From: Kevin Date: Mon Oct 8, 2001 10:45 am Subject: Post-Queeruption Party and Report Back Hi, First of all, thank you to everyone who attended Queeruption and made it such a cool event. I especially want to thank the many folks who helped in the organizing process and the people who let us use their venues (Media Alliance, New College, AK Press, 40th Street Warehouse, East Gay Cafe, and SPAZ collective). I want to send a special shout out to Deep Dick Collective, who not only rocked the mikes for free, but also gave money towards Queeruption. I encourage everyone to send them a note of thanks! Second, I think we need to finish up business by having a report back one night this week regarding our sucesses and failures and how to do it better next time. I realize that with this bullshit war going on, a lot of folks will immediately be thrown into activism against the war, but it's important that we don't lose our connectivity during this time and to sew up our loose ends regarding this gathering. I think this would also be a good time for us talk about strategies and conclusions we learned from the workshops and afterwards meet at a place to have a party to let go of some stress. Spike and Wing have been the traditional "schedulers" for things, so I don't know if you guys want to propose something or not? Does anyone have any suggestions? Please, let's do something soon. Kevin From: Spike Date: Mon Oct 8, 2001 11:17 am Subject: Re: Post-Queeruption Party and Report Back I am planning a pot-luck dinner at my apartment which will also serve as a Post-Queeruption Party and Report Back. The date is Saturday, October 13th, around 8 PM and it's in the Mission on Valencia near 20th street. Please email me for the exact address and other details. I, too, want to thank everyone who attended and participated in Queeruption. Huge thanks again to the people who let us use their venues and to all the good people who worked so hard helping to organize the gathering. You've all been brilliant and I feel so fortunate to know you and count you as dear friends. It's been utterly amazing, energizing, and inspirational. Of course this is only the start and I look forward to continuing the work begun in London and carried through in New York and The Bay Area. In Peace, Spike From: Thea Hillman Date: Mon Oct 8, 2001 2:46 pm Subject: Re: Post-Queeruption Party and Report Back Hey all- I want to echo that QSF has been great, and thank everyone for all their hard work (foodies, infoshare facilitators, everyone who read at the open mike, anyone who washed an extra dish...). I'm glad Spike is holding a party/potluck, but I can't go that night and would love to meet up...Anyone else have the same problem? Or want to make additional plans for a meeting/report back/get together? Peace, Thea From: "Shorona" Date: Tue Oct 9, 2001 1:02 pm Subject: How wonderful: how sad Hey gorgeous queers, We did it! A long weekend with a smorgasboard of delights and challenges; our interests, our issues, our style. (I can't help but anticipate criticism and acknowledge that not everyone was present and not all our interests, issues and styles were addressed). Congratulations and thank-you from me to everyone who participated. I persynally had a number of absolutely wonderful moments during the gathering, as well as during the lead-up. Sorry to have missed the debriefing session on Monday. I'd like to report back briefly on the Dyke on Dyke cruising thing on Sunday night. I think many people who may have been interested in participated found other things taking their attention that night, including the peace demonstration. But as far as I'm concerned, the night was a total success. I was overjoyed and relieved at the park light being cut (and noone being electrocuted or arrested). A number of people did turn up and have some kind of experience, some even sexual. I'm proud and pleased to have initiated and co-organised especially that grass-roots event and wholeheartedly thank Jaime particularly for all her work on it. I want to persynally thank and send a shout out to those doing the more nuts and bolts work- Spike, Wing, Chris, Milo, Justin and Owen, Larry-Bob, Kevin, Checkers and Ari stand out in my mind. I wish we had had daily gatherings in the late mornings before any workshops each day. It occured to me during the gathering how helpful that could have been towards alleviating the somewhat scattered nature of the venues and potential to add workshops/events. But though not everything was perfect or ideal, something wonderful happened, and we created it. the queerest love of all, overspilling, and hugs, pirateboy wanderer Shorona From: "Eric Checkers" Date: Tue Oct 9, 2001 1:26 pm Subject: Re: Post-Queeruption Party and Report Back Hey Y'all, This is Checkers here putting my 2 cents in to say thank you to everyone who participated in and organizing Queeruption SF. It was a fucken blast and it made me feel like I finally found a community/scene I can call home in this