Christiane Leidinger:
Gründungsmythen zur Geschichtsbemächtigung? - Die erste autonome Schwulengruppe der BRD war eine Frau
Myths of formation as a way of usurping history? The first autonomous gay group in FRG was a woman
English abstract
The homosexual action group of Bochum ("Homosexuelle Aktionsgruppe Bochum"/"HAG") is considered to be the first autonomous gay group in the FRG. Contrary to this however, the HAG was a group of gays and lesbians. The assertion that the group was formed by gay men only is a myth of how the movement was founded. In fact the group was initiated by a lesbian in November 1970 at the Ruhr University in Bochum. The HAG existed until December 1974. The text broadly outlines the first years of the offensive self-conception of the HAG, their politics and organisational structure. At least seven women where active in HAG until May 1972. Their engagement is often overlooked in the gay liberation movement as well as in the movement’s literature. Similar in a structural aspect is the appropriation of the first homosexual demonstration in Münster 1972 as a gay demonstration, although lesbians had participated. The critical analysis of neglect within the gay liberation movement (and its research) understands it as an attempt to usurp history and is pointing it out as a way in which gays exhibited a specific kind of sexism. The aim of the usurpation of history could be to decide, retroactively through historical research on the movement, any initial conflict in one’s favour. On the surface it appears to be a conflict between lesbians and gays, but there is an underlying conflict of gender relations. If lesbians are faded out from history, the question of coalitions amongst lesbians and gays need not be negotiated. Paradoxically, by initially avoiding the conflict, it subsequently re-emerges. This re-emerged conflict is the old one, that was to be obviated.