilities to live our lives as we and more profits for businesses at the expense of expense the at businesses for profits more and 34 As Brown states, “The and CEU eTD Collection capitalist movement “visible to the Northern media” (ibid: 24-25). movement (2003: 22) and disruption of WTO the meeting in Seattle, Washington in1999 brought the anti- 28 27 realm of anti-capitalism and is a jab at the growing pink economy. Brown states: the into falls consumption against emphasis the Furthermore, consumption”. and domesticity in culture anchored depolitized gay “privatized, homonormativity—the on their critique entails what and politics lesbian and gay mainstream from them differentiates what ultimately most from those inneed” Notes (Hennessy Nowhere 2000: 75). alleviation is soughtregaining through asense of ‘power-to-do’. Instead, infirst 2004:116). place (Griffin alienation creating system the perpetuates the means alleviationalso againstthrough the from whichmerely alienation this of consumption In this queeruptorsarenotsense, the in only against alienation, reacting Marxistthe sense,but above. mentioned organizations and the against movements inmassiveorganized resulted neoliberalism,26). Growingparticular the late resistanceto 1990s not while has to and 2000s, (International Monetary Fund) Organization) and WTO(World Trade shapethe world (2003: G8,IFO the corporations, bytransnational as represented fewcapital,with while the power and a growing senseneoliberalism ultimately is produces a growing gapbetween richthe deprivationand poor, of of alienation for the majority who are pushed to the periphery Notes from Nowhere marks Zapatistathe uprising in 1994 to be akey tuning point in the anti-capitalist Notes from Nowhere is a collection of stories written by activists engaged in the anti-capitalism movement. 28 production, of production, of ‘doing’, areconverted into‘being’—in case, this are divorced from the processes by which they came intobeing. The social relations of that of things not) (or owners as the but society, of creation in the participants active as each other to longer no relate people means that in consumption The investment is in Queeruption of networks the stance anti-capitalist and collective The active identities, culture and politics (2007a:197). anti-capitalist hegemonicisdoing.Queeruption’s gay cruxof critique of the This own their from people of separating the that: is precisely capitalism (2002) Holloway 35 27 suggests that what being gay. For CEU eTD Collection and activist work.” and activist academic in contemporary political economy queer “toward chapter, in this mentioned earlier I explore, developpotentialities” “turn”the that queeruptors others, andembody (ibid) among sexual and gendered multiplicity exploreof a to in which space more empowered aless and barrios in and queer blocs and sex queer that“create alienated parties, participating a good (sexual)Instead, through a good citizen. makes by given assumptions of an institution heteronormative what state: with embedded the disengaged mainstream with gay lesbian andwhich politics place equal asemphasis rights on them, obviously are presents asBrown Thus weseequeeruptors, activity” (2007a:197). personal ‘frivolous’ from activity political ‘serious’ and led from leaders of separating separations—the other perpetuates “politics because such thestate” towards orientated process andprocess asasimple not identity (2007a:197). category” always partof asocial of process with doing emphasizingthus others”, queer asa“relational which is re-engage low-key to ‘power-to-do, their attempts inmakingmodest, interested “are movement realm anti-capitalist larger the within of queeruptors, isthe that suggests Brown What isvictim. a subject the that notion the displace concept this of implications theoretical structures, noting, that however, is the subjectfully never relations. power the outside Yet, within power as an agent subject active the implicates the hand, on other ‘Power-to-do’, another. over ) institution, (individual, entity an by exerted is it is that ‘power-over’ behind basicconcept The orlatent. covert, itovert, force—be from an external under control over’ as being centered on Shedescribes ‘Power- to outline concepts. (2004) these feministon scholar Judith Squires control and dominance. draw I this distinction, Queeruption. For involved with ofnetworks This the organization practices places thenon-hierarchal and ethos DIY subjectin the echoed also is it as movements, as anti-capitalist within always being Yet this The concept of ‘power-over’ versus ‘power-to-do’ is a central distinction to make doing , for Brown,, falls farfrom “demands-basedengaging with politicsis that doing 36 , the very the , process of collectively organizing collectively of CEU eTD Collection without limits. movements lies in its willingness address to critiques,these although is this obviously not politics andother areas of activism which are notgenerally seen anti-capitalistas related to sexuality, such as No Border in for people whoengage actassupportive bases networks these Not only “in-the-know”.do movements,a few are who to beckon altogether becausetheyonly dismissnetworks or queer particular, butin mailing the I list. Furthermore, isitthink tostigmatize dangerous this queerproject in I think onewhich extentthe to information,idea sharing andnetworking alsooccur through participation of the strengths Queeruption,fail for account this wouldof aspect ofthealternativeto strategy world-making important an is this While gatherings. the at in participation and attendance radicalphysical entails queer inan participation Queeruption Thisclaims however, arevalidonly extent. to assumes, that may other I think mean, the whatever that urges”, “homosexual has who everyone to represent events. While I think Weir’s critique is problematic as I wonder ifitcan or should be the goal those who bordersfinancialcross toparticipate thelegal in possess ability meansto and the ‘people availableto homosexual (in Belland48)butalso Binnie only with 2000: urges’” of majority the to “unintelligible only not in-the-know, already elite,”—those “ location is it, thatas,JohnWeir “their” (1996)puts queerpolitics are only available for the always aconcern. lives, whereone of are,regardless outaws and deviants gender against attacks bashings and Gay- cities. in ‘gay-friendly’ felt not is heterosexism and homophobia of violence the that say of recognition and freedom of mobility without immanent threat of violence. Yet, this is