15: Thriving Through Counter‑Narratives of Hope, Love, and Joy: Reflections on Abolitionist Approaches to Queer/Feminist Mentorship

For a while now, one of the key conversations and debates in queer theory and queer work has been around queer futurity and the strands within these conversations: negativity versus positivity; death versus reproduction; building versus deconstructing; chaos versus order. Many of these threads and conversations mirror longstanding critical theory and cultural conversations. In the current cultural and scholarly climate, as freedom of expression and research seem more-and-more under threat, it seems an even tougher sell to convince each other that kindness, positivity, and a bright future are the way forward. Instead we’re tempted by resistance that mirrors obstinance, retribution, calling-out and critiquing. But we also see now many calls for those fighting the good fight for social and queer justice to balance resistance and will to fight with self-care and gentleness. So how do hope, love, and joy fit in a current queer climate that feels chaotic and anxious? One of the key ways we believe that can happen is through queer/feminist mentorship.