this post was submitted on 15 May 2024
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Yeah I DIY all the time, and I didn't ask anyone to do anything for me, but usually when you tell someone it's good to do something, it is good to specify what it is exactly you want them to do, so they can do it by following instructions at least using them as a jumping off point.
The issue I have is everyone parrots this organising and community stuff but no one ever specifies:
What the practical purpose of this is and how or if it benefits anyone? Generally people will team up with strangers for some mutually beneficial specific goal, not a vague reference to political theory they've never heard of, what is this goal here?
What constitutes a community in this sense (a definition would also be a good start, people throw this word around a lot, i.e. the "gay community", the "trans community" but it is clear there's no such thing, this is only used to avoid saying "trans people" by the press)
How to start and/or join a community. What's is/are the website(s) where such communities are advertised? Especially in non-American countries? Or if it requires interaction IRL, what is the socially acceptable way to do so, because it is not really acceptable (or gets people onboard) to go talk at random strangers on the street and is a good way to get the police called on you.
Unless all those things and much more is elaborated on at length, then the call to action doesn't really specify what the action is. You can absolutely go donate food to the homeless but it has zero to do with any community, just go buy sandwiches at the store and hand them out and feel good afterward, so that's what I've done before, but this community/organizing stuff seems to go over my head.
Forgive me if I'm being dense, but I'm starting to think that either the phrase "organize a community" has some sort of inherent meaning I am simply unable to comprehend (perhaps it makes more sense in closed suburban housing in America where people talk to and know their neighbours, unless that's just in movies), or it has no meaning at all.
ape together strong
hmmm i don't think everyone would agree that's a true statement.
Folks seem to like meetup, facebook, plura, eventbrite. One group of I know has an email list and website. You can often advertise in bars or smaller locations.
I don't know a lot about organizing groups.
I know folks who do stuff for queer community. They organize picnics, happy hours, concerts, discussion groups, and more. So far as I know, they started with someone going "I wanna start this group here." Advertise on meetup/facebook/whatever, and be ready for minimal turnout for a while. But over time you accumulate more people, and more options open up. With enough people you can accomplish more- lobbying, volunteering, making people feel less alone and terrible.
Ape together strong is funny, but not an answer.
Again, what "queer community"?
I know queer people, who maybe know some other queer people they're friends with not because they're queer, but there isn't any community, and they're spread across the country, few and far between.
They have no interest in any community. I've tried to organise a thing for us all to meet up, but no one is interested. Everyone needs money, they have phones for making themselves feel better. Most either don't understand politics at all, or much of anything in general.
Cool, i'll give this a go, see if I can get some kind of trans support group going. Cheers.
I fixed my previous post's markdown. It is finicky about whitespace, but hopefully my whole message rendered for you.
What is the practical purpose? Safety, solidarity, emotional validation, political might, fun. Off the top of my head. Sorry for the flippant answer before, heh.
Ok I'm not myself queer, just most of my friends are, so I can't authoritatively speak on this topic. I'm going to text some friends and see if they'll humor me by telling me their takes on if queer community exists.
My impression based on the number of explicitly queer events one friend goes to, and the spiraling social network around that, there is definitely community. They go to a lot of trans punk shows, I think. Plus picnics, beach trips, marches, parties, other stuff. I think they want to organize a knitting circle or something too, maybe?
My other friend who answered between me starting this message and now said, when I showed her the part I quoted: "That’s not consistent with my experience".
Thinking about it, I know someone else who runs a queer book club.
Thank you for such a detailed answer! It's very helpful!
Perhaps it is simply not a thing in this country/area or I don't have the right connections for it as I don't think I've ever heard of a "queer event".
It would be great if I can find such a queer community, as I don't know any other queer person who is aware of such events or communities if they exist, and if not, perhaps I can get to organising them. I've def never heard of a queer punk band, nevermind show, nevermind trans being a thing in the UK sadly, with the current political climate I doubt that's a thing. Seeing other queers IRL and perhaps talking politically with them is exactly what I need.
I'm glad I was helpful to you.
Don't dox yourself, so feel free to not reply or dm me, but what part of the UK are you in? I don't actively know anyone who lives there, but I spent a weekend with someone from Bristol and I'd bet money she was involved in cool queer stuff in her area.
The band Martha ( https://marthadiy.bandcamp.com/album/blisters-in-the-pit-of-my-heart ) are queer and from Durham.
I bet you could use Bandcamp to find music in your area and from that find people. Most bands tag themselves with their city origin, and maybe tag themselves with queer.
One queer friend said this, too:
""" Also you have to account for people being in the closet. Remaining closeted is much less common than it once was, but when I chaired the LGBT caucus at my old job I had closeted members so I had to keep the email list secret and stuff """
Thank you (and your friend)! That's a good point!
Ah ok, you're willfully ignorant.
I'm sorry but it's pretty clear that by the upvote count I am not alone in this. The left is ineffective, this is why.
Come off the high horse and enlighten us bud, how does one go from no strangers have ever spoken to one another in public to some mysterious Hollywood fantasy of "community"?
Ah good, the intellectual right has come to save us from ourselves. Thank you savior. I'm so happy you and your alts on an anonymous forum can show me the way to properly understand a meme.
Old post but I'm just lmaoing @ calling fellow anarchists "intellectual right" and accusing them of having "alts" just because most people agree.