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ISSN 1446-4896

Stonewall 1993 is shaping up to be a pretty busy time for gays, lesbians and transgendered persons. Tlie following is some of wtiat is being planned.

The newly formed Australian Centre for Gay and Lesbian Research is organising an inaugural conference entitled ACTIVISM IN THE 1990's: The Need For Gay and Lesbian Research. Workshops include: The Families We Create; Violence; Discrimination and The Law; Diversity and Ethnocentrism; Writing Our History; Creating Our Identity; Activism and Academe. The conference will be held on 25 - 26 June; registrations will be taken on Friday 25/6/93 at 12.30pm. For more information on both the conference and the Centre, write to Dr Join Hart C/- Dept of Social Work and Social Policy, Building A26, University of Sydney, NSW. 2006. Ph [02] 692 4207. FAX: (02) 692 3783.

The Stonewall Organising Committee, made up of a number of organisations and individuals, is organising a March and Rally. Tlie theme is WE ARE FAMILY, and is aimed at recreating tlie original 1978 Mardi Gras route. The march/rally will start at Taylor Square at 6.30pm. A party will be held at the end of the march. Everybody is encouraged to bring their own groups, friends, banners, and placards

. Lesbian and Gay Solidarity will hold its annual Stonewall Dinner at Heffron Hall, on July 3 starting at 8 pm. With speakers and entertainment. Price is $15 or $10 concession.

Recently the Activists Defence Network published an Activists Rights Handbook. To quote from the book's preface:

This is a book by activists for activists. It differs from the advice on rights provided by lawyers, who generally concentrate on telling you what you CAN'T do. However in compiling this book we've also sought the opinions of many friendly lawyers. Our main aim is to let you know that you DO have rights, and to help you make better tactical decisions through having informed choices.'

Further on it is explained that 'this handbook is designed for progressive activists - students, trade unionists. Aboriginal rights campaigners, environmentalists, lesbian and gay campaigners, peace and social activists - who may come into conflict with the police and the state'

One other way in which this handbook is unique, is that it doesn't 'suggest that you obey the law. To the contrary, where laws contravene democratic fights, they should be opposed and 'broken'. In Chapter Two, we note just some of tlie many laws wtich were made specifically to repress dissent. Challenging these laws, or avoiding them, will most often be a tactical decision for activists.'

Clearly this book is valuable for all of us. It only costs $5, plus $1 postage, and is available from: CEFTAA, P O Box K365, HAYMARKET, NSW. 2000. Ph (02) 281 5100. Fax: (02) 281 5303. Bulk discounts are available to community groups, unions and other organisations.

The March On Washington on 25 April this year was a huge success, with over a million participating. A significant aspect of the march was the huge diversity of participants, which included leather groups, drag queens, and Dykes On Bikes. Many gays and lesbians formed state contingents, adding to the colour and diversity. According to a report by Ann McNally in tlie Sydney paper Green Left Weekly 'cries of "Where's Bill" were frequent, demonstrating that the significance of the president's decision to leave town and not attend as invited was not lost on tlie marchers.'

Meanwhile, Lesbian and Gay Solidarity issued a call for an action of solidarity with the March On Washington on Saturday April 24. A modest but successful picket was organised outside the US Consulate in Park Street, in the city. 'Our' gay press chose to ignore it completely.

A small but rowdy contingent of gays and lesbians (and a couple of nuns) walked behind the Lesbian and Gay Solidarity banner on Sunday 2 May. This year's May Day/International Workers' Day was larger than last years. "Undoubtedly the massive increase of attacks on workers' rights is slowly but surely creating a rebirth of industrial resistance and militancy. Radical lesbian and gay activists have always been part of the workers' struggle. LGS will ensure that our presence at events such as May Day will also demonstrate our presence as gays and lesbians in the workforce and in the industrial struggle.

The above is the title of an article written by Phil Marchioni for the April/May/June 1993 issue of Consuming Interest, a publication of the Australian Consumers' Association. We're reprinting it in full because of its obvious relevance to gay and lesbian activists.

