tierracita: [Ask: is it really the white, fat...

Friday, June 15, 2012

[Ask: is it really the white, fat queer women’s fault that they’re taking up space though? I mean despite being white, they are oppressed, as you said yourself, so it is important for them to reclaim that space. Is there anything they can actually do to improve this situation?

Tierracita Response:

As I pointed out, I’m annoyed more with the way in which their visibility is unquestioned because of their whiteness. The claiming space is fine but my issue is when that space is more easily gained due to whiteness, the way their presence is welcome and heard, and the way in which their space eclipses others. Also, maybe I would feel different if most of these folks were self aware and self critical about their own whiteness and how it plays into the visibility/invisibility of others. I’m not responsible for fixing this situation. Just because I scream fire doesn’t mean I also have to put it out. I’m not even the first to name this issue. That said, while not my responsibility to improve this situation. I think we all need to start calling folks out more often, when we see this happening. I could even have done more by calling out the folks I grew annoyed with. I also think these bloggers need to get busy analyzing their work—especially if they claim any title of ally/cultural worker/activist/agent/etc for communities/fat justice/queer justice/feminism/femme visibility. That’s on them yo, that’s on them for not checking themselves.

Bolding mine.

I meant to rebagel this earlier and forgot.

Also..please. Good lord. This part is really not that hard White folks.

It is NOT that hard.