LOL At The Silly Bigots!

Last week, a teenage girl old Girl Scout posted a video calling for a boycott of Girl Scout cookies because the Girl Scouts of America are transgender-inclusive. My facebook feed quickly filled up with reactions and pledges to buy more cookies.

How could she get it so wrong???

It is easy for me to get angry and sad and indignant at her transphobic misinformation (and the people and systems who taught her). It’s easy to call her the adversary and myself the ally.

Do you know what’s harder? Recognizing all the times I’ve messed up…

When I was in college and used “tranny” as a playful insult.

When I took my top-notch public education (and occasional prviate tutors) for granted and looked down on others for being “dumb.”

Evey time I ever felt entitled to an opinion on the decisions a woman makes with her body.

It’s easy to LOL at “the bigots.” It’s much harder to look at myself and uncover all the ways I oppress and marginalize. Acknowledging my mistakes doesn’t absolve me from them. I need to work to undo them, and to improve myself and my actions for the future. And I need to do it because it’s the right thing to do, not because I want to score points.

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In my quest to educate myself, I found these (and other) resources helpful. You’re invited to check them out.

• I Can Fix It! Racism
• 6 Rules for Allies
• Things That Are Transphobic, and why
• Abelist Word Profiles
• Eight Things I Don’t Need to Hear From Straight People
• Five Awesome Things Straight People Can Do
• Six Things I Don’t Need to Hear from Cisgender People
• Eight Awesome Things Cisgender People Can Do

 

Check In

How are you feeling? If you are feeling triggered or uncomfortable, I invite you to step away or take some time to unpack it. Can you come back to yourself later and investigate your own actions? (If you’re triggered because I said something messed up and problematic–and you’re gracious enough to let me know–I’d really appreciate it).