Comments on: Queer Avengers call for a struggle “beyond marriage”

By: Don Franks

Don Franks — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 23:45:24 +0000

I agree, ” abuse” or “harrassment” are better terms, because not all playground horseplay is bullying. I think a certain amount of jostling for position is an inevitable part of growing up. Admittedly its sometimes hard to tell the difference.
Good point about the “workplace bullying” formulation infantilising workers. I had not quite thought of it like that before.

By: Ian Anderson

Ian Anderson — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:44:46 +0000

Agreed that “workplace bullying” is a questionable formulation because it infantilises workers. Also that “bullying” has been extended in a very moral-panic way to just about every topic, eg text bullying. In a lot of cases “abuse” or “harassment” would be a better term.

However to describe harassment/abuse of youth by their peers or near-peers, (which is what we were referring to) I think “bullying” is a perfectly good term.

By: Don Franks

Don Franks — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:35:47 +0000

Ian, I don’t for a single moment deny that homosexual or transexual or, for that matter, all sorts of other not conviently labelled soft target seeming people get shit from others above them in terms of various power structure. That is a serious problem to many folks in everyday life.
In those terms, over a period of several formative years in my life, I experienced a rather hard time at school.
Consequently, I hate oppression of the apparently weaker by the temporarily stronger.
(As cultural aside it is a huge source of satisfaction to me that Taylor Swift’s “Mean”has become a play ground anthem across the globe. Since her hit came out it has been a compulsory tune in every guitar class I teach)
Politically ,”Mean” does a particular job well, it fights back. It does not explain why various personal oppression takes place, and that is the job of political pundits.
I take your point as far as it goes and I am not trying to score debating points here, I seriously give a shit about this issue.
That’s the reason I’m not content with the current broad brush liberal whinge about “bullying”.
It’s crap.
It specifies nothing and changes nothing. In workplace terms, the coverall “bullying” lumps class oppression in on exactly the same level as work colleague personal inconsideration.
What about the several questions I raised, and what is your definition of bullying.?
What is your take on my observation that the trade union bureaucracy has picked up this handy buzz word as a trendy classless entry into the mythical never never land of hey come on lets all be nice to one another?

By: Ian Anderson

Ian Anderson — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 09:41:47 +0000

What would be your alternative description of homophobic or transphobic bullying in schools? The fact that it's used indiscriminately doesn't mean there's no such thing as bullying. Bullying is a real thing.

It's like fascism, just because it's widely misused doesn't mean we should avoid using the term. On the contrary, it means we *should* use it correctly.

The Queer Avengers is a broad organisation with Marxist involvement. If you think our priority as Marxists should be arguing against the term "bullying" for youth who pick on each-other, I disagree.

By: Don Franks

Don Franks — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 09:19:39 +0000

“Bullying” has become a frequently employed quick fix grab bag expression for lazy journalists who take no pride in their craft.

The trade union bureaucracy has also picked up this handy buzz word as a trendy classless entry into the mythical never never land of hey come on lets all be nice to one another.

What is “bullying”?

It may be physical coercion, putting someone down, verbal abuse or some other form of domination, from a male, or employer, or financial or egotistical personality. Not being nice to another person.

Not a very useful word in the making of any kind of Marxist analysis.