Lefty loonies and liberals, what the hell happened to us?

[Saint Frankenstein]

Some of these posts make me feel like I've fallen into a Tumblr social justice warrior black (hell)hole.

 

[Revoltingest]

Some of these posts make me feel like I've fallen into a Tumblr social justice warrior black (hell)hole.

Is that good?
(I don't know what it is.)

 

[Apex]

Some of these posts make me feel like I've fallen into a Tumblr social justice warrior black (hell)hole.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Is that good?
(I don't know what it is.)

Here's a good handy collection of lunacy and idiocy: Tired of your Social Justice Bull****

I love it when progressive, middle class white people who have been brainwashed by their Queer/Womyn's/Black/Whatever Studies professor decide to take to the keyboard to valiantly fight for us poor oppressed trans/women/disabled/fat/otherkin/queerbutreallyjuststraightandtryingtobespecial/ofcolor folks.

 

[Poeticus]

Here's a good handy collection of lunacy and idiocy: Tired of your Social Justice Bull****

I love it when progressive, middle class white people who have been brainwashed by their Queer/Women's/Black/Whatever Studies professor decide to take to the keyboard to valiantly fight for us poor oppressed trans/women/disabled/fat/otherkin/queerbutreallyjuststraightandtryingtobespecial/ofcolor folks.

Uncle Frankie, this is Uncle Poet. Please tell them to stop. I want my individuality back.

Hey, that's Uncle Neel! Such a sweet guy---I mean..."Number One"...

 

[Revoltingest]

Here's a good handy collection of lunacy and idiocy: Tired of your Social Justice Bull****

I love it when progressive, middle class white people who have been brainwashed by their Queer/Womyn's/Black/Whatever Studies professor decide to take to the keyboard to valiantly fight for us poor oppressed trans/women/disabled/fat/otherkin/queerbutreallyjuststraightandtryingtobespecial/ofcolor folks.

Interesting site you linked there.
It reminds me that I'm better off identifying as a "jerk", & never as the much despised "nice guy".

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

LMAO!

 

[Revoltingest]

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Here's a good handy collection of lunacy and idiocy: Tired of your Social Justice Bull****

I love it when progressive, middle class white people who have been brainwashed by their Queer/Womyn's/Black/Whatever Studies professor decide to take to the keyboard to valiantly fight for us poor oppressed trans/women/disabled/fat/otherkin/queerbutreallyjuststraightandtryingtobespecial/ofcolor folks.

Hey look dude, I always start where I'm coming from as a feminist. But if you think I'm a SJW who is oblivious to the world outside her keyboard, then you haven't been paying attention enough. That is, if you're insinuating that I'm part of the problem.

And, fwiw, I took one women's studies course back in college in 1994.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Hey look dude, I always start where I'm coming from as a feminist. But if you think I'm a SJW who is oblivious to the world outside her keyboard, then you haven't been paying attention enough. That is, if you're insinuating that I'm part of the problem.

And, fwiw, I took one women's studies course back in college in 1994.

Damn, I need to try harder. You're not nearly as angry, baby. I need some fire!

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Damn, I need to try harder. You're not nearly as angry, baby. I need some fire!

Say something disparaging about ballet.

I dare you.

 

[Sunstone]

Say something disparaging about ballet.

I dare you.

Well, I will say ballet keeps you on your toes. How about instead of disparaging, old. Really old?

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Well, I will say ballet keeps you on your toes. How about instead of disparaging, old. Really old?

Check your privilege, non-dancer! Or off with your head!

 

[Sunstone]

Check your privilege, non-dancer! Or off with your head!

Did I hear you right? You're going to get my head off! Oh, this is my lucky day, my lucky day! *does happy dance - awkwardly*

 

[Debater Slayer]

Here's a good handy collection of lunacy and idiocy: Tired of your Social Justice Bull****

I love it when progressive, middle class white people who have been brainwashed by their Queer/Womyn's/Black/Whatever Studies professor decide to take to the keyboard to valiantly fight for us poor oppressed trans/women/disabled/fat/otherkin/queerbutreallyjuststraightandtryingtobespecial/ofcolor folks.

What about progressive, middle-class people who do make efforts to fight inequality offline as well? (I don't like saying "in real life" because, you know, we're still in real life when we use the Internet.) Do you also look down on their efforts because they admit they are privileged?

Edit: To be specific, I'm not really sure what your complaint is. Would you rather that progressives be silent on the problems they see minorities face on a regular basis? Or are you assuming that all progressives who have these discussions online are "White Knights" who don't exert efforts to effect change offline as well?

 

[Debater Slayer]

Even before "privilege" became a buzzword, we all discussed problems & solutions. We used the power we have to effect change. This word which focuses upon those groups nominally without problems doesn't add anything, but does draw focus away from the disadvantaged. But it is sometimes used as an attack, as Mystic experienced. (Personally, I don't recall anyone ever rudely pointing that word in my direction.)