*Just when you thought it was safe to organise a boycott of a product you didn't like, along comes a legal opinion that indicates calls for consumer boycotts might well be subject to legal challenge under section 45D and 45E of the federal Trade Practices Act {these are the same sections which are used against union industrial actions -LGS).

*These sections of the Trade Practices Act deal with secondary boycotts. Secondary boycotts occur when two or more persons act together to interfere with a third person's (or corporations) ability to provide a service to a fourth person (or corporation). It is possible, for example, that the Wilderness Society could be taken to the court for attempting to prevent woodchpping of our forests.

*An historic alliance of trade unions, national environmental organisations, the consumer movement and civil liberties groups is campaigning to defeat what have been described as 'draconian anti-protest laws'. The alliance will be aiming to win a commitment from all political parties that the repeal of sections 45D and 45E will take place in the first parliamentary sitting after the elections.

*Breaches of the provisions carry fines of up to $50,000 for an individual or $250,000 for an organisation.'

The elections have come and gone, but not these sections of the law. Unions have been trying to hold the Federal Labour Party to its promise to repeal them for a number of years, to no avail. Obviously the necessity is there for a more militant union and community approach, the ACTU notwithstanding.

Rank and File News is a magazine which originated in Queensland out of hard, protracted industrial struggle by unionists against escalating attacks by their bosses and the treachery of their union officials. In mid 1991, Rank and File union activists began to publish Rank and File News with the purpose of nationally building a voice for workers fighting struggles in the workplace and in their daily lives.

From the beginning, Rank and File News has tied industrial struggle to the social struggle for workers - whether women fighting for reproductive freedom, migrant workers confronting justice, lesbians and gay men resisting discrimination or unemployed people encountering harrassment. The perspective of Rank and File News is that the struggles of the work site, the home and all social arenas are indivisible.

Production of Rank and File News has moved to Melbourne. It still covers issues from all over Australia. Of particular interest to the readers of the LGS Newsletter, might be that this magazine has published material of direct relevance to gay men and lesbians, with articles such as: 'Gay Men, Lesbians and Other Workers: A Common Struggle' by Michael Schembri; lesbophobia in the Workplace', a writeup on some aspects of the Off Our Backs report - A Study into Anti Lesbian Violence, by Kerrie Cheers from Sydney's Anti-Violence Project; reports en the attacks on gay men and lesbians in Nicaragua and on the gay/ lesbian/ progressive fight to counter lesgislative anti-gay/ lesbian attacks in Oregon USA; and calls for solidarity with the Sydney Stonewall' 92 and the November' 92 All I Want For Xmas gay/ lesbian marches/ rallies.

To support Rank and File News, send your news, leaflets, notices, letters. Rank and File News is published every two months. Subscriptions are $10 for unemployed workers/students, $15 for waged wokers and $20 for organisations. Write to P 0 Box 103, West Brunswiek Victoria 3056. Cheques are payable to Rank And File News.

Melbourne montlily newsletter of gay and lesbian activism. Contact: P O BOX 108, NORTH CARLTON, VICTORIA, 3054. Subscriptions: $15 one year, $6 concession. LESBIAN AND GAY SOLIDARITY Second Thursday of every month, at the Newtown Community Centre (opposite the railway station) at 8pm. Next meetings: June 10, July 8, August 12, and September 9.

THE TERM 'HOMOPHOBIA' IS COMMONLY USED TO DENOTE HATRED OF HOMOSEXUALS. BUT THERE IS ANOTHER TERM WHICH IS ALSO USED: 'HETEROSEXISM'. ARE THEY INTERCHANGEABLE? DO THEY HAVE DIFFERENT USAGES? OR IS THE USE OF ONE PREFERABLE TO THE OTHER?

Audre Lord, the well known Black American lesbian feminist, seemed to use both while giving them different meanings. She started one of her articles with a definition of both:

Some of us take a different approach to this terminology. It is not a matter of quibbling, rather it is a question of political analysis and defining our approach to gay politics.

