Hey everyone, Paul here. This is the first of my long-form blog posts on things and subjects I want to really give my own (detailed) thoughts on, but our social media services mean it would be too cumbersome or reductive to use them. From my notes, I do wonder if this will end up being a ramble, but hopefully someone reads it and it makes some sense, and can make someone think differently about the world we have had set up for us.
This is my extending thoughts on a sad but equally, important, blog from Twitter lefty Daviemoo on Politically Enraged entitled "LGBT+ Separatism; or "Why I’m Sick of Society".
From his original tweet "This article is for everyone, but is mainly to support my fellow LGBT+ people who feel as fed up as I do. If you're offended, take it as a call to action, not as a call out." And you absolutely should do so. Especially if you think of yourself as an 'ally'. It affected me greatly - enough to do this 'response' and blog - albeit many of the things I will outline I have posted on Twitter over the years (but no-one cares). Being apathetic and allowing the Right to run rampant is not going to protect us. It's going to harm us. You need to have the knowledge to combat their rhetoric and to convince others to your (and our) side.
I decided to expand on six sections of this blog with my opinions on it.
The thesis of the blog is based on the ever-expanding and never-ending right-wing 'culture war' to attack especially trans people, but LGBTQ+ people wider (it's a gateway drug for their never lost hate of gay people after all), as a 'diversion' from their economic and political 'mishandling' - or what I would say is the collapse of capitalism.
1) I remember the halcyon days of going quite literal years at a time without so much as a raised eyebrow over my sexuality, I remember the happy societal shift away from the phrases “sexual preference” (I don’t prefer men, I am incapable of being sexually attracted to women) or “tolerance” (I tolerate a sore neck until I can take painkillers, I prefer acceptance thanks). Things seemed to be on the up and up.
As someone who used to think I was a 'liberal' until 'centrism' was rejected at the polls in 2015 and then again 2017, I think this is a common belief of the 'enlightened centrist' many people argue they are (they're usually either easily swayed by reactionaries apathetics, or covert conservatives), that society will always end up getting incrementally 'better' in a 'good, progressive direction'.
I certainly felt it too when I came out in the early 2010s, and it probably stayed that way until Brexit happened (well the referendum result anyway). We all know the hate attacks against us LGBTQ+ people kicked off in the months and years that followed. Maybe, in fact, probably they were always there and happened, even in the 'good times'. We were blindsided by being around ostensibly 'progressive' people, where the social conservatives were always in the dark, waiting for the moment to hit back.
That event allowed people to show off what they really thought having never lost their 'beliefs' against our existence – only they didn't feel that they could say it and get away with it.
2) I used to both want and need acceptance from the odd, flawed cishet patriarchal society in which I’ve been raised- a society I never used to question. I used to want to be able to walk down the street holding hands with another man and have nobody raise an eyebrow, talk behind their hands or call me a slur. I was praying (very atheistically) for the day that nobody gave a shit. That hope is gone. I think people will always be bothered by my sexuality, by people’s gender expression or lack thereof. And what a sad realisation that was- that ignorance will continue and be permitted in a society too lazy to confront its shittiest members.
Maybe I still have too much hope in humanity - I'm still a LIBERAL, NOOOO... - but I feel it's not lost. But it requires a massive shift in human understanding about the enforced systems and hierarchies the ruling class have put in place, for their own enrichment.
The sad thing on this shift happening (without talking about the propaganda we're fed every day that these systems are great for us masses) is people either inherently like the 'security' of these hierarchies and systems, or know that they fucking suck, but they also have accepted nothing will change and it's insurmountable to fight to radically upend our society. Capitalism and conservatism love these hierarchies existing as it keeps 'haves and have nots', 'rich and poor', 'in groups and out groups'. And even if you're getting fucked over by the system, most normies can console themselves with feeling happy for a few minutes a day at there being other people and other groups – whether poor, disabled, immigrants and refugees, BIPOC, religious, or LGBTQ+, that are being fucked over more than they are. The only way that will change is through collectivism and an anti-capitalist society that ends the power and wealth imbalances, so we really can be all 'the same' (what happened to 'All Lives Matter', huh?). It's up to us if we want it, or more importantly, fight against the system to get it.
