RE: [Marxism] Barry Sheppard's "The Sixties: a political memoir"

["Mark Lause" <MLause@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I appreciate seeing this different angle on the SWP's discussion over
gay and lesbian rights.  My understanding (a bit earlier than this
discussion) was that this issue posed immense problems for the party not
because of the prejudices of members, but because the question
compounded the issues posed in terms of the women's movement--to which
the SWP responded very badly, I think.

Coming out of the antiwar experience, the SWP was ill-equipped to deal
with women's liberation, which necessarily involved a broad, often
cultural dimension of rethinking and consciousness-raising.   As it was,
the SWP brought three very good slogans to their work (abortion rights,
child care, and equal pay), but found it easier to replicate the antiwar
single issue coalition.  And that meant the struggle over abortion
rights, which was mostly taking place in the courts and legislatures.

The trouble with the gay movement was even more pronounced....  In a
sense, the entire approach of the SWP to a gay "movement" sounds
artificial and stilted, even in hindsight....

Solidarity!
Mark L.



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