The problem with "homophobia" is that it does not point to the system but reduces hatred of homosexuals to an individual weakness. Very often a set of prejudices accompanies it when used by many gay men: homophobia is seen as being worse among working-class and non-Anglo men. The assumption is therefore that it can be eradicated by education (this usually follows from the belief that white middle class men are more 'tolerant' and 'open minded', possibly by virtue of being more educated, not ignorant louts). This approach explicitly assumes that homophobia can be eradicated outside a context of overall social change.

'Heterosexism' is the system of creating a dominant sexual mode: it is the capitalist system (including the institutions of education, the churches, the media and so on) which creates the oppression of gay people. In this context lesbian and gay liberationists recognise that oppression of gays, lesbians and transgender persons is closely linked to the systematic oppression of women, the imposition of sex roles, the use of the nuclear family as a key institution of oppression. We also recognise that sexism and heterosexism, along with racism, are essential tools of imperialist oppression and for the maintenance of a class society.

Therefore, to choose 'homophobia' is to choose a politics aimed at carving out a space within our existing society. The trouble with this is that the root causes of our oppression are not eradicated. It does not reject the larger status quo. Therefore our 'space' will be constantly under siege. Our 'space' too will also be afflicted by racism, sexism and classism.

Those who prefer the term 'heterosexism' have a radical politics, one which is about changing this capitalist (and therefore sexist, heterosexist and racist) society. By extension we approach the struggle for our liberation through coalition politics - not just a coalition of gay men and lesbians, but with all other forces and movements whose common aim is to create a just, non-exploitative society.

Tliis was a question asked by a lesbian wtio saw Aboriginal women badly treated by Aboriginal men. Apart from the fact that not every Koori man oppresses every Koori woman, there's a slightly more detailed answer.

Australia's modern history is based on one undeniable fact - the Invasion of 1788 and the ensuing genocide. Aboriginal people have, however, survived. They are still oppressed. They are still fighting back.

As lesbian, gay and transgender liberationists we believe that our oppression has a common source: imperialism and class society. Our various struggles, for all their various specifics and facets, are one. Therefore we gay men, lesbians and transgender persons are in solidarity with aboriginal struggles. Our liberation is interdependable.

As in all other communities, sexism is rampant in Aboriginal communities. In which case we support the struggle of Koori women against sexism in their communities.

Likewise, heterosexism is rampant, and likewise we support the struggle of Koori gays, lesbians and transgender persons in their struggle against heteresoxism in their communities.

Support for the black struggle for liberation does not imply an uncritical approach. It does mean taking on the various oppressions wherever they come from.

The gay and lesbian movement is being challenged by the queer agenda, which threatens to undermine our politics and our movement. It is essential that in resisting the whole notion of queer politics from a radical perspective we should explain our positions. We cannot afford to play diplomacy that can only give credibility to the opposite camp. We can be called "the old guard" or "dogmatic", and rightly so, if nobody knows the reason for opposing queer politics. The following article does not necessarily represent the views of all LGS members, but it is the viewpoint of most of its active members. In writing this, I acknowledge my debt to Ken Davis for the interview he agreed to do on Gaywaves.

When the notion of queer politics first came to Sydney those of us on the left thought it meant a reassertion of radical gay liberation politics. In fact, many of us embraced it as such. Since then, though, it has developed way beyond that, particularly on campuses, where it has acquired the meaning of 'non-heterosexualiy identfying sexualities.' It is as such that we take issue with it, that wc reject the politics it represents.

Firstly, we reject defining ourselves negatively, in relation to heterosexuality. After decades ol lesbian/gay liberation struggle to, among other things, build a positive self-image and self identity, against all the ideologies peddling the labels of sin, crime, mental pathology and so on, such a negative self-definition is a huge step backwards.