not to world,the sexualand areas in genderdeviants already these queerupted enjoy a certain degree of parts other to comparison In ‘gay-friendly’. seemingly are place have taken Queeruption Another critical engagementconcerning gatherings these when considering their One phenomena that Iwould like tocomment on is that the geopolitical cities in which 37 CEU eTD Collection economy at is finest. It is therefore not surprising that radical queer networks areamassing in radicalqueernetworks that is Itis surprising not at economy therefore finest. (Duggan in representation” Thisis and areweededout Bell 2004:1811). thepink Binnie ofsexual forms “’undesirable’ citizens, of homosexual representation the for designated form of into anaccepted space specifically sphere the spaceinto consumerism, of lesbian by gay followingpackaging see that concept of and homonormativity, wecan the However, building community networking. these social spaces foster and Furthermore, heterosexism. refuge for gays and lesbians, among others, from harsh realities of homophobia and not mean to makehaving theability consume, to strivedosoand to upholdtherefore thebourgeois ideal. Ido light of the not while who, those, or positiveconsume, who ones the aretherefore bemade visible to supposed aspectsbarsstreet and grounds” cruising (ibid: groups of 1810).The gay men lesbiansand are who of these spaces back- subterranean, backinto queers underground, less-assimilated driven the villages—has as they undoubtedlymanifestations of gay consumer cultures—thoroughfares, street cafes, trendy bars, themed gay offer cocktail drinker. trendy gay], [read: happy the of image an mainstreaming ultimately means which spaces themedgay must actively promote compete world, inaglobalized any to wanting words, city festivals, hi-tech villages”(2004:1814 gay corridors, features—ethnic quarters, edge…That meansgay maintainin positively to “Citiescompetitive their culture to havetorespond order state, that authors The gay space”. and“commodified every “urban competitiveness” between connection the city that gay and lesbian spendingis power David sought. and Bell Jon Binnie out (2004)havepointed considers metropolitan and more city, the the bigger more the Indeed, and gayculture. acommodified itself reactionarya player towards gay and lesbian metropolitan scenes which mustare caught up in consumerism have the requisite Yet what this ultimately entails is “The that newpublicity moremainstream of Thus, while these gatherings occur in gay-friendly locations, they can be seen as 38 ) . In other In . CEU eTD Collection life these gatherings offer to activists to experiment and engage on their desires, another desires, their on experimentand engage to activists to offer gatherings lifethese While Brown focuses ontemporary reprievespaces and the from of constraints the quotidian gaysubject. commodified andand the economy movement critique pink on the capitalist anti- the of light in seen be must activism queer of trajectory specific This economy. political engagementwith broader homonormativity identity and of a politics, against of critiques Queeruption and the peopleinvolved with mailingthe list and asbeingindicators gatherings which and situate impetus, ethos political surrounding section I haveoutlined practices, the optimistically more inequalities. inchanneling awareness conscious productive In toward this are also but structures, normativesocial question only notoppressive, resist and tactics to however, are, they be?), they should why (and change social of speak they when envisage may some perhaps what not are and inscale small are changes social these while be. Thus, about how society is (re)produced and is an effort to change it, however small that effortit is acritiquematter not wanting “fit rather, society, in”conception a capitalistof mayof tothe to andfrom produced that experiencesof the them”those It issimply (2007a:197). therefore not acquisition of commodities that arenotininterested“queeruptors perpetuating asituation isthe sexuality where reducedto have been separated from thedisregard for environmentand labordivision concerns. As Brown succinctly states, conditions of capitalism’s theirdisembody to seek explain, shortly productionwill I as Kanal, Schwarzer the at community anti-capitalism movement andcriticizes. to“buyit”, into By queeruptors refusing the thatthe andcommercialization alienation very to the answer an process; commodification in‘power-to-do’, eruptionthe in canbe arupture Queeruption seenascreating the surroundings. In addition,in light of their anti-capitalist ethos and practices, their emphasis on theircreatively appropriate form space bymeansof own space” is andtheir to squatting to mainstream ingay culture order to win their spendingpower. gay areas whereastrong lesbian is seen forand presence and wherebusinesses compete Queeruption’s gay reaction to culture asmanifestedconsumer in“commodified gay 39 CEU eTD Collection world is met head on. This brings me to my engagement with the Schwarzer Kanal. aspectis which left is possibility of unexamined the spacea longer term the where quotidian 40 CEU eTD Collection from Foucault, but first letfirstme continue. but from Foucault, kind of Thisdescription perish”. brings uscloserat quote tothe heading the of section this “would opportunity, that she without build because to acommunity space inorder creating of importance the stressed person same the Elsewhere, society. mainstream to opposition marked in specifically, quite individual this and Kanal, Schwarzer the places ads family in as seen the ones the herdesiresand between distance the remarking on magazine and and‘gay-friendly’ advertisements gay-operated or for businesses Mentioning areposted. the read mainstream and magazinegay lesbian in Berlin where nightlife, articles, personalads widely- in offamily the was saidSiegessäule, advertisements highlightingplethora the after from Indeed, this statement Shame Mattilda pinpointed. Gay “violencethe of assimilation” as or homonormativity beregarded countering in position and can taking society aprescribed Fridge underthe Kitchen Wagon chapter from a participantquestion return inmomentmind,for atlike Iwoulda quote to the to beginning the this of of the Schwarzer citizen? With good the isthis create if to theintent does how organize space state the words, Kanal community as organization of a city and the construction of recordeda collective (ibid). infrastructure?” In other in the film,posit the “apromote family moral life” decent239).In