Gregory's ServerAnd to use a different example, I don't follow sports. So I don't have any opinions about sports. I also don't have any opinions about 99 percent of celebrities.
Nobody is harmed by me not exposing my ignorance on those topics.
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My general rule of thumb is that marginalized people know more than I do about the challenges they are facing, and I should support them without drowning them out. @charliejane I talked about this very thing in my recent essay on intersectionality, which is not only for cis allies but for us (it was partly spurred by all the racism I’ve found in the white trans woman community) https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTACnUKUY7oBzYTbGi87pOEV4Q5R48_eQ3FH0adQChovMP_J_4YeF9v1z0Q7s4gHVkMbMEwsQkRdysq/pub @tillybridges @charliejane And now I have the very useful “intersectionality” framework to proceed with, or more accurately: see things through. I did not have this yesterday, and now I do. Look what you did. When I say I’m a cishet “ally-in-training” in my profile, welp, this is pretty much the content I’m looking for along the way. Endless gratitude. @charliejane @goodthinking I’m so glad it was helpful! I’ve written over a hundred of these essays, all archived and free, and one of the main sections is entirely about allyship! if you want to check them out you can find them here 💜 http://tillystranstuesdays.com @charliejane I’m always deeply surprised that people from nonmarginalized groups feel audacious enough to tell marginalized people how they should feel and what their lived life is like. But they’re the same people who explain the expert’s job to them. I shouldn’t be surprised by now. |
And when it comes to marginalized/stigmatized communities, I listen to the members of those communities and avail myself of whatever resources they offer. I try to boost/support them however I can.
I don't lecture a member of a marginalized group about their own experience, especially if it's a marginalization I don't share.