#black theory

[gettinontopic]

Then you did not read the original black womens theory of intersectionality and do not believe in it! Because not acknowledging all parts of an identity is not applyying it correctly. There is in fact huge contradiction to using that theory and then leaving out a pice of someones intersection.

All idenities intersect here!

Stop butchering black womens theories!!!!

[trans-academia]

I was looking through the transandrophobia tag (first mistake) and was reading through replies to some of the posts (second mistake). I came across one where two (presumably) white trans women were arguing about the TMA/TME foolishness, with them arguing on opposite ends.

This isn't what made me pause. What did was the way that one of them was talking about Black political theory. Like, the way that one of them (the one that was trf) was talking about Black feminist theory in the way that White liberals talk about having a Black friend.

Reading the literature is great! But you comprehend it though?

Awesome that you have a Black friend! Would they call you their friend though?

Intersectionality, Womanism, Black transfeminism, and my own development of transwomanism are derived from Black poltical theory. Without having that as your base, your unprepared to deal with the more complex work.

Also, people forget that lived experience comes first. Not theory. If there are people whose experiences do not fall into your understanding of theory, that means either your theory, or your interpretation of someone else's theory is wrong.

(I think White Queers (TM) certainly read the literature sometimes. But when it come to things like Black feminism, it takes a bit more than reading, and poorly comprehending, to really get it.)

[xoxo-ben-xoxo]

"I don't want to read leftist theory it's all written by old white men" FANON IS RIGHT THERE

I understand not wanting to read theory because it's exclusive, elitist, or just plain hard to understand, but I'm begging you to please give Fanon's work a read if you can. Especially if your argument for not reading theory is the quote above.

[cool-it-action]

james baldwin managed to have such a nuanced and understanding view of the black militants of his time.

he recognized the views and stand points of malcolm x and his associates as something very real, very tangible. malcolm x was giving a voice to the pain and struggle of many black people in america at the time, offering solutions through militarism and giving black people something they hadn't had: a chance to feel real. a chance to feel visible. and not just the polished, presentable parts of their lives, no. malcolm x gave voice to the systemic oppression and pain they faced, pain that the country they lived in tried so hard to deny.

however, he still recognized (and disconnected himself) from the idea of inherent superiority that malcolm spoke to his followers. he understood what felt like the need for this morale, for this cushioning to a very harshly persecuted and heavily policed people, but he simply couldn't get behind it. in his own words, that line of thinking "will always break down in a crisis."

its the type of understanding i find myself having towards the black individualists of today. even today, with all we know now, or systematic oppression is denied, ridiculed, etc etc. interacting with this world as a black person can leave a very bitter taste in your mouth. those who begin to see the world as unkind and hostile, who begin to find their only community within those who understand that struggle, are understandable to me. i am sympathetic, but i cannot live that way. it is a line of thinking that crumbles under certain pressures. even if the world is cruel, even if it has proven it will not be gentle with you, it should not mean your own gentleness should not extend past people who are unlike you!

[cosmicanger]

“stop applauding yt ppl for photos of them being arrested omg ??? like Black ppl have to fight tooth and nail to not be identified or assaulted by the p*lice for y’all to be giggling over a wh*te girl doing a kissy face while arrested smh idk there’s nothing cute to me abt that shit meanwhile there was a medic who was being repeatedly tased ???? there’s been so many activists k*lled by the p*lice AFTER organizing, just found d**d but yall think it’s cute to be arrested ??? go to hell fr”

[mbelizabeth-blog]

For one must distinguish the desire for power from the need to be- come empowered - that is, seeing oneself as capable of and having the right to determine one's life.

Barbara Christian, The Race For Theory, pg 61

[negrosunshine]

My Brothers Keeper, a White House initiative meant to ‘bolster and reinforce our African American boys… helping young African-American men feel that they’re a full part of this society,’ was Obama’s answer to George Zimmerman’s acquittal for the killing of Trayvon Martin in the summer of 2013. The official response  of the first black male president to the openly racist murder of a black male teenager was to redouble ex officio efforts among the rest of society to convince black male teenagers that they are educable and employable and therefore valued by the rest of society; as if the spectacular violence of a vigilante assault were a symptom of the victim’s education level or employment status…

Sexton, Jared. “Preface: The Perfect Slave.” Black Masculinity and the Cinema of Policing. Cham: Palgrave Mcmillan, 2017. xi.