Edwards would have been metaphorically and literally run out of Chicago if he had been anything but a white, gay man.
There’s an upcoming free screening of “United in Anger: A History of Act UP,” at the Gene Siskel theatre on December 1.
I have very grave problems with the fact that the film is being introduced by Jeff Edwards, a Gender Studies and Political Science professor at Roosevelt University. He’s also a former member of Queer to the Left, and the man who once attempted to discredit my subsequent work by writing, in a public email, that I was “damaged goods” and that my sex life (about which he seemed to claim to know a great deal) marked me as not queer enough.
I’ve written about the Edwards incident and the implications of what he did in the realm of left and queer radical organisng, and you can and should read the entire piece, “Fuck Love.” Fair warning: the email is quite vicious and troubling to read.
I think that this is an unfortunate invitation. On the one hand, he is simply introducing the film. On the other hand, his history of misogyny and racism (he would never have written this way about a white woman) mark him as someone who represents the worst impulses of the very activism I imagine the film attempts to portray. As I pointed out in “Fuck Love,” and in my communications with the organisers, this episode is emblematic of the racism and sexism that are such dominant features of Chicago, and these unfortunately extend to the so-called queer left in Chicago.
I’m writing this after a great deal of thought. I don’t think that Edwards needs or deserves more attention, and our individual career and activist trajectories are in public view. However, I also think it’s necessary that we on the left, especially those of us in the world of queer radical organising, remain aware of the ways in which particular figures are not held accountable for their actions and their toxicity. Edwards would have been metaphorically and literally run out of Chicago if he had been anything but a white, gay man.
For all these reasons, I’m posting this here. In all honesty, I’ve sometimes wondered, since I saw the announcement, “Eh, the guy’s not exactly an organising force, so why give him more attention than he deserves?”
Still, I’ve written to the director, Jim Hubbard, and the organisers and, having provided them with this history, suggested that Edwards should be dis-invited. My rationale is that positioning Edwards as some kind of authority and, in a way, the spokesperson for this film, validates his misogyny and racism. They have written back to say that Edwards was invited to speak “upon recommendation from colleagues” at the School of the Art Institute (SAIC) and that “the event and press have already been arranged. We cannot rescind the invitation at this late date.”
I’ve responded to thank them for their response and to point out that I disagree with them on the idea that the invitation cannot be rescinded. I’m also aware that such events are subject to any number of behind-the-scene logistics, so I’m not pressing that matter further. I will also point out that the organisers may not have known about his history (although, I am fairly certain that his colleagues do).
THIS IS NOT A CALL TO BOYCOTT THE SCREENING. Edwards is merely introducing the film – although, as I pointed out to the organisers, it’s unclear why he was chosen given that there are many others in the city and even at SAIC whose scholarly and activist work far outweigh his. I have no idea what “introducing” the film really means – it could be a few lines at the beginning, or perhaps a short paper delivered. In many ways, drawing attention to his introducing of the film gives him far more recognition in the public eye than he has received in years.
But I do hope that you will read or re-read “Fuck Love” (you can also search for his name once in the piece, and go straight to the part that discusses him). Depending on your energy level and time, you might want to consider forwarding this to the organisers or share it with your networks. But, most of all, I hope you will keep not just this one man’s actions in mind as you go about your activism and work, but also think about the larger issues at play here and, more importantly, of ways to prevent such toxicity in the worlds we occupy. In the end, this is not simply about Edwards — although it’s important that people know him for who he really is — but also about the issues that continue to haunt us in our so-called radical/left worlds.
Again, I hope people get to see this film. I truly commend everyone involved for organising a free screening, a great boon to many of us in these very hard times. Like many, I can barely afford bus fare these days, so it’s great to be able to see this film. I have no idea what the film is actually like, but I think it’s important that we get to see it and further our public conversations about a complicated and much-debated part of queer history. And I look forward to many spirited discussions about the film afterwards – perhaps at a nearby coffee shop?
Don’t plagiarise any of this, in any way. Read and memorise “On Plagiarism.” There’s more forthcoming, as I point out in “The Plagiarism Papers.” I have used legal resources to punish and prevent plagiarism, and I am ruthless and persistent. If you’d like to support me, please donate and/or subscribe, or get me something from my wish list. Thank you.
