Strange Fruit: A Dutch Queer Collective

Strange Fruit was a Dutch queer collective active in the Netherlands from 1989 to 2002. They as a collective worked together to challenge their marginalization within both their ethnic communities and the Dutch gay scene. They focused on a non-hierarchical self-help approach, the activists offered an insider’s perspective and spoke as if they were on a neutral level instead of posing the group as professionals helping the inferior/marginalized. They used creative discourses to exercise and implement change. Their activism and work was definitely ground breaking in Europe, but is not widely recognized around the world.^[1]

Being European/ Dutch and queer

Amsterdam is thought of as a very liberal state; with "values of humanism, equality and tolerance" (Tayeb: 80)^[1] yet migrants and people of colour were mistreated and did not receive treatment that reflected these so-called values. Tayeb explains that Amsterdam was considered homophile Islamaphobic (Tayeb: 80).^[1] So although they embraced queer culture, Muslim queers or queers of colour were left marginalized and unacceptable because they did not fit the ideal sense of queer. Strange Fruit was a queer group that created a safe and accepting space for queer Muslims and queers of colour. They recognized the struggles of being marginalized on both accounts of their identities. They recognized (especially queer Muslims) that not only were these individuals marginalized by the Queer community for being ethnic but they were also marginalized by their own cultural community because of their sexuality.

History and initiatives

Strange Fruit originated in Amsterdam in 1989 (Tayeb: 86)^[1] and was created by Muslim and Afro-Caribbean youth who felt marginalized within the society they lived in. When visiting Amsterdam many people do not see the poverty or more "dangerous" (Tayeb: 128)^[2] areas in which Muslims and people of colour belong to. Areas such as "Bijlmer (mainly Black) and Slotervaart (mainly Muslim)" (Tayeb: 128)^[2] were "segregated, criminalized, policed and disproportionality poor" and were filled with younger people (Tayeb: 128).^[2] Strange Fruit embraced, what normative society considered, "non canonical bodies" (Tayeb: 128).^[2] Brown and Black bodies were marginalized and othered because they were see as "unable to fit" they did not fit the western cultural ideal so therefore they were not acceptable. Ethnic queers were seen as unable to attain a true gay identity because they did not fall under the conceptualized "white standard" of being queer (Tayeb: 129).^[2] Brown bodies were considered bodies that could not "properly be gay." Most importantly Strange Fruit recognized the ridicule ethnic queers faced within the parameters of their own culture. It is recognized that these men are more so victims of their culture than they are of the queer standard (Tayeb: 129).^[2] They catered to the struggle of being ethnic and queer. Strange Fruit took on a creative approach and used a variety of mediums to convey their key messages and forms of support. An example being when the Strange Fruit Machine became involved in the 1996 Feminist Dansen op de Denkvloer Conference. They carried out a poetry poster project (Tayeb:134)^[2] where lesbians of colour across the world (including women within Strange Fruit) created one hundred posters with poetry expressing the struggle of being both queer and coloured (Tayeb: 134).^[2]

Strange Fruit focused on a non-hierarchical and self-help approach (Tayeb: 131).^[2] They aimed to not conform to the ideals of the COC and instead took on their own structure and their own approach. Everyone within the group was considered an equal and there was not a specified head director or member that had more control than any other given member. It was its own independent foundation (Tayeb: 132).^[2] Strange Fruit really emphasized self-help and empowerment and finding your strength. They advocated for looking at what makes you fit and what makes them as a group universal instead of looking at what divides them and marginalizes them. Strange Fruit did not just consist of queer Muslim men but consisted of African, Middle Eastern, Afro-Dutch, Asians, Asian-Dutch and women. There were no limitations on who could join or become involved it was an open and welcoming space (Tayeb: 130).^[2] Members of Strange Fruit members tended to be ethnic youth who lived under "precarious conditions" and were often involved in "sex work" (Tayeb: 130).^[2] The group was sensitive to that and catered and offered support in light of this issue. They offered a broad spectrum of support having weekly discussions on safe sex practices and culture evenings, AIDS education seminars and AIDS awareness targeting clubs frequented by queers of colour (Tayeb: 135)^[2] and they also had a radio program in which they discussed these topics. They created a safe space for ethnic queers to come and be themselves and meet others like themselves. They addressed the specific issues they faced within their immediate communities (Tayeb: 133).^[2] Jai Haime was one of the group's members who was heavily involved in the group's cultural activism and promoted outreach programs focusing on AIDS. AIDS was such a huge topic because of how it was linked to body politics (Tayeb: 135),^[2] and how it brought queer identity back to the site of the body. Strange Fruit actively resisted the tension of separating the mind from the body and instead suggested you cannot have one without the other and one effects the other, they were not exclusive entities (Tayeb: 136).^[2] AIDS was a main concern to those who were queer, hence it being frequently discussed and addressed. Haime coordinated events such as "safe sex parties" that were exclusive to members that promoted safe sex practices (Tayeb: 135).^[2] Another member actively involved in addressing AIDS was Dutch filmmaker Andre Reeder; he created a documentary in 1996 entitled Cause of Death: Nothing which was a "moving portrait of the Dutch Surinamese community's response to the AIDS crisis" (Tayeb: 136).^[2] Tayeb explains how the film emphasizes how Strange fruit as a collective goes against the "dominant dogma" (Tayeb: 136) within the Netherlands and instead embraces traditions from migrant and minority cultures. Strange Fruit mixed traditions together to enforce a diverse experience appreciating all cultures involved from "African customs to Oriental traditions" (Tayeb: 136).^[2]