new city I just moved to a few weeks ago. I would love to keep the energy flowing by means of communication and gatherings we may all participate in even well after the gathering that took place this weekend. I am lookinf forward to the Report Back Pot Luck at Spike's. Can't wait to see y'all there. BTW, Thea, I would love to meet up with you and anyone else who has a comflict with the meeting time this weekend. Email me or gimme a ring on my cell. i'm sure ya got it, and if not, email mer and i'll send it right along. Well, I gotta get to class and finish an assignment right now. take care y'all. i'll be seeing ya soon. love, Checkers p.s. my friends from los angeles including i am loved and best revenge say thank you very much for having them in the bay area for the gathering and hope to come back soon. check em out at: Best Revenge. i forgot i am loved's web site but i know the one for their mp3: iamloved mp3. iamloved website. From: sarit M Date: Wed Oct 10, 2001 9:14 am Subject: q2001 post mortem thingie. first, thank you to all the people who did the work, after being involved in the previous two gatherings, it was refreshing to not do anythihg other than attend. in terms of the workshops, i really can't say much, considering i only attended two, and not fully anyway. work schedule meant i missed everything on thursday, friday and the (i assume all day) processing session on monday, so i'm not really sure if any of this was raised, and if anyone intends to make the notes available to people on line. it'll be interesting to read. i felt that (or maybe i should say i agree with many who have expressed the sentiment that) in some way queeruption 3 was struggling from the start, mainly because it was so slagged off by people on all fronts, that i guess lots of potential organisers were scared off by the possibility that they be associated with a failed/deemed racist/uncool gathering. both the london and NY gatherings were criticised, and of course justifiably, for being unrepresantative, non inclusive, etc, but at least the critics didn't stick a spanner in the works of actually doing the practical, technical work of getting a large group of people together from different places, keeping them busy, fed and entertained, you know, the stuff that conferences are made of. in Q2001 it seemed that people were actively tring to discourage others from attending and helping organise. before anyone rushes off to send outraged e-mails: no, i'm not against the criticism, i think it is important to keep our movement/community in the real world, constantly self asses, criticise, etc. also, i'm not saying that anyone who has a problem w. queeruption (or anything) should join in and help make it better: some people have other priorities, struggles, blah. all i'm saying is that it's much easier to point out what is wrong, than work to make it right. i also think that despite the huge flaws in the history of queeruption to date, calling it racist is using language that should be better reserved to describing deliberate attempts in discrimination and exclusion, etc. it just seems to me to be a tad wing-nutty to ignore the subtlety of the situation, process, and to just shoot indiscriminate arrows at anything which isn't perfect in our world, or doesn't fit your personal brand of politics. and anyway, show me any movement that got it right at the first time. anyway, so now to MY personal criticism, which of course is fully justified, thought out and constructive.... my main problem, and i guess the out of town perspective, was the wealth of venues, and the huge distance between them. it took me hours to get to places in the east bay, from venue to venue and back to the city again. the situation wasn't helped by crap (and expensive) public transport. i understand the need to balance between san francisco proper and oakland/east bay, but i think it could have been achieved by having just ONE venue for at least the day time workshops. it could have been, say, the new college one of the days, there seemed to be plenty of unused rooms there, and some multi-roomed oakland space for another. which brings me to my next point, the reliance on car use during the weekend, i guess that is a typical american thing, which i just don't encounter much being in new york. no offence to you yanks, but organising something which you must have a car to attend seems totally thoughtless to me. the days were reasonably ok, cause of the sub standard but functioning public transport, but the (brilliant) event at SPAZ for example, was a nightmare to get to and leave without a car. basically, as americans, (and all of us in the west) one of our most basic privilidges that most of us don't seem aware of is car ownership and (ab)use, and in my opinion any radical gathering should try to also make a practical stand against car culture. in the same way that so many activists are obsessed with veganism and supplying vegan food, but have no problem driving around (and flying