This is some good advice on how to be less of a clueless white person. These are really simple tips that anyone can do without demanding people of color educate you. This also works for men trying to understand women, straight people trying to understand gay people, etc. Keep an open mind, listen, don’t be defensive or combative, and try it:
(via: Premium Internet Curation)
trash
The issue that I have is that as a straight white male I am told contantly that i’m not entitled to an opinion on ANY issue because as a Straight White Male I am what is wrong with the world
I don’t get to be a person with opinions because of my race and sex
Or maybe -hear me out – you can have any opinion you want on any topic. You can make your own platform and say anything. They are saying (if you want to be less clueless and more respectful) pay attention to WHERE you are giving your opinion. On someone else’s platform or in a conversation that is not about your experiences, maybe your opinion is no longer the only or most dominant one that needs to be heard.
I once had a person tell me I couldn’t have an opinion on a particular topic, and I tried to get clarification:
Did they mean that my their definition of the word, ‘opinion,’ my thoughts on the topic were not an opinion?
Or did they mean that I was not permitted to have an opinion on the topic – thereby policing my thoughts?
Having grown up religious, I have a strong aversion to the second meaning, and if the first meaningwas intended, I would require clarification on their definition of opinion.
I tried to ask for clarification, and I was not given any, and I they just got more upset with me.
I’ve learned in general not to ask activists for clarification on things that they say, and just do my best to guess what they mean when it’s not clear (and can’t find other information) because it just makes them angry.