and same (1991: the linehethento goes on question,the question “In of how to addressterms the 18 the order of theof city tothese prevent in starting ina shift public policy about writes Foucault Knowledge Power” epidemics and In “Space, objectives,and revolts and to how is one to The Schwarzerconceive Kanal of both the th century when architecture was discussed in political writings and the focus to turned the writings and in political wasdiscussed architecture when century “Space is fundamental in any form of communal life; space is space life; communal of form in any isfundamental “Space fundamental fundamental in any exercise of (Foucaultpower” 1991: 252). : Der Kanal Schwarzer 41 . The quote emphasized a refusal of The CEU eTD Collection limitations Ilaid in two. out chapter show, as I did to activism with in queer moment a as Kanal Queeruption, Schwarzer the with engage will I which After Kanal. how they are reformulating springI will of you2008, first take an historical a brief andexcursion introduce Schwarzerthe queer activism inmy own experience at asvisitor thefilm queer festivalheld Schwarzer atthe Kanalin the light of the and sources media andinternet of examination textual across above, mentioned documentary constraints. social squatting an is of power-to-do, exercise an enactment of freedom andpolitical on critique Kanal’s space bymeansof Schwarzerof the my appropriation of description ‘power-to-do,’ the andif Ican space isanexerciseof reader of remind power up bysayingthatappropriating is butcanbesummed moreina little abstract, “space isfundamental of power,” any exercise support this notion of community and communal life. The second part of Foucault’s quote, 29 actions” asbase for political or cabaret [public kitchen], Vokü wider community use itwho for events, workshops, art,film bikeevenings, fixing, concerts, Schwarzer Kanalis very Kanal real.for The and Schwarzer offers space is,in run by part, “a space to grow. While a community can be imagined, virtual or abstract, the community at the we will have an area.” Now I return to Foucault. The first part is quite clear: community needs another from or is andsomehow outside will continue there,wehavesupport fighting…The locations Iwill kindsof for these and important, areextremely “Locations like this that further state on to Shegoes another.” or day one come will police the because only this place vacate simply to going “We’re not that stated police, from the eviction byforceful threatened http://www.schwarzerkanal.squat.net/Project.html Before I further engage with the Schwarzer Kanal using a textual analysis of the film Another interviewee, reflecting on the fact that the Schwarzer Kanal isacutely Kanal Schwarzer the that fact the on interviewee, reflecting Another 42 29 all of which foster and CEU eTD Collection various sizes on unused plots of land. Sometimes the squatters have permission from have from land the ofland. permission squatters variousthe plots on unused sizes Sometimes formof communities who lorries and wagons, circus trailers, construction-site caravans, from place. aregenerally more to sedentary place Wagenplatzs and consistof peoplein living yet‘travelling somethingtravelling people’, tooften, akin people move asthe name implies, term is not well known in the English speaking context. 30 squat (German: Atrailer wagenplatz) (Berg2001). trailer squatting needs and desires of the inhabitants. demolition andleda shift restructuring to in policy beingas participatory based and on the squattingthe movement, aswell theneighboringas public supportof preventingmassive particular of Kreuzberg seen actions The still to thekindtoday. to involved of protest attests many movement, scale, on enacted of such alarge with types and people the-ground-up from- Thisandsort of 2009: 95). the area(Bader city’s thwart Bialluch to redevelop the plan 80 organizations,houses andsquatted alone inKreuzbergfrom into 1980-1981 aneffort tenant and councils neighborhood along-side movement,” squatter militant partly and in supplemented 1980s the with punks and scene, agrowing autonomous a“strong enacted people, lively“mix” of higherinforHowever, this rent. exchange 1860s and1870s the from back dating buildings rent-controlled the renovate or replace to plans restructuring according “official “slums”as in(Ladd 1997: to policy,” massive the 107), resulting periphery Westof Berlin and bordered on three sides by the Berlin Wall, this area was known, Kreuzberg mix” (Bader and filledthe neighborhood Bialluch 2009:94).Situated on the the hippies knownas and drop-outs—also other students, radical artists, political activists, “immigrantworkers, in story Kreuzberg the 1960and1970swhen in our We southeast start A History Brief As do the narratives in the film, I use the terms wagenplatz, trailersquat or simply squat interchangeably as the Alongside the wave of squatting buildings, there was another movement consisting of consisting movement another was there buildings, squatting of wave the Alongside 43 30 canbe as described CEU eTD Collection concerts, vaudeville performances and film-screenings for groups up 300 people groups for to and vaudeville and film-screenings performances concerts, years, held andregularly and consensual Fortwelve they ethics. participatory organized based on community of a self-organized pursuing possibilities the cultural/housing project fall Wallthe of (Rada 2001: 219),they described themselves as analternative being and idealists romantic dreamersin the midstfrantic of construction of Berlin since the telephoneandelectricity booth settled inmaking duewithout Depicted as water. and running a of out toilet ecological an built They containers. and vehicles their with borderland secured of SpreeRiverthe in 1990. Agroup whatpeopleof twenty squatted was once a highly bank the Wall, on Berlin the home to land, recently of a piece rooton took Kanal Schwarzer and today. continues beganinA new Bergbattle andgentrification Kreuzberg (in purposes for 2001). restructuring Internal Affairs, valuable property werenowon city center which were neededfor other for theSenate of former representative a Schmidt, Norbert to according theWall, of shadows and Bialluch2009:95).All eyes turned towards Kreuzbergwere and what once in the (Bader center became the suddenly Wall as the periphery with fallof changed the Berlin the in city policy radically ashiftplanning policy.forms This various produced and resistance of of mobility (Berg 2001). free cheap andor nature, living freedom proximity closer