It seems that for queer folk (I’m bi) there almost always is some adverse reaction to our societal situation. For some, it’s drug addiction. For others it’s abusive relationships, and for some others, it seems it’s a crass, cynical materialistic view of the world, in which one is harshly judgmental of others. In many respects, my own psychological reaction was neurosis, loneliness, anger, and depression.
But I’ve made progress thru a sort of atheist spirituality based in community involvement. When I got out of the Navy in 1997 and made a priority of ‘coming out’ and being ‘politically active,’ in seems, retrospectively, that my approach was imbalanced in that I divided the world into us (queer folk and queer-friendly folk) and them (those who seemed hostile).
What has worked since for achieving a healthier, more balanced approach to life is seeing queer issues as part of a broad spectrum of causes. That way, one’s sexuality doesn’t get swept under the rug, but it doesn’t take over one’s life either.
To compare notes, thru this sort of spirituality, based in our connection to nature and our connection as humans on the planet, I’ve found peace of mind and the self-confidence to live in a consumerist, materialistic society, even though I’m someone with very little money or other financial/material resources.
I’ve noticed myself and I’ve observed other queer folk seeming to seek societal acceptance thru being ‘successful’ as defined according to hierarchical, materialistic values. That didn’t work for me, and my own opinion is that such a consumerist approach detracts from the extent to which queer activism and culture are part of the global justice movement which involves a variety of issues pertaining to race, class, religion, gender, nationality, ethnicity, political affiliation, and so on.
Leave a Reply