Queer Liberation & Socialism

*This was a post I had intended to make on last Saturday, the 17th, as it was the International Day of Action Against Homophobia. I was more or less prevented from doing so however due to spending much of my time in he hospital getting treatment for a flare up of a chronic injury.

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As a revolutionary democratic socialist I firmly believe that the struggle for queer liberation is an integral part of the overall movement towards complete revolutionary change of society. Queer liberation challenges all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It challenges the narrow and discriminatory norms of sexuality and gender we find in the modern capitalist society. In doing so, it has within it, the basis for a true revolutionary potential. It challenges one of the central pillars of modern capitalism, the cult of masculinity called patriarchy.

I fully support the creation and development of a an autonomous movement of queer liberation. A movement where gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transsexuals and all other who do not fit societies narrow view of sexual and gender normality can come together and make their own demands and develop their own leadership and power.

To this end we, those involved in the fight for queer liberation, make the immediate demands to the world:

• We call for the end of all anti-gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBTQ) restrictions in law and the work place, the repeal of all sodomy laws, and the legalization of same-sex marriage.
• We call for equal treatment and benefits under the law for all families. Guarantee equal child custody, adoption, visitation privileges, and foster parenthood rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
• We call on all schools to adopt policies and procedures to address and prevent student violence and to ban discrimination against GLBTQ people throughout the educational system.
• We call for accurate sex education courses in public schools. Truthful information about sexuality in society and history. A
• We call for bans on all forms of job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
• We call for equal treatment for all people in the military regardless of sexual orientation.
• We are committed to confronting the heterosexism that provides the fertile ground for homophobic violence, and support all efforts toward fostering understanding and cooperation among persons and groups of differing sexual orientations.