Pride and Labor's Duty to Fight for All (w/ Jessica Gonzalez & Fae Weichsel)

From legislative attacks on the rights of trans people, drag performers, and queer people spreading to statehouses around the country like wildfire, to rightwing media relentlessly spewing fascistic anti-LGBTQ+ messages, to far-right groups ramping up their intimidation tactics and violent assaults to force LGBTQ+ people back into the closet, Pride month feels different in 2023. And yet, the rebellious, liberatory spirit of Pride persists, and the struggle for equality, acceptance, and the right to pursue what makes us happy continues—and the labor movement must be a source of strength in that struggle. How far has the labor movement come in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights? How far do we still have to go? And what role can and should labor play in the broader, necessary fight for LGBTQ+ liberation and against the fascist attacks on our fellow workers, our neighbors, and our loved ones? We talk to Fae Weichsel, a first assistant cameraperson and member of IATSE Local 600, where they also serve on the National Executive Board and co-chair the Young Workers Committee, and Jessica Gonzalez, who has worked in the video game industry for the past decade, is currently a lead technical test analyst for a video game company, and is a founder of A Better ABK (Activision-Blizzard-King Workers Alliance) and the Game Workers Alliance.

Additional links/info below...

• Fae's Twitter page and Bluesky page
• Jessica's Twitter page and Linktree
• IATSE Local 600 website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
• ABetterABK website and Twitter page
• Game Workers Alliance website and Twitter page
• Human Rights Campaign, "LGBTQ+ Americans Under Attack: A Report and Reflection on the 2023 State Legislative Session"
• Amelia Hansford, Pin