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Queer Liberation & Socialism
Introduction: Socialist
Action believes that the struggle for queer liberation challenges all
forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation. It challenges the
narrow and discriminatory sexual and gender norms of capitalist
society. In doing so it has
revolutionary potential in the form of its challenge to the patriarchal
structures that capitalism is partly based on. We support the building of
an autonomous queer liberation movement, where gays, lesbians, bisexuals
and transgendered people can come together and make their own demands and
develop their own leadership and power.
We’ve set up this page to post articles on the GLBT movement, lessons
from past struggles, and theoretical essays outlining the Marxist view on
special oppression. We welcome your feedback on what we’ve posted!
Queer
Liberation News & Views:
Massachusetts
Same-Sex Marriage in Danger:
In Massachusetts
the law that established the right of same-sex marriage is in peril. This
law resulted from a Mass.
Supreme Judicial Court decision and has been in
effect since 2004. Since then, more than 8000 couples have married, but
the court’s ruling remains highly controversial. continued
The Struggle for Same Sex Marriage
Continues: During the last two years, the struggle for gay
rights, especially the initiatives for civil unions and same-sex
marriages, has seen more setbacks than gains throughout the U.S. In 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
ruled that gays had a right to marry, and the first ceremonies were held
in 2004. Since then, 17 states have adopted constitutional
amendments to ban gay marriage—most often by popular vote—and 10 of these
states also ban civil unions and domestic partnerships. In addition,
California Gov. Schwarzenegger in September vetoed a bill to legalize
same-sex marriage. continued
Which Way
Forward for the GLBT Movement: In 1947
the state of California made a historic move and struck down that state’s
ban on interracial marriages. At the time, 48 states had bans on interracial marriage.
According to some polls from the time, approximately nine out of 10
Americans said that they opposed interracial marriage. It seemed that the
battle for fundamental civil rights could never be won. continued
Texas Anti-Sodomy Law Struck Down: This past month the
Supreme Court struck down the state of Texas’s anti-gay “Homosexual
Conduct Law.” This law, like many of the “anti-sodomy” laws still on the
books in number of states, makes gay sex an illegal act. The Supreme
Court’s decision came on the heels of a big campaign on the part of gay
rights activist to overturn such laws, along with an anti-gay campaign by
right wing elements. continued
Gay Liberation Before Stonewall: Many tend to think
that the gay liberation movement did not begin in earnest until the 1969
Stonewall riots in New York – the now infamous event where when attacked by
police, patrons of the gay & lesbian bar stood up and fought back. As
important an event as Stonewall proved to be though, it was not the birth
of the gay liberation movement. In fact authors John Lauritsen &
David Thorstad, in their book “The Early Homosexual Rights Movement,”
argue that Stonewall should be viewed rather at the 100th anniversary of
the GLBT movement. Below is a synopsis of the forgotten chapter of GLBT
history that they present in their book. continued
Archived
Articles:
Queer Liberation Movement:
Gay-Straight
Alliances Sweep the Country
Texas
Anti-Sodomy Law Struck Down
The Murder
of Sakia Gunn
The Early
Gay Liberation Movement
Homophobia
in the Schools
Anatomy of
a Hate Crime
Two
Examples of Anti-Gary Bigotry in the High Schools
Gays in
Cuba
Same-Sex Marriage:
Gay
marriage wins again in Massachusetts
Mass. same-sex marriage rights in danger
The
Struggle for Gay Marriage Continues
Canadian Supreme Court blesses same sex-marriage
N. Wisconsin Stands Up for Gay Marriage
Same-sex
marriage: Massachusetts leads the way
Same-Sex
Marriage: a Major step forward for equality!
What Marxists Say About Oppression:
Fourth
International Resolution on Gay Liberation
The Nature
& Origin of Women's Oppression
The
Challenge of Matriarchy
History of
the Family
Queer Liberation Groups & Resources:
Chicago Anti-Bashing Network
Gaywire News Service
Gay & Lesbian History
Museum
Lesbian.org
Out Against the War
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