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A Note on Language
A Note on Language
As a means of inclusivity, I will use the longer acronym ‘LGBTQIA+’ whenever possible when referring to the queer community. Instances in which this form of the acronym is not used typically indicates that the source I am pulling information from used a different version, such as LGBTQ.
Furthermore, I use the term queer interchangeably with LGBTQIA+ as a means of reclaiming the label and using it in a positive manner in contrast to its history of use as a slur. Many LGBTQIA+ people use this term proudly, however it should be noted that some individuals, particularly LGBTQIA+ elders, have experienced trauma associated with this word and it is essential to respect their boundaries regarding whether or not they consent to being referred to as queer.
A Brief History of Our Family Coalition
A Brief History of Our Family Coalition
Our Family Coalition was formed in 2002 when the East Bay based Our Family (founded in 1994) and the San Francisco-based All Our Families Coalition (founded in 1996) combined forces to fill the gap in services available for LGBTQIA+ families. The two organizations noticed that there was often little space for families nor events appropriate for children within the queer community, but that most family programs were created with cisgender, heterosexual couples in mind and were commonly ostracizing or discriminatory towards LGBTQIA+ family units. Thus, Our Family Coalition was born with the goal to provide safe spaces for queer families to connect with one another.
In its 20 year lifespan, Our Family Coalition has offered countless support groups, provided hundreds of educational trainings, and has been instrumental in advocating for and implementing legislation which have affirmed the rights of queer and trans families across the state.
San Francisco LGBTQ+ Pride Parade, 2019
Damage-Centered Models of Research: Their History and Their Harm
Damage-Centered Models of Research: Their History and Their Harm
In her seminal piece “Suspending Damage: A Letter to Communities”, Dr. Eve Tuck describes damage centric research as “research that intends to document peoples’ pain and brokenness to hold those in power accountable for their oppression.” While this form of research is usually well intended, it has long term effects on the communities being studied and often contributes to the surveillance which marginalized groups already face. Tuck argues that damage-centered research is dangerous in that it is so often pathologizing and characterizes oppression as the singular defining trait of communities, and that this model’s theory of change establishes harm in order to solicit reparations which may not ever come.
Damage-centered models of research are relevant to my analysis and an important historical context as the queer community, like many otherized groups, has typically been researched and discussed in academia and the health sector through a damage centric lens. This perspective has often justified discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people; queer and transness continue to be pathologized as deviant and were only removed from the psychiatric Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in recent years. This pathologization allowed medical professionals to harm queer and trans people through prejudicial tactics such as shock therapy and conversion therapy - the latter of which is still a legal practice in much of the country. In light of this history, my research establishes the importance of utilizing other analytical perspectives and intentionally focuses on observing the strengths of LGBTQIA+ families, rather than simply the challenges they face.
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