LGBTQ Social Movements (Assimilation vs. Liberation)

Conflicts over whether to pursue assimilation-based or liberation-based strategies on behalf of LGBTQ communities have consistently arisen in LGBTQ social movements. Assimilationist approaches have been described as seeking to pursue greater rights and access for LGBTQ communities within existing social and political contexts and institutions. In contrast, liberationist approaches have focused on transforming or restructuring society overall, as opposed to working for inclusion in existing institutions. The two approaches contain differences in method, with assimilationists characterized typically as working within existing systems to pursue rights, and liberationists more interested in working outside of existing systems and favoring a broader array of political strategies in pursuit of their goals. These strategies are not necessarily mutually exclusive, with both informing tactics and goals in social movements at ...