Fed Up Queers
Encyclopedia
Fed Up Queers, or FUQ, was a queer
activist direct action
group that began in New York City
. The group was made up mostly of lesbians, though notable participants included gay rights pioneer and Stonewall riots
veteran, Bob Kohler
, and writer, Mattilda aka Matt Bernstein Sycamore. The activists who formed FUQ came together loosely for a few actions in 1998, but the first action attributed to Fed Up Queers was on World AIDS Day
, December 1, 1998, when they visited New York State Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn
's house in Queens at midnight to protest her stance on names reporting. The group grew out of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power
(Act Up), Sex Panic!, and the October 19th Coalition, and was started to be an action group, rather than one stuck in meetings only.
Fed Up Queers held political funerals for murdered trannies and queers, and fought restrictive AIDS
policies, but focused much of their work on then mayor Rudy Giuliani
and his corrupt police force. Fed Up Queers gained notoriety in the media for two actions. First, they were the first of the more than 1,200 people arrested protesting the murder of Amadou Diallo
by New York police officers. Arrestees eventually included Al Sharpton
, Jesse Jackson
, former mayor David Dinkins
, and actors Susan Sarandon
, Ruby Dee
, Ossie Davis
, and Dick Gregory
. Second, Fed Up Queers stormed Giuliani's keynote speech to the Log Cabin Republicans
at the Roosevelt Hotel (New York)
. This action made the news because security guards beat and bloodied several activists, and clips of both the beatings and Giuliani making a joke about "his activists" played on all city television stations. The activists won a civil suit against the hotel, and were represented by well known radical lawyer Susan Tipograph.
The group lasted two and half years. Some claim the group disbanded due to tactical disagreements. Others claim the breakup was due to one activist pushing his agenda of cross-generational sex. Various members of the group continued to stage actions using the name, or occasionally reuniting in response to particular events.
A new group called Fed Up Queers formed in 2009, in Arkansas.
Queer
Queer is an umbrella term for sexual minorities that are not heterosexual, heteronormative, or gender-binary. In the context of Western identity politics the term also acts as a label setting queer-identifying people apart from discourse, ideologies, and lifestyles that typify mainstream LGBT ...
activist direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
group that began in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The group was made up mostly of lesbians, though notable participants included gay rights pioneer and Stonewall riots
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
veteran, Bob Kohler
Bob Kohler
Robert Andrew "Bob" Kohler was a gay rights pioneer. A native of Queens, New York, Kohler was a lifetime queer activist in New York City, who also fought for the rights of many other people and animals. He was at the Stonewall riots, and considered a father figure to many of the young trans...
, and writer, Mattilda aka Matt Bernstein Sycamore. The activists who formed FUQ came together loosely for a few actions in 1998, but the first action attributed to Fed Up Queers was on World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day, observed December 1 every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. Government and health officials observe the day, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an...
, December 1, 1998, when they visited New York State Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn
Nettie Mayersohn
Nettie Mayersohn is a former member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 27th District in Flushing, Queens. Her district extends from Kew Gardens Hills, to Kew Gardens and the northern edge of Richmond Hill....
's house in Queens at midnight to protest her stance on names reporting. The group grew out of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power
AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power
AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power is an international direct action advocacy group working to impact the lives of people with AIDS and the AIDS pandemic to bring about legislation, medical research and treatment and policies to ultimately bring an end to the disease by mitigating loss of health and...
(Act Up), Sex Panic!, and the October 19th Coalition, and was started to be an action group, rather than one stuck in meetings only.
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
policies, but focused much of their work on then mayor Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
and his corrupt police force. Fed Up Queers gained notoriety in the media for two actions. First, they were the first of the more than 1,200 people arrested protesting the murder of Amadou Diallo
Amadou Diallo
Amadou Diallo was a 23-year-old Guinean immigrant in New York City who was shot and killed on February 4, 1999 by four New York City Police Department plain-clothed officers: Sean Carroll, Richard Murphy, Edward McMellon and Kenneth Boss. The four officers fired a total of 41 shots...
by New York police officers. Arrestees eventually included Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton
Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...
, Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
, former mayor David Dinkins
David Dinkins
David Norman Dinkins is a former politician from New York City. He was the Mayor of New York City from 1990 through 1993; he was the first and is, to date, the only African American to hold that office.-Early life:...
, and actors Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
, Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist, perhaps best known for co-starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun and the film American Gangster for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Early years:Dee was born Ruby...
