This is just a short post to expand upon a thought that occured to me today: Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. They're also entitled to the consequences of voicing them.
What prompted this was reading the comments here in which someone pointed out, very politly I might add, the author's transphobic/cis privilaged language. While it's true that she used this language out of sheer ignorance, instead of apologizing and learning when being called on it, she got defensive and essentially refused to be held accountable.
This seems to me to be symptomatic of a pervasive attitude in our society, particularily on the internet. Starting from the idea that everyone is entitled to their own opinions most people seem to go on to assume this means and therefore you can't tell me I'm wrong. I however posit that not all opinions are well informed, and that there are consequences to voicing uninformed opinions. The best thing any of us can do when being called on an uninformed or poorly thought out opinion is to learn, to take other points of view into account, and apologize when necessary.
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I went to that blog, read the comic (I admit I laughed - s/he had CHEST HAIR!!) and began reading the comments. And... I started feeling bad for the blog owner.
ReplyDeleteI've heard/used "tranny" for years when talking to friends (one pre-op, one is post-op while a not so small number cross-dress). They identify as "tranny" openly and loudly. So when I saw someone comparing it to "nigger" I was very disturbed. While "Tranny" has a negative connotation for some (I do not personally know anyone who feels that way) can it really be compared to that of all words?
I just couldn't read anymore. Those responses (from both sides) were just getting too... ridiculous. Maybe I should be more PC but then I'd never speak.
And yes, I know I put s/he. Chest hair, dude. Chest hair. That's just... *shuddered* wrong.
I know it'll come, so let the hate begin...