Making the Invisible Visible

Gender, Sexuality, and Civil Society
By Monika Baer
English

Despite the fact that a need for creating civil society has been highlighted in public discourse in Poland since 1989, in the eyes of many it still remains in a rather poor condition. Similar opinions qualify the debate on gay and lesbian movement. However, in the light of fieldwork material gathered among gender and queer studies groups active at one of the Polish universities, the author argues that even though hardly visible, gender and sexuality provide an important context for creating civil society in contemporary Poland. But, to make invisibility visible we should neither link civil society solely with non-governmental organizations that mediate between citizens and the state, nor approach gender and sexuality as identity categories necessary to proceed with political activism. Informal, interpersonal relations of particular individuals can contribute to social cohesion as well, while different ideas about identity and effective political strategies, although resulting in clashes, do not preclude common activities for sexual minorities rights.

Keywords

  • gay and lesbian movement
  • grassroot activism
  • gender/sexual identities
  • political strategies
  • Poland
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