Nico Orlandi, UC, Santa Cruz—This talk is a collaboration with Carol Hay of UMass, Lowell. The term “queer” is often used in the global north to refer to any type of counterculture. This understanding of the term “queer” reflects the liberatory function that the term has, but it also raises questions about the radical potential of the queer movement. We propose to keep separate the question of what queer refers to, and so the question of queer identity, from the question of what should be centered in queer activism. We’ll argue that what should be centered is the subversion of (white) patriarchal gender norms that pertain specifically to sexual desire and behavior. The focus on sexuality is of special importance. Patriarchal norms dictate the presence of a (racialized) hierarchy based on biological sex where cis (white) men’s interests, and the preservation of their power, are of paramount importance. Being queer is centrally about subverting this status quo.