structures, architectural the to space, physicallyableindependent to from design social the environment establishedalready being arts, spaceforhave performing adequate from to desire and vary range the wagenplatz federal most is states of inevitable. The generally reasonsforGermany, eviction establishinga in regulations building the conform to not does in a trailer living As by police. areathe the land.the Othertimes, however, they landsquat the illegally and areeventually from evicted owners to ‘squat’ and they sign annually renewable contracts which permit them to stay on Within this battle, and out of this tradition of squatting, the trailer squat, Wagenplatz squat, trailer squatting, the tradition of of this out and battle, Within this As described,italready thatrestructuring was suggested Kreuzberg of mobilized plans 44 CEU eTD Collection Kreuzberg. As I mentioned earlier, the participatory, or as Bader and Bialluch call it, call Bialluch and as Bader or participatory, the earlier, mentioned I As Kreuzberg. more totake. legal with nowagenplatz recourse 2007, according to the film, the final decision of the court in favor of the companies places the planning has the Schwarzerformal in proceedingserror court and sympathy the of for buildingcity councilor and Kanal been able meeting regulations building (Holm a notghettoization 2004). Only area, and of through of to avoid eviction (ibid). Yet, as of March 6 32 31 business of value, posing safety loudrisks,being of too and property theirof causingdepreciation of thewagenplatz the land. accuse vacate They Kanal to Schwarzer sued the have repeatedly GmbH OfficeGrundstücksverwaltungs the Architecture Center)and stay permissionDAZ (German to neighboring the companies there, them gave which land the of owners the with contract lease a signed had they While later. backcome this to statement will I us.” for it in word important is an there as a term, remain to women/lesbian/transgender put it,last few years, they changed the label of the wagenplatz to ‘queer’ because“expansions as one interviewee Within the wagenplatz. awomen/lesbian/transgender Kanal called themselves Schwarzerthe a result of the move, and due to the mix of people who either stayed joinedor the community, are As for queerwagenplatz. the happen, all becamethings as beginning, the thusleave. end The alwayssuggests that this move caused ina shift in dynamics squatthe many as people decided to good.” documentary a new The film give office building. to river way upthe meters to hundred Yet, he desert. in of middle concrete the goes onbiotope by nature a themselves to calling fee. theiremphasized return noentry charged They to state, “We also want Noting, however, that noise levels rise during parties at night when the office buildings are empty. www.schwarzerkanal.ev.de Their struggle for existence also takes place in a larger struggle currently underway in struggleplace in underway currently fortakes existencea larger also Theirstruggle Currently, as I mentioned before, the wagenplatz is acutely threatened by eviction. by threatened acutely is wagenplatz the before, mentioned I as Currently, In 2002, this all changed when the Schwarzer Kanal was forced to move a few 31 45 32 , of potentially causing a th , CEU eTD Collection government, parts of the restructuring plans stay intact. 33 of implication queerly. squatting the to attention my turn now I engagements. critical these to point a counter offering as beseen can Kanal Schwarzer the that posit I be critiqued. to need also that society of realms social and material other from divorced becomes then it that far so in production cultural is based on it isthat theory and activism queer with engagements critical of the one two, in andAsIshowed critiques. chapter homonormative hetero- politicized considering while with engagementbe queer activism has re-mobilized assomething theability which to andre- it the stageformy Kreuzbergsets because context of of broader historical inthe significance Kanal Schwarzer the of history the I outline critique. in this role a plays capitalism and profit “Aufwertungsfamilien” and its existence outside of logicthe of regularhousing,business, bourgeois heteronormative the its against critique is of emblematic queer restructuring and angry neighbors. Thatthe wagenplatz has mobilized underthebanner of 2009), oreven better, “ the moral decent andfamily life”, somethingIreturn to later. families” “up-graded (Holm or activeperson “Aufwertungsfamilien”, calls, struggle inthe Kanal.wouldmix”Schwarzer in the massively also “Kreuzberg favor It replace of what one squatted alternativenumerous livingbuildings such co-ops, andwagenplatzs, as the stopif to planspublic redevelopmentthe whichwould, displace through, carried support Versenken” “Mediaspree entitled initiative andmassive agrassroots protests investors tothethere area.InKreuzbergare spending spirit, high- attract funds,try to who public group, with lobby by Mediaspree,a headed currently “traditionally district” in policyKreuzberg poor (2009:93).This “urban is west” renewal this restructure to in order redevelopment” “large-scale driven oneconomically which focuses policy west” renewal “urban an by supplanted been has policy renewal” urban “cautions Although Mediaspree Versenken delivered a petition with 300,000 signatures against the plans to the city tothe plans the against signatures 300,000 with petition a delivered Versenken Mediaspree Although The Schwarzer Kanal is therefore in the middle of a warzone of profit, city 33 46 (sink Mediaspree) aimed at gatheringenough Mediaspree) aimed at (sink CEU eTD Collection as towhat is inherentwith property and how power is exercisedproperty through assumption of “originalan sexual labor”of division (ibid:itstill 106), for food offers thought its in flawed be to analysis Engels’ shown have feminists many Although it. presents property, wewould disrupttheimplicitheteronormativity and as heterosexism Engels based ason bequeathing, of notion the disrupt ifweto laws.were Yet, andmarital property in family etched remains nuclear heterosexual, the bequeath central to as something to having the notion is 1998).While over womenof (Tong out-dated, conception this arguably been by theorized and beby Engels taken centralup to patriarchy’s some feminists hold to will firstdiscuss thediscursive powerthat(queer) squatting disrupts. I whichbe Iengagewith Before opportunities, these realized not otherwise. structures would tomakefor alternativeit social squatters the provides opportunities 