The Decolonizing Sexualities Network (DSN) was first established after a transnational workshop held in Berlin in 2010. This 'Decolonise Queer' (DQ) (as it was then) event was organised by a number of queer/trans people of colour (qtpoc) and allies involved in local anti-racism and other social justice work, many of whom are now key figures in the emerging field of decolonial sexuality studies.
Managing to collectively scrape together bits of funding the DQ workshop in Berlin brought together scholars, activists and civil society practitioners from different geographical locations working on the diverse ways in which sexuality can converge with religious and racial identities to produce multiple exclusions and socio-economic disadvantage as well as political marginalisation. The aim of the 2010 workshop was to develop links and conversations between various constituencies working across the themes of the network. Seeking to continue this work a number of us from DQ set about securing funding from the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Research Networking Scheme for another phase from 2012 to 2014 under the name of the Decolonizing Sexualities Network to strengthen and develop the activities of the network.
The continued overall aim of the DSN has been essential to continue re-mapping some of the specifically local issues as well as the common ones affecting qtpoc all transnationally and the main activities have included:
- A series of on-line discussions between October 2012 and June 2013 examining topics falling under two broad themes: a. re-mapping the urgent questions in local contexts; and b. facilitating transnational QPOC Conversations across the Global South and across Europe.
- A two-day invitee-only international workshop took place in the UK in July 2013 preceded by an open roundtable event and followed by an activist public talk and workshop in London.
- A second DSN roundtable event and Queer African Reader book launch in December 2013.
As a result these DSN activities have contributed critical knowledge on how sexuality, race and religion intersect within state law and policy as well as within civil society developments in different national settings. DSN members have shared knowledge and experience from their localities with each other and for wider policy and public dissemination, available through this website and the DSN edited collection: ‘Decolonizing Sexualities: Decolonizing Sexualities: Transnational Perspectives, Critical Interventions’. Please note that as from December 2013, the Decolonizing Sexualities Network is now closed. Content from the original website is hosted here.