On Anger as Resistance

[naamah_darling]

From Tumblr's queerandpresentdanger:

I think another reason why it’s important to not be nice when speaking of your oppression-not just a prerogative but important-is to try to really convey the severity of what you’re dealing with. When you’re nice, it’s easy for the person you’re speaking to to assume that you are dealing with minor pet peeves,

Comments

[sparrowpunk]

That was really interesting, especially after reading this :)

[houseboatonstyx]

Otoh, the people you need to reach will scroll on by, and leave you ranting to your own choir.

[journalfag]

Righteous and legitimate anger is not ranting. Dismissing it as such is part of the fucking problem.

[virginia_fell]

This fits with my experiences of people not taking seriously that I am upset or hurting because I have managed to continue being articulate and fair. Some people seriously do not believe that they are looking at someone who is hurting unless that person has started hitting back.

I don't know that it's always the correct thing to do to indulge this willful blindness, but it's a hella tempting thing.

[elialshadowpine]

"It’s more effective to think about what privilege you have for not being angry"

While I overall agree with the poster, this line really really bothers me. Because even oppressed people raised in this culture internalize its messages. It took me a good many years to be angry about the things that were being done to me not because I was privileged but because I had bought so fully into societal messages that I didn't think I had the right to be angry. (And I have seen this a LOT in various communities. I have seen it a LOT from fellow queer people, in particular, that feel that we can't be angry at homophobic asshats and instead must try to refute them on a logical point per point basis, which often does not work. There was a really interesting article about how changes in approach from logic to emotion based strongly helped marriage equality campaigns in states with referendum votes. ALL PASSED

[naamah_darling]

Yeah, I can see that! I get what he was saying right there, talking about how being able to ignore things and not be angry about them is not something that oppressed people can just do, how not HAVING to be angry about something because it doesn't hurt you is a privilege. But I think he could have said that better. Still, I was really affected by the message. And to be fair, that particular concept is not easy to express in words.

That is a VERY cool article.