Manchester University Press
5 The next big thing
Abstract
Punk and Rock Against Racism took on the liberation movements' emphasis on culture and lifestyle. The Gay Liberation Front (GLF) had not helped to build a world-wide revolution. For all intents and purposes, it appeared that many of the original aims of gay liberation ‘[could] be gained this side of socialism’. This chapter looks at what gay activists did instead of the third liberational stage. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, post-GLF organisations took on the self-conscious role of discerning ‘what went wrong?’ in the liberation years and what opportunities there were now for gay left politics. Groups such as the Gay Activist Alliance and the Gay Workers Movement continued to work to unite gay activism with the Left, alongside the Gay Left Collective's more theoretical stance. The Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) explored the lessons learnt from lesbian and gay politics and tried to relate them to a different, more challenging, sexual identity. Meanwhile, other gay activists edged closer to the mainstream, for example by supporting the Greater London Council.
Abstract
Punk and Rock Against Racism took on the liberation movements' emphasis on culture and lifestyle. The Gay Liberation Front (GLF) had not helped to build a world-wide revolution. For all intents and purposes, it appeared that many of the original aims of gay liberation ‘[could] be gained this side of socialism’. This chapter looks at what gay activists did instead of the third liberational stage. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, post-GLF organisations took on the self-conscious role of discerning ‘what went wrong?’ in the liberation years and what opportunities there were now for gay left politics. Groups such as the Gay Activist Alliance and the Gay Workers Movement continued to work to unite gay activism with the Left, alongside the Gay Left Collective's more theoretical stance. The Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) explored the lessons learnt from lesbian and gay politics and tried to relate them to a different, more challenging, sexual identity. Meanwhile, other gay activists edged closer to the mainstream, for example by supporting the Greater London Council.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- Series editors’ foreword viii
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of abbreviations x
- Introduction 1
- 1 Politics and culture 10
- 2 Reporting change 35
- 3 Gay liberation 1969–73 65
- 4 The Left gets personal 93
- 5 The next big thing 123
- 6 Confronting Thatcher 154
- Conclusion 185
- Select bibliography 197
- Index 211
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- Series editors’ foreword viii
- Acknowledgements ix
- List of abbreviations x
- Introduction 1
- 1 Politics and culture 10
- 2 Reporting change 35
- 3 Gay liberation 1969–73 65
- 4 The Left gets personal 93
- 5 The next big thing 123
- 6 Confronting Thatcher 154
- Conclusion 185
- Select bibliography 197
- Index 211
