"White Feminist Privilege in Organizations" - an Adventure in Hilarity

[jordan179]

Courtesy of firecat at http://firecat.livejournal.com/716757.html,

this is freaking hilarious. Semi-true, but also hilariousFrom Hepshiba's Pad at

Comments

[juliet_winters]

But...the whole scenario is reverse racism (I know--it doesn't exist! Or, it doesn't matter!) and an example of invidious prejudice. Note how only the author and Mary are named individuals. The others have been lumped into the "they" and the "other" identity, which is exactly what they are accusing the majority of women of doing to them. Perhaps the problem lies with the author who approaches the group with a set of prejudicial assumptions rather than speaking to them as individuals. When they can't suss out the nature of the problem--could it be that people in general prefer to associate with people of a similar culture whom they understand better...certainly the continued flourishing of minority-run professional groups would tend to underscore this?
But, no. It is only white women who are arrogant and domineering so it must be their fault.

[jordan179]

But...the whole scenario is reverse racism (I know--it doesn't exist! Or, it doesn't matter!) and an example of invidious prejudice.

Notice that the Left claims that only whites are capable of "racism" and only men of "sexism." The supposed reason is that only whites and men are in positions of power such that their sentiments can produce oppressive social structures. Many non-whites and women have bought into this argument because it lets them behave badly toward whites and men: they appear not to have noticed that the argument implicitly devalues any power that any non-white or woman has achieved, and establishes white men as "special." As I said in the original post, this is just one quick assumption away from treating (powerful) white men as properly having more rights than non-whites or women.

Note how only the author and Mary are named individuals. The others have been lumped into the "they" and the "other" identity, which is exactly what they are accusing the majority of women of doing to them.Right. White women get to

[marycatelli]

"Priviledge" is a euphemism for the state of having no rights that anyone is bound to respect, so that no one has to act toward you in a manner that is generous, or just, or sane.

[brezhnev]

Re item 1, that comes from the Gramscians, the fine folks who brought us postmodernism and wrecked the US educational system. (Too bad the guy who pulled the Trotsky job didn't start with Gramsci.) It's a lame but elaborate rationale for the fallacy of special pleading. It amounts to saying that people like me have all the power in the world (if so, then why are we allowing our civilization to die out?) and therefore we're always wrong by default. So the corollary is that everyone else is a helpless little pawn (very empowering thought there) and 1) everything they do is excusable because it's always our fault; and 2) they need the Left to champion their cause, because they're powerless to do anything by themselves.

As for item 2, that's the classic "false consciousness" argument -- "We stand in solidarity with The People, but any of them who disagree with us are ignorant clods who don't know what's good for them."

[oronoda]

I had an extensive argument with a left leaning friend who talked about white priviledge. I told her it comes off as a weasel phrase especially when people use it to shut people down. She said, 'Well, people don't know what it is like until they are black or a woman." And I turned around the argument saying, "Okay then people who never served in the military shouldn't be dictating these opinions because they don't understand what it is like to be shot at downrange." She never responded to me after that.

[operations]

They hate that logic thing...

[detroitfather]

It is a weasel phrase, and it seems like it is always used to shut people down. Kudos on your response.

[cutelildrow]

When I used to get into such conversations, I get enraged reactions when I, who am NOT Caucasian and am female, observe great disadvantage to being a Single, White Male, especially in legal and social aspect.

When I point out that I thought the whole goal was equality, there's spluttering.

Imagine what it's like to point out actual gender discrimination versus men...

[spiffystuff]

I loathe that word "privilege" - AREKJSDLKJFSDJKL!
I think the notion that we have different experiences and biases, and may not have full insight on what someone else has faced is quite true and worth considering. But "privilege" is usually tossed around as a silencing tactic "you're wrong and you can never be right because you have PRIVILEGE thus everything you say is invalid" which is dumb, untrue, alienating, and way too similar to what they (most people who I've heard abuse the term) accuse others of doing.

It's also stupid because theoretically they're striving for people to not face (whatever the problems are) and yet somehow treat it like it's a bad thing when other people haven't faced said problems.

Arg arg arg arg arg!

/rant

[cutelildrow]

Completely agree!

And nice matching icon XD

[gothelittle]

Answers to Question 1 were clustered around the belief that TWFC helped "all women" and that a woman of color's interests were also served by the work of the organization because "they're women too." No one on the board suggested that the category of "women" was not universal, and that communities of women (or women from different communities) might have different needs, and different opinions on how to achieve those needs. There was a distinct air, in some of the comments, that women of color should be "grateful" that organizations like TWFC were fighting for "their" interests, and that the failure of women of color to join TWFC was a kind of ingratitude.
*****************
As a woman who has watched feminist organizations up-close, I can tell you that this is not merely a racial issue. It's a Feminism issue. "You should want what we're giving you, and so you should be grateful that we're giving it to you!" they cry, as they trample all over what you actually want in order to offer you what they want you to desire.

[eric_hinkle]

As a woman who has watched feminist organizations up-close, I can tell you that this is not merely a racial issue. It's a Feminism issue. "You should want what we're giving you, and so you should be grateful that we're giving it to you!" they cry, as they trample all over what you actually want in order to offer you what they want you to desire.

This sadly reminds me of some unions I've belonged to.

[marycatelli]

How true.

[jordan179]

As a woman who has watched feminist organizations up-close, I can tell you that this is not merely a racial issue. It's a Feminism issue. "You should want what we're giving you, and so you should be grateful that we're giving it to you!" they cry, as they trample all over what you actually want in order to offer you what they want you to desire.

Yes. They are a self-proclaimed elite, and treat others as non-elites.

[chocolate_frapp]

I'm a white feminist and you know me well enough to know I'm not like this.

[jordan179]

Wasn't talking about you personally. You're not like this.