I am not a radical queer

femmesandfamily:

At least not in most people’s definitions.

Not because I believe in captialism or assimillation.  But because I don’t have the privilege to be able to reject these systems and still survive.

Most of the ‘radical’ queers I know don’t work (or work for very little/radical orgs).  Most of them I know have college educations that were paid for by their parents.  Most of them I know police who is and who isn’t radical with no regard to privilege and power.

All very not radical ideas, if you ask me.

So I am very uncomfortable defining myself in that way.  Maybe it is just my experience that lends myself to not IDing this way.

Has anyone felt similarly? Or want to say what being a radical queer means to them?

I identify as a radical queer exactly because of the ridiculousness I’ve felt from some radical queer communities.  I want to counteract the unchecked privilege and power and challenge the idea that you have to leave the system to be a true radical queer.  I’ve been privileged to have jobs I love, though most are not especially “radical” in nature (all non-profits, but none with strong critiques of capitalism for sure considering some have worked with the likes of Goldman Sachs).  

I’m so over radical communities that are not committed to building true alternatives to the systems that oppress us but instead just protest and tell people to leave the system.  

I’m committed to building safe space for queer and trans* people in the food justice movement, especially around sustainable agriculture which is why I get the fun job of working with farmers in the city greenmarkets as my authentic queer self and challenging them whenever they say or do oppressive shit (of any kind: even if you love my lil gay self, if you say some racist shit I’m gonna call you out).

I have a college education paid in small part by my parents which afforded me the ability to hold the paid work I enjoy, but I do still have a mountain of school debt so I ain’t working for free.

Being a radical queer means practicing radical inclusion.  That means you don’t shut out someone or something because it doesn’t live up to your expectations.  Work with what you got or you aren’t going anywhere.

Oh, and radical queer communities have GOT to stop with the crazy white privilege and racism.  It drives me nuts and makes those spaces completely unsafe for a large percentage of people I love in my life (and makes NYC seem like the only place in the US where you can find radical queer POC spaces).  

activist dilema

ewwwitzjojo:

to judge one’s activism as not “radical enough” and “pointless” comes from a privileged, hierarchal perception of what activism is

prof. k. wayne yang talks about “deep organizing.” a form of activism that the “radical activists” will never see or realize.

“deep organizing” is activism by just being you. to be part of a system that was not meant for you and who wants you “dead” and to survive and excell is activism in itself.

to be a person of color, queer, lgbt, womyn, disabled, poor, non-christian, un/low-educated, intersex…in a system like education or the work place & succeed is activism in itself. you challenged the system that was not originally intended for you and who told you that you are “different.” you disrupted the original plan & goal of the sytsem. that is activism in itself.

prof. barbara j. love talks about “critical liberation” & “revolutionary love” where she critiques activism coming from anger because of a situation, reactionary activism, and activism from love, that is done through love of yourself and love of others. the activists who are march on the street and trash/vandalize space, & at the same time pro-union & pro-workers are a contradiction. you marched for the workers and then made the workers clean up after your movement. can you sing & dance after your demonstration instead of going home angry? can you sit with your oppressor and see them as an individual rather than a person of power; to whom you fought against because they didnt see you as a person, but a number or an obstacle instead.

activism can come in different forms. whether it be marching or singing, writing a poem, doing an art piece, cleaning a place up, raising awareness, doing workshops, praying, changing your facebook picture, wearing a particular color, or just being you in a system that doesnt want you. the activist dilema (k.wayne yang) is dehumanizing other’s experiences in the “movement” by comparing their activism to yours and creating a mythological hierarchy on which form of activism can produce a better result.

always trying to challenge myself to come from a place of love and not anger after anger failed me horribly personally a couple years back.  activism from a place of love is long term and destined for change.

genderqueer:

radicalqueerbrownboy:

phatrix:

“No Homo (Nationalism)” from one of the most creative, fun and inspirational people i know!!!!

Check out her blog-

gaybyface:

I approve of this public service announcement. <3

(There’s a song in the background, but all the text is written.)