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#'the bare minimum' is also NOT what good and effective allyship is. it's a job where the work is never done. that's the opposite.
britneyshakespeare · 3 years
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unpopular opinion but i dont like it when ppl call being an ally to a social justice cause “the bare minimum.” the bare minimum is nothing. “you dont get a cookie” rhetoric is so culturally conservative imo.
#'the world doesnt owe you because you exist' actually it does 💖#like you shouldnt give a shit about causes in hope that YOU WILL GAIN SOMETHING when the point is to care about others#but being a human is fucking hard and we all need external validation and kind words??#allies don't need as much acknowledgement as the marginalized do obviously. because issues arent about allies. theyre about marginalization.#but being a GOOD ally actually IS hard? you do have to work for it. you do have to learn about things and seek solutions from the outside.#and the learning is an ongoing process. you don't read for x amount of time and then suddenly know everything.#and most of all it is an inherently humbling position because you are uplifting other people. that's the point. of being a GOOD ally.#AND IT IS A NECESSARY HUMBLING. world's smallest violin is acknowledging your own privilege. but there is also the worry of#'maybe im doing this wrong' 'am i not doing enough?' 'am i overstepping?' 'oh wow how much i used to not know' etc etc#and while learning anything there are pitfalls and common mistakes that shouldn't discourage you but they FEEL awful bc you dont mean them.#there's always a certain blindspot you know you cannot overcome. but you try and try to eliminate the gap between you and others.#but systemically... it'll be there for our whole lifetimes at least.#text post#tales from diana#'the bare minimum' is also what my depression tells me im not doing when i cant get out of bed or shower for days at a time.#eliminate the phrase.#'the bare minimum' is also NOT what good and effective allyship is. it's a job where the work is never done. that's the opposite.#good allyship is doing the most you can do. it's not being colorblind or saying 'i dont care who you fuck aha' vaguely tolerant statements.#dont conflate lazy mainstream liberal language of acceptance with actual activism. ew.#if you dont work to educate yourself and others then you are not an ally. youre just a... person. who might not commit a hate crime.#usually a person who could be easily swayed into bigotry the moment they see a scapegoat when they need to lick their own wounds.#the sentiment of ignorant non-hate is not the same as knowing love. ignorant non-hate can transform into whatever is convenient for it.#and most ppl pretty much start at ignorant non-hate (of groups we arent born into). but you have to move up from it.
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