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Activism

Activism takes many forms for sex and gender minorities. Most activism is legal and non-violent, but activists may decide to use extralegal or even violent tactics in some cases, such as ACT UP demonstrations or the Stonewall Riots.

Grassroots activism

  • Volunteering and donating
  • Letter writing, petitions, phone calls and texts
  • Participating in local meetings and events

Organized activism

  • Lobbying
  • Litigation
  • Running for office
  • Demonstrating

Economic activism

  • Consumer activism: education, boycotts
  • Picketing and striking
  • Selective purchasing
  • Ethical investing
  • Economic sanctions

Professional activism

In recent decades sex and gender minority communities have achieved the donor base required to employ professional activists and advocacy groups:

  • Law and politics
  • Youth
  • Race and ethnicity
  • Media and arts
  • Workplace
  • Healthcare
  • Sexuality
  • Faith-based
  • Academic
  • Consumer

Extralegal activism

Most activism is legal, but in some cases activists choose to break existing laws to achieve their goals.

  • Civil disobedience and resistance
  • Political vandalism
  • Monkeywrenching and sabotage
  • Political violence by non-state actors