9:59pm July 30, 2014

fierceawakening-the-other-thing-about-that

fierceawakening:

The other thing about that whole “Say you’re a feminist or I will cuss at you” phenomenon is that… most of Tumblr seems to skew young.

And not to dis young people at all — many people find their passions very early in adolescence, and they shape the person for the rest of…

You’re welcome!

I also think that being a little older has given me the experience to know where I fit and where I don’t. Having had time to try a lot of things, I know that I feel comfortable in disability activism spaces even when I don’t agree with everyone, and that I don’t feel at all comfortable in feminist spaces even if I supposedly do. I know I feel more comfortable with a suit and a list of legislative priorities than I do at an ADAPT rally, and that arrests for civil disobedience aren’t really my big thing (though there are rare cases where I might do that too.) I’ve learned the strengths and shortcomings of my outlook and experience and skills, and when I’m a great person for a task and when it’s time to call the loud, rough-edged, and shameless.

I get the impression that for a goodly number of Tumblerians — not all by any means, but some — social justice is brand shiny new. They’re as intense about it as new converts because that’s exactly what they are, and as precise about getting things right and never asking big questions as only sincere newbies can be.

But when someone questions the biggies — wonders if using “the tone argument” is ever okay and with whom, or asks complicated questions about the limits of “privilege” and whether you always know who has it or whether some people have more of it than others — well, if you’re young or new or both, those things are very intense threats.

Where if you’ve been around a while, you start to see what crushes movements and what doesn’t. And when they’re big, they’re stubborn and they stick around. Words change and focuses change and these leaders give way to those, but the communities endure.

Questions don’t kill movements. Rigidity just might.

Yes, yes, and yes.

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