O. S. King

I have returned to this manuscript numerous times for a number of years. “Toward the Queerest Insurrection” is an influential manuscript authored by the Mary Nardini Gang. It is an anti-assimilationist manifesto, challenging the mainstream LGBTQ+ movement’s tendencies toward conformity and advocating for a radical, insurrectionary approach to queer liberation for lasting and sustainable change. The manuscript interrogates the concept of ‘queer’ as wider than contemporary constructs of identity. It positions ‘queer’ as opposition to white hetero-monogamous patriarchy in all its oppressive manifests. It emphasises the interconnectedness of various forms of oppression and calls for a total rejection of the ‘regime of the Normal.’ The manuscript proposes that liberation can only be realised through the dismantling of oppressive structures, rather than seeking inclusion within them.

In the context of contemporary activism, especially during times when queer rights face significant challenges, “Toward the Queerest Insurrection” remains profoundly relevant. It has helped me navigate my daily life as a queer person of colour and serves as a critical reminder of the importance of resisting assimilation and maintaining a radical stance against systemic oppression that happens in all circles – employment, social, cultural, networks etc. The manuscript is useful for those contemplating a transformative approach to social change that seeks not just equality within the existing system, but the creation of new, inclusive paradigms.
For those interested in exploring this work further, it is accessible online through various platforms, including The Anarchist Library. I have embedded the PDF below.