Anarcho-Normieism Is On The Rise!

The old leftist refrain commences-Class politics, or intersectionality? Class politics, or intersectionality? Class politics, or intersectionality? Class politics, or intersectionality? Class politics, or intersectionality? Class politics, or intersectionality? Class politics, or intersectionality? Class politics, or intersectionality? Class politics, or intersectionality?

Caring about the marginalized OR caring about the working class-are these the only two options?

Who is a marginalized person?

I'm a working-class education worker and a member of the LGBTQ community. To understand this issue, I read, observed, and used analytical tools from theory to form my conclusions. I also consumed material from all sides of the identity politics debate.

This includes the various bits of discourse about hot button culture war issues.

Has anyone heard this idea before?:

“We need to make space in society for different opinions about gender identity because we live in a pluralistic society and so-called “gender ideology” is not accessible or appealing to the working class. Creating this space means reaching across the aisle and reaching out across any and all differences including those who are hostile and actively organizing against trans/gender identity”

Some parts of that sound like it makes intuitive sense, but intuitive sense is not a good marker of principled politics.

When fascists foster division and make people hate specific groups, they use stereotypes and manipulate emotions. Fear of the other is primal and can’t coexist with reason.

Understanding theory and history is the only way to double check that your movement is based on solid principles.

Currently, there's a hostile anti-trans movement, spanning from reactionary to extreme. It endangers the well-being and dignity of trans individuals, especially vulnerable youth, and doesn't align with working-class priorites. In its most extreme forms, it denies trans people access to vital medical care in childhood AND adulthood (e.g., Florida, Missouri) and safe use of public washrooms (in many Southern states). A copycat movement has been born in Canada, focusing on eliminating sexual/gender orientation instruction in schools. This campaign has exploited the biases of socially conservative immigrants through sharing disinformation about the extent, scope and sequence of this teaching content.

The correct leftist position is to oppose this movement.

1) It blocks societal progress that has alreay taken place, setting back the pace of social change and removing safety from marginalized people, including children. It is reactionary.

2) No socially conservative parents are legally prohibited from teaching their cultural values at home, to claim otherwise is disinformation.

3) It does not represent the pressing priorities of the working class. It distracts from the task of advancing the working class.

Of course, let us make no mistake. As people spend less and less time sharing space with each other and having conversations in person, more attention is devoted to the online discourse space. The discourse is constantly evolving, but fewer concrete and sustained actions are carried out and on-the-ground organizing suffers. We are slotted into silos by the social media alghorithms and become convinced that everyone thinks the way we do. This phenomenon, which I have written about before, is dramatically impacting discourse, ideology, and pragmatic achievements.

To boot, the false sense of complacency fostered by internet discourse leads to incorrect notions about the state of society and peoples’ real priorities.

The viral nature of the internet and the attention economy exaggerates how materially important certain topics of discourse are to the general public.

We think “this must be a new idea, because people are really talking about it all of a sudden.”

When we read theory, study history, and when we organize on the ground, time and time again, we realize something important:

There’s nothing new under the sun.

If you don't believe me, google "Anita Bryant" and "1980s satanic panic." After doing so, please report back to me on how much you agree with the statement "history doesn't echo-it rhymes."

I have to ask: Is "gender ideology" the top priority of the working class? Do the “parental rights” people represent the majority of the “working class base” and their priorities?

In a nutshell, the point I am trying to make can be summed up by a summary of the movie "Pride," a movie I recently re-watched.

The film portrays a London-based LGBTQ+ leftist group aiding striking Welsh miners in the 80s. They realize a common enemy, the repressive Thatcher regime, and stand in solidarity. Initially met with curiosity, ignorance and even violent homophobia, the activists win over the townspeople and raise the most funds out of any affinity group. As a direct outcome of this solidarity, a motion to enshrine LGBT rights in the labour party’s constitution is passed a few years later.

In a 2014 Guardian interview with Mike Jackson, co-founder of LGSM, we learn that the film dramatized the extent of the villagers’ homophobia and that LGSM never faced overt homophobia from the workers.

Jackson shares, "It would be dishonest to say there was no dissent. Years later, we found out there had been a meeting following my letter explaining a bunch of queers wanted to support them. It had led to a very heated discussion. But the consensus was: we (miners) have been demonized by the press, maybe we should meet the gay people because they've also been demonised. Those who had a problem with it were told to stay away. So we never encountered any hostility."

Indeed, it was not long before the workers started to show their support. "They started wearing gay badges on their lapels. They wanted money because they were on strike, we wanted recognition and acceptance-not that we went with any preconditions, we did not expect anything back."

After the reactionary layer of workers were told to stay away, the remaining workers showed solidarity. Witnessing LGSM‘s support taught them that their struggle as workers was entertwined with gay liberation.

It is stories like this that lead me to know deep in my bones that is this type of practical, goal-oriented, and unconditional solidarity that will move us past toxic cycles of culture war ideological rhetoric.