GenQ - For the not so straight individual

Thousands of queer people have again descended on Brisbane's Fortitude Valley to celebrate the Big Gay Day summer street party, an annual event held in and around the Wickham Hotel. Although not deterred from attending (there being safety in numbers), few party goers could not fail to have their spirits dampened by the spate of queer attacks that have occurred in the Valley precinct in recent months, with at least two deaths reported.

A gang of youths with baseball bats is apparently targeting queer people near venues, and bashing them senseless. While this is not the first time that violence against queers has occurred in the Sunshine State, some community members are now calling for the establishment of a ?Valley Liberation Army?. This is partly because police have not increased their presence since the attacks started, or are perceived as slow to respond. Ironically, because of Queensland's anti-discrimination laws, police are not allowed to ask anybody who reports being bashed if they are gay or lesbian.

Establishing a vigilante group may seem to make sense on face value, especially if the police response appears inadequate. However, there is always a danger that when a group of citizens takes the law into its own hands, the situation can get worse. The Cronulla riots are a recent example. What started out as a relatively peaceful protest, soon turned into violent attacks in which both ?sides? looked pretty ugly.

Calls for establishing and defending queer safe places where homophobes are not only unwelcome, but told to ?f**k off?, produce an understandably spirited response in our community. Probably even more so, if we have been threatened or bashed, or someone we know has. However, there is a danger that emotive responses are likely to provoke retaliation and further violence. The mentality of a gang takes on its own momentum, regardless of the ?cause?, and individuals can easily get caught up in behaviour they would have once never thought possible.

As difficult as it may appear, a better response may be to act calmly and rationally, and try to bring about change through established mechanisms and more peaceful means. This is not to suggest that queers should simply turn the other cheek if they see their sisters being harassed, but that they should respond in a way that avoids escalation of the violence ? then or later. Often, acting provocatively or fighting back may seem like a temporary success, but winning a battle is not the same as winning a war. The best way to win a war is to win over the hearts and minds of the oppressors.

And this is the important point. Hurling abuse at those who bash queers, and using terms like ?f**king homophobes? (and much worse), fails to separate the behaviour, as repulsive as it is, from those who perpetuate it. Nobody on either ?side? likes being the recipient of abuse in any form. If the behaviour and the person become synonymous, the only way to stamp out the behaviour is to stamp out the person. That is what these people are trying to do to us; doing the same to them is not likely to resolve matters. Those who bash us are likely to go away and brood, gather more of their mates together, and return ready to inflict even more serious harm.

So, what can we do? Well, there is nothing wrong with doing a course in basic self defence. Hopefully, we will never be put in a situation where we need to use these skills, but there is no harm in having them, if we are threatened. Moreover, we should stick together and look out for our sisters, never allowing anybody to leave a venue alone if we can help it, even if it means passing up a root for the night. That is what is meant by being part of a ?community?.

Beyond this, we need to look at the legitimate means available to us to educate and lobby for change. Despite concerns that the anti-terror laws would hinder free speech, we live in a democratic society, and are still free to voice our concerns responsibly, such as through the media. Furthermore, politicians do listen. So, if there are not enough police patrolling the Valley or responding to calls for help, queer Queenslanders should write to the minister and express their outrage, or use their local gay police liaison officer as a conduit. Too often, we are afraid to come out even if it means our sisters go under. This may be understandable if being queer was outlawed, but it is not. We have earlier queer activists to thank for that. We need to continue their work - not hide in the dark or take the law into our own hands.