Gender and sexual liberation.

Outline:

1. Historical and conceptual framework on gender and sexuality

under capitalism: gender (and sex) as well as sexual identities are

historically and socially constructed in a non-neutral way that has

everything to do with how power and oppression are structured in

society, and oppression of women and lgbtiq* identities is anchored in

the material base of capitalism and its sexual division of labour.

2. Neoliberalism and crises: We will examine how the struggle around

sexual liberation today takes place in an arena characterized by decades

of neoliberalism, multiple crises and right wing backlash against

hard-won sexual rights but also of growing queer rebellion.

3. Queering the struggle and the left: Building upon the two first

parts, we will see that lgbtiq* people constitute political subjects of

strategic importance to our struggle for another world, and that true

sexual liberation is only possible in a socialist society. This requires

broad alliances and a queering of the left and social movements. Lastly

we dare to dream and look towards our vision of sexual liberation.

Reading materials:

- FI 15th World Congress (2003), ‘On Lesbian/Gay Liberation’,[1], points: 1-2,4,5,6,8-9,13,14,16,17,18,22,24,25,34

- New introduction to Warped. [2]

Mapping social reproduction theory (extract): Tithi Bhattacharya [3]