I truly think feminism is changing and becoming broader and that we’re part of what social justice and discussions about it will look like. Most of the time I see feminism as being about more than gender, it’s about discussing power structures and how they really fuck shit up for minority groups. Even big minority groups.
So, it’s my belief that the internet is providing a huge platform for all this widening focus of discussion, and I think by more people engaging in these discussions, more people will experience being challenged, and that’s a GREAT thing. It’s a great thing because it isn’t just academics talking about these issues, it’s people who experience being shut down and disenfranchised on a spectrum from experiencing very little hardship to having much of your life and autonomy completely denied. It’s a great thing because those disenfranchised people can tell their experience, rather than have it analogised by academics.
Talking about feminism/ social justice is difficult and some days it’s confronting, but I think it’s ultimately really awesome that we’re talking about this stuff at all. And we don’t have to be perfect, because we’re all learning from each other. We’ve got to scrub out that expectation of ourselves, it only gets in the way of learning more. Sometimes you’ve got to admit you’re wrong, that an argument you’re using is ineffective or hurtful or dismissive, and it’s only natural to feel conflicted and upset about that because we’re taught that being wrong is the Most Awful Thing In The World. But being wrong is not the Most Awful Thing, and it certainly compares pretty low to being a victim of an oppressive system.
Instead of bickering over names of things, I’d prefer if we actually just keep talking on the internet like we are. All of us people. And I’d hope those with not much privilege are listened to by those of us who enjoy a lot of privilege. Those are the experiences that need to be shared and made visible.