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Queer Liberation, Not Rainbow Capitalism: A Reading List

The following are a series of articles published in Left Voice addressing queer liberation and the fight for socialism.

Left Voice

June 27, 2020
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Socialism and Queerness 

Whither Queer Liberation?

No other group has gone from such marginalization to capitalist assimilation so quickly. In just fifty years, the cops went from beating, raping, and arresting us to marching in our parade. Since its inception, the LGBTQ+ movement has been divided on the question of assimilation: Do we want to fit into the current system, or do we want to change the whole thing? Here, revolutionary socialists can make an important contribution, with a strategy to beat capitalism and to fight all forms of oppression.”

Desire, Repression, Revolution: Jean Nicolas and “The Homosexual Question”

In the 1970s, Jean Nicolas, Trotskyist militant and activist of the French Homosexual Front of Revolutionary Action, published “The Homosexual Question,” a brilliant analysis of the history of the oppression of “homosexuals” and the struggle for liberation, as connected to the struggle for socialism and new human relations.

Queer Oppression is Etched in the Heart of Capitalism

LGBTQ+ oppression is inscribed in capitalist production and reproduction. Only socialism can create the context for queer liberation and sexual liberation for all.

Pete Buttigieg and the Folly of Identity Politics

Pete Buttigieg is positioning himself as an ally of queer liberation because he is the first openly gay man to run for president. However, down the road of identity politics lies only cooptation, not liberation. 

Trans Liberation

Marxism and Trans Liberation

It is impossible to achieve trans liberation, or the liberation of any oppressed sector of society within the framework of capitalism. We need a revolution to overthrow it.

When Workers Went on Strike to Defend a Trans Colleague—and Ended Up Occupying Their Factory

Should the left fight for workers’ demands? Or for the rights of trans people? Workerism or wokeism? These struggles are often presented as mutually exclusive. But a factory from Argentina shows that when workers fight for equal rights for everyone, they are fighting for their own interests.

From Brazil to the US, Fight for Trans Rights

So many of my LGBT brothers and sisters are so scared right now. I imagine many of you are scared too. But as a revolutionary, I have to fight the immobility of fear. Bolsonaro wants us to bow our heads and hide the pride in ourselves and each other that we fought so hard for. I think of Stonewall almost 50 years later, and I know that Marsha and Sylvia must have been scared too. But like them, I know the only way forward is to fight. Its time for more marches, more organized rage. It’s time for a new generation of Sylvias and Marshas: new leaders who will make history.” 

Trans Migrants: Defying Borders and Binaries

The first people in the migrant caravan to reach the US border was a group of LGBT migrants. How do we fight for the rights for trans migrants?

Trans Liberation is Only Possible If We Overthrow Capitalism

On Transgender Day of Rememberance, let us honor the Trans* lives that have been stolen by a rotten and oppressive system. The only way to ensure true liberation is to end the oppressive system of capitalism.

Abolish Cops, Abolish ICE 

Trans Rights Have No Borders: Johana and Roxanna’s Lives Matter

Immigrants’ rights are an LGBTQ+ issue.

Rainbows on Their Cars But Blood On Their Hands: No Cops at Pride

The police force that locks up and harasses people of color and working class people wants to portray themselves as gay-friendly for the Pride parade.We cannot be deceived by rainbows on their cars—cops are the enemies of the vast majority of LGBT people.

Stonewall Uprising 

Stonewall was a Riot

Pride month is a celebration of the Stonewall Riot in 1969. Now uprisings are breaking out all over the country. Wealthy, white gay men today might be opposed to “violence,” but the history of the LGBTQ+ movement shows that riots of oppressed people are about liberation.

Queer Struggle, Class Struggle: Reflections on Stonewall at 50

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. The riot against police violence will be commemorated with radical demonstrations, but also with “parades” including police, corporate floats and speeches by capitalist politicians. What happened? Has queerness lost its revolutionary potential?

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Left Voice

Militant journalism, revolutionary politics.

Gender & Sexuality

Berlin Has a New Pride Demonstration That Cops Hate

Pride should be a protest, not a party. The Internationalist Queer Pride in Berlin takes up the tradition of the Stonewall Riots. Cops hate it — and that's a good thing

Nathaniel Flakin

July 30, 2023
People marching at New York's Queer Liberation March in June. The banner reads "left and labor for trans rights"

Trans Liberation and Socialist Revolution — A Debate with the IMT

Trotskyists should aim to be in the front lines of all struggles against oppression. This is a debate with Alan Woods's International Marxist Tendency (IMT) on how socialists should relate to the movement for queer and trans liberation.

Sasha Frost

July 29, 2023

The Communist Women’s International, in English for the First Time

An Interview with historians Daria Dyakovona and Mike Taber about their new book with documents from the Communist Women’s International

The First Pride Was a Riot, This Pride Is a Strike: Starbucks Workers Shut Down Over 150 Stores

This June, Starbucks implemented a new policy which prevented employees from decorating their stores for Pride. Instead of accepting this hypocrisy from the supposedly queer-friendly corporation, workers at over 150 unionized locations shut things down.

Reba Landers

July 1, 2023

MOST RECENT

Far Right Imposed Shutdown Represents Deeper Crises Only Workers Can Resolve

The United States is on the verge of a government shutdown. The fact that a minority far right in Congress has forced this, largely over disagreements with military spending, shows that the U.S. regime is in a historic crisis. Now more than ever, workers must intervene for their own interests.

Sam Carliner

September 29, 2023

Neither Trump nor Biden Represent the Interests of the Striking Workers

Donald Trump skipped the second GOP debate to go to Michigan to speak on the UAW strike. This, one day after Biden became the first U.S. president to walk a picket line, represents the on-going fight between the parties to win influence over the working class.

Enid Brain

September 29, 2023

The Deadliest Year for U.S.-Mexico Border Crossings Occurred during Biden’s Administration

The humanitarian crisis at the border was created by capitalism. Voting for a lesser evil won’t save the Latin American working class; it will take international, political and strategic solidarity across borders to build a combative immigrants’ rights movement.

Paul Ginestá

September 28, 2023

The Big Three Are Using Layoffs to Punish the UAW and Undermine the Strike

The Big Three are retaliating against the UAW by laying off thousands of its members at plants across the country. Defeating these attacks will require the self organization and mobilization of all the workers.

James Dennis Hoff

September 28, 2023