I like to think that I am a fairly enlightened individual on issues of race, gender, sexuality, and all of the related structural issues in our society. You know, racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. Maybe I am! I hope so. Maybe not! But, you know, it's not really about me. Still, as a participant in the daily discourse on this sucky blog in my own small way, it is about me just a little bit and therefore I have some responsibility to not be horrible about such things.
There's a new round of "PC"-bashing largely centered on relatively privileged people who think they're good lefties but are upset that they've been "called out" on their racism/sexism/etc. WAH people on the internet are mean to me! But I'm an ally! I am not a racist sexist homophobe! Political correctness has gone too far this time!!!
There are idiots in every "cause." So, yes, "political correctness," or whatever we call it this week, sometimes does go too far because sometimes people are idiots. Still, when a woman/person of color/gay/trans person says something that I think is "stupid" about such issues, my basic rule is to shut up and think about it for a bit. 24 hours later I might still think it's stupid. Being a woman/person of color/gay/trans person doesn't make you magically a genius, any more than being a white dude does, even if it probably gives you a wee bit more perspective on what it's like to be a woman/person of color/gay/trans person. But that perspective thing is pretty important, and it's worth thinking about a bit before whitestraightmansplaining it to the world.
Like most of us, I fail to live up to my rules sometimes. Still worth having.
