Shepard, B. (2009) Talking Writing and Activism. Where We Are No. Spec!

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Talking Activism and Writing
5cto6er $7th, 2009
B' Ben Shepard
Talking Activism and Writing
5cto6er $7th, 2009
B' Ben Shepard
Activist and historian Ben8amin )eim Sheparddisc!sses the role o( pla' in advancing 9!eer
politics in Ne *ork "it'. Shepard:s contri6!tion point toards the relationship 6eteen
pleas!re and pla';a valori<ation o( sens!alit', h!mor, and agenc' in the present tense;as
a prospect (or political change. WWAN catches !p ith Ne *ork riter and activist
Ben8amin Shepard a6o!t his nel' released 6ook =!eer +olitics and +olitical +er(ormance2
+la', +leas!re, and Social >ovement2 +la', +leas!re, and Social >ovement (-o!tledge,
2009).
>arisa &ahn2 Wh' did 'o! rite this 6ook? And h' sho!ld activists rite 6ooks?
Ben8amin Shepard2 That:s a 6ig 9!estion. /n terms o( the (irst part o( the 9!estion, there is
an old e@pression that the last chapter o( one 6ook o(ten (inds its a' into the opening
salvo (or the ne@t. As / as (inishing m' (irst 6ook, White Nights and Ascending Shados2
An 5ral )istor' o( the San Arancisco A/BS ,pidemic in $997, / started seeing a 6!nch o(
riting a6o!t the A/BS 'ears ith a ver' morali<ing lens. Writers and commentators s!ch
as Andre S!llivan had 6een riting that A/BS as over, the A/BS activism o( A"T C+ as
co!nterprod!ctive and irresponsi6le, and ga' people needed to p!t the lessons o( ga'
li6eration 6ehind them so the' co!ld gro !p, (it into the s'stem, 8oin the arm', get married,
and 6ecome normal. As a person ho dre a h!ge amo!nt o( inspiration (rom 6oth the
lessons o( ga' li6eration as ell as 9!eer3A/BS direct action, this !nderstanding (elt
a6horrent. And / starting riting a6o!t the dangero!s !ses o( this morali<ing in the end o(
the 6ook.
B' the time / moved to the Ne *ork "it' in $99D, this de6ate had 6ecome a (!ll scale
c!lt!re ar. While some asked 9!eers to 8!st gro !p and act more like straight people,
another cohort o( activists arg!ed that 6eing 9!eer meant em6racing di((erence, se@!al sel(
determination, and the !ses o( pleas!re in movements (or social change. B!66ing
themselves Se@+anicE, these activists did it ithin a post4modernist, ironic, camp' activist
(lair. The' p!t (l'ers calling their opponents FT!rd<G inside the 6ook 8ackets o( their
political enemies, the Hang o( Ao!r, did (!ndraisers at se@ cl!6s, held street actions at
Sho World, a strip cl!6, and the like. / started going to meetings ithin a eek o( moving
to ton. And / as immediatel' taken 6' the c!lt!re o( pleas!re and politics and se@ and a
p!6lic commons in N*". /t as something / had never 9!ite seen 6e(ore. And / anted to
(ig!re o!t hat that as all a6o!t. This is largel' the stor' / rite a6o!t in the 6ook. /n
6eteen the (ights, the demo diva:s, the cr!ising at meetings, the drinks a(terards, the
prop making parties, ork on press releases and so on, / as completel' taken a6ack. *et,
thro!gho!t the process, e ere racking o!r 6rains to de(end p!6lic se@!al c!lt!re, and
6' e@tension p!6lic space (or de6ate and di((erence in Ne *ork "it'. /n the end, the
Se@+anicE c!lt!re ars, the se@ ars opened !p a h!ge ne space (or me to think a6o!t
c!lt!re, cities, pleas!re, se@, !r6an p!6lic space, and social movements, even i( e lost lots
o( those 6attles.
Strange thing is the gro!p (ell apart almost as immediatel' as it 6egan. This pro6a6l' 6rings
the stor' to the second part o( the 9!estion, h' sho!ld activists rite 6ooks? /:ll e@tend
that to ask, h' sho!ld activists re(lect on their ork? Sa!l Alinki !sed to acc!se 'o!ng
activists o( 6eing nothing 6!t a 6!nch o( !ndigested actions. )e said e have to take the
time to honestl' re(lect on hat orks and does not ork. Witho!t this, e doom o!rselves
to 8!st doing the same thing over and over again hile e@pecting di((erent res!lts, hile
adding a (e more (ailed movements to the gar6age heap o( histor'.