of course which i'm guilty of as the next dyke) all over the place, we are all totally part of the problem. i know there are a million cyclists in the bay area, so sorry if i am being ridiculous and offending anyone, but people from out of town couldn't ride bikes. maybe there should have been a bike donation/car pooling effort, or maybe instead of everyone using their own car, there shold have been a van or something to transport people back to the city, i dunno, but anyway, i didn't see any of that happen, maybe next time. one other thing: i didn't see any literature in spanish at all during the weekend, i think that's really important to have. and so i don't end on a whinging note: i really enjoyed a lot of stuff. marching against the bombing with queerupters, dyke cruise night in dolores park, hanging out with cute queers on street corners, listening to american accented homosexuals talking polari. my highlight of the gathering was difinitely the SPAZ party, the dj, deep dick collective and the seattle freestyler were amazing, the space itself was great, i actually got to talk and hang out and dance with people from last queeruption and new fabulous hot homos and trannies. it totally was fun, and gradually got hotter and queerer as perverts were getting with eachother, and getting naked and being all, well i guess coming over all queer! so thanks all, hope i get to see you in future gatherings. sarit From: Larry-bob Date: Wed Oct 10, 2001 10:10 am Subject: Transportation issues We did think about the transportation issue. New York Queeruption wasn't perfect in this regard either -- having events the same day in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Those of us who had gone to that remembered this and that's why this time we had events on the same side of the bay on any given day. Sometimes those of us who are locals are used to dealing with the transportation and forget about the problems. We could have mentioned the availability of three-day public transportation passes in the information we gave out. Larry From: Kevin Date: Wed Oct 10, 2001 12:03 pm Subject: Re: Transportation issues Nonetheless, I'm still planning on bringing this up at our report back. I'm in complete agreement with Sarit, as this issue was brought up by several people whom I spoke to during the event. I think a central place where folks can go from room to room is really necessary to making the next one successful. I'm the one that got us the AK Press space. In hindsight, that was a mistake. It wasn't close to public transportation. The neighborhood wasn't safe. The space was too noisy. The bathrooms weren't accessible. And it was light years away from the other venues. This situation ended up costing me two of my panelists because they are dependent on public transportation. I ended up slapping myself several times during the day because of this. Also, overlapping workshops sucked a lot of people from one workshop to the other. There were workshops that had 20-30 people while others had 4. Anyway, you live and learn and that's one of the positive experiences I personally got out of Queeruption. There are a host of other mistakes I think we made (and I really hate to be a drag), but talking about them and sharing them with others will be a positive, not a negative, thing. Perhaps folks can make suggestions on this listserve for us to discuss. Kevin From: Spike Date: Wed Oct 10, 2001 3:50 pm Subject: reviews, critiques, photos wanted / email list In order to keep the Queeruption 2001 website alive, I would like to add reviews/critiques of Queeruption, stories, photos, etc. Please email contributions to me at: spike00@p... Also, it's been suggested that an email list should be formed enabling attendees to keep in contact. I am willing to organize that but would like to ask for suggestions regarding privacy. Another possibility is adding a message board to the Queeruption 2001 website. Comments, suggestions and contributions most welcome! Thanks, Spike From: Jesse Heiwa Date: Wed Oct 10, 2001 5:06 pm Subject: "The Color Line" at Queeruption (in conjunction with Sarit's posting)I think that one should give credit to people of color who attended and assisted in discussions on these matters (race/inclusivity/challenging racism), even given the critiques by both Bay Area and outside organizers, and given that two previous Queeruptions (a predominately white "punk" gathering in Brixton in London, a predominately "Black" area without much participation by them, or in NYC a people of color majority city with extensive queer people of color activism) had these flaws that could be learned from. I know people sometimes don't like "analysis", but the reality of the U.S. (Britain has it's own version but different basis for racism, check out the publication "Race & Class" that comes out of London) is that (like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and yes (although it has it's own dynamics and complexities) Israel)it's basis was/is a settler-colonial state built on slavery and imperialism (first of Native land, now of the world). No one said that people are actively pushing racist ideas at Queeruption (and if that did happen, some of us remember what we used to do with such boneheads that were allowed to invade the punk/hardcore scene for sake of being "non-political"), but the reality is that all white folks in the U.S. (even poor whites) benefit from white supremacy even if in the long term it's to their detriment (i.e.