Thank You, Jessica Valenti

whatfreshhellisthis:

Because it’s wrong.: Thank you, Jessica Valenti.

au-gust:

My first introduction to mainstream feminism was through Feministing. I learned a lot of valuable lessons there. How to prune undesirable elements- like those pesky trans folks!- from your movement (hint: make them feel unsafe and unwelcome!); how to silence and dismiss people who call you out for your shitty behavior. Most importantly: I learned how relentlessly devoted this kind of feminism is to the privileges and concerns of white, middle class, able bodied cis ladies.

This was a bitter post. Probably because I am bitter? This is not exactly new information, here- I’ve known for a very long time that feminism is full of exclusionary bullshit, especially when it comes to trans issues. But it still hurts. It especially stings when I see Jessica Valenti quotes plastered all over my dash with no mention of how problematic she is.

Here’s something, though: that “thank you” was not entirely facetious. It is useful to know where I am not welcome: it is almost a kindness. I can stop knocking on the door; I can stop waiting and hoping to be let in. I can walk away, instead, and find a place where the door was never closed, where it is safe and warm and well-lit and when I enter they will not greet me with cries of hate.

We’ve got to really stop thinking ‘feminist’ means an umbrella term for a person who is incapable of oppressing other people. Then the outrage over a dusty person criticising Western Feminism — for example — would be infinitely less, no?