tiamatschild | (no subject)

I swear, if I never see another post insisting that fandom doesn't have internalized prejudice, because... and the explanation is a detailed explanation of a series of manifestations of internalized prejudice (with perhaps one or two things that are arguably not), which somehow are magically not internalized prejudice because internalized prejudice is simple and easily recognizable and basically a strawman, I mean, obviously that can't be it because none of us here would dismiss a character in -ist terms -

It will be too soon. Too soon.

I am all for examinations of how our internalized hatred and shame works on us, what it does it to us, how we express it and how it affects our thinking but jeez louise, you can't do that if you're pretending it's somehow magically not internalized whatever it is. If it were as easy as the big obvious massive hook in your chest style "I'm not like those girls," or whatever, I use this as a mere example, which is still incredibly difficult to dislodge and keep from getting back in your flesh, the world would be a much more just and verdant place. It is not. There are hooks of all sizes and kinds and places and the ways they tug and twist us are often obscure and hard to see.

I'm not saying anyone's obligated to self examine constantly and under a microscope - that's actually generally pretty bad for you, especially if you're carrying shame about simply having internalized whatever it is - but I am so tired of that pattern of Oh This Thing Isn't About Sexism or Homophobia Or Racism or Ablism it's about - [insert list of things that are in fact, sexist, homophobic, racist, or ablist, but somewhat more subtly so than the broadly drawn portrait in the intro].

Spare me.

I could also wish I didn't feel like a bad person for finding that frustrating, but we're working on that one. Slooooowly. *flump* Tiny toddling baby steps.