Yeah nothing to be proud of but I can't discount how powerful this one is, now that I'm "woke" to it.
Like I have worked for people for years and just not known they were racist or sexist, only for them to let it slip. And then you see behind the mask.
Realising why there are no people of colour in my office, or women with any kind of power. Realising I would not have this job if I was not a white man.
Even as a straight I kinda feel that way sometimes, all theses assholes keep telling on themselves to me. It’s also depressing how many of them there are
The number of times I've been "accused" of being gay just because I don't have a problem with homo couples. Sometime in the 200Xs I stopped correcting people and went with "so what if I am gay" which added a real satisfying record scratch moment to arguments.
Let them believe I'm gay if they want, it's none of their fucking business, and they should be aware there are queer folk in stealth mode literally in every aspect of their lives.
I also like to act like I have no clue what the punchline of the racist\sexist\homophobic\hateful joke they are making is, having them explain it out loud gets em really awkward
I feel that. I've got a very serious redneck thing going on. I hunt, fish, dress like I just got off work at the ranch (that's true sometimes), and raise a lot of hell. I know why they think I'm one of them. It's depressing some days because it's almost like people can't wait to say fucked up shit as soon as they meet me.
I use that power. I say things ranging from "Dude, that's not ok" to "Are you fucking stupid or something?" if I'm looking to get their attention.
I've also pulled out "You know my cousin is black, right?" (true statement) and "That's my sister" (untrue statement). When you make it personal they get real uncomfortable and start apologizing.
Actively kill me? No. But take away my ability to earn money? Yes. Fortunately our society has safety nets for people who are expunged from groups, so in our civilization it’s not killing to kick someone out of the group.
It's not something you actively use, it is just "there."
For example: I applied to a job as a refrigeration technician and during the interview the guy actually fucking said "it's really hard to get clean cut white guys to apply. I don't want some Dominican (literally referring to their Dominican maintenance guy) walking into a store with our logos on."
I had finished a tech school with some other black guys that I know also applied, I got the job and they didn't. :/
Yeah, I guess left-leaning white males are just as underprivileged and oppressed as people of color and women. We should rename it to "conservative white male privilege."
I know you're joking, but queer white men exist, and they also face oppression.
It's almost like the system that keeps us all oppressed actually doesn't give a shit about these marginal differences, and just wants to keep us focused on identity politics and fracturing ourselves.
I made a conscious choice to be facetious about immediately apparent and physical marginalizing differences, but yes, you're correct, and thank you for adding that as well.
I'm just pointing out the importance of recognizing privilege.