Search results for: privilege
Does Feminism Really Help All Women – Or Just White Women?
There’s a very common sentiment that many feminists throughout history and today all share – and it shows that the movement could do a lot better when it comes to race.
Read More8 Facts About Race Every White Person Needs to Know to Help Fight Racism
We can’t move forward until more people understand this – and recent discussions show that so many people don’t. Here are some straight-forward facts to clear things up.
Read MoreHow Queer Relationships Can Get Stuck in Harmful Gender Norms (And Why We Really Need to Get Unstuck)
The butch/femme binary can come in small boxes of how we’re “supposed” to be. Here’s some of the damage those boxes can bring – is any of it familiar to you?
Read More4 Ways Feminism Has Empowered and Liberated Me as a Trans Person
Feminism hasn’t always been inclusive, so transgender folks who are frustrated with feminism have valid reasons. But if you want to know what a positive experience for a trans feminist could be like, look no further than this article. This author shows how valuable – and life-changing – a trans-inclusive feminism can be. This is how we want our feminism to be.
Read More5 Examples of Less Publicized Racial Bias That Really Matter
“Why does everything have to be about race?” That question often comes from people with white privilege who aren’t exposed to even a fraction of the racial bias out there. When you can simply choose not to think about it, it’s easy to believe racial bias isn’t there. So here are examples to show the reality of racial bias to anyone doubting its pervasiveness.
Read MoreIf We Divide, We Don’t Conquer: 3 Reasons Why Feminists Need to Talk About Race
Believing that feminism should address only sexism, some feminists are hesitant to include working to end racism when working to end patriarchy. But if we want to end sexism and support all women, we absolutely must include anti-racism work into our feminism. If you’ve ever wondered what racial justice conversations have to do with feminism, here are your answers.
Read MoreTransnational Feminism: Why Feminist Activism Needs to Think Globally
Have you ever had trouble finding the group within feminism that feels right for you? Most of us have multi-faceted identities, so as one uniform movement western feminism leaves many of us out. It’s time to learn about transnational feminism – what it is and what we can accomplish with it. Find out why we have to think globally to end systemic oppression.
Read MoreWhy Acknowledging That Racism Exists Isn’t the Same as Being Anti-Racist
You know what racism is. You acknowledge its existence. But do you know acknowledging racism isn’t the same as being anti-racist? Do you know why? This article shows how racism affects you even when you’re not aware of it. And it can help you figure out what to do about it, by defining racism and anti-racism and showing how most of us fall somewhere in between.
Read More5 Ways to Stand Up to Toxic Messages and Accept Yourself as a Bisexual Person
With toxic messages from both gay and straight communities, does identifying as bisexual ever feel isolating to you? This article will help you embrace your identity.
Read More6 Ways to Respond to Sexist Microaggressions in Everyday Conversations
It can be hard to know what to do when sexist microaggressions happen, especially from someone you care about. Here are some ways to help you respond.
Read More6 Reasons Why Being Called a Cis Person Is Not ‘Oppressive’
Using the term cis is all about helping trans people and not at all about making cis people feel bad. And yet, a lot of cis folk push back because they don’t understand it. Here are 6 reasons this term is not “oppressive.”
Read MoreWhat, Why, When, Where, and How?: 5 Common Questions About Trigger Warnings Answered
If you’re at all involved with online social justice, you’ve probably encountered trigger warnings — and you’ve also probably seen some confusion about (and even push back against) them. Are they patronizing? Are they helpful? How do we use them? And what exactly ARE they? Here’s a primer on why, when, and where they can (and in some cases, should) be used.
Read MoreYou Don’t Have to Hate Women to Be Sexist: Everyday Ways You May Be Sexist Without Knowing It
Most men don’t want to be sexist. But because our culture privileges them — especially white, cisgender, straight men, they benefit from and often participate in sexism without even knowing it. And if they don’t recognize that, they can hurt other people – if unintentionally. So let’s break down how you can recognize and stop “subtle” sexism in your life.
Read More4 Important Rules for White Men Dating Black Women
Many white men are unaware of the common microaggressions they make towards black women they’d like to date. And these aren’t harmless – so here are some suggestions on how to best approach us.
Read More9 Things Everyone Needs to Stop Saying to Black Women Immediately
Some of these are meant as compliments to black women — but they’ve got roots in some awful stereotypes. It’s about time we put an end to all of the ignorance.
Read More4 Lessons from the Trenches of Allyship
Being an ally is difficult, especially as a heterosexual cis male. The pressures of (traditional notions of) masculinity and a lifetime of systematic patriarchal training are difficult to overcome. So I have compiled four pieces of advice — based on my own experiences and slip-ups — to help all cis males (myself included) become open feminists and allies.
Read MoreIs ‘Bitch’ an Example of Internalized Sexism?
Some detrimental cultural ideals run so deep that no one even questions whether they might operate as support beams of status quo oppression. Let’s take the word “bitch” for example. As an exercise in identifying some potentially hibernating connotations that can perpetuate harmful gender stereotypes, here are a few common uses of the word “bitch” and their problematic subtexts.
Read MoreWhy the Feminist Movement Must Be Trans-Inclusive
Despite what we like to think, feminism is not always the inclusive space that we want it to be. It can actually be an unsafe place for those seen as outsiders. A small (but vocal!) minority of feminists has a history of purposefully excluding trans struggles from feminism. And not only is this harmful for trans people, but it actually weakens feminism. Here’s why.
Read MoreWhy Getting Laid Isn’t the Answer to Ableism
A lot of ignorance exists around sex and disability, especially regarding media portrayals involving providers of commercial sex.The problem lies in the way it’s presented, encouraging the audience to gawk and giggle. At the end of the day, no one is actually meant to perceive disabled people as desirable. So yes, getting laid is awesome, but it isn’t the end-all, be-all for everyone.
Read MoreTransmisogyny 101: What It Is and What Can We Do About It
Transmisogyny is a word that many people don’t know about or understand. But we must stand up to bias against trans women – and this shows why and how.
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