Oppression

In a world full of oppression, people don't seem to understand the concept that ALL oppression is connected. That one can NOT separate oppression of queer (for my sake Queer means LGBTQQAAI) people or people of color, or the mentally/physically disabled, or women's oppression (yes, it still exist folks), or even the white straight male ally that exists, and any other from of oppression that exists in this cruel and hateful world that we live in. Some people ask why this separation DOESN'T work? It doesn't work for the simple reason that in everyone of those individual groups, there is AT LEAST one if not more, people who fit into another.

There are cisgender women of color, who are also gay and disabled in some way. There are cisgender men of color, who are trans, gay and disabled. There is the physically disabled person who is trans, gay and a person of color. There are even those white cisgender straight men who are disabled and allies to the other communities. The list of possible combinations is ENDLESS! How people identify is also important.People who aren't white may focus on the fact the are oppressed simply for what the color of their skin is, then the fact they are women and then the queer aspect. What is important to them in terms of identity is a big factor to how they respond.

Right now the way it works is we split people up into groups and say they all need to fend for themselves and there really isn't any connection. In fact these groups are very often divided because they don't see representation in each other. People of color don't see themselves really in the queer community because they don't feel that the queer community doesn't meet their needs as people of color so they don't join even if they are queer or an ally to the community. Groups don't reach out to each other and it is dividing us.

There seems to be an attitude that people in these groups need to advocate for themselves and come to the individual groups setup to do tell them their needs. The problem is that when someone doesn't see their issues or needs from a group, they tend to think they aren't going to be heard. When a group doesn't reach out to them and say "Hey! We want this to be safe place for you too", then those people aren't going to come because they feel they are wasting their breathe and time. Why go to an event/club/organization if you feel you wont be heard?!? Honestly, that is how I am feeling about the one of the queer organizations on my college campus.

The organization doesn't reach out, isn't very inclusive to some of the people in the queer community or people of color, and with the current leaders for next semester I honestly don't see that changing. As someone who is trans I don't feel like they give a damn about my issues. I ran for the one of the open positions and told them that I wanted to make the organization more trans inclusive, because right now we really just ignore trans people and allies as well and we shouldn't. After I finished I pretty much got GRILLED! I got question after question after question about specifics when the other two candidates really got nothing. They got maybe two or three questions apiece and then I got up and was answering them for like 10 - 15 minutes. I brought up issues and ideas that generally people agreed where good and yet...I didn't get elected. So, apparently I have good ideas, but not good enough to be one of the leaders. World you continue to make no sense to me, I'm use to it but WTF!!! I have pretty much decided not to go that organization next semester. I don't feel like my voice will be heard at all with the majority of the new leaders. The organization handles things in exactly the wrong.

Until we stop trying to separate out different oppressions and realize that we are all in this fight together, we will NEVER have full equality for all! EVERY oppressed group needs to realize that we all fighting the same thing. The focus maybe a little different, but the idea is the same. We will NEVER win if we continue to fight amongst ourselves and be separate and be EXCLUSIVE to one cause. We all have to band together and fight. ALL groups reach out to anybody who is oppressed that you may not be focusing on right now and invite them in. Show them that you care and are willing to join the fight in their struggles, then, AND ONLY then will we begin to tear down society and make it more equal! Until then what we will continue to be DIVIDED and make little to no progress.