Socialist Shenanigans: March 2013

Monday, March 25, 2013

Why I talk about what I talk about

I get a lot of criticism for "complaining." But I reserve the right to complain. Because complaining seems to have come to mean objecting to things that affect you, and I'm personally of the opinion that we as individuals should talk about issues that we're familiar with in terms of identity, that is, what we identify with. For example, I am a Black woman, so I should feel free to talk about Blackness and feminism and Black feminism.

Fight the power

The objector might say, but wait! You're excluding people! No, I'm inviting people. In being a Black feminist, I'm representing my own group(s). I would encourage someone who is differently able to talk about ableism, should they choose to, for example. And I firmly believe that groups should be represented by their members, and dialogue about groups should be primarily controlled by people who have experience as a part of that group. Otherwise, you're Tim Wise-ing. Or Emineming. Or whatever you want to call it.

He a master at race talk.

But he White.

I'm not saying we should never talk about issues regarding which we are dominant or privileged, but there's a fine line between intersectionality and Emineming. I'd say Tim Wise actually walks that line fairly well (but not quite well enough—go ahead, argue with me). But we have to be careful not to co-opt others' speech. Because, like Eminem has gentrified a music genre that was born as the voice of Black youth, or like the commercial I watched just now consisted of straight people endorsing gay marriage, standing alongside their silent gay friends and family, we need to let groups speak for themselves.

That's not to discourage the intersectionality-lover though. It's also important that we use our privilege for good. Sometimes, the public will only listen to a light-skinned girl preaching about colorism, or a man talking about sexism. In that case, keep co-optin'.