Queer Faction is a radical queer group, based in Ottawa, challenging gender oppression, patriarchy, heterosexism and all other oppression within the queer community and society at large.
We believe in the complete freedom of sexual and gender expressions, harnessing the power of grassroots to express solidarity and confront oppression.
DISCLAIMER: So we thought that we’d lighten up this site with some light reading/humour, i’d love to continue this pointless debate with anyone who wants to challenge the points i make here….
by: justin timberdick
So yeah, its obvious…Lady Gaga is clearly not an anarchist, and not queer positive, well she’s not rad. queer positive at least. She’s a fucking celebrity who makes millions and millions of dollars, she’s an assimilationist asshole just like every other celebrity, but even still i have a hard time even calling her assimilationist at all…im tempted to say that she’s the exact opposite but i know better.
The question that i think is important to ask is whether or not she fucks with/challenges the gender binary, societal norms, and what it means to be obscene/perverse. Whether or not she does these things intentionally or not doesn’t really matter. Its also interesting how much she has been coming up in conversation/debates within the anarchist community. In my experience the only folks that i’ve gotten into debates about her with is cis-gendered, straight, male, anarchists. Thats also something thats really interesting (but not surprising at all) to me. Most queer/trans identified anarchists i know love her! All the cissy straight anarcho boys seem pretty upset, furious and just generally disgruntled over the fact that queers could like her. Ya know.. usually when i start pissing off straight cis boy anarchists i know i’ve been doing something right…. i mean really the fact that she’s getting this sort of repulsed response from anarchists is hilarious! Lady Gaga pisses off cissy anarchist straight boys like she pisses off Fred Phelps and any conservative, just for different reasons. Ya sure she’s a sell out and has marketed herself to make millions, but seriously guys im sure you never listen to any artist that has sold out….right? Only crust and D.I.Y folk punk….mmm hmm sure.
There’s also another question that comes into play now that we’re talking about marketing yerself for money. I feel like having a job is the equivalent to this, you create a resume, you go to the interview and try to market yerself to a potential employer. Then you hope to get the job and make some cash by selling a service, sure its on a smaller scale, and ya there are some differences, but in the end its all the same. The way im feeling more and more of the time is that lady gaga is more queer positive, and is fucking with gender norms way more than most cis straight boys i know. Whether or not she’s a rich snob isn’t relevant to me, what is is that id still probably feel more comfortable sitting in a room with 10 Lady Gaga’s than 10 insurrectionary rhetoric spewing macho cissy straight anarchist boys. Maybe thats a problem?
fAction Queer est un groupe queer basé à Ottawa. Nous nous opposons à l'oppression de tous genres, incluant, mais non limité à, l'hétérosexisme, le patriarcat, le classisme et le sexisme. Nous croyons en la liberté totale de libre expression de nos désirs et expressions sexuelles. La solidarité et l'action directe sont nos armes.
Queer fAction is a radical queer group, based in Ottawa, challenging gender oppression, patriarchy, heterosexism and all other oppression within the queer community and society at large. We believe in the complete freedom of sexual and gender expressions, harnessing the power of grassroots to express solidarity and confront oppression.
Visibility: -Essential to our struggle, we must be visible as queer people in our communities. -Smashing closets, repression, and self-hate. -We are open to being perceived as queer during our meetings and actions. -Marginal voices cannot possibly be articulated by one monolithic queer group on campus or within our communities. -We oppose all forms of assimilation as death through erasure. -We will create a radical presence at queer events and a queer presence at radical events.
Anti-Oppression: -Active opposition to racism, sexism, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, HIV/AIDS stigma, classism, heteronormativity and homophobia within Queer fAction, queer communities, and our community at large. -Recognizing power relations within our groups and communities, and acting to eliminate social hierarchies.
Solidarity and Coalition-building: -Acting in solidarity with other oppressed groups, who may not identify as queer. -Building relationships with other oppressed groups and activist groups. -Recognizing that we are acting on unceded Algonquin land
Grassroots: -Operating our group at the community level, independent from any state or government.
Non-violent Direct Action: -Actions that are ends in themselves, or lead to concrete ends.
Accessibility: -Events and meetings should be wheelchair accessible. -Published items ought to be (at least) French-English bilingual. -Language should be accessible; specialized or academic vocabulary and concepts should be defined or explained.
Sex-positivity and Sexual Health: -Acknowledging the ultimate right of individuals to engage in consensual sex acts and relationships, with anybody, with any motivation, paid or unpaid. -We support the use of harm reduction methods (including but not limited to the use of barriers, education, and testing), as we recognize the effects of HIV-AIDS and other STIs on queer communities as well as other communities
Anti-capitalism: -We reject the comodification, exploitation, and corporate appropriation of our queer identities -We reject pink capitalism and gay dollars as tools for liberation
Anarchy: -Operating our group without hierarchies, coercive power, or internal authority.
Consensus decision-making: -Decisions made by the group should be supported by (or acceptable to) all members present. -Ultimate decision-making capacity is held by individuals who have attended 2 Queer fAction meetings and have agreed to the Basis of Unity of the group. -At least 3 members with decision-making capacity must be present at meetings to have quorum
Voluntary Association: -Recognizing individuals' rights to act independently or with the group.
****
-This is a living document and is subject to annual review each spring, by consensus, while maintaining the integrity and spirit of the original document.
-Translation of the document can be agreed upon at regular Queer fAction meetings, outside of the annual review
(Nous sommes en train d'écrire une version française du présent document)