Anyone remember Queer Nation? (back in to 1990's)

[William769]

I think it's time to revive it. Any thoughts?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. No, what was it?

[William769]

2. Was a Gay activist group

That joined together with another group called Act-up. There main cause was A.I.D.S activism & fanned out to Gay rights.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. I know Act Up.

has Queer Nation dissolved? I surely is needed today.

[kweerwolf]

4. I've been thinking along the same lines ...

Queer Nation (and ACT-UP) were "direct action" organizations that were very "in your face" with their protests.

Both groups tended to burn out fairly quickly (as least where organizations are concerned) but have been given credit with winning some battles. ACT-UP, for instance, has been credited with helping to speed up the approval process for AIDS drugs.

Most of the direct action groups tended to fall out of favor during the Clinton years when it looked like we were actually getting a place at the table and making gains for LGBT rights.

Now, under the BushCo regime when our hard-won rights are threatened, it may be time once again to revive direct action groups like Queer Nation.

Personally, I always felt Queer Nation were similar to black power groups during the civil rights era. They scared the "white folks" so much that it made it possible for "the more reasonable" black leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. to make progress in securing civil rights.

As much as I admire the Ghandi's and the MLK's of the world who aspire to non-violence, sometime you have to let the dominant power structure know that we are as capable of violence as we are of non-violence.

FYI: Here's the link to Winkipedia's entry on Queer Nation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer_nation

And here's a link to the LGBTQ Encyclopedia on the group:

http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/queer_nation.html

[William769]

5. Well I have been toying with the name

Pink Panthers.

[kweerwolf]

6. Someone tried to use that name and Blake Edwards threatened to sue.

I've been thinking of Stonewall (something) ... Nation? Action? Army?

[readmoreoften]

9. Queer Army. I'm fine with that.

But then we'd need weapons. I'm fine with that too.

[kweerwolf]

10. Personally, I'm already well armed ...

... with my rapier-like wit and a supply of devastating bon mots. In the event those don't drive home the point, there's also a baseball bat behind the seat of my truck.

[terrya]

7. Yes. I agree.

And I'll join it if if is revived.

[readmoreoften]

8. I'm with ya.

It's my nationality 'far as I'm concerned.

[icymist]

11. Interesting. I was just looking at some old photographs of demonstrations

when I was active in QN, back in '93 and '94. That was some really good energy in those days. I believe it's good to revive the concept of Queer Nation, but not the name. The word 'queer' no longer has the radical shock effect. Times are really different now and chances are that this mis-administration would label us a terrorist organization, along with the eco-terrorists.