New directions from the gay left (Part 1 of 2)

On Labor Day weekend in 1976, a group of around 130 collectivist-minded gay men gathered in Wolf Creek, Oregon to hold a "Faggots and Class Struggle" conference, sponsored by the Lavender and Red Union of the University of Oregon. The conference addressed the "romantic myth" of bourgeois individualism fostered by capitalist ideology, calling instead for a Maoist approach that celebrates collective identity and advocates outreach to working-class and Third World GLBT peoples. The event is an important precursor to the development of the Radical Faeries, an organization created in 1979 by Mattachine Society founder Harry Hay that united radical gay politics and holistic spirituality.

This recording contains excerpts from the "Faggots and Class Struggle" conference plus interviews with participants. Recorded: Sept. 4-6, 1976.

Box notes: Many gay activists see the attainment of civil rights as only the beginning for a gay liberation movement. In this program, KPFA's Fruit Punch Collective explores the kinds of thinking in capitalist society that keep us divided and confused about our common good. Produced by Fruit Punch Collective (Gay Men's Radio) of KPFA Berkeley.