This makes me sad because it seems like so many activist communities know how to speak the language of fighting patriarchy, offering support, confronting abusers and conducting accountability processes etc (when it’s outside of their own community). But, when it comes to dealing with a “friend” or a “comrade” within the community, they either don’t want to believe that their friend may have some fucked up behaviours, or they ignore it because they don’t want to cause a “rift” within the community. This logic is so misguided because how the hell are we supposed to work to wards a radical society in which the power structures that oppress us no longer exist, when we ourselves continue to reproduce them? Confronting perpetrators is not about outsing them from the community, it is in fact, a community building exercise. We need to work on shit internally before we can even attempt to change the rest of the world.
Welcome to the world of the minority activist. Dare speak up about your group’s inner hypocrisy and instead of people considering your viewpoint, they try to hush you or tell you you’re overreacting. No one wants to be told they’re doing something wrong.
I’m seeing this right now with the migration debate in Australia, which - as a migrant in the excruciating process of being a PR - I am deeply privy to and vested in. Yet no one from any side, left or right, gives a shit. Even the Greens hide their xenophobia behind “concerns for climate sustainability”. Not once has an actual migrant (at least a “brownie” with their attendant burqas and Sharia laws) been asked about how they feel, what they go through, what they experience. The only person who I can respect is (Brisbane Lord Mayor) Campbell Newman, who at least stated upfront that restricting international student numbers will lead to a big hit in the economy. At least he acknowledges that it’s all about the money (we give it all and get hardly anything).
At least with conservatives and right-wings you know where they stand. They don’t pretend to be open-minded. The lefties and liberals? Sometimes you just can’t trust them.
(via tiaramerchgirl)
Reblogging for truth.
Sad truth.
>:(