Links to things that are good
Jun. 27th, 2010 01:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elabyI've been trying to educate myself about my areas of privilege and how to stop perpetuating stereotypes and stop participating in the perpetuation of oppression, and I think this article has a lot of helpful things to say and links to other helpful articles besides.
The article is this guide for privileged fans by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rhipowered. Not only is this article full if useful links, it also points out several things that I found very helpful as a privileged person wanting to read and understand discussions of privilege. Among these are the idea that people can be privileged in some areas and underprivileged in others and we have to accept being uncomfortable because of the privileges we enjoy; that someone saying "this thing you said is racist/ableist/sexist etc" does not mean the person pointing this out thinks you are racist/ableist/sexist etc; and that it's everyone's own responsibility to educate themselves and not the responsibility of the underprivileged person you want to discuss issues with. These are only a few of the helpful-learning things I've been reading about :)
I found the whole post, as well as the articles I read that it links to, understandable and helpful as someone who is new to this and wants to learn what to avoid and what to do in discussions on topics like this. I'm also pleased that, personally, I've moved past the "OMG the world is filled with horribleness that makes me want to hide under my bed instead of learn more!" stage in my reading of this kind of discourse.
Ohgod, I just used the term "discourse" in seriousness and automatically and without cringing. Could it be that the grad school stigma has worn off?
The article is this guide for privileged fans by
rhipowered. Not only is this article full if useful links, it also points out several things that I found very helpful as a privileged person wanting to read and understand discussions of privilege. Among these are the idea that people can be privileged in some areas and underprivileged in others and we have to accept being uncomfortable because of the privileges we enjoy; that someone saying "this thing you said is racist/ableist/sexist etc" does not mean the person pointing this out thinks you are racist/ableist/sexist etc; and that it's everyone's own responsibility to educate themselves and not the responsibility of the underprivileged person you want to discuss issues with. These are only a few of the helpful-learning things I've been reading about :)I found the whole post, as well as the articles I read that it links to, understandable and helpful as someone who is new to this and wants to learn what to avoid and what to do in discussions on topics like this. I'm also pleased that, personally, I've moved past the "OMG the world is filled with horribleness that makes me want to hide under my bed instead of learn more!" stage in my reading of this kind of discourse.
Ohgod, I just used the term "discourse" in seriousness and automatically and without cringing. Could it be that the grad school stigma has worn off?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-06-28 09:35 pm (UTC)even though it makes me feel crap about myself sometimes :)
Yeah, seriously ^^;; I think I've managed to work through a little of that, so I feel less like scum when I read this stuff and more like doing something to educate myself and change what I need to.
Yes, and the sooner we kill and bury the 'Oppression Olympics', the better off humanity will be.
Yes. Oh, yes. And I'm trying to work past the "I'm gay and I understand oppression so I don't need to learn about how not to propagate racism!" Because that's just silly.
That's a great cartoon XD And I think your point is very valid. Thanks for linking to it!