I respond to a lot of my bitchy thoughts the same way I respond to my intrusive thoughts.
That is, I acknowledge them for what they are (internalised prejudices or judgements based on misunderstandings or bad experiences with members of certain groups for the former, and thoughts formed from anxiety for the latter). Then I trying to ignore them while taking appropriate courses of action to make sure I don’t do anything harmful against myself or anyone else.
And sometimes I wonder if it’s a good thing, or if the former problem requires another different approach so that I can overcome any internalised biases I have.
Throughout history we've seen this, at different points, where a person of a group will turn against their group because they think it makes them look better to another group. So... this is another post about cowardice.
I think that when it comes to this sort of thing, cowardice is really bad, because it creates a further solidity that those with the prejudices are right in some way. It's being a part of the negative echo chamber just to better your own life, it's entirely selfish, really, or conditioned in so much that I quite literally pity the fool.
I'm a woman, but I believe in gender roles, traditions, submissiveness to your man, and being ladylike. I think that women that don't do these things are skanks, dykes, and sluts.
This is a common one, I've heard it all too often and it makes me sad. I'm even more sad to hear one woman call another a feminazi, it just makes me wonder; do you do it out of conditioning, fear, or selfishness? You can't really believe that, that women being second-class citizens because of their gender is right. Any woman should be entitled to do whatever any man can do. There shouldn't be a separation there. I respect cultural differences, but it's very important to note that culture should be opt-in. The moment you force your culture on someone else, you're being an oppressor.
Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm a black man, but I've seen those damn urban kids. I think most of mine are just animals, just creatures prowling the streets. We're not all like that.
This one was especially common amongst the earliest successful black men after the time of slavery passed. It became more common for a time, and then certain activists fixed that, to a degree, so you could be proud to be black. But I know there are those out there who still aren't, who still think this way, despite how untrue it is. The split is even, it's ridiculous to believe that most black people don't want to be respectable, just as it's ludicrous to believe that there are no white gangland kids. There are. And plentiful they are too. And the problems they tend to cause are much worse due to getting off easy too much.
I'm a furry, yeah. But most furries are just sick fucks, either perverts or insane. I'm not one of those furries, I just like the art, you know? I'm one of you guys, I'm an everyday people too.
Yep. This is another example. I fail to understand this as much as I fail to understand the others. Why would you want to throw your lot in with a bunch of prejudicial jerks? Those aforementioned jerks are likely also racist and sexist, too. I don't have much of a doubt in my mind that that's the case. Why? Prejudice is a cancerous thing, you don't just have one or two. It's more binary than that, you're either inclined toward it, or you're not. So you're aligning yourself with questionable people just to be a coward and hide in what you feel is the majority. Frankly, I'd rather stand with the furries so oft called sick, because they tend to be markedly much, much more ethical than their 'everyday' counterparts. I know which I'd rather be in in a dark alley with.
And these are just disappointing examples. Where we could stand united and proud, we are separated by our pettiness. It makes me sad to see it, because all too often humans aren't creatures of integrity, they're shameless, spineless, and cowardly. They'll do whatever they need to to go on living, to come out on top. I've been through some shit, and I've been abused for never once accepting the prejudices of my tormentors. And abuse and torment can be as subtle and insidious as it can be open and violent. It can be so much as a family member disowning a child, or a father trying to 'beat the gay' out of someone.
But in internalising prejudice, you admit they were right, that all of these horrible, unscrupulous, disgusting, violent people were right. And this, again, is why I wonder about a division of species. Like neanderthal genes versus cromagnon genes -- some of us seem to be thinkers, some of us seem to be doers. Some of us are diplomats, some of us are attackers.
And I just feel so bad when I see a person bent over, broken, and repeating the prejudices they've been taught to repeat. Like good little pets. So they become an insidious front of the cancer, they meld in with those who're supposedly like them and spread their beliefs that perhaps we should not be like that, perhaps we should be normal.
What is normal anyway, and why do we need to be it? This is something that's been pulled since the dawn of time, with missionaries trying to convince tribes that their god is the one, true god. Or perhaps even earlier with tribes competing over whose belief is best, I know not. But some of us have this desire to dominate and push our beliefs on others, rather than to peacefully teach. Some of us attack with beliefs, ramming them into the heads of their prey on pain of death, whereas others just speak and hope that some will listen. I speak and hope that some will listen.
I toil away on an obscure Tumblr that no one may ever realise exists, but if anyone does, I hope my words help them.
There is a clear division, here. But regardless of that, you deserve the right to be whoever and whatever you are. Fuck prejudice.
'Your mother was Muggle-born, of course. Couldn't believe it when I found out. Thought she must have been pure-blood, she was so good.'
'One of my best friends is Muggle-born,' said Harry, 'and she's the best in our year.'
'Funny how that sometimes happens, isn't it?' said Slughorn.
'Not really,' said Harry coldly.
Slughorn looked down at him in surprise.
'You mustn't think I'm prejudiced!' he said. 'No, no, no! Haven't I just said your mother was one of my all-time favourite students?'
