A False Step

[poliphilo]

I got a savaging on a Feminist forum the other day. It was my own stupid fault. I'm too old to run with that particular crowd. Besides, I didn't study the subject at university and I don't use- or respect- the jargon.

I consider myself a feminist. If feminism means believing in the equality of the sexes, I'm enthusiastically for it. 

But I should have realised that the gnomic, slightly mischievous comments I go in for aren't going to wash on this particular site (with its ginormous rulebook)- and that you can't challenge someone (especially if if you're a white male) in that culture of victimhood without being accused of  "exercising privilege" and "silencing" them. 

A black American woman had accused a white European woman of racism. The white European woman had replied that the black American woman wasn't taking cultural differences into consideration and that her view was "US-centric". At least I think that's what had happened. The mods then intervened to rule that if a black person accuses a white person of racism that is gospel and no comeback is possible. The white person must take her whipping in patience and humility and afterwards kiss the rod.

I said I thought this was unfair- and that US-centrism is a real issue.  Are black American women really so fragile that they need protecting from all disagreement? Isn't it kind of insulting to assume they can't hold their own in debate?

I'll admit I didn't express myself as clearly or fully at the time. I spoke off the cuff. I should have been more careful- not that it would have made much difference if I had.

I thought I'd stir up a bit of controversy. I was wrong. The pack turned on me and tore me to shreds.

I am- among other things- a white, cracker racialist who likes to wave his dick around.

I'm talking about this here because after a while I realised there was no point in trying to explain myself over there. No-one  was interested in debate, only in parading their righteousness and calling me names. When you're in a hole it's foolish to go on digging.

I'll admit I felt a bit sorry for myself at first- but I'm over it now. I took a nice walk round a lake yesterday and had fish and chips in a garden centre and visited with my niece and nephew and that sort of cleared my head. 

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

You're opening my eyes here. I had no idea lesbian culture was so cut-throat. Or maybe I sort of knew and was in denial. Even in the early days the separatists in their dungarees were kinda fierce and hostile and scary.

[wyrmwwd.livejournal.com]

Watch "The L-Word". It is a fairly accurate representation. BTW... Lesbian Politics was the true reason why I left L.A. 14 years ago and moved to the opposite coast.

Watch kittens play. Thay can be really rough with one another, because they have the skin for it, and they all have the same set of weapons. But, if you try to play with them the way they like to play, you have to be really careful, because you can really get hurt.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't think we get that show over here- more's the pity.

And you crossed the country to get away from it all- I'd love to hear that story. Have you got it blogged somewhere?

[wyrmwwd.livejournal.com]

I write about it all of the time, but you have to know what you are looking for to see it. 6 of the players in that drama currently read my blog, that I know of, possibly more. So, I am kind of careful about what I say and how I say it. I am going back to L.A., and I don't want it to happen again.

"The L-Word" is on DVD. Maybe you can rent it. If you do, and you find yourself saying "no one would really do that...". No, really, most of the stories are stories that I have either lived or seen lived before me.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Ah, I'll have to start reading more carefully between the lines. I sort of guessed there was something going on in the background.

I'll have to look into getting hold of The L-Word. I seems like it's something I need to watch.