2002: 212).Furthermore, (Bieri social lifehow aninquiry into is structured immediately provokes space appropriating life”, family moral “a promote and decent organizes spaceto state the assertion that Foucault’s remember if we norms. Yet, to resistance of sites unrecognizable internal or and lived wouldexperiences beadismissal as this of heteronormativity to entails anadherence that living alone,suggesting is not certainly What am I living. of ofspaceandways concepts heteronormative with a partner ethos mobilizedof a squat, underthebanner‘queer’ suggestsanengagementwith of or partners, withsquats andhousing/living arguablyalternative projects thesame offer underlying critique, the children, in other as in particular, wagenplatz this to particular not is this While fronted. fore are a ethos house or in an apartmentwith neoliberal ofliving whereindividuality,nuclear property orders private and the family The spatial form of the squat is a good place to start queer the squatting (Re)Negotiating Norms: as it is an obvious critical engagement The notion of property, asin, we think what of itwhen comes land to andhousing has 47 CEU eTD Collection removal of a “down-graded” version removal version of mix”. “Kreuzberg familyor the and a “down-graded” the light, of In this Kreuzberg, over is this take entails version then ofthe a family supposed ultimately to with implications ofheteronormativity butalso with If class structure. “up-graded” the notonly ontheAufwertungsfamilien.redevelopmentcentered the queersquatengages Thus, itis only heterosexual spacenot of bourgeois because ithinders because city queer, butalso in-the-know)reproduction those recognizable thwart to normative spaceand reproduction of (while only squatperhaps the of visibility queerness the of Thus, open presence and the unsettle presumedhegemony heterosexuality the dualism”public/private andof disrupt (ibid). space that of “are productions homosexual other the of recognition glances”, “cruising production of She on space” (ibid).contend goes to codes, “gayspeak”, that “knowing” or or‘normal’ give appearance of a‘proper’ to the time behaviors congealover and which whatconstitutes proper host of ofpubliclife inthepractices assumptions embedded about imagesand windows shop presentthat ofcontended “produce families” ‘nuclear’ which a advertisements to hands…, holding and kissing couples “heterosexual such actions as through heterosexual a prioriis(ibid). Space not heterosexual. a priori Spaceisnot isanything. It only be makes spaceseem fundamentally is to inspace what repetition actions the of claims that She 155). “performativespace” (2002: of into concept venture the itto upon calls Valentine cooperation through and performative betweeninstitutions and motions persons. enacted are space and property ibid). Thus, Winkler Lehrer and (in 'doing'" active a continual, However, it is useful to recognize that property is not astatic, pre-given entity, but depends on thereafter. immutable in time and moment atone are created [which] rights as “ownership is observation(2006: nopage).They property assumed (2004) that draw on Nick Blomley’s interventions” andgovernment social discourse, “legal deliberations, through isand enacted by andLehrer Winkler,the seemingly fixed notion of land ownership issocially constructed The connection here with Butler’s notion of performativity is unmistakable and Gill Indeed, ownership of property is not without its historical implications. As articulated 48 CEU eTD Collection can also be seen a productive. a beseen also can has led to a constant flow of ofeviction” people, “stress the that ideassuggests and film This energy.of energy”. Inrenewal this constant this sense, you get this because leave statepeople of uncertainty and temporariness interviewee states, “at the sameAn time,out. move to it’s people many also caused not has so negativeof eviction” stress that “the new whereby people ofuncertainty come state in all the perpetual time and old then we had a fridge fora day, that was nice”. Furthermore, the perpetual state oftake temporarinessme half a day to hasbuild caused a fridge a under the kitchen wagon, we might be evicted tomorrow,and but I then,like ohlivingwell, for now…Enjoy the moment now while it’s here and just get onwith thinking,handle the present yeah, ok, init they to how might face approach of their an uncertain changed have they that future. suggest film Onethe in stating, narratives two Yet, “recently place”. into I thinkphysically I’ve just started to live … for now the (hence wagon kitchen the under name fridge ofa the film).example, Thisfor is due built, to the “beliefbeing not are that we’rethings [not] goingsquat; to the of be here enough to ‘development’ really put things precarious legal status. A narrative in film suggests the that thistemporariness has caused a lack of 34 stating: experimentwith form spatial and social (in constructions andChatterton Hollands 2005:213). can spaces from zones asbeing everyday libratory the participants autonomous where (TAZ) 224). Indeed, Hakim highlightsBey behind(1991) politicalthe potential temporary (2005: social possibilitiesorder” forradical out sketches space which of urban creative use and collective a “illuminates squatting that stated have social Holland and Chatterton alternative structures. making for opportunities for potential enormous holds it that but political, toward the aturn power-to-do, of only exercise isan not casesquatting, in this seizing space, life and simultaneously an act of power.family.and (heterosexual) What I might addSchwarzer is Kanal engaging consciously in of ideals living a critique bourgeoisthe of proper to Foucault’s statementagainst ongoingthe of process Kreuzbergin mind, might we say the that is that Versenken with and affiliation Mediaspree Kanal’sactive participation with Schwarzer While SchwarzerKanal has existed for19 years, it is always ina perpetual state of temporariness due to its to be open for criticism. are here” deal able“we try to to with racism andsexism more andtoexamine closely and ourselves that …and and homophobia handle and approach to issues, approach isthese to able squat trailer aqueer where That’s work issues. these on to Wecome don’t from moon,the butwearepart of systemthe and that’s why we have and racism. homophobia, , transphobia harbors I’m thateverybody convinced by constructions insocial experimentation this highlights film in the narrative One space is inFoucault’s that fundamental communal statement I remind readerabout the 