Navigating conciousness toward liberation: investigating a contemporary radical faerie manifestation through a decolonial lens

Abstract

This thesis argues for the necessity of decolonial consciousness within queer thought and activism. The historical acts of cultural appropriation enacted by the LGBTQ subculture radical faeries of indigenous peoples are intended for healing. However by investigating contemporary radical faerie culture in Thailand, it is found that colonial culture fundamentally defeats queer liberatory movements from within. Primary data was collected through cyber-ethnographic methods and consists of a photo archive and several online blogs and associated websites. Analyzes emerged through Visual Grounded Theory methodology. This study provides evidence of globalizing colonial discourse and the resulting ineptitude of radical faerie activism.