The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, renowned for its Doomsday Clock, recently published an article exploring the intersection of LGBTQ+ ideology and nuclear weapons policy. The piece, titled "Queering nuclear weapons: How LGBTQ+ inclusion strengthens security and reshapes disarmament," argues that applying a "queer lens" can transform how we think about nuclear security.

The authors contend that "queer theory" challenges traditional, often perceived as masculine, notions of nuclear deterrence, which prioritize national security over individual well-being. They suggest that this perspective can shift the focus from abstract security concepts to the real-world impact of nuclear weapons on marginalized communities.

The article highlights the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp, a long-standing protest against nuclear weapons in the UK, as an example of how marginalized groups, particularly lesbians, have challenged the dominant discourse on nuclear armament. The authors argue that these protests, often using symbols associated with femininity, reframed nuclear weapons as an existential threat rather than a protective measure.

The article further criticizes the traditional nuclear weapons discourse for its perceived binary thinking, which views nuclear deterrence as creating security and disarmament as creating vulnerability. Instead, it encourages envisioning a world without nuclear weapons, emphasizing the importance of queer theory in promoting sensitivity to marginalized groups.

The authors conclude by suggesting that the field of nuclear weapons policy is currently reflecting on its history of exclusion and lack of diversity, particularly during Pride Month, and advocating for the inclusion of queer perspectives in nuclear disarmament discussions.