3) The difference is, I’m no longer viscerally upset by this. I don’t care any more because I don’t seek, or want, acceptance. I just need it to live in peace- and wanting and needing something is very distinct.
I agree. I'm the same – even as I'm on the chopping block, I am numb at this point to whatever rhetoric comes out from the Right. Numb to our existence being called 'woke nonsense' by government officials. Numb to going back three decades, where we're all called both online and by media 'influencers' paedophiles, groomers, and child molesters. I don't even want to interact with the 'influencers', because they are rammed to the teeth with power and wealth, how can you stop them? And all you'll get is their 'bag carriers' replying with disingenuous tweets that deliberately re-write whatever you say, and call you a 'woman hating misogynist'.
4) On to the main section on "LGBT+ Separatism" - and the first thing that came to my mind seeing this, and something I often think about, is US Representative Louie Gohmert's (yes, that ghoul is still around) 'send gays to an island and after 200 years it will show everyone gays are un-natural' fantasy, and wish for this to come true.
But I know a full-on separatism – a nation-state – would immediately be targeted by our haters. Unless it was an island (as Daviemoo argues for in his blog), it would also be inextricably linked with other nation-states, that could at the drop of the hat become anti-LGBTQ+ even if they're 'positive' today. That may be simply for distraction for its own brought upon malaise (much like today's mass panics).
But I do instinctively concur with separatism for sports. It's clear the bodies that run organised sports either put up with us for virtue points, or are covertly hostile once they're taken apart by the anti-trans reactionaries. See the 'inclusive' cycling event ThunderCrit where despite the participants knowing trans/non-binary athletes would be able to go in the class they identified beforehand, that was not enough for the antis (or the Daily Mail), and they were still raging that such an event could even exist. They are not wanting 'fairness in (cis women's) sport' - they want to eliminate trans people from the public sphere.
So, yes we should have sports organised solely for LGBTQ+ people – and I'm sorry, that does not include cishet allies (like Gay Games) at all. Even when you say it's 'for all' beforehand, it will never satisfy the antis. To remove the 'Good Gays' too you can make it so that you can't participate in organised athletic competitions to compete in 'our' events. It's a sad situation, but it's all we can do to protect ourselves and our futures.
I also feel that some of our advocacy groups – namely Stonewall – have got too close to governments over recent decades. This society has shown they do not want us as we are – they at best want us to assimilate into cis-heteronormative customs. I'd prefer if they did get 'Out' (as the 'Get the L Out' types have hashtagged), and returned to being a radical organisation to advance 'LGBTQ+-ness' outside of the cis-heteronormative structures - especially now they're run by a Liz Truss-loving Tory. It's also yet another example of the Right's constant shouting that every institution has been 'captured' by Woke Leftist Queers is nothing but a deliberate distraction.
5) - My intermediary wish is for us to create pathways to withdraw from participation in this society as much as possible, to form our own subculture, our own ways of navigating outside the mainstream- like rocks at the bottom of a rushing river and the network between them, I want to move through life surrounded by those who also seek refuge from this ridiculous society. Some would call this an echo chamber- name it how you will, disparage it if you must. Your participation in a society that necessitates this type of action is the reason for its existence.
How we achieve this, I wish I knew. There would be, must be, should be ways for us to create this network, methods to create rules that apply, resources we can rely on that can create a buffer between us, if we number enough, and wider society- the generation of a sub culture specifically designed, catered for and administrated by the wider LGBT+ community.
As an still always learning anti-capitalist Leftist, this was the key part that made me want to discuss this piece in full so I could expand my own thoughts out of the 280 character (or 500 on my Mastodon instance) Twitter limit.
