This category of pages are devoted to the sharing of perspectives, floating of ideas and proposal of viewpoints.  A virtual think tank, this is where concepts are exercised and world views developed using a critical queer liberationist lens to question, resist and challenge the status quo.

Disclaimer:  The viewpoints shared on this page are not neccessarily those of Queer Ontario, but featured here to provoke thought, discussion and further questioning to assist Queer Ontario in its ongoing work in social and political analysis.

Queer Liberation Theory: Resurrection and Development

The Queer Liberation Theory Project is a community-based research project that will seek to advance the public education and community development work being done in the name of queer liberation, by resurrecting the principles of the historical gay liberation movement, re-contextualizing them within contemporary queer discourse, translating the findings in theoretical terms, and disseminating them through various accessible multimedia platforms. In response to growing discontent and dissatisfaction within queer communities in the face of a neo-liberal agenda that has infiltrated LGBT communities over the last two decades, this research project will resurrect the principles of the historical gay liberation movement, re-contextualize them within a contemporary discourse, iterate the findings in theoretical terms and disseminate them via multimedia approaches to further the aims of modern queer liberation movements, including community development and public education. … Read More

‘Queer’ in Name

…  use of the word ‘queer’ was questioned and discussed  …  In Toronto in the late 1980s and early 1990s the term ‘queer’ was taken up in an organized, very public way by the short-lived group Queer Nation.  It was fitting, as this group espoused a radical ‘in your face’ approach to social action.  They would hold kiss-ins in highly congested public areas, crash straight bars and dance in same-sex couplings and post posters declaring ‘We’re here, We’re Queer, Get used to it’ featuring same-sex people kissing  …  Two decades later and the term is not necessarily a comfortable fit for everyone.  …  Read More

Queer Liberation

…  A critical queer liberation perspective engages in a process of questioning, resisting and challenging.  …  Resistance to heteronormative socialization and conditioning – in essence looking, acting and behaving like straight people in order to gain acceptance and respectability – is rejected.  Challenged are the hegemonic notions that heterosexuality and traditional gender identities and roles are the norm.  …  Read More

Troubling ‘Equality’

…  The message being, ‘we (LGBTs) are just like you (straights) and all we ask is to have the same rights, benefits and responsibilities you have.  We want an equal opportunity to live our lives just as you live your lives.’  …  For many queer liberationists there is a concern that this can lead down a slippery slope to the assimilationist pit.  Is our movement about becoming like straight people?  Do we aspire to model our lives after the lives of straights?  More disturbingly, is this the path that will lead us to acceptance and respectability?  …  Read More