-poor whites), look at the statistics on prisons, life expentancy, asthma, pay scales, education, etc...."the color line" as W.E.B. DeBois put it is alive and well now in the 21st Century (he was writing about the early 20th century). I spent plenty of time talking to both white and people of color folks about why it was important to attend even given their concerns that I(and others) promised to bring up (even though we know folks sometimes just don't want to hear it and even if it meant that we couldn't personally enjoy the shindig as much which would have been easy if we only kept our mouths shut, but we have a larger responsibility other then just to ourselves in these matters, otherwise we just are reinforcing them). No one was "scared" off, many folks told me that they felt their concerns were not listened too early on in the process, and they decided their energy was best spent elsewhere, that doesn't though let any of us off the hook, white anti-racist folks could have taken this up (and at the one scheduled anti-racist workshop, only 4 people out of hundreds of queeruption participants went), there was no scheduled People Of Color and/or anti-racist white caucuses (until some of us arrived and were asked by others to do so). That same weekend was the Challenging White Supremacy workshop with many white anti-racist queers and poc queers participating, maybe that could have been connected (and folks should know about (know it's not a listserve I moderate) the queer-anti-racist-subscribe@yahoogroups.com listserve to deal with these issues). Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed Queeruption, got to meet some great people and want folks to know the wonderful job they did in many areas, but just as in NYC, we need to be accountable for all aspects of a gathering, so we learn and change, not react and close walls around us. Around "race", I think the only way it will change is when the "race" question is front and center, not just in a last minute added caucus or a sole workshop, but throughout the whole conference and in every workshop, with specific workshops in addition on the issue. Southerners On New Ground, the progressive LGBTSTI/Queer network in the southern united states is built on that model. As radical queers, if we're going to critique the "mainstream", we better also look at ourselves first while we move forward and take the risk of sometimes not feeling comfortable, the alternative is either paralysis or reinforcement of the same patters that we want to challenge and change. Jesse Heiwa From: Kevin Date: Wed Oct 10, 2001 5:29 pm Subject: Continuing Queeruption activism/socializing It's been a great gathering, and there's plans for Bay Area in person networking to continue, and to continue networking regionally/continentally. Some listserves have been set up to assist that, along with some announcements of future gatherings. next Queeruption in London, England mid March 2002 www.queeruption.com National Queer People Of Color gathering: PRISM at Yale U., New Haven, CT February 2002, to join listserve: prismqpocc2002 Queers in non-queer progressive movements institute preceding the November 2002 Creating Change conference in Portland, Oregon (details as they develop will be forwarded on the QFREJ and Queer People Of Color listserves) Queers For Racial & Economic Justice (networking radical queer collectives, rad queers, queers of color, working class queers around the continent (North America & Mexico/Caribbean), to join the listserve: QFREJ West Coast Regional QFREJ listserve: QFREJWest Midwest Regional QFREJ listserve:: QFREJMidwest East Coast Regional QFREJ listserve:: QFREJEast Canada - Email Queer Left listserve: queerleft@groups.queernet.org QUEER PEOPLE OF COLOR:lgbtst-poc Queer Anti-Racist ListserveQueer-Anti-Racist Queer Asian/Pacific Islander:NQAPA Queer Anti-sexist/oppression mehn: body issues, femme/butch, anti-sexism, sexuality, political action efeminists From: Sarit M. Date: Thu Oct 11, 2001 3:44 pm Subject: Re: q2001 post mortem thingie. Sarit M wrote: > the sentiment that) in some way queeruption 3 was struggling from the > start, mainly because it was so slagged off by people on all fronts, > that i guess lots of potential organisers were scared off by the > possibility that they be associated with a failed/deemed... Whenever this issue comes up, I always want to respond because I feel very strongly about it. I can't count how many times I've seen talented, wonderful, creative people