, Ossie Davis
Ossie Davis
Ossie Davis was an American film actor, director, poet, playwright, writer, and social activist.-Early years:...
, and Dick Gregory
Dick Gregory
Richard Claxton "Dick" Gregory is an American comedian, social activist, social critic, writer, and entrepreneur....
. Second, Fed Up Queers stormed Giuliani's keynote speech to the Log Cabin Republicans
Log Cabin Republicans
The Log Cabin Republicans is an organization that works within the Republican Party to advocate equal rights for all Americans, including gays and lesbians in the United States with state chapters and a national office in Washington, D.C...
at the Roosevelt Hotel (New York)
Roosevelt Hotel (New York)
The Roosevelt Hotel is at Madison Avenue and 45th Street in midtown Manhattan, named in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt. The New York City hotel opened on September 22, 1924. The hotel closed in 1995 and reopened in 1997 after a $65-million extensive renovation.-Guest rooms:There are a total...
. This action made the news because security guards beat and bloodied several activists, and clips of both the beatings and Giuliani making a joke about "his activists" played on all city television stations. The activists won a civil suit against the hotel, and were represented by well known radical lawyer Susan Tipograph.
The group lasted two and half years. Some claim the group disbanded due to tactical disagreements. Others claim the breakup was due to one activist pushing his agenda of cross-generational sex. Various members of the group continued to stage actions using the name, or occasionally reuniting in response to particular events.
A new group called Fed Up Queers formed in 2009, in Arkansas.
Notable actions
- Stop the Parade, activists attempted to stop Rudy GiulianiRudy GiulianiRudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
from marching in the Gay Pride Parade by chaining themselves across Fifth Avenue in New York City, June 28, 1998 - Queers Bash Back, march to bring attention to the knife attack of a lesbian in Brooklyn, and murders of gay men and trans people in the city, Brooklyn, NY, September 27, 1998
- Matthew Shepard Political Funeral, New York, NY, October 19, 1998
- Wake Up for World AIDS DayWorld AIDS DayWorld AIDS Day, observed December 1 every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. Government and health officials observe the day, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an...
, midnight "wake up call" to New York State Assemblywoman Nettie MayersohnNettie MayersohnNettie Mayersohn is a former member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 27th District in Flushing, Queens. Her district extends from Kew Gardens Hills, to Kew Gardens and the northern edge of Richmond Hill....
's house in Flushing, Queens, NY. December 1, 1998 - Your Bullets are Racist, protesting the NYPD's murder of Amadou DialloAmadou DialloAmadou Diallo was a 23-year-old Guinean immigrant in New York City who was shot and killed on February 4, 1999 by four New York City Police Department plain-clothed officers: Sean Carroll, Richard Murphy, Edward McMellon and Kenneth Boss. The four officers fired a total of 41 shots...
, New York, NY, February 22, 1999 - Political funeral for Billy Jack Gaither, March 15, 1999
- Protesting Rudy GiulianiRudy GiulianiRudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
's keynote speech to the Log Cabin RepublicansLog Cabin RepublicansThe Log Cabin Republicans is an organization that works within the Republican Party to advocate equal rights for all Americans, including gays and lesbians in the United States with state chapters and a national office in Washington, D.C...
at the Roosevelt Hotel (New York)Roosevelt Hotel (New York)The Roosevelt Hotel is at Madison Avenue and 45th Street in midtown Manhattan, named in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt. The New York City hotel opened on September 22, 1924. The hotel closed in 1995 and reopened in 1997 after a $65-million extensive renovation.-Guest rooms:There are a total...
, August 28, 1999. - Activists chained themselves to the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center before it was lit (and were promptly arrested), to protest lighting ceremonies being held on World AIDS Day. December 1, 1999
- Political funeral for Sakia GunnSakia GunnSakia Gunn was a 15-year old African American lesbian who was murdered as a hate crime in Newark, New Jersey. Richard McCullough was charged with her death and sentenced to 20 years in prison.-The murder:...
, July 11, 2003
Publications
- Splayed, a spoof on the straight-owned gay newspaper The Gay Blade otherwise known as The New York BladeThe New York BladeThe New York Blade was a weekly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender newspaper in New York City, New York. The Blade was a member of the National Gay Newspaper Guild, and contains news, entertainment, classified ads, and free personals for men and women.- History :The New York Blade was started...
, after it fired one of its employees for their "gay bias" in an article.