Dangerous Liaisons: Neoliberal Tropes of the ‘Normal’ and ‘Middle-Class Respectability’ in the Post-socialist LG(BT) Activism

Kulpa, Roberto

Abstract

This chapter explores the emerging, post-1989 logics of neoliberalisation of gender and sexuality activism in Central-Eastern Europe (CEE). By looking at a case study from the early 2000s LG(BT) activism in Poland (the impactful “Niech Nas Zobaczą” / “Let Them See Us” campaign), my argument is that this action illustrates perfidious presence of national(ist) and heteronormative narratives in LG(BT) activism manifesting itself in the quest for the ‘ordinary’ and ‘normal’ depiction of the LG(BT) communities. I use Mosse’s (1985) articulation of ‘respectability’ as a critical measure of distinction (and distancing) in the turbulent times of socio-economic re-stratification in post-industrial societies. This helps to argue that LG(BT) activism that embraces neoliberalisation measures of middle-class ‘individualism and successfulness,’ and enshrines them with ‘gender normalcy,’ is counterproductive for the inclusivity of LG(BT) communities and broader visons of ‘liveable queer living.’

Citation

Kulpa, R. (2022). Dangerous Liaisons: Neoliberal Tropes of the ‘Normal’ and ‘Middle-Class Respectability’ in the Post-socialist LG(BT) Activism. In M. Blidon, & S. D. Brunn (Eds.), Mapping LGBTQ Spaces and Places. A Changing World (279-291). Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-03792-4_17

• Online Publication Date: Jul 12, 2022
• Publication Date: 2022
• Deposit Date: Jul 13, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 13, 2024
• Publisher: Springer
• Pages: 279-291
• Book Title: Mapping LGBTQ Spaces and Places. A Changing World
• ISBN: 978-3-031-03791-7
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-03792-4_17
• Keywords: LGBT activism; Normal; Neoliberalization; Poland and Central Eastern Europe; Middle-class respectability; Liveable living; geopolitics; gender and sexuality; social class; post-communist transformations; homonormativity; heteronormativity
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2886356
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-03792-4_17