respectability politics

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Anakin McFly
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Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 5:40 am

respectability politics

Post by Anakin McFly »

usually I believe in it but sometimes it really sucks. [sad]

I spent most of today being very polite to a TERF because I didn't know how to adequately explain my desire to yell at her, especially when her complaint was trans people being violent and unreasonably demanding to be seen as real men and women without sympathising with people who are uncomfortable with this; at one point I apologised to her because she got upset that I was being insensitive to how hurtful it is to force others to accept minorities even when it goes against their conscience, and now I feel empty inside.

I don't know what the alternative is. She's evidently experienced enough trans people yelling at her, and it's only further entrenched her opposition. and at least she's been listening to me, and thanked me for some perspectives, and I don't think I would have gotten that far if I hadn't made the extra effort to be nice. The cost-reward ratio doesn't seem worth it though.
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