Queer refugees when coming to the Netherlands face troubles with getting granted refugee status. In order to be granted refugee status they are expected to provide "proof of anti-queer policies within home countries" (Tayeb: 133).^[2] This can be very difficult because how would they access this type of information in a form that is providable; Strange fruit uses an "alternative archive which provides legal support to these refugees" helping them attain their refugee status (Tayeb: 134).^[2] They also offer emotional support. They used personal stories of people who did not have the option to live freely as queer within their nations. Strange fruit also worked directly with lawyers to help refugees. They also worked with "Vluchtelingenwerk" (Tayeb: 134)^[2] which was the nation's largest refugee support organization, they worked against homophobic policies. Strange Fruit took on a very artistic approach and emphasized self-expression and held poetry workshops for refugees.

Strange Fruit went strong for over a decade and came to an end in 2002 (Tayeb: 86).^[1] There were a multitude of factors that enabled their success. Tayeb notes that their ability to avoid instilling normative practices was one key factor in being so successful. Other factors include their "fusionist approach in combining cultural influences, their consistent outreach programs, their key self help principle, and keeping hierarchical order to an absolute minimum and instead maintaining an even ground between members and the target group" (Tayeb: 137).^[1] Their principles and influence reached beyond European borders which made them that much more effective and successful.

Homophobia in Islam

One of the group's main incentives is to provide support to members in light of the ridicule they face from their cultural community, especially in the Muslim culture. Being gay or queer and Muslim was considered an oxymoron in Islam, you could not be one as well as the other, you had to be either or. The idea of "coming out"^[1] was not seen as necessary nor was it common because being open about a queer sexuality was not seen as possible. Many migrant/minority gays and lesbians were forced to live a "double life"^[1] because if they were to be open about their sexuality it would bring shame to their families and communities. The relationship between Islam and homosexuality is one that is considered to be "antagonistic." European culture is quite Islamaphobic and Islam is quite homophobic^[1] so individuals who identified as both were left in an alienated space. Muslim culture in Islam is rooted in customs and traditions^[1] (as this is exemplified through subtle traditions as the hijab) and therefore exercising the mobility of modernity and modern ways of life (i.e.: queer culture) could be problematic.^[1] Homosexuality is in a way not acknowledged as a real thing within Islam; it is understood that you cannot be queer and be Muslim, if you are queer you go against what it is to be Muslim.^[1] This is where the difficulty comes, these individuals are shunned from their Muslim communities because they cannot identify as gay and then as a Muslim and neither can they identify as Muslim and then properly identify as gay or queer, leaving them no space to fit. They are left as marginalized beings who hold no space in society. Momin Rahman discusses the issues of a queer intersectionality where individuals who try to identify as both get caught in this problematic space where they end up feeling like they are not much of either.^[3] Rahman also discusses the difficulty these identity categories and identity politics create difficult and complex boundaries where they cannot feel free to be who they are, they end up being mindful of being enough of the other identity.

It is important to recognize that this issue does not only lie on the solely the homophobia within Muslim culture, but also there is an issue with Western gay exclusivity and the affirmations of queer culture that Western society likes to paint as strictly for those who fit the western ideal.^[3] It is a never ending battle and struggle on both ends of identity.

References