walk away from a cause that needs their help because they didn't have the energy to fight off their attackers. I believe our cause to struggle for justice and equality is a moral cause that most people would support given the opportunity. We spend so much time attacking one another, however, that we end up with a George Bush in the White House. It's extremely frustrating to live in a world where a family of color is 3-4 times more likely to be turned down for a home mortgage. While these things are happening, people who should be spending time fighting against these inequalities have panic attacks over the use of the word "niggardly". Sorry - I had to vent. From: rebel fux!nyc Date: Thu Oct 11, 2001 2:15 pm Subject: thank you...and some info about an amazing poet. Dear Q folks, much thanks to all the organizers and folks who came to queeruption. i had a great time and met some amazing people (you all know who you are!). i sorta agree with sarit's (constructive) criticism. it's too bad your mass transit system is crap. but i did find that folks with cars were nice about offering rides to other venues if they had space. i met some lovely people that way. i'm forwarding this info about one of my favorite nyc poets who will be out there soon. those who enjoy spoken word should try to check him out. i think his work is both beautiful and important. much love..... -kate huh >From: Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán >X-Accept-Language: en >Subject: Bay Area Readings >To: undisclosed-recipients:; > >Hey all, I'm going to be in the Bay Area for my first visit since I >moved back home to New York over two years ago. I will be >reading/presenting at San Francisco State University (my alma mater), as >well as at a queer writers conference, also in SF. Hopefully, I'll get >to see you at one of my gigs listed below or around town while I'm >there. I'll be in town October 16th - 21st. Peace and blessings. Chau. > >Ahimsa >1. >Thursday, October 18, 2001 -- 2:10pm-3:25pm >"SOVEREIGNTIES OF THE BODY" >WOMS 561: WOMEN OF COLOR IN U.S. SOCIETY > San Francisco State University > Humanities Building 383 > 19th Ave. > (corner of Holloway Ave.) >A reading and discussion/talk on issues of memory, resistance, land, >capital, movement, narrative, indigeneity, nationhood, and (mix-) raced >/ (trans)gendered sovereignties of the body. People at SFSU, and those >outside the campus, are welcome to attend. >2. >LAMBDA LITERARY FESTIVAL IV >San Francisco, October 19th - 21st, 2001 >http://www.lambdalit.org >Saturday, October 20, 2001 -- 10am-11:15am >SEX & POLITICS >w/ Tim Miller, Tony Valenzuela, Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán, William J. Mann, >& Carol Queen (moderator) > Jon Sims Center for the Arts > Studio A > 1519 Mission St. > (between 11th St. & South Van Ness) > (south of Market St.) >How our words, spoken, written, and performed, explode the space between >love, desire, relationships, and the law. >Saturday, October 20, 2001 -- 12:30pm-1:45pm >OUTSPOKEN: GAY & LESBIAN LITERARY SERIES >w/ Daniel M. Jaffe, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Jim Van Buskirk, Jay Quinn, & >Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán (moderator) > San Francisco Public Library > Main Library > Latino/Hispanic Community Meeting Room > Grove Street Entrance > (between Larkin St. & Hyde St.) > (Civic Center area, north of Market St.) >A reading of poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction. >Sunday, October 21, 2001 -- 4pm-5:15pm >DANGEROUS FAMILIES: QUEER WRITING ON SURVIVING ABUSE >w/ Charna Cassell, Daphne Gottlieb, Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán, & Matt >Bernstein Sycamore (moderator) > Jon Sims Center for the Arts > Studio A > 1519 Mission St. > (between 11th St. & South Van Ness) > (south of Market St.) >Survivors struggle daily with the cracks abuse renders in our bodies, >minds, and spirits. How do we utilize and/or transcend these cracks to >write transformative personal narratives? How does processing and >politicizing trauma enable us to offer unique and critical views of the >world? Report-back on 10-13-01, Spike's apartment, the Mission, San Francisco Present: Spike, Kevin, Wing, Chris W., Milo, Zee (and friends), Checkers (and friend), Larry-bob, Jaime, Owen, Justin, (remind me if I've left anyone out pls...) Hey, Here are my scattered notes from the report back. I know I probably left out a lot of stuff (bad note taking skills), so please insert your opinions. Kevin Challenges (things that needed work / to do better next time): * The discussions around sex need to be more open. (?? Forgot what we were talking about and wrote that down. Can someone explain? Kevin) * Being an asexual queer was not brought up and should have been. * Need more discussion on what "queer" is, i.e. who is, are we, who's being left out without letting that bog down the event. * Logistics: the most important thing in organizing Queeruption. There needs to be one