>&2 )o do 'o! see pla' as a germane lens (or e@amining the ga' li6eration and 9!eer
activist movement? Said in other terms, h' is it that pla' has so prominentl' (ig!red the
ga' li6eration and 9!eer activist movement?
BS2 This is one o( the (e movements in histor' that act!all' concept!ali<ed the idea o(
pleas!re as an end !nto itsel( (or movement pla'ers. "ertainl', S!rrealists, Bada, and the
Sit!ationists recogni<ed the li6erator' potential o( pla' as means to (ree tho!ght and
possi6ilit' o!tside o( the social relations organi<ed aro!nd ork and prod!ction, hich
seemed to rein(orce alienated social e@periences. The' val!ed the li6erator' possi6ilities o(
pla'. *et, it as the Ha' .i6eration and later the A/BS "oalition to Cnleash +oer ho
declared that se@!al sel(4determination, pleas!re, and e@pression co!ld serve as 6oth
means and ends o( movements (or social change. This is not to s!ggest that pla' as
ever'thing (or these movements. And the pla' that as there, it as not itho!t
controvers'. Arom the earliest da's o( Ha' .i6eration, 9!eers have (o!ght over the
meanings o( se@!al sel(4determination. *et, man' ere aare that em6racing pleas!re and
pla' o((ered a stark contrast to the old le(t vie that pleas!re sho!ld take place a(ter the
revol!tion and the hard ork o( class politics is resolved. What 6oth 9!eers and the
Sit!ationists s!ggested as that in its re8ection o( a li(e 6ased on the dr!dger' o( 8!st
p!nching the clock, pa'ing rent, and going to and (rom a 6oring 8o6. There had to 6e more
than a means o( necessit', arg!ed )er6ert >arc!se, ho is perhaps the most important
theorist o( pla' and social movements.
*et, to 6e clear, pla' is onl' one part o( a larger organi<ing campaign hich incl!des a clear
ask or proposal, research on an iss!e, a comm!nications strateg' to move this iss!e, a
mo6ili<ation strateg', direct action, a legal strateg' and a 6it o( pla' to s!stain a
movement. B' the A/BS 'ears, / as pro(o!ndl' intrig!ed ith the a's that 9!eer
s!stained their movements in the (ace o( the mass A/BS carnage, !sing com6inations o(
9!eer aesthetics, camp, se@, research, direct action, and saav' representation o( the
iss!es. -ight in the middle o( this, pla' and social eros ere large components o( these
movement practices.
>&2 What are inspiring historical antecedents to the a' that pla' characteri<es the ga'
li6eration and 9!eer activist movement?
BS2 /t:s hard to kno ho (ar 6ack to trace the social and aesthetic movements associated
ith pla', pleas!re, and se@!al (reedom. Some o( the (irst that / kno ere the Bion's!s
"!lts, hich so agitated the -omans ith irreverent and stead(ast dedication to drink and
se@ that t6e -oman leaders, the "arrie Nations o( their da' ho ere not part o( the part',
so!ght to prohi6it their gatherings. That polic' orked a6o!t as ell as o!r $Ith
Amendment 6anning alcohol and starting prohi6ition. )o 9!eer as their s!6versive
commitment to de6a!cher'? Ha' Activist Alliance icon Arth!r ,vans rote his on version
o( the Bacchae 6' ,!ripides. Bion's!s has 6een descri6ed in terms re(lective o( c!rrent
!nderstanding o( trans e@pression. "arivaggio:s portrait o( Bacch!s J>ichelangelo >erisi
da "aravaggio ($KD$4$7$0) 4 Bacch!s (c.$K9K)L onl' highlights the ga' and (ierce 9!alit' o(
the Bion's!s c!lt hich has inspired riters and poets thro!gh the cent!ries.
While it is !s!all' e@pressed ith 6odies, pla' is also e@pressed ith ords s!ch as in the
tops'4t!rve' o( Bada or in Whitman:s poetr', among other things. F/ sing the 6od'
electricMG links an ageless imp!lse toard (reedom o( 6od' and tho!ghts.
