Filed Under Activism
We Are Witnessing Ourselves
This past year has been unprecedented, in my mind, as far as the work of those who engage in social justice and anti-oppression work is concerned. It’s not that we are worse off than ever before, or that we aren’t making progress. Not at all. I do feel, however, that we are seeing right now a time when all the truths are coming to light. We are witnessing ourselves, and what we are seeing, despite all of our progress, is often not pretty. As I talk about these issues, I want to make it clear that I’m talking about Western society, and in particular the United States of America. This is what I know. This is where I’m coming from. So, I’d appreciate it if I don’t have to read any comments about how “the Japanese are ZOMG! racist too! So, you are totally wrong in your assessments here!” There is a Western xenophobic element to those types of comments to be sure, but they are the stuff of another post.
There are, in my view, certain things that I feel are socially constructed into the minds of us Westerners from birth. As a result, there are certain truths which cannot be denied:
All men are sexists.
All so-called white people are racists (I say “so-called” because whiteness is a construction as well).
All able-bodied people are ablists.
All heterosexual people are homophobic.
I could go on and on…
But I won’t. I think you get the picture, even if, right now you are vehemently wanting to challenge me on these statements. And I understand, really. As a man, it is difficult to come to terms with the fact that I have been socially constructed to be a sexist, and that is what I am. I care deeply about the well-being of all women, but there is no getting beyond this simple fact.
At the risk of making a bad analogy, this is how I see it: racism, sexism, homopobia, etc. is much like alcoholism. Once it’s got you, it’s got you. Once alcoholism gets you, you are never not an alcoholic. At best, you are a recovering or recovered alcoholic. There is always the risk that you will fall back into the trap. It is an act of conscious will that you are not a practicing alcoholic. The same is true with racism, sexism, and homophobia (among many other things). Once it gets you–in this world of ours where it is deeply embedded, from birth, in the fabric of our very beings–you are got. And let’s not kid ourselves. We fall into this trap from birth. To be sure, anyone can consciously work to not practice things that are bad for ourselves and others, but the danger of falling back into darkness is always there.
This is why I prefer to see myself not, for instance, as a Feminist or Womanist, but as a Recovering Sexist, or at best a Feminist/Womanist Ally
(I want to make it clear that I’m not trying to diminish or appropriate the struggles that alcoholics go through here. I hope I’m not doing that with this post, but if I am, please let me know. I also want to make it clear that I’m not trying to dictate how other people chose to label themselves).
I do my best; but I can fall, and I’m willing to feel that fall when it happens and work to pick myself back up.
It is with these beliefs that I move forward. I prefer to remain large, to contain multitudes (to quote Walt Whitman). I want to see a better world, where we are not recovering, where our lives are realized in ways that are truly humane. This is my dream.
Will you follow me?
[NB: I purposely refrained from hyper linking in this post. Not sure why I thought that was a good idea, but there you go.]
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i agree overall with the points you make. only one small technical point in the analogy…12 step programs dont really see recovery as an “act of conscious will.” it’s a very christian-tinted program that sees you handing over your stuff to a “higher power” aka God etc. and thats a big point there…to them, if you take it as an act of conscious will, you are doomed to lose your recovery.
but i do get the “recovering sexist” and stuff. and agree. you cant just undo all your conditioning with a year or two of blogging. its about actions and constant vigilance and change.
Will you follow me?
Yes.
Melissa McEwan ´s last blog post..Thanks for the Memories; I’ll Keep Them in My TUBES!!!
This is a great, great post. Thank you.
Like Melissa, I say “Yes.” My fist, sir. It is in the air.
(I’ve commented before about my preference for using “racist,” “sexist,” etc. as adjectives instead of nouns, and that’s a quibble anyway; my reasons for it have to do with getting at the same issue you address here.)
smadin ´s last blog post..No on Question 1
All PEOPLE are racist, sexist, homophobic and ablist.
Hm. I mean, I agree — we’re all part of this culture, we’ve all absorbed these toxins we’re soaking in — but surely the ways we internalize these things depend on which side(s) of them we’re on, and thus the ways we have to guard against them are different?
smadin ´s last blog post..No on Question 1
How you doin’!
Your statements make sense to me. I have to say that in reality you are probably more on point than many people in our society would care to admit.
You present an interesting perspective on the “isms” and how they should be viewed.
msladydeborah ´s last blog post..Am I Not Human?
[...] on October 29, 2008 in Doing the right thing and Serious pants. Kevin of A Slant Truth has a great post up today: There are, in my view, certain things that I feel are socially constructed into the minds of us [...]
Great post Kevin. And, I agree w/ donna darko that *all* people in our society internalize sexism, racism, ableism, etc. Sure the ways in which they manifest can be different, but we see women perpetuating sexism against other women (slut-shaming, etc.) and others perpetuating oppression against their own group. It’s one of the nastiest things about -isms to me.
Amber Rhea ´s last blog post..Twitter updates for 2008-10-30
[...] We Are Witnessing Ourselves | A Slant Truth "I think you get the picture, even if, right now you are vehemently wanting to challenge me on these statements. And I understand, really. As a man, it is difficult to come to terms with the fact that I have been socially constructed to be a sexist, and that is what I am. I care deeply about the well-being of all women, but there is no getting beyond this simple fact. [...]
“As a man, it is difficult to come to terms with the fact that I have been socially constructed to be a sexist, and that is what I am. I care deeply about the well-being of all women, but there is no getting beyond this simple fact.”
I am curious as to what makes you believe you are still a sexist?
Great post, Kevin!
Of course you are right… but what’s scary is when you meet two opposing views about sexism/racism/etc that purport to be right… like those two Captain Kirks: THAT’s sexist, no THAT’s sexist!: “I’m the real Captain Kirk, kill the impostor!!!!” (see porn wars for more!)
Sylvia’s recent take on Michael Eric Dyson, for instance, brought me up a bit short. Well, who is right? Him or her? BOTH? NEITHER? Yow!
Admitting this stuff is the easy part, then we actually have to come up with ideas on our own, or we will totally BELONG to whoever pushes those buttons in us. We have to learn to analyze stuff ourselves and not rely only on our ideological and political gurus–they can (and often do) fail us.
AA is an excellent analogy, because you know, I had to do the exact same thing there, too.
DaisyDeadhead ´s last blog post..Merl Saunders 1934-2008
[...] know there are a lot of reasons *why* Kevin’s statements in this post end up being so inflammatory for so many people, instead of simple to see and accept. [...]