INTERSECTIONAL PREFIGURATIVE POLITICS: QUEER CABARET AS RADICAL RESISTANCE*
The implementation of intersectional frameworks and political priorities have proven challenging for social movements. Drawing on a case study of queer cabaret and insights garnered through a combination of field observation, semi-structured interviews, and cultural artifacts, I introduce the concept of intersectional prefigurative politics as a theoretical tool for understanding how social movement actors build collectivity and engage in consciousness raising informed by a commitment to intersectional social justice. By distinguishing movement spaces from other social spaces, unsettling hegemonic power relations through a commitment to accessibility and care, and centering marginalized peoples, queer cabaret movement actors build collectives and raise consciousness informed by intersectional politics.
Contributor Notes
Dr. Gouweloos is an interdisciplinary scholar who studies social inequality, social justice movements, gender, and sexuality. She teaches courses in Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada. Please direct all correspondence to gouwelj@mcmaster.ca.
First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone who participated in the project for their time, insights, and energy put into building queer collectivities and working to create a more just world. I would also like to express my gratitude to my colleagues and friends Jessica Braimoh, Tina Fetner, Melanie Heath, Alan Santinele Martino, and Randle W. Nelsen. Thank you as well to Neal Caren, Zakiya Luna, and the anonymous Mobilization reviewers who helped to strengthen the article. Lastly, I would like to extend a special thank you to Rebecca Collins-Nelsen for the support and feedback she offered throughout the many iterations of this piece. An earlier version of this article was presented in 2019 at the Canadian Sociological Association Conference in Vancouver, BC.