/n terms o( social movements, $9
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and 20
th
cent!r' Aree .ove advocates, anarchists
incl!ding ,mma Holdman and compan' ere h!ge s!pporters o( 6oth pla' and se@!al
(reedoms, hich the' sa as a re(reshing contrast to the 6ondage o( marriage and state4
sanctioned social relationships. FNo other Americans M devoted so m!ch time and e((ort
to e@ploring the social, moral, and ethical place o( same se@ love,G rites Terence 0issack
in his (ascinating ne histor' NAree "omrades2 Anarchism and )omose@!alit' in the Cnited
States. $I9K O $9$D:2 FAnd neither did an'one else o( the period develop a political
!nderstanding o( the right o( men and omen to love homsoever the' ished, henever
and herever the' ished, in a manner o( their choosing.G 5ver the 'ears, anarchist 9!eer
activism has increasingl' 6!ilt on a recognition o( the ins!rrectionar' possi6ilities o( (ree
pla'.
/n terms o( art, 'o! had Bada4ists and S!rrealists, ho e@plored a orld gone reeling (rom
the generational mass s!icide practiced on the West (ront (rom $9$P4$I. The' did it
thro!gh ith ne approaches to living, e@plorations in personal se@!al (reedom, ord pla',
mind (reedom, theatre, and gender 6ending. B!champ:s read'4made s!6mission o( a toilet
to the $9$D Ne *ork Societ' (or /ndependent Artists sho and his postcard o( the >ona
.isa ith a mo!stache ith the gra((iti O Fshe:s got a hot assG ;these orks ere tho!ght
to 6e earl' and potent e@amples o( the poer o( a pranks to get people to think. The
S!rrealists took an interest in the !nconscio!s, ps'choanal'sis and approaches to pla',
(reedom o( the se@!alit', the imagination and the !nconscio!s and applied it to a ne
movement in art. *et, these e@periments did not come itho!t a cost. >agn!s )irsch(ield:s
NWeimar ,ra /nstit!te o( Se@: as 6!rnt don d!ring the (irst eek the Na<is ere in poer
in >a' o( $9%%. The Weimar "a6aret as theatre o( transgression. The (ate o( Bada and
S!rrealism and the Se@ologists helped inspire the (ormation o( the >attachine Societ' in
$9PI in .os Angeles. Arom here, 9!eer thinking overlapped and co4mingled ith
movements ranging (rom the Beats to +!nk to c!rrent glo6al 8!stice movement o(
movements.
/n later 'ears, the same ps'choanal'tic movement hich in(l!enced the S!rrealists inspired
>arc!se to rite N,ros and "ivili<ation:, perhaps the most important st!d' o( pla'. >an' o(
the earl' proponents o( this movement theori<ed a6o!t pla' and (reedom o( the mind.
British ga' activist +eter Tatchell arg!es that Sigm!nd Are!d helped challenge se@!al
ignorance, hile esta6lishing a li6erator' !nderstanding o( se@.
So the roots o( movement are man'.
>&2 )o can some o( the tactics e@plored in this 6ook in(orm the art and activist
comm!nit' in Ne *ork?
BS2 Hro!ps s!ch as H-AN AC-*, Hro!p >aterial, Biva TQ have inspired and in(l!enced
c!rrent movements in an' n!m6er o( a's. Aor e@ample, Biva TQ and its approach to
activists creating their on media directl' anticipates the c!rrent approaches B/* media
prod!ction, the independent media movement, and the innovations o( *o! T!6e hich has
so pro(o!ndl' changed the a' e tell the stories a6o!t movements. There are so man'
e@amples. Aor 9!eer activism, art has long 6een a part o( telling a movement stor'. )ere,
art 6ro!ght the movement:s aims into ide a!diences, ith p!6lics ho int!itivel'
connected ith the messages o( the art and (elt compelled to do some thing a6o!t it O a
prett' tall order. This is common !nderstating. B!t it is easier said than done. That:s the
hard part.
>&2 What in this 6ook did 'o! not get to rite a6o!t that 'o! o!ld have liked to cover?
