anarchistnews.org
Feb 12, 2025
From Rebellion and Queer Sweetness
January 7, 2025
INTRO: PURPOSE
Attempts at reenvisioning our future as a place of solidarity, mutual aid, equity and degrowth require questioning existing power structures. Addressing social inequities is at the very heart of criticising authoritian structures and without it, we can never enable egalitarian and equitable relationships that are key to any anarchist vision.
In Zagreb we as anarchists see the need to explictly approach one of these systems of inequity and domination: the patriarchy. As an established system of domination, it continues to contribute to the marginalisation, exploitation and violent repercussions against us who do not obey the strictly defined, submissive roles surrounding the figure of the dominant cis-male. Even in our anarchist collectives and communities, these power strukctures are reproduced and too often go unchallenged and unquestioned. This enables violence and further subjugation/marginalisation/domination and poses a direct obstacle to our visions.
WHO ARE WE?
We are an autonomous, self organized group of queer anarcho feminists that want to create a safe space for adressing the problems of opression and fight against all forms of discrimination based on gender and sexuality.
We are anarchists because we are against any kind of domination and exploitation and we want to create a free society in which such domination and explotiation will be abolished.
Our group was formed as a response to the present state of patriarchal society and tolerance to physical and sexual violence to women and queer persons in our society. This is also visible in our circles and there is a need to raise awareness and condemn this kind of behaviour starting from our spaces and groups and spread our principles in wider society.
We are based in Zagreb but we come from different parts of the world, “countries” and cultures. Also, we have different experiencies and ways to be involved in activism and we want to share different ways to fight against the patriarchal system and talk about methods that could be different depending on our previous experience and background, to get more cultural diverse knowledge about how to act, or what strategies we can use.
GOALS/AIMS
Specifically addressing anarcha-queer-feminist topics within and outside of anarchist organisations in Zagreb, including examining existing structures and projects claiming to be anarchist from an anarcha-queer-feminist angle, and so identify places where development of inclusivity is still needed
Building a support network and places to share experiences with patriarchial violence so that these can be properly adressed, called out and places free – as far as possible – from such violence can be created
Educating – through our own organizing, by embodiying the values and world we want to create and through more direct knowledge sharing efforts we aim to encourage a cognitive shift in how we perceive the world and dismantle all forms of domination – the state, gender, hetero- and cis-sexism, marriage and the nuclear family and so on
WHO DO WE WELCOME TO JOIN OUR STRUGGLE?
We support trans and cis women, trans men, genderqueer, two-spirit and non-binary people, intersex people, queer people, people of all races and ethnicities, people on the move, sex workers, undocumented and criminalised people, people with different physical abilities, neurodivergent persons, people of all beliefs (as long as they don’t clash with our values), and many more who are marginalised and oppressed by the current system. Those of you who share our values, listed below, please reach out and let’s turn our fury into a constructive aim to change this doom and gloom world in which we live!
Ultimately we wish for cis-men to fight alongside us, seeing as we all suffer under the patriarchy. However, the same patriarchial domination schemes are bound to be repeated; even in anarchist circles we see how male voices are heard and received more and how they often take the leading role. Confirming this, some of the reactions to the forming of this group reflect the common misunderstanding that excluding the dominant group from marginalised self-organisation is somehow “discrimination” (as if you would invite the bosses to the initial stages of workers unionising). But many of the aforementioned behavioural patterns are best eliminated by simply not allowing cis-men into the group, at least while we are gathering our bearings and establishing a healthy group dynamic.
That said, we do offer help to anyone and everyone that comes in peace and solidarity.
This paragraph, along with the rest of the manifesto, was written at the very beginning of our coming together. Now, a year into our organizing, we have decided to reevaluate again and have determined this decision has expired. While this has been a continued conversation throughout the year, alongside discussing our rejection of identity politics, we are aware we made it consciously, mostly out of pragmatic reasons – it was simply easier than having to engage in transformative processes when the group is still young and on bambi legs. We have collaborated with cis-men in actions and our educational efforts, but have kept the core organizing closed to them. We now feel more confident in our non-hierarchical, caring structure and think we are ready to deal with any machism and patriarchal behaviours that might come our way and are excited to open up the space for participation by cis-men. We do however ask that everybody – but especially cis men – focus on acting without dominating spaces, listening and reflecting their behaviours – so we ask for the discrete presence of cis male comrades who want to learn.