central space for each day that all workshops happen at. * Workshops need to be spread out to allow for movement and discussion in between. * There needs to be opening meetings each day before the workshops begin. * People need to be able to eat together. * Workshops can't conflict with each other. * Transportation needs to be accessible to those without cars. * Venues need to be as close to public transportation as possible. If this isn't possible, then organizers need to work some kind of car pool or bike share plan out in advance. * There needs to be more correspondence / contact between past and future Queeruption organizers in order to share tips and other advice. * Queeruption organizers would've liked to have a better understanding of what our goals were. Have more of a focus without responding to negativity of past or present situations. Would like to know what our expectations are. * Should Queeruption focus on regional, national, or international issues? * More press work and publicizing should have been done (although there was a good deal). More flyering, more talking to folks in the community. * There was a disconnect between workshops during the day and the music events at night. Needs to be better promotion of the nighttime activities during the daytime workshops and vice versa. * People who have computers have a responsibility to those who don't to keep them informed and that organizing shouldn't be solely through the Internet. * Venues should've been better checked out for accessibility for disabled folks. Flyers, websites, and all other publicity sources have to indicate from the start if places will be accessible for the disabled and hearing impaired. * Folks who bottomline a venue need help. It can't just be one person in charge in case things go wrong. * The sex party should've been organized as a consensus group (as opposed to one person responsible) to address any issues that pop up and to make sure that it happens if problems happen. The dyke on dyke cruise was a perfect example. * There needs to be safe spaces for trannies and people of color. * More work should have been done to make the gathering more inclusive and representative (although a good deal of effort was focused on this from the start). Why were there no People of Color and/or anti-racist white caucuses organized from the start? Positive things: * Folks had a lot of fun! Some even got laid! * The performers (in particular Deep Dick Collective, SPAZ collective dj's, and Nick Name and the Normals) all were great. * People got to meet others from far off places that they've been wanting to meet for a long time and were able to reconnect with people they'd met previously.. * People learned some good skills related to organizing and putting on such an event. * People felt a community was formed that they needed to feel. Feeling of empowerment. * People liked the diversity in opinion that was present. * A lot of folks showed an interest in the workshops dealing with sexuality. * The best workshops were those that focused on experience rather than theory. * Other good things included the open mike night, spontaneous drag show, serendipity in workshops. A one day symposium was proposed for future bay area Queeruption gatherings From: "Shorona" Date: Sat Oct 13, 2001 1:55 pm Subject: Jaaaaime... Heya bootifuls, I've done a runner to get away from the crazy wonder and fun of SF for a bit. Sorry I wont be at the potluck. I'll be back soon and wanna keep up with y'all. So Seeley, you big hottie, don't go anywhere. Jaime, luscious ice-cream grrrl, write me please. Missin' ya. I wrote you a note on dykecruising@y... , but write me at greenpirateking@h... I'm thinking of making another dyke on dyke cruising thing happen next month (first Sunday), and building up to a regular thang. And I'm gonna try and write a piece about the whole thing. And also anyone who had any thoughts or experiences around it is strongly encouraged to write us at dykecruising@y... and share for our curiosity. (Stoked to read you mention that event as a highlight Sarit.) lashings of love, pirateboy Shorona Note to any Australians, Let's DEFINATELY make this happen down south! I reckon (squat) Sydney. Let's start a list or something, and you who are there start getting some crew together to organise it. Let me know please as soon as something is happening. I have lots of good ideas. genderpirate Shorona From: "Spike" Date: Sun Oct 14, 2001 8:37 pm Subject: A thank you from Nick Name Nick asked me to post this for him as his computer is giving him shit... " I was gonna post our site address NickNameAndTheNormals.com and thank you on the board for all the killer photos...and thank everybody in your beautiful fucking city for having us! Gawd I love San Francisco. Me & Ben(nett) left our bloody hearts there this time. maybe you will post this for me? thanks POWER TO YOU. NN "
October 4-8, 2001 San Francisco / East Bay, California
October 4-8, 2001 San Francisco / East Bay, California