49 34 CEU eTD Collection based the on gender of one’s sexualobject choice (in Sullivan 2003:38) 36 35 theory and activism is ‘transgender’, that and ‘lesbian’ ‘women’ of different positionalitiesQueer Agenda”. participates in helpsand organize. Themotto marchof being,the “WeputGender back on the in the “queer agenda”. A critiquesexuality, but are breaking out of the “single oppression model” that Cohen referenced. that is basedon with oppression engaging not only are activism sites of queer certain indication that prevalent about isThat this turn as aliving is made mobilization a queersquat, of the under an project, queer engaged forin those is squat. whatentailspotentiality thesame the interviewee the stated same token, turning toward (as in, the “turn toward the political economy”) the that the In constraints. social of conceptions in change potential creating to fundamental are that collectively is the it that my highlighting and Queeruption to my reference echoes This one. alsoa collective but is not transformation, only impliespersonal that narrator “wehere” the bystating Yet, berealized. canpotentially prejudices harbored one’s of andtransformation transphobia willbe living partof a political, exposure andracism the dealtwith project, as actively is whereitengaged with, agreeduponthatsexism, collectively homophobia, of out living“the placingin By in system”. or wherethese aspace oneself are prejudices by tobreaktheir beprejudices inorder can dealtwith perpetuation distinctively oneself taking these with engaging of possibility the is that implies ultimately quote this believe I What mainly being that lesbians are rendered invisible (Jeffreys 2003). If as one interviewee states, interviewee one If as 2003). (Jeffreys invisible lesbians arerendered beingthat mainly by absorbed underhistoriesmen,get ‘queer’ bannercriticism whichoften the the dominated subject positioning based on gender presentation with specific political,material and social While critiqued by Sedgwick in http://www.myspace.com/dyketransmarchberlin A further indication of this is the Dyke-Trans-March-Berlin that the Schwarzer Kanal Schwarzer the that Dyke-Trans-March-Berlin is the this of indication A further participating inand language organizinglimitations sex andparties engaging with 35 This seems to be an indication that there is a certain amount of recognition Epistemology of the Closet 50 (1990), she pointed out that sexual identity is 36 are identity or identity categories are process of CEU eTD Collection spring up inequalities between people”. “Small details”,getting not “stupid having looks”, hierarchy” which would entail being and “conscious” “very questioning if hierarchies might takingis hierarchies” about “away all andtrying “build to a way living upagain, withoutof itloves”. another For live politics people haveand lot different with diverse a who of different livewholives their thinking that this Rather, isthe way [itliving]is worldthe works. about and straight automatically are not who livingis “with itpeople Or about this isaccepted”. whenIsaymy notgetting Iama“he”, that looks name, means wagenplatz that “stupid that livinga queer on another, For so naturally”. come that details small all the so pleasant, makes here livingtogether And what itmakes aspecialthing. somehow squat a queertrailer racistmentality is actively engaged with. Furthermore, for one interviewee, “the conception of lifeexperience in in everyday a community, space a physical homophobic asexist, where and iswant to of banner queer, underthe mobilized squatters, these what be given. However, not vii),want(1993: itis Warner obvious for everyone, amonolithic included, that answer can isitqueers it what that Warnerasks When structure. social with an alternative engagement Berlin, the ‘queerbarrio’ G8meetingat the Dyke-Trans-March- protests, No Border inHeiligendamm, narrativesorganize more obvious sites queer activism of such as aforementionedthe Transgenialer CSD, in the film attest to queer. misogynistic a differentengage with the them awayallows to completely deconstruct women/lesbian/transgender sort of activism as being this label.Furthermore, understanding open tolet aself-defined and reluctance mean”, might that “whatever it, of through understanding open is an there queer, of banner the under everyday mobilize they Thus,although destabilize categories. is identity even saidto queer concepts, as for us”, then it appears as though there is an engagement with the ensuing importance of these words in it important are remain aterm, asthere to want women/lesbian/transgender We also mightmovemean—toin. that whohave “We wantthose aqueerself-conception—whatever While, as seen on their webpage, the Schwarzer Kanal participates in and helps in and participates Kanal Schwarzer the webpage, their on seen as While, 51 CEU eTD Collection 37 festival. film highlightanother queer event, the Iwouldlike a description Yet, to event. leavethis of out to chosen have I Queeruption, to has event this similarity close the and constrictions space alleviateThe refusal here.consumerism alienation to isthrough Due highlighted to again is Thecallfor action planned. below: the detailed and Rebel Days”, an eventsquat plans as well. One exampleis aneventthat was heldin 2007 andin2008 called “Queer similar to Queeruption, the activities many itisthe of seen also through but property, logic of the private reaction to where an anti-consumerista therefore and itself, squatting of theact notonly with reverberates which stance capitalist walkout anti- anti-profit, to their This attests “Mediaspree”. and “investors”, blocks”, office “glossy was Kanal. Indeed,narratives in film the “boringdisidentify with yuppies”,“mainstream society”, Thisa corporate ‘other’ (2005:203). Schwarzer tendency against can at the beseen also Hollands describe various marginal sorts of spaces, such whichas squats, define themselves their own right. in make activists them thatcanbearguedto structure buildalternative social to this attempt an to everyday understand with engagement what these squatters as livingis anditqueerly “diverseliving politics”,loves” “different andbeing “questioning ifhierarchies” arise, attest http://www.schwarzerkanal.squat.net/QueerAndRebel.html; accessedJanuary on 11, 2009 (bold in original). (bold shopping journey. shopping andbiggermake centres billboards us –to all better trained next for the more so We money destroyscan build environmentthey rich givethe future. our and The damageiscritical. us and make us the rich´s pay slaves and itforto all we mustwork like donkies. by buying things and thebest way to befree is to consume. Advertisements brainwash Somehow, big corporations manage to train us believe that the only way feelto love is and Chatterton nightlife, of forms alternative of framework in the writing While 37 Don’t beatrained puppy.Buy your freedom stop shopping!