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Cathy Cohen Assignment – Marlena Esposito, Gabrielle Pilagonia, Azel Kahan

Marlena Esposito, Gabrielle Pilagonia, Azel Kahan

In her essay, Cathy Cohen describes queer activism as a two-dimensional system that is harmful to the minorities within the queer community. In queer politics, there is no recognition of intersecting identities, due to interlocking forms of oppression that marginalize all minorities into one. Homosexuals of color are subjected to greater forms of oppression because of this system. Cohen argues that a left-wing point of view is necessary to understand the multi-layered oppressive systems and how to counter them. It is also necessary to understand black feminism in order to understand queer politics. Cathy Cohen documents that the AIDS epidemic had a large impact on the queer community, garnering equivalent treatment to queer communities with those suffering from the AIDS virus under the public eye. Previously, queer politics would only acknowledge queer and not-queer issues, and think of people as either straight or not straight, ignoring those who are queer and not exclusively homosexual. Another issue that impacted queer activism is the cultural assumption that there must be a stigma associated within queer relationships; there is a societal understanding that all queer relationships are inherently bad.A reason for this stigma existing is the belief that all homosexuals are impacted by the AIDS virus, and that the queer community is responsible for this. This also impacts queer people of color heavily, since the AIDS epidemic effected the black community and the queer community the most. The gay activist movement that took place in the 70’s did not have as big of an impact as it should have, which reflects on the faults within the queer activist movement. Cathy Cohen maintains that queer politics is currently focusing heavily on class and race politics, which causes people to turn a blind eye towards minorities within the homosexual community and the issues that must be addressed.