In what way does it draw focus away from the disadvantaged?

Meh....we're all privileged here.

To different extents. I don't think you would argue that LGBT people in the Bible Belt are as "privileged" as you and several others in this thread are, would you?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Is there a reason why as growing up presenting and being perceived as male you were never afraid specifically of being raped? In your opinion? Do you think it's taboo to discuss males being raped and risk awareness? Is it something else or a combination of factors?

I would assume that it's assumed that men just don't have to deal with being raped. I've argued with people who believe that men cannot be raped. And I would say it's definitely taboo to discuss it. I know a guy who was raped and he didn't report it because he didn't want to have to deal with the negative social stigmas of a man admitting he was raped. And being perceived male, I have never been afraid of rape. It never even crossed my mind until I read up on some of the statistics regarding violence towards transsexuals.
But for transwomen, even before we see a therapist, before we begin hormones, before we even take a female name because we are still reading and taking in information about who we are, information about how to reduce your chances of being raped begin to surface, as does the idea of being sexually objectified. It's such a huge and heavy slap to the face all at once, to even just read of the privileges you will loose and how people will begin to treat you, even if you pass flawlessly, that it seems foolish to regard a male transitioning to female as fetishistic, or other terms that imply doubt, because the reality of male privilege hits really hard.

Reducing "privilege" is wrong, so that's ruled out.

That's not the idea of "privilege," though. The whole idea isn't to make people feel guilty, but to bring awareness of the common struggles faced be lesser privileged members of society. Yes, it can be very broad, as I could go on about the extroverted privilege in society, because natural introverts are put into an unfavorable position in our society, but it's breadth doesn't matter. It is the bringing awareness of these unique challenges that does, and working to not take away privilege but to add equality by bringing awareness of the privileges of the majority/dominant class. It's not about reducing the privilege of men to speak and be heard, but giving women a more fair chance of being heard themselves.

 

[Sunstone]

There are much larger issues at stake in the fight for LGBTQ rights than just the well-being of LGBTQ people, albeit their well-being is as important as anyone's. For instance, if a society accepts the principle that it can, for irrational or private religious reasons, discriminate against a class or group of people, then it can for irrational or private religious reasons discriminate against anyone.

Even if there wasn't a LGBTQ person on the planet who wanted their rights fought for, it would still be necessary to fight for their rights.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Does it really rise to the level of "privilege" to not have to come out as gay to one's parents? By this standard, non-Asians are privileged because they don't have helicopter parents hounding them relentlessly to get a PhD & a good middle management government job. (Many long stories behind that'n!) Is not needing braces a privilege? Who on Earth doesn't have some difficult family stress? The word "privilege" is so broad as to include nearly everyone, while also ignoring great difficulties someone in a privileged group might have.

In a homophobic culture, yes, it is a privilege to be heterosexual and not have to come out to one's parents about one's sexual orientation. In Iran, being a Muslim makes you privileged (compared to other people there). In the Bible Belt, being a Christian makes you privileged. In certain parts of Asia, it is a privilege to have understanding parents who don't overly and obsessively pressure you to excel academically. In Saudi Arabia, it is a privilege to be a man rather than a woman.

Privilege is not a universal term; it is primarily relative. A working-class person in the U.S. is privileged compared to the people starving in Africa but disadvantaged compared to most people in the U.S. You also have to consider the fact that there are natural advantages and disadvantages (e.g., birth defects and genetic susceptibility to some diseases) that people can only minimize but not eliminate completely, and then there are completely artificial disadvantages such as racism, ethnicity-based discrimination, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, ableism, poverty, etc.

I think it is helpful to understand what one's status in their culture entails and how that status affects a person's quality of life. If you are privileged, I believe it is a responsibility to do what you can to help others who are less fortunate than you are—be it through giving to charities, speaking out against racism and sexism, supporting LGBT rights, or doing more than one or all of those things.

 

[Revoltingest]

In what way does it draw focus away from the disadvantaged?

Consider a simple model:
We have 2 groups:
- The Bele, who are in a position of authority.
- The Lokai, who rebel against authority.
"Privilege" would refer to the Bele & their advantage.
The problem lies with the Lokai's lesser state (which should be elevated), not with the superior state of the Bele.
(True nerds will know of whom I speak.)

Now, I'll annoy with an analogy:
Little Timmy is clumsy, & is prone to falling down wells.
Little Bobby is graceful & athletic. He stays above ground.
What's the problem?
Is it Bobby's privilege?
Or Timmy's falling down the well?
I say the latter is more illuminating perspective.

Really, analogies are annoyingly used here that they should be against the rules. But until that happens, you're all fair game!

To different extents. I don't think you would argue that LGBT people in the Bible Belt are as "privileged" as you and several others in this thread are, would you?

Try being a Libertarian (or any non-Democrat) in Ann Arbor, MI....we're even rarer than gay Billy Bobs!