– We work to buy more and fill the world with trash that trash with world the fill and more buy to Wework 52 CEU eTD Collection juxtaposition of gay and lesbian subjectivities with commodified blockbuster entertainment. blockbuster commodified with subjectivities lesbian and gay of juxtaposition lesbian film festivals just as film stars belong on the big screen,” the on belong film stars as just festivals film lesbian promotional call forfilm the festival in “coming2008, where outstories belong gay to and Verzaubert’s Yet, things. any haveof notthose featured filmsmight film of Verzaubert’s that charge to is comedic. the not This to transgressive erotically the tothe cultural, and political from the films of matters ranged these Thearray of subject Tango. on Queer andexposé an Germany in films 1980s, the children’sparodying educational videos with camp-inflection, documentary on Iranian feminist andleft-wingpolitical who opposition fledgroups to an experimental persons, on a documentary films, experimental to BDSM porn”, land), man “trans buildings or (squatted of eviction in threat under spaces free pornography lesbian families andstories, comingin out 2008, filmsranged atEntzaubert from lesbian SM, as music and dancing atkitchen), for workshops skill-sharinginfilmmaking, editing, directing, aswell subtitling, etc. night. Distinct fromlastscommercial films.four Thefordays event by and iscomplimented Vokus(public daily Verzaubert’s advertised emphasis on gay withEuros a pass for unlimited film screenings running at125Euros. and eight for film cost Tickets one movie theatres). buster chain (a largeblock of andCineStar television channel targeted at gay men), LSVD (the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany), (a Timm before), mentioned in Berlin magazine events lesbian and gay mainstream (the lesbian families. linefilms things,promisedgay of adiverseand amonganarray other atportraying aimed, of for 2008 program Verzaubert’s film enchanted). (English: ‘Verzaubert’ queer festival, acclaimed internationally long, week Berlin’s at jab obvious is an disenchanted) (English: 2009. SimilarGay to linguisticShame’s play gay theon film‘Pride’, festival ‘Entzaubert’ 39 38 http://www.verzaubertfilmfest.com/media/V09_Berlin.pdf ; accessedMay on 30, 2009 http://www.verzaubertfilmfest.com/2008/pages/festivalinfo.html; accessedMay on 200930, In sharp contract, Entzaubert is a DIY event run on donation basis and does not feature The Schwarzer Kanal is hosting its 3 its hosting is Kanal Schwarzer The 38 The festival Themassive by receives publicity and issponsored Siegessäule rd 53 annual ‘Entzaubert’ queer film festival in June, 39 shows a sharp a shows CEU eTD Collection to “the system” and a critique on consumerism for these queer activists. Cultural production these activists. Cultural “thequeer for onconsumerism to acritique system” and translated gets sense inthis “Material” society. of realms social and material other dismisses an production holds on cultural emphasis that which with engagement queer activism social structures.film festival movingare important for political forwardagendas while supporting alternative Indo things with important”, together [she]think[s]others then are such events cultural as the this light, andnetwork having “to whereshe“perish”and opportunity without the would consumerism we might if is” as it is” system and a radical as it on the “system is critique agenda, the of alienation one say that it, exercising “apolitical asoneintervieweeis puts for squat the about, also If endorses. queer this is a call promotional the counter that perspective anti-capitalist queer, radical underthe ethos political point acertain strengthens and community build network, to a chance is offers screened. also get It to the critical free not movies filmfestival isYet the otherwise thatwould towatch a cultural notonly event 40 else:beckons something marketplacethe (Chasin: 2000:24). class-specific gay subjectivity” (2000:112), consolidated by a “social identity” asfound in We are leftthen ask ifto film this festival is whatHennessy promoting “an imaginary,called, http://www.schwarzerkanal.squat.net/termine.html celebrate our community and diversity. Come and be part of it! to getimages there theradqueersandfeminists out out to theirencourage all word we want to entzaubert With militarism. fascism and racism,as well sexism as tothefightus, opposingtransphobia,homophobiaagainst capitalism isconnected and rights are workers’ and allmigrants’ for partfighting and borders of abolishing one normativity, struggle.gender The capitalist fuckingstructures; with also that political genderand power waywhich challenges system is basedEntzaubertis festival.a radical Wequeer queer is think that living about life in your a on festivals. social commercial mainstream in screened inequality,get not might that documentaries so for films, movies, for aplatform offers Entzaubert commons. creative and idea copyleft of isEntzaubert non-commercial. all Entry to isby screenings Wedonation. the support The organizers behindmightseem Entzaubert think to so astheir promotional call 54 40 CEU eTD Collection economy and the commodified gay gay subject. commodified the economy and sites. Theseinfluences are the anti-capitalistmovement and disengagement with the pink to offer insight into what is guiding the reformulation of queer activism as coming from from in larger specific socioeconomic coming located these andpolitical contexts influences order have I Furthermore structures. alternative social tocreate in order process social relational a of as part involved Queeruptionpower-to-do are(modestly)theirnetworks with engaging the and Kanal Schwarzer the that shown have I activism. queer with engagements critical separate. not are material political and different realms life undersocial of queer asendorsed banner of Cultural, the queersquat. this merger of seethe we Here them oneself.” do or non-commercially atthings look can one because culture, and politics because itdoes it’s queer, “because Kanal precisely Schwarzer importance of Another emphasized live outapart the of self-conception”. [his] political to “able is