The topic of this post is PRIVILEGE

[handprinted]

If the word "privilege" scares you, it might be best if you skip this.

I came across a really interesting post on Feministe this evening that discusses regionalism (preconceptions based on region) and confronting one's own biases and prejudices. Reading the comments, particularly those by readers who admitted their own transphobia, made me think

Comments

[astaria51]

I think this is super interesting. Very few people think about regionalism - and the way it ties into classism and, in some cases, racism - but it is a big issue in our country.

Jessi can pass for non-Southern, too, although the more outside the South she gets the more she tends to bring up the fact that she's from the Atlanta area (even though she prefers cold weather). For that matter, most of the people I've met from Georgia don't have noticable Southern accents, and I think that's representative of the reputation that the South has in our country

[handprinted]

I find it interesting that most of the people you've met from Georgia don't have noticeable Southern accents. When I'm at home, I tend to emphasize my own accent a little more when I'm interacting with people out in public based on the idea that people like other people who are similar to themselves. I know I tend to find it a little jarring when I interact with someone who doesn't have an accent.

I think you're right, that regionalism certainly ties in with classism and racism. So many intersections; so many traffic metaphors.

[poettrees]

Interesting, but I think the term "passing" has most often been used to talk about a person of color who can "pass" as white.

[handprinted]

You make a good point, and I do think I've heard it used that way as well. Perhaps LGBTQers co-opted the term?