A lot of people think that being a white female means that I don’t experience the same social issues a person of color, or a trans person, or a bisexual experiences.
And they’re right. I don’t. But because I’m aware of that, I work really hard to understand everything that is going on. I actually read the posts on my news feed. I pay attention to the fact that almost all of my friends identify as something that is considered a minority and isn’t represented in media how it should be. I don’t always share stuff on Facebook because, while a Facebook post can do a lot, I would rather take the knowledge I have and do something with it: educate the people that I know don’t understand or participate in a rally, etc. I would rather engage in constructive conversations with people experiencing these things. I want to be able to ask questions just like people ask of me. I may be white, but I am poor and I am a female. So I’m not at the top of the food chain. Yet, I also know that I’m not considered to be at the bottom.
But it seems that no matter what some one does: how hard they try to support and educate themselves and others; how hard we work to make a change… nothing is quite enough. Because ultimately… I am not one of them. Too many conversations I have seen and heard end with that. “You don’t understand because you aren’t one of us”.
No. I’m not. But instead of shutting me down, instead of shutting anyone down that’s different than you maybe a take a second and understand that that is the same reason why we have these issues in the first place…?
Food for thought.
amyleighoff 