he events, cultural these through that stated interviewee another notion, this cement further To social realms. withmaterial and engagements critical for site becomes the then In this chapter I have outlined two sties of queer activism to offer counter points to 55 CEU eTD Collection interactions in a squat, specifically offers a critical engagement with neoliberal orders of with neoliberal orders acritical specifically in asquat, engagement interactions offers homonormativity andconsumerism.inengagingthrough SchwarzerKanal, everyday The identity in is indicators politics, ongoing there activism that critique against an engage are “power-to-do” of I haveareengagingin homonormativity. The moments that queer activism highlighted as part of turna relational towards beingof a broader part and,as critiques pointstothese counter itself,be seenasoffering can process. As such,an theengagement has led adepolitization practices to of and queersubjectthe adesire channels for assimilation that valorizationeconomy in that of favor Isuggested pinkeconomy the cultural production. of these sites queeractivismthat has/haddisengage the tendency to issues with surrounding the political with of was model”. Theassertion invested in oppression a “single asbeingtoo the wasseen activism political queer Furthermore, anti-assimilation. to claims intheir were deemedascounterproductive heteronormative meaning through use theof commodity and consumerist spaces, their actions economy,in space in public to exposeorder underlyingheteronormative imperatives. theyidentities normality. to resistance through Theysoughtvisibility and behaved inappropriately offer and diverse desires celebrated Nation, Queer from coming as Queeractivism, essentialism. a critique for Identity beingbecame politicsof instead acts. upin bound process arelational of denaturalize evolved crisisthis sexuality and soughtto out basis sexual specific on of the to government’s rather, homophobicnegligenceresponse, or inhandling ACT pandemic. the UP ultimately,Yet, identities. stable of thedismantling poststructuralist a impetusand narratives grand of dismissal and for queer activism inQueer activism in States United the was early thinkingthe by propelled1990s postmodern was the unfortunate crisisConclusion of AIDS and the U.S. The involved Schwarzer Kanal,thenetworks with Queeruption and the gathering Yet, their practices were not without their limitations. In pursuing destabilization of 56 CEU eTD Collection order to change social structures, Brown tochangeorder Brown outthatthispoints social structures, holds engagement the“pretension in analysis class-based systematic more a for call might feminist, Marxist a as Hennessy, While structures. social alternative of further aconstruction offers what consequently realities (Heckert2005:53). altogether sustain different and facilitate in turn also normalization, towards resistance as acting while that organization their aim generate cultural transgressions networks, relationships,to resources, of types that their transgressions are not simply done to oppose or deride the hetero/homo dichotomy; prefigurative queer conjurefuture. imagine upanunderstanding Ifwewereto doing of for they the nowwhat politics, as I believeor theQueeruption attempt to collapse and Schwarzer producecan be new of seen asapractice totry inwhat order prefigurative politics, realities the means Kanaland the do,ends we(Brown willsay to rebelsin “fuck are being in transgressive Rather,they system”. order the transgressive 2007a).see In other words,bemerely eruptingnot to queeruptors and aresquatting squatters the that consider they are the networks at Queeruptions are transgressing norms simply for the sake of it. It is feasible to if into orsquatthepeople tactics at the involvedslipping transgressive in community the the in neoliberal, Wedominantof society. order mightaskif turningthis away would meansimply maneuver to room little with us leaves homonormativity of definition Duggan’s as practices; homonormative in participate to arefusal mind in bear also we if economic and political the of logic aspecific with engagement an from away a turning entail ultimately also might economy” political with anengagement “turn toward to here propose that I endhereto Final Twist and critique on the pink economy and the commodified gay subject movement bemust anti-capitalist seeninlight of the of activism queer trajectories specific living whereproperty individuality, private andnuclear the family fore These fronted. are This engagement or rather, disengagement with the neoliberal “political economy” is economy” “political neoliberal the with disengagement rather, or engagement This 57 CEU eTD Collection are … dreams. Just try it anyway. That has a beauty in itself somehow that is positive”. your dreams you know, though, “Liveyoureven dreams film states, interviewee of one the nihiliststupor orpostponing (ibid: some‘post-revolutionary’ dreams future” all Asuntil 198). a into slipping than rather now, and here in the alternatives with experiment[ing] “creatively also time same the at are they but capitalism”, of circuits mainstream in engage to refusal “a only not are Kanal, Schwarzer of those of and Queeruption with involved networks the of ethos and practices the that statement Brown’s follow I (ibid). programmatic” than rather is that revelatory, practice of political in a “areengagedre-imaging movement, anti-capitalism larger of Kanal,a as part Schwarzer wellasthe involved as with Queeruption networks the (ibid). can there more As beconstants noare becoming comfortablerealizing” with that such, suggests Brown of life”, human are aconstant contrast, drawing on Thrift’s assertion that “uncertain outcomes built upon partial knowledges future the that of worldthe becarefully [can] and planned” In rationally (2007a:203). 58 that “the … movements of the last decade or so CEU eTD Collection ———. 1993b.“Imitation and Gender Insubordination” in Butler, Judith. 1993a. “Critically Queer” in Burkitt, Ian. 2004. “The Time and Space of Everyday Life” in Cultural Studies, Vol. 18, No. Browne, Kath, Jason Lim, and Gavin Brown. 2007. ———. 2007b.“Mutinous eruptions: spaces autonomous radicalof queer activism” in Brown, Gavin. 2007a. “Autonomy,Affinity and Play in the Spaces of Radical Queer Bieri, Sabin. 2002. “Contested Places: Squatting and the Construction of ‘the Urban’ in Swiss Berlant, Lauren., Elisabeth Freeman. 1993. “Queer Lauren.,Elisabeth Freeman.Berlant, 1993. 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