Such a definition also assumes that all sexualities are equal. But they are not. If they were, there wouldn't be oppression of homosexuality, nor a priveleging of heterosexuality. No. Not all sexualities are equal We do not live in an ideal world. Sexuality may be fluid, but categories are socially constructed. It is heterosexism which has drawn tlie battle lines. Homosexuality is oppressed and therefore it is the gay/ lesbian political identity which is in opposition to heterosexism. As such gay and lesbian identities include those who are bisexually active.

Two political parallels can be drawn. In terms of class it is the capitalist class and the working class which are pitted in mutual opposition, based en the former's exploitation of the latter. It is working class politics which is valid and essential, not middle class politicis. In terms of race, Blacks have rejected the notion of 'coloured' or 'halfcaste'. In the divide caused by racist oppression all Blacks are pitted against the dominant oppressive White/capitalist system.

Thus when it comes to so called bisexual politics, the question has to be: what Is a bisexual agenda? Is there such a thing? Our answer is no. Bisexuals arc not oppressed for expressing themselves heterosexually, they are oppressed wlten expressing themselves homosexually. As heterosexually acting people, they exercise their straight privelges. When they are homosexually acting, they are exposed to all the oppression that gays and lesbians are.

Some bisexuals claim to be doubly oppressed, by homosexuals on the one side and heterosexuals on the other. This doesn't just indcate an abysmal lack of understanding of the dynamics ol oppression and resistance, it is also an insult to us gay men and lesbians. It is very true that some gays or lesbians might sometimes express prejudice against people who arc bisexually active, but prejudice by itself does not constitute oppression.

Oppression entails a practice and an ideology backed up by a whole system. Anti-homosexual prejudice is backed up by the whole of society, which includes laws and law courts, parliament, police force, churches, large sections of the medical community, employers and so on. To claim that homosexuals are oppressing bisexuals, viewed in this light, is pathetic. We do not bash them, we do not murder them, we do not sack them, we do not pass judgements against them, we do not entrap them, we do not kick them out of the (nuclear) family, we do not define them as sick or condemn them as sinners. So, where's the oppression?

It is claimed that bisexuals need gay and lesbian services, such as counselling. This does not mean that such services should from now on be called gay, lesbian and bisexual. The present service organisations are not in the business of turning people away. Nor are they telling people that they have to be gay or lesbian just because they had a sexual encounter with somebody of the same sex. Rather, they are geared towards helping people accept whatever identity they choose to build. As such, they do not tell people that they are gay or lesbian, and by the same token, they don't tell them that they are bisexual or straight. On the other hand we have to accept that since it is homosexuality which is oppressed, it is gay and lesbian counselling services tliat we have a need of.

TRANSGENDERS AS ALLIES

People with transgender issues are natural allies of gay/lesbian liberation. Heterosexism is equally oppressive. While much ol their agenda is very specific (dealing wilh gender orientation rather than sexual orientation) there is significant overlapping with gay/lesbian political interests. A de-gendering of laws is of value to both transgender people and gays/lesbians, challenging such issues as the heterosexual model of family, questioning why passports etc need to refer to a person's gender and so on.

Transgender issues should therefore be taken on board by gay aad lesbian organisations. At the same time, transgender people should also retain their own organisations through which they can formulate their agenda as well as focus their activities.

From all this it appears that using the all-embracing term 'queer', rather than helping, fuddles the issues. It does not allow an indepth analysis of the issues at stake. It sounds appealing, reasonable, liberal. But it also prevents an understanding of oppression and of how essential identities are in organising resistance. As such, wc must reject it.

CURRENT NEWSLETTER AND ARCHIVE OF PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS

Mannie has a personal web site: RED JOS: HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISM

Mannie's blogs may be accessed by clicking on to the following links:

MannieBlog (from 1 August 2003 to 31 December 2005)

Activist Kicks Backs - Blognow archive re-housed - 2005-2009

RED JOS BLOGSPOT (from January 2009 onwards)

This page updated 18 SEPTEMBER 2014 and again on 26 APRIL 2017

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