Editing Queer Nation (section)

== History ==
On March 20, 1990, sixty LGBTQ people gathered at the [[Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Services Center]] in New York's [[Greenwich Village]] to create a [[direct action]] organization. The goal of the unnamed organization was the elimination of [[homophobia]], and the increase of [[gay]], [[lesbian]] and [[bisexual]] visibility through a variety of tactics. The organization of Queer Nation, being non-hierarchical and decentralized, allowed anyone to become a member and have a voice.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Slagle|first=Anthony|date=1995|title=In Defense of Queer Nation: From Identity Politics to a Politics of Difference|journal=Western Journal of Communication|volume=59|issue=2|pages=85–102|doi=10.1080/10570319509374510}}</ref>

The direct-action group's inaugural action took place at Flutie's Bar, a straight hangout at the South Street Sea Port on April 13, 1990.  The goals included a desire to make it clear to (straight) patrons that queer people would not be restricted to gay bars for socializing and for public displays of affection, and to highlight their belief that most "public" space was in fact heterosexual space. Through parodying straight behavior (such as "spin the bottle") at these events, queer people refused to be invisible while publicly questioning the naturalized status of heterosexual coupling activity.  Visibility actions like this one became known as "Queer Nights Out."

Another method for Queer Nation to grab attention was the use of banners at protests and rallies. One banner used read "Dykes and Fags Bash Back," another "Queer Nation…Get Used To It!" which referenced the organization's famous chant "We're here! We're Queer! Get used to it!"

Although the name "Queer Nation" had been used casually since the group's inception, it was officially approved at the group's general meeting on May 17, 1990.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://queernationny.org/history|title=Queer Nation NY History|website=Queer Nation NY|access-date=2016-05-07}}</ref>

The militant protest style of the group contrasted with more assimilationist gay rights organizations such as the [[Human Rights Campaign]], [[Log Cabin Republicans]], or [[National Gay and Lesbian Task Force]].  Queer Nation was most effective and powerful in the early 1990s in the US and used [[direct action]] to fight for [[gay rights]]. They also worked with AIDS organization [[AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power|ACT UP]] as well as [[Women's Health Action and Mobilization|WHAM!]]  Even though never officially disbanded, many of the local groups did so in the mid-to-late 1990s.<ref name="qnseattle">{{citation |title=Queer Nation/Seattle Disbands |url=http://www.qrd.org/qrd/orgs/QN/qn.seattle.disbands-02.05.95 |access-date=2008-03-29 |date=February 5, 1995 }}</ref><ref name="qnla">{{citation |title=We're Here, We're Queer, We're Finished – Maybe |first=Doug |last=Sadownick |author-link=Douglas Sadownick |periodical=[[LA Weekly]] |url=http://www.qrd.org/qrd/orgs/QN/queer.nation.is.dead-LA.WEEKLY |date=October 1, 1993 |access-date=2008-03-29 }}</ref><ref name="qnboston">{{citation |title=Mapping Desire: Geographies of Sexualities |first1=David |last1=Bell |first2=Gill |last2=Valentine |author-link2=Gill Valentine |publisher=Routledge |page=295 |isbn=0-415-11163-3 |year=1995 }}</ref>

The group's use of the word "queer" in its name and slogan was at first considered shocking, though the [[reclaimed word|reclamation]] has been called a success,<ref name="castout">{{citation |title=Cast Out: Queer Lives in Theater |first=Robin |last=Bernstein |publisher=University of Michigan Press |isbn=0-472-06933-0 |year=2006 }}</ref> used in relatively mainstream television programs such as ''[[Queer Eye (2003 TV series)|Queer Eye]]'' and ''[[Queer as Folk (UK)|Queer as Folk]]''. The use of the word "queer" disarmed homophobes by reversing its derogatory nature.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://queernationny.org/history|title=What Is Queer Nation|website=Newsweek}}</ref>

Other slogans used by Queer Nation include "Two, Four, Six, Eight!  How Do You Know Your Kids Are Straight?", "Out of the Closets and Into the Streets," and the widely imitated "We're Here! We're Queer! Get used to it!"'<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rand |first1=E.J. |date=October 2004 |title=A Disunited Nation and a Legacy of Contradiction: Queer Nation's Construction of Identity |journal=Journal of Communication Inquiry |volume=28 |issue=4 |pages=288–306 |doi=10.1177/0196859904267232 |s2cid=145395945 |via=[[Sage Journals]]}}</ref>

Queer Nation Chicago was inducted into the [[Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame]] in 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl?page=inductees&todo=year |title=Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame |access-date=2015-11-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017032241/http://www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl?page=inductees&todo=year |archive-date=2015-10-17 }}</ref>