Here’s a friendly reminder:
-You cannot be sexist toward men. Sexism is
based onpart of a system of oppression. You CAN be discriminatory, rude, inconsiderate, and/or prejudiced against men but you CANNOT be sexist toward them.-You cannot be racist towards white people. Racism is
based onpart of a system of oppression. You CAN be discriminatory, rude, inconsiderate, and/or prejudiced against white people but you CANNOT be racist toward them.This is not difficult.
Apparently it is difficult…
Sexism is discrimination based on a person’s gender. Not based on a person’s gender so long as they aren’t male. You can be sexist to men, like when you say you can’t be sexist towards them because they’re men. You are discriminating against them because of their sex, hence you are practising sexism and are being sexist.
Racism is discrimination based on a person’s race. Not based on a person’s race so long as they aren’t white. You can be racist to whites, like when you say you can’t be racist towards them because they’re white. You are discriminating against them because of their race, hence you are practising racism and are being racist.
Oppression is the act of imposing cruel or unjust treatment over another, typically over a prolonged period.
Oppression is based on Sexism and Racism, not the other way around. Racism and Sexism are aspects of Oppression but there are not the only aspects, there are many others, like economic policies and religion. Racism and Sexism are not gender or race specific. Anytime someone is unjustly treated because of their gender or their race, that person is being Oppressed.
Yes, Whites and Men get Oppressed a hell of a lot less then everybody else, particularly in western cultures, and that is a problem that needs to be fixed, but they aren’t magically immune to it and discriminating against them by perpetuating the myth that they are isn’t going to make things any better. Discrimination is discrimination. You can’t cherry pick who it’s okay to discriminate against. If it’s wrong to discriminate against one group, it’s wrong to discriminate against all groups.
This should not be difficult.
edit - typo
(via gingergron)