OUR VALUES
– anti-authoritarianism – we consciously strive to call out both formal and informal forms of centralised power
– care – we notice patterns of the patriarchal neoliberal economy – such as competition and aggressive communication and behaviour – being perpetuated in social relations within and outside our groups. Instead, we want active care and camaraderie as the basis of our social relations and communities
– eco-feminism – recognizing that the patriarchal culture and capitalist economy subjugate and exploit women and other marginalized groups much in the same way as they do with nature is critical in connecting (and better understanding) these struggles, making us more aware of repeating patterns of domination and more thorough and tactical in dismantling these systems of opression (which makes us stronger and more aware of problems in our society)
– anti-speciesism – we vouch to respect and care for all living beings, regardless of their proximity to the human condition
– anti-colonialism and anti-racism – bearing in mind our privilege, we are actively trying to unlearn colonial and white supremacist biases and fight cultural domination. we see specific forms of racism and xenophobia occuring in our regional context (anti-roma sentiments, violence against refugees..) which we vouch to help dismantle, and in turn aid the free movement of people
– anti-nationalism and anti-fascism – recognizing the violent history (and present) of the Balkan region and still unreconciled ethnic tensions, we believe that explicitly fighting against nationalist movements is central in building a better community
– anti-capitalism – instead of allowing patriarchial neoliberal capitalism to undermine the entirety of our social relations and watch how commodification of all aspects of life takes place (this includes homonormative consumerism and pink capitalism!!), we are actively working on the basis of mutual aid, solidarity economy, sharing practices and ‘everyone according to their ability, everyone according to their needs’. we can’t have constant economic growth, but we can have more of what really matters.
– intersectionalism – all forms of marginalization and violence – racism, sexism, heteronormativity, amatonormativity, transphobia and transmisogyny, ableism, sizeism, nationalism, classism – work in sync to keep up the opressive structures of domination; we cannot ignore any of these if we want to achieve equity and peace
– anti-assimilationism – we refuse to have our identities and expressions subdued and molded in order to be more palatable and ‘better tolerated’ within the current society and strive to create spaces of plurality where we operate, work, look and feel in divergent ways
– bodily autonomy – we refuse to have our experiences and decisions regarding our bodies goverened and strictly controlled by the state and instead opt to fight to have a bigger agency in regards to reproductive and sexual health, gender affirming care, mental healthcare and more
– anarcha-queer-feminism
HOW DO WE OPERATE?
– prefiguration – we believe the way to create a new world is to take steps to create it and live the life we want to live. we want our actions and way of organising to reflect the future society we would like to live in
– local response – we share our concerns in the groups and circles where we are active to raise awareness about problematic situations and persons and create a safer space for the affected persons, we organize within the local context to address and aid in specific needs of our communities and create bonds with other groups that share our values and work towards the same goals but that may fight on different fronts
– anti-authoritarian, holistic approach to living and organising – we want to work on strengthening our bodily, mental, emotional, interpersonal and other instincts and to engage both practically and theoretically
– a horizontal, non-hierarchical organizing structure operating in a participative way, on a consensus basis – any ideas or concerns you might have are welcome!
Through our growth, we plan to organize different workshops and campaigns; you’ll be more than welcome to use every one of those, or just one – whatever you need.
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH?
vrrrane@riseup.net <3
We Have Two Paths
anarchistnews.org
Feb 15, 2025
From Organise! Magazine
he following is a transcript of the speech given by Marion Koshy of Space City Anarchist Organisation at the Houston Organizing Fair on the 8th of February 2025.
I was at a show a few ago, and a couple of folks were giving speeches. After the first couple speeches, a comrade told me that these speeches were amazing, but they made her feel so hopeless. I think an important part of speeches like these is that it shouldn't be just to agitate and educate the folks that we're trying to get up and act, but to inspire them to organize. So I just want to say that, that every single one of you has the ability to act now towards a better future. The Biden Presidency have been nothing but badly negotiated peace. There are literal armed Nazis with swastika flags marching in the streets, an emboldened Trump administration hell-bent on cutting our rights, the Zionist entity continues to oppress the Palestinian people, and slowly, our planet continues to heat up. So now, we have two paths, Path A, and Path B.
Path A
Path A goes something like this. You wake up without power, covered in sweat. Hurricane whatever knocked out our shitty power grid. You turn on your phone, and with the last bits of power left, you doom scroll through the apocalypse. Watch as every job is automated out, egotistical technocrats push AI into the economy, destroying our creative output, and our already dreadful work turns into overt slavery. Christian fundamentalist cults conspire together to create a theocracy, their coffers flooded by ghoulish oil barons that want to erase any aspect of queerness in our society. Nazi march in our street once again, attacking political dissidents, and marginalized communities in their path. Government services fail, privatized by the likes of Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. Meanwhile, we gamble our futures away in the political system, and we continue to bark without teeth. We work endlessly as landlords and bosses extract our very lifeblood and turn it into profit. And maybe in the next election the bad guy is finally voted out, people go back to brunch. But climate change, fascism, and poverty only worsen, and with a gasp, we go silently into oblivion.
I know I said that I'd try to not make people hopeless, but bear with me here. There is also Path B.
Path B.
You wake up, and take a breath. The world is burning outside your window, but you know that the only way out is through. You and your comrades join together somewhere, whether its a park, someone's apartment, a library, a resource centre. Different communities, different people from all walks of life who have been marginalized one way or another meet together, determined to make things better however they can. In struggle, they find a passionate way of living that allows them to take back their lives. A diverse range of talents, skill sets and wills join together to build a movement. Everything for everyone, everything a tool, everything a weapon. Workers in essential utilities, tired of incompetent administrators and bosses, take over their workplace and start distributing their labour for free. Autonomous supply lines break strangleholds as people realize hallowed words: "ALL HELD IN COMMON". We learn skills lost to the ages, and through repeated skill shares, skirmishes, and bookclubs, people find courage to break through.
We live in a time of upheaval. It is no secret that the system that we live under is not sustainable. A system in which every 10 years, there's an economic crisis is not a system that we can live under. We wake up, do the same routine over and over again, while out of touch politicians gamble with peoples lives. Pay check to pay check, month to month, our collective stress is what hangs over our heads. Our labour is what keeps this world alive, it is what makes this world go around, but in the end, we don't feel apart of it. We're packed into suburbs, dreary offices, with jobs that ensure that there is no free time for what we want.
We want a more dignified future. A future where we can determine our own destiny. All you have to do is think, "If I had the ability to do so. what would I be doing?". You are not alone. Through our collective alienation, our suffering, our loneliness, is where lies our solidarity with each other. You may think that you are powerless, but I promise you: you all have the pieces to build something together, a life in common, a life where you can determine your own future. The age old question of "Shall we only hope for heaven when we're dead?" is only answered with the realization that the Only Way Out Is Through.
To begin, we must find each other. We are born into a world of demoralization, isolation, defeat, but we're capable of living differently. Take stock of what you have, who your friends are, what your skills are, your capacities, your connections. You have the ingredients to build a life in common.
We do not live in isolated struggles or context, we must participate in social struggles around us. You'll find that other like minded people, who are tired of how this world works are also fighting. We have the ability to directly act against our oppression. We can engage in blockades, fight against fascism and the state, organize a food or clothing drive, build a community garden. We can have a little audacity to do change in our communities. We must have audacity to demand a better world for ourselves.
In order to build, we must cast away oppressions such as class, gender, race, nations, capitalism and other authoritarian implements that seek to destroy our autonomy. We must develop structures to help build a better world, building on small term gains that over time, build into a larger movement for liberation.
It is important, now especially, to start organizing. We are living in the aftermath of an election that has put an administration that is bent on destroying the futures of black, brown, trans and disabled people. It is clear that elections don't work in keeping our communities safe from creeping fascism. Politicians don't have the answers to what is impacting our daily lives. The only solution to them is to show up to elections and put your vote in the ballot box. Elections don't stop hate crimes, homeless people freezing to death, climate disaster, or people who have been abandoned by the system.
It is intimidating to face oppression or injustice, but you are not alone. No politician, no saviour is coming to stop suffering, it is up to us, regular people, to organize and to save ourselves.
You can get involved, even if you think you don't have the skills. Showing up is already half the battle completed. I started out taking notes at meetings and handing out water to renters on strike.
So if you want to do something, but don't know where to start, feel free to approach the SCAO table, and talk to us about organizing. We have a Thursday distro that feeds our un-housed neighbours, we operate a free store that gives out goods for free, and we do direct action against local Nazis.■
Marion Koshy
Marion Koshy (they/them) is an anarchist and anti-fascist organiser based out of Houston, Texas. In their spare time, they raise chickens, garden, and participate in the furry fandom.
anarchistnews.org
Feb 15, 2025
From Organise! Magazine
he following is a transcript of the speech given by Marion Koshy of Space City Anarchist Organisation at the Houston Organizing Fair on the 8th of February 2025.
I was at a show a few ago, and a couple of folks were giving speeches. After the first couple speeches, a comrade told me that these speeches were amazing, but they made her feel so hopeless. I think an important part of speeches like these is that it shouldn't be just to agitate and educate the folks that we're trying to get up and act, but to inspire them to organize. So I just want to say that, that every single one of you has the ability to act now towards a better future. The Biden Presidency have been nothing but badly negotiated peace. There are literal armed Nazis with swastika flags marching in the streets, an emboldened Trump administration hell-bent on cutting our rights, the Zionist entity continues to oppress the Palestinian people, and slowly, our planet continues to heat up. So now, we have two paths, Path A, and Path B.
Path A
Path A goes something like this. You wake up without power, covered in sweat. Hurricane whatever knocked out our shitty power grid. You turn on your phone, and with the last bits of power left, you doom scroll through the apocalypse. Watch as every job is automated out, egotistical technocrats push AI into the economy, destroying our creative output, and our already dreadful work turns into overt slavery. Christian fundamentalist cults conspire together to create a theocracy, their coffers flooded by ghoulish oil barons that want to erase any aspect of queerness in our society. Nazi march in our street once again, attacking political dissidents, and marginalized communities in their path. Government services fail, privatized by the likes of Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. Meanwhile, we gamble our futures away in the political system, and we continue to bark without teeth. We work endlessly as landlords and bosses extract our very lifeblood and turn it into profit. And maybe in the next election the bad guy is finally voted out, people go back to brunch. But climate change, fascism, and poverty only worsen, and with a gasp, we go silently into oblivion.
I know I said that I'd try to not make people hopeless, but bear with me here. There is also Path B.
Path B.
You wake up, and take a breath. The world is burning outside your window, but you know that the only way out is through. You and your comrades join together somewhere, whether its a park, someone's apartment, a library, a resource centre. Different communities, different people from all walks of life who have been marginalized one way or another meet together, determined to make things better however they can. In struggle, they find a passionate way of living that allows them to take back their lives. A diverse range of talents, skill sets and wills join together to build a movement. Everything for everyone, everything a tool, everything a weapon. Workers in essential utilities, tired of incompetent administrators and bosses, take over their workplace and start distributing their labour for free. Autonomous supply lines break strangleholds as people realize hallowed words: "ALL HELD IN COMMON". We learn skills lost to the ages, and through repeated skill shares, skirmishes, and bookclubs, people find courage to break through.
We live in a time of upheaval. It is no secret that the system that we live under is not sustainable. A system in which every 10 years, there's an economic crisis is not a system that we can live under. We wake up, do the same routine over and over again, while out of touch politicians gamble with peoples lives. Pay check to pay check, month to month, our collective stress is what hangs over our heads. Our labour is what keeps this world alive, it is what makes this world go around, but in the end, we don't feel apart of it. We're packed into suburbs, dreary offices, with jobs that ensure that there is no free time for what we want.
We want a more dignified future. A future where we can determine our own destiny. All you have to do is think, "If I had the ability to do so. what would I be doing?". You are not alone. Through our collective alienation, our suffering, our loneliness, is where lies our solidarity with each other. You may think that you are powerless, but I promise you: you all have the pieces to build something together, a life in common, a life where you can determine your own future. The age old question of "Shall we only hope for heaven when we're dead?" is only answered with the realization that the Only Way Out Is Through.
To begin, we must find each other. We are born into a world of demoralization, isolation, defeat, but we're capable of living differently. Take stock of what you have, who your friends are, what your skills are, your capacities, your connections. You have the ingredients to build a life in common.
We do not live in isolated struggles or context, we must participate in social struggles around us. You'll find that other like minded people, who are tired of how this world works are also fighting. We have the ability to directly act against our oppression. We can engage in blockades, fight against fascism and the state, organize a food or clothing drive, build a community garden. We can have a little audacity to do change in our communities. We must have audacity to demand a better world for ourselves.
In order to build, we must cast away oppressions such as class, gender, race, nations, capitalism and other authoritarian implements that seek to destroy our autonomy. We must develop structures to help build a better world, building on small term gains that over time, build into a larger movement for liberation.
It is important, now especially, to start organizing. We are living in the aftermath of an election that has put an administration that is bent on destroying the futures of black, brown, trans and disabled people. It is clear that elections don't work in keeping our communities safe from creeping fascism. Politicians don't have the answers to what is impacting our daily lives. The only solution to them is to show up to elections and put your vote in the ballot box. Elections don't stop hate crimes, homeless people freezing to death, climate disaster, or people who have been abandoned by the system.
It is intimidating to face oppression or injustice, but you are not alone. No politician, no saviour is coming to stop suffering, it is up to us, regular people, to organize and to save ourselves.
You can get involved, even if you think you don't have the skills. Showing up is already half the battle completed. I started out taking notes at meetings and handing out water to renters on strike.
So if you want to do something, but don't know where to start, feel free to approach the SCAO table, and talk to us about organizing. We have a Thursday distro that feeds our un-housed neighbours, we operate a free store that gives out goods for free, and we do direct action against local Nazis.■
Marion Koshy
Marion Koshy (they/them) is an anarchist and anti-fascist organiser based out of Houston, Texas. In their spare time, they raise chickens, garden, and participate in the furry fandom.
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