What do you think?
Rate this book
Against Equality #2
Against Equality: Don't Ask to Fight Their Wars
This anthology gathers together pieces by contemporary radical voices critical of the mainstream gay community's uncritical approach to Don't Ask Don't Tell. It features an introduction by the inimitable Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore and essays by writers from our digital archives on LGBT investments in militarism. This archival anthology asks why the historically left/radical anti-war critique of war does not extend to DADT and the issue of queers in the military. This book provides hitherto unavailable set of critiques on a subject that has rarely been approached with as much candor and nuance. Defying the prescriptive logic of "gay is good" that permeates mainstream gay politics, it seeks to interrogate the place of the military in a queer imagining of the world and simultaneously challenges the mainstream left to question its signing on to the damaging militarism of contemporary gay politics.
85 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
About the author
Ryan Conrad
10 books152 followersRyan Conrad is an Adjunct Research Faculty member at the Feminist Institute of Social Transformation at Carleton University. From 2019-2022 he was a SSHRC postdoctoral fellow in the Cinema and Media Studies Program at York University where he was working on a forthcoming manuscript entitled 'Radical VIHsion: Canadian AIDS Film & Video.'
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 29, 2017
This section could be strengthened with some essays on pinkwashing and homonationalism.
November 24, 2013
Rage or lack thereof:
I agree with the hypocrisy of Choi and his unawareness of his economic privilege.
Queer eyes on what prize:
Opposed to military schools for children. I agree but dont see its relation to DADT. Just says dadt repeal is not a big deal, that lots of gay equality is still illegal, and that wars are bad.
Why I oppose repealing dadt and passage of the dream act:
Repeated earlier comments on dadt and how militarism is bad and there are more important issues in gay rights. Commented on the dream act similarly. Drew parallels. Noted immigrants used as cannon fodder passing as human rights progress.
Bradley manning: rich man's war, poor gay man's fight:
Mostly about how in America poor people are in the military usually by necessity and it is a tool that perpetuates classism and is fucked up. Also talks up Chelsea manning a lot which I liked. I do think the Chelsea manning issue and the other issues discussed were not tied together well and although there exist relations the content on them seemed disjoint.
Why I wont be celebrating the repeal of dadt:
Very brief rehash of how dadt repeal isn't a big deal for gay rights. Mentions queer radical movements historically being more intense eg gay liberation front. I question the historically accuracy of that. I think the spectrum of activism is just more visible now and back then only the very radical had visibility or would come out and stand up for what they wanted.
Pictures at an execution:
Really interesting analysis of the Iran gay hangings and whether or not they were about being gay or sexual assault. I liked that a clear stance on the question was not taken it was simply analyzed. Lead into an interesting discussion of US law on.sex offenders and how the laws focus on gay men and are inhumane and sex offenders are completely dehumanized and used as scientific guinea pigs in the case of things like implanted location trackers. Talks about the dehumanization of children in America and calls into question the American perception of Islamic law in Iran. Cites sources saying that in practice Islamic law is not used by the government and that sex changes and homosexuality are in fact legal. Also says that Iran's nuclear program is accepted by the UN treaties on the matter and only the US is opposed. Great article I would love to read more by bill Andriette.
I agree with the hypocrisy of Choi and his unawareness of his economic privilege.
Queer eyes on what prize:
Opposed to military schools for children. I agree but dont see its relation to DADT. Just says dadt repeal is not a big deal, that lots of gay equality is still illegal, and that wars are bad.
Why I oppose repealing dadt and passage of the dream act:
Repeated earlier comments on dadt and how militarism is bad and there are more important issues in gay rights. Commented on the dream act similarly. Drew parallels. Noted immigrants used as cannon fodder passing as human rights progress.
Bradley manning: rich man's war, poor gay man's fight:
Mostly about how in America poor people are in the military usually by necessity and it is a tool that perpetuates classism and is fucked up. Also talks up Chelsea manning a lot which I liked. I do think the Chelsea manning issue and the other issues discussed were not tied together well and although there exist relations the content on them seemed disjoint.
Why I wont be celebrating the repeal of dadt:
Very brief rehash of how dadt repeal isn't a big deal for gay rights. Mentions queer radical movements historically being more intense eg gay liberation front. I question the historically accuracy of that. I think the spectrum of activism is just more visible now and back then only the very radical had visibility or would come out and stand up for what they wanted.
Pictures at an execution:
Really interesting analysis of the Iran gay hangings and whether or not they were about being gay or sexual assault. I liked that a clear stance on the question was not taken it was simply analyzed. Lead into an interesting discussion of US law on.sex offenders and how the laws focus on gay men and are inhumane and sex offenders are completely dehumanized and used as scientific guinea pigs in the case of things like implanted location trackers. Talks about the dehumanization of children in America and calls into question the American perception of Islamic law in Iran. Cites sources saying that in practice Islamic law is not used by the government and that sex changes and homosexuality are in fact legal. Also says that Iran's nuclear program is accepted by the UN treaties on the matter and only the US is opposed. Great article I would love to read more by bill Andriette.
June 30, 2013
A thought-provoking anthology from the Against Equality collective about why LGBTQ people should be wary of the mainstream LGBT movement's focus on repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell at the expense of opposing militarization itself and all of the ways in which it hurts LGBTQ people here and abroad. One of my favorite things about the book was that several authors touched upon youth rights issues such as age of consent laws and the ways that LGBT leaders have often prioritized issues like adoption and custody rights for LGBT parents without questioning in a more fundamental way the primacy of parental authority over youth. Probably for that reason alone, this is my favorite volume in the Against Equality trio of anthologies.
October 9, 2013
There were a couple good essays in here, but the book was completely ruined when they let a pedophile write about how dangerous statutory rape laws are (as if that has anything to do with the topic). Ugh. If it weren't for like one essay in there I would give it one star, or no stars at all.
May 9, 2020
Just as incredible as I hoped it would be.
Most of these essays are set around DADT, which I remember being a hot button topic in 2009/2010/2011 when I was 15/16/17 years old. By that point, i was an anti-imperialist though i had never heard that word; but i was opposed to war, the military, and the militarization of the LGBTQ community. I didn't know how to feel back then because that discourse, and marriage equality, were pretty much the only 2 issues discussed in the LGBTQ groups I was in, and they were repeatedly shoved in our faces, however ahistorical and backwards they were [and still are].
I only wish i had this book 10 years ago. I'm glad I have it now.
Most of these essays are set around DADT, which I remember being a hot button topic in 2009/2010/2011 when I was 15/16/17 years old. By that point, i was an anti-imperialist though i had never heard that word; but i was opposed to war, the military, and the militarization of the LGBTQ community. I didn't know how to feel back then because that discourse, and marriage equality, were pretty much the only 2 issues discussed in the LGBTQ groups I was in, and they were repeatedly shoved in our faces, however ahistorical and backwards they were [and still are].
I only wish i had this book 10 years ago. I'm glad I have it now.
December 21, 2020
Definitely gave me a perspective that I hadn't been exposed to before. I wasn't aware that respectability and assimilationist politics are basically having a chokehold on the queer movement.
February 5, 2016
An anthology of articles arguing against gays serving in the military. Interesting take on the argument from a number of persectives including historical and legislative. (Dream Act as military war machine), peace activism.
July 26, 2011
Got to read this book as a proof. Excellent, thought-provoking, and pushes all kinds of liberal buttons.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews