Description
How might we envision a queerer sense of international solidarity? What principles and practices would define it? This paper examines these questions through an application of queer theory to conceptions of solidarity and examines queer histories of solidarity to see how they may inform contemporary internationally focused solidaristic action. The findings in this presentation speak relevant literature, Queer International Relations theory and findings of focus groups conducted with British queer people surrounding international queer solidarity, particularly focused on solidarity between queer population in the UK and Uganda. It is through this analysis that a queerer solidarity will be constructed, and within this presentation I investigate this solidarity, how it may interact with the state, and how it may build solidaristic spaces outside of the state.
Firstly, I examine how a British queer response interacts with the British state, and the state as a general concept, to examine what, if any, role the state may play within international queer solidarity. To do this I will examine histories of queer organising and international political factors that fit the state into systems of heteronormative oppression. Secondly, I will examine other factors, such as the work of NGOs, histories of community organising within queer spaces, and solidarity with LGBTQ+ asylum seekers to build a comprehensive picture of how queer solidarity could occupy the spaces outside of the state. Overall, the goal of this presentation is to explore what a queerer international solidarity may look like, and how this can expand the possibilities for solidaristic action generally.