BS2 Well, it is the (irst pla' o( a m!ch larger st!d' o( pla' and movement activit'. 5ne can
onl' cover so m!ch in one vol!me. Cpcoming orks incl!de three more 6ooks on pla' as it
overlaps ith local and social movements2 N+la', "reativit' and Social 2 /( / "an:t Bance, /ts
Not >' -evol!tionE,: Nthe Beach Beneath the Streets2 ,@cl!sion, "ontrol, and +la' in +!6lic
Space:, and NThe "omm!nit' +ro8ects as Social Action.: ,ach considers pla' (rom a
di((erent vantage point. The (irst, N+la', "reativit', and Social >ovements: considers the
phenomena historicall', (rom the S!rrealism to BaBa, Sit!ationism to p!nk, 9!eer activism
to s9!atting, links 6eteen neigh6orhood gro!ps, s!ch as .oer ,ast Side "ollective and
glo6al 8!stice movements, in hich / pla'ed a small part. NThe Beach Beneath the
Streets:considers tension 6eteen p!6lic and private spaces, pla' and social control. The
(inal ork, N"omm!nit' +ro8ects as Social Action: considers pla' as a component o( a
holistic organi<ing strateg'. /t looks at the increasing need (or m!t!al aid netork to help
s!pport comm!nities o( care, especiall' as the social sa(et' net 6ears more ear as the
(inancial crisis ch!rns (orard. B!t there are so man' topics / ish / had time to rite
a6o!t. Topics s!ch as p!nk and 9!eer activism, (riendship in movements, immigration and
glo6al movements, there are so man' ama<ing stories o( heros o!t there. / rite ever' da'
in an e((ort to make sense o( and honor all the ork o( the ama<ing activism taking place
ever' da', little o( hich garners mainstream media coverage. All this ork involves a
re(lection o( an action research approach, 6eginning ith the interpla' o( actions e plan,
participant o6servation o( ho the action goes, re(lection on the action, generating more
9!estions, research, actions, stories and so on. As the song line sa's, the road goes on
(orever and the part' never ends.
http233.ro!tledge4n'.com36ooks3=!eer4+olitical4+er(ormance4and4+rotest4
is6n9DI0P$K970970
Ben8amin Shepard
Ben8amin Shepard, +hB, is an Assistant +ro(essor o( )!man Service at Ne *ork School o(
Technolog'3"it' Cniversit' o( Ne *ork. )e is the a!thor3editor o( si@ 6ooks incl!ding White
Nights and Ascending Shados2 An 5ral )istor' o( the San Arancisco A/BS ,pidemic
("assell, $99D) and Arom A"T C+ to the WT52 Cr6an +rotest and "omm!nit' B!ilding in the
,ra o( Hlo6ali<ation (co4edited ith -on )a'd!ck) (Qerso, 2002). The latter ork as a non4
(iction (inalist (or the .am6da .iterar' Aards in 2002. )is (orthcoming orks incl!de part
to o( this st!d' on pla'2 +la', "reativit', and the Ne "omm!nit' 5rgani<ing (-o!tledge),
The Beach Beneath the Streets2 ,@cl!sion, "ontrol, and +la' in +!6lic Space (co4ritten
ith Hreg Smithsimon) (SCN* +ress) and "omm!nit' +ro8ects as Social Activism (Sage).
A!rther his riting has appeared in anthologies incl!ding, Bemocrac', States and the
Str!ggle (or Hlo6al &!stice (-o!tledge, 2009), No6od' +asses (Seal +ress, 2007), The
,nc'clopedia o( Social >ovements (Sharpe, 200P), That:s -evolting2 =!eer Strategies (or
-esisting Assimilation (So(t Sk!ll +ress, 200P) Bemocrac':s >oment2 -eneing Bemocrac'
(or the 2$st "ent!r' and Teamsters and T!rtles2 .e(tist >ovements Toda' and Tomorro
(6oth 2002, -oman and .ittle(ield), and 8o!rnals incl!ding2 Working CSA, -adical Societ',
.am6da Book -evie, >onthl' -evie, Se@!alities, the &o!rnal o( +rogressive )!man
Services, Antioch -evie, >onthl' -evie, and Brain among others. )e got his start riting
m!sic revies (or Beto!r and pro(iles (or the Ba' Area -eporter in the earl' $990s:. )e has
done organi<ing ork ith the A/BS "oalition to Cnleash +oer (A"T C+), Se@+anicE,
-eclaim the Streets Ne *ork, Times C+, the "landestine -e6el "lon Arm', the A6s!rd
-esponse Team, "itiWide )arm -ed!ction, )o!sing Works, the >ore Hardens "oalition,
and the Times C+ Bike .ane .i6eration Aront and Harden Working Hro!ps. >ost all o( his
ork involves the interpla' 6eteen activist practices, theor', and pra@is.
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