The answer to this is it does exist already – its name is anarchism. But this still relies on the state we're within (or if an unincorporated area of land, next to) to respect us and our choice. The enforced hierarchical systems will always look for people to paint as the enemy, especially at times the ruling classes need victims, as distraction for their brought-upon-themselves issues their state's masses are left in – or as we have now, capitalism literally collapsing in on itself, wrecking people's lives now, and with no interest in dealing with climate change, their futures.
The obvious example of this today is the #StopCopCity/'Defend the Atlanta Forest' protest movement, still going on right now in the Weelaunee Forest. Cops shot one of the protesters, who have been camped in the forest for months, dead (Rest in Power, 'Tortuguita'), and have already arrested tens more on minor 'misdemeanours' that were added to by 'domestic terrorism', just for having the temerity to try to stop those same cops from building a sanctuary for themselves, which they want so they can train alone, and then go on and brutalise and kill more minorities in the 'line of duty', and for wanting an important barrier towards a sustainable local ecosystem, that mitigates both air pollution and flooding, to remain in place.
6) - So my question to the community is: is it possible? Is it workable? Can we do it?
I believe the answer to this is 'yes', but it will need mass organising in the LGBTQ+ community, and needs to be at an appropriate planned site to unleash it as a viable long-term project.
Because as I said earlier, 'neighbour' countries or if within a nation-state borders, that country itself, can and will use you as a villain and enemy – especially if it looks like you might be successful. The capitalist class can not allow their system to be revealed to be a sham that oppresses and pillages the 99% for the 1% to be ever-enriched.
The obvious example is 'socialist' or 'communist' states. Why, if as the ruling class enablers, the media and politicians, tell you that it is so bad for humanity and a 'modern society', does the West - especially the United States but also many of the European imperialist empires, continually attack these countries with wars, blockades, sanctions, infiltrations and coups to make sure they collapse (and so they can install their own 'friendly' people in charge at the top, and the neoliberal order)?
So, outside of the 'island', I just don't see a way of getting even an organised commune of committed LGBTQ+ people into a 'safe' place, without the 'neighbour' nation(s) having been radically changed too, by ending all of these hierarchies and systems that promote this binary/'in groups, out groups' 'team sports' rot. And I believe that if we radicalise ourselves into understanding these systems are bad and oppress us all, that enlightenment will 'free the mind' of most people towards their understandable belief that they need to hold onto their slim power the system has permitted them from anyone they can oppress themselves from entering.
To wrap this long read up, I don't want to seem in this 'response' (lol) like this shouldn't be tried – if cis-heteronormative 'society' is going to never be allowed to progress, at the urging of the capitalist class, and normies are so apathetic and delusional to work for a better world, it should. There is a route there. But it needs massive buy-in from LGBTQ+ people and understanding of the costs to even have a chance. And it must not have 'Good Gays' anywhere near it to deliberately tank it.
The one good thing I can hang on to from all of this 'culture war' backlash, from firstly the American Right (having been workshopped in 'think tanks' and then by Twitter 'influencers') and then co-opted by the British Right too, whether it's 'Critical Race Theory' (really their code-word for anything anti-racist - if you don't believe me, look up the creator of it, Christopher Rufo; he was so confident of being able to convince normies of this ruse he tweeted out the scheme in full) or trans/queer/LGBTQ+ 'ideology' (for just existing, and wanting rights), is that progressive, Leftist, anti-status quo discourse is getting them worried enough to push back. The system, and the capitalist class, doesn't give things to the 99% unless it's going to help them get wealthier. We just need to keep pushing, growing radical thought wider in normie minds, and hopefully the door to long-lasting emancipation and liberation for all in a world that is collectively owned and run, will burst open.
Thank you for reading this long-form blog post, and reaching the end. I hope it was somewhat understandable and readable, and wasn't too rambling and repeating.
Having started this blog, I think my next one I will do is finally answering that question I always said was too complex for 280 characters - the Matt Walsh special, "What Is A Woman?"
Love you all. Peace.
Paul.
Comments