Reaching out to the youth

All I can say is, as far as unsolicited advice goes, if you think your father will murder you for being tans try your hardest to become economically independent ASAP and then put some safe barriers between you two. I'm not sure about how anarchists OR Marxists can help people through socialistic means under advanced capitalism- these immediate issues, such as the one you're facing, can probably be navigated within more liberal social justice means (rather than revolutionary communist theory/action) depending on where you live. If in America in a large city on either the far east or far west coast you may be able to find a shelter or free housing programs so as to escape any immediate threat an abuser may pose.

Some resources for people in Northern CA:

http://tgsf.org/2013/03/03/284951/

I'm sure you can find, in the US, rural farming "collectives" but this isn't necessarily anarchism in action or anything but a utopian sort of Owenite thing- that environment would probably be safer for people facing daily abuse. My experience is we've never had the funds to do any sort of large scale meaningful community work. It's rough when most of us are on the hamster wheel grinding out an existence. I'm not sure how much anarchists could do in so far as material/financial support, the focus has been on, as far as issues such as this, changing the way people think but I agree that's not enough. This is what capitalism does, it dispossesses us of the ability to even form viable community based alternatives to the nuclear family and capitalist relations. It's fucked.

i think it would be great if anarchists could do something like this. the various forms of abuse and oppression that so many children and teens face from their parents and other authorities in their life is such an important issue (life long wounds and warping can and do take place), and although there are services available, most kids don't receive the help they need, or the help they do receive is inadequate. if anarchists could help fill in some of the gaps, it would be good for the youth and also an opportunity to introduce them to anarchism.

but i'm struggling to think of what could be done, for basically the same reasons mike s. brought up in his post. effective programs require a lot of labor and resources, and in capitalism that means they require a lot of money. providing help for abused children and teens is something i've thought a lot about, but always in the context of "imagine all the great programs we could implement, or already existing programs we could spread/increase, after revolution."

the only things i can think of that we can do now are...
> collective houses subsidizing a room for teen runaways (this would bring everyone's rent up higher, but having a couch available wouldn't raise the rent, and even this is better than nothing).
> opening an alternative school for troubled kids (although obviously this is still connected to the state, since that's where the funding comes from, but it seems alternative schools tend to operate with a degree of autonomy)

ally, i think that it would be really great if you could do something around this issue... i'm not sure what that could be, but with persistence you'll come up with something. and if what you do is successful, other anarchists will notice and duplicate similar programs in their cities. it could really catch on.

Ally_s,

A few things come to mind when reading this thread.

First it seems that folks have in their frame of mind very expensive service oriented type orgs. I understand, yes, actual stable housing is important, but its already been covered about how capitalism fucks that shit up pretty bad. Anyways, to take a quote from you. . .

That very important point can be something fully self-organized and supported by affected individuals and allies. I've heard of some support groups that were run by people basically fully outside of the communities they were meant to support. This isn't saying that they were bad, or bad things happened in them, it is saying though, that there was a good opportunity for self-organization missed. In such a self-organized support-group atmosphere, responsibilities and empowering roles can be rotated.

Further, I feel that any group of working-class people who need services from state/faith/ngo groups can use a combative organization to protect and further their interests within it. I really like the idea of benefit claimants unions and feel that some of these models can be exported to different areas, even to groups that receive services from NGO/faith groups. This could be really broad or really narrow too. On the broad side, a solidarity network type model for the solidarity and defence of transgender youth in everything from abusive relationships, hate/street violence, cops, exploiters, employers and landlords. On the narrow side, a union of transgender youth who are all participants in the same state-run/funded program that happens to always be underfunded/staffed or maybe has some problem within it that negatively affects the people who its supposed to be helping. A union that fights for more control and autonomy for the people that need its services. This could also be a way, when lacking montetary means to build alternatives, to fight to expand services (emergency housing is the example we seem to talk about on this thread). I think this kind of organizing sounds really tough, like all organizing really, but also something that could be started with little to no cash and a few energetic spirits. Meeting spaces can be found by inquiring to sympathetic orgs, rotating apartments or coffeeshops with quiet corners.

And finally, all the best in your struggle Ally_s! Solidarity!

-b

love it.

Sorry about that Ally_s. Rereading I see you didn't really spell your vision out like that. You asked a pretty specific question!

My thoughts,

I think the best bet for reaching out to youth is actually for anarchist youth to organize around issues that affect working-class youth directly. My thoughts on organizational form would be either a specifically "youth" anarchist group, independent activity of a "youth caucus" within a larger anarchist organization or an economic/community organization (like the ones I described in my other post). I don't see any of these as mutually exclusive and would think that a political anarchist youth group / caucus would probably work to build those economic/community orgs.

Well, All I've really got to offer is thoughts based my own limited experience (with little to no success in mass organizing) so hopefully some others will pipe in.

Hmmmm. .. A specifically youth oriented organization may have its appeal to young folk in that its all youth and they may feel more comfortable in an org without an adult/youth dynamic. So yea, if there is any advantage, it is that. However, being connected to larger organizations can be helpful in terms of resources (social and fiscal) and also being right there to plug into other work you find interesting as well. In terms of your specific question, the more or less independence = more effective thing is going to depend entirely on what larger organizations are around that you can see yourself as a member of. As in, some may be more conducive towards those ends and others may even be inhibiting to those ends.

Some more thoughts and a concrete suggestion or two, drawing from my experience;

I think that I have a better chance at being involved in organizing effective, goods-getting mass organizations by working towards those ends in a group with tight political unity. We know what we want, have enough folks to spread work around and now we struggle with how to get there I feel this is a good place and is my best hope at effectiveness.

I think that in your specific case, it would be plenty worth your while to get in touch with any already existing organizations that you think are worth your time (sorry, I've just assumed you haven't already done this). Maybe, just maybe, there is a group engaged in work that really excites you and may already be plugging away at something you would like to get involved in. If that is the case, I think that this would be the best bet at effectiveness. I'm sorry if this seems overstepping, but I would really caution you away from mainstream NGO type situations. Chances are, one of these groups is doing something you can get behind, but most anarchists coming from this background seem to talk of deep disappointments both in political content and end results.

Perhaps this won't be the case and you need to start from scratch. If you've already got your mass organizing idea or plan fleshed out, I would try to get at least two other folks whom you are tight with politically to toss in with you to try to get something started. Perhaps from this nucleus grows a specific @ org and/or a fighting mass organization.

However you go about it, all the best!

-b

If your dad mite kill you RUN. Get some where safe and get a restraining order, it's not a time for political theory.

Ah that makes sense.

Hope every thing works out. As a youth myself your post rings true.