When silence conceals violence ... it is violence. Material Girls released a conversation about the stickiness of this topic today. However Dave when you are scared to use a bathroom let me know how your piece would sound to you.
"When silence conceals violence" .. you and I agree. But what about the substance of the post? You seemed to ignore the argument of the post itself? Not worthy of your engagement? .
I disagreed with the argument. While there may be a performative element on social media, and white or straight or non trans folx who post away but do nothing to change the material world for minoritised or minority people, it does have impact. It reminds me of when I was bullied as a child. I would hear or say “stick and stones may break my bones but your words will never hurt me.” As I have aged I have found that words encourage sticks and stones to be thrown. Or those word have material impact on bodies ... as seen in the coping mechanisms folx use to deal with depression anxiety and trauma. Or the very real rates of completed or attempted suicides in those communities. So while an affluent straight non trans white man may post for instance “Jesus is a black trans women” but not march or protest bathroom bans in his state. His words have material impact. Raising awareness and reminding black trans women that their lives do matter. If he is silent ... well the #metoo movement has gestured to how silence always for the continuation of violence.
So, if I read you right here, you're saying that words of support from anonymous "affluent straight non-trans white men" have a material effect. I think there is value in somehow being seen, heard on social media. Nonetheless, I believe it is that material effect that is worth interrogating. Is "the material world" changed, or is just the status quo reinforced, within echo chambers. Are the toxic gender binaries in social systems truly engaged? With each of us split into our various reactionary echo chambers? I suggest the statistics bear out that little changes if at all. The divisions widen. The toxicities deepen. Those beat up by the toxicities have some relief but then live within the echo chambers in reactive phases. The toxic systems persist. My views on how social systems change require social embodiment, engagement and presence. And this kind of presence produces a kind of change that can not be imagined within the disengaged, disembodied, extracted voices of social media. Thanks for engaging my substack. And peace on you and yours!@!
Also this topic has been discussed widely in queer and trans communities in regards to corporate pride. This year the discussion was more intense as corporation stopped supporting pride events or trying to market to queer and trans folx. We have also seen a dramatic loss of representation, even while it tokenized our lives in television and movies. At the same time the has been increase in violence on our bodies with more hate crimes. While I don’t like capitalism (surprise a trans doesn’t like capitalism) it is safer for me and people like me if corporations find me profitable -- so I need their meaningless words.
When silence conceals violence ... it is violence. Material Girls released a conversation about the stickiness of this topic today. However Dave when you are scared to use a bathroom let me know how your piece would sound to you.
"When silence conceals violence" .. you and I agree. But what about the substance of the post? You seemed to ignore the argument of the post itself? Not worthy of your engagement? .
I disagreed with the argument. While there may be a performative element on social media, and white or straight or non trans folx who post away but do nothing to change the material world for minoritised or minority people, it does have impact. It reminds me of when I was bullied as a child. I would hear or say “stick and stones may break my bones but your words will never hurt me.” As I have aged I have found that words encourage sticks and stones to be thrown. Or those word have material impact on bodies ... as seen in the coping mechanisms folx use to deal with depression anxiety and trauma. Or the very real rates of completed or attempted suicides in those communities. So while an affluent straight non trans white man may post for instance “Jesus is a black trans women” but not march or protest bathroom bans in his state. His words have material impact. Raising awareness and reminding black trans women that their lives do matter. If he is silent ... well the #metoo movement has gestured to how silence always for the continuation of violence.
So, if I read you right here, you're saying that words of support from anonymous "affluent straight non-trans white men" have a material effect. I think there is value in somehow being seen, heard on social media. Nonetheless, I believe it is that material effect that is worth interrogating. Is "the material world" changed, or is just the status quo reinforced, within echo chambers. Are the toxic gender binaries in social systems truly engaged? With each of us split into our various reactionary echo chambers? I suggest the statistics bear out that little changes if at all. The divisions widen. The toxicities deepen. Those beat up by the toxicities have some relief but then live within the echo chambers in reactive phases. The toxic systems persist. My views on how social systems change require social embodiment, engagement and presence. And this kind of presence produces a kind of change that can not be imagined within the disengaged, disembodied, extracted voices of social media. Thanks for engaging my substack. And peace on you and yours!@!
Also this topic has been discussed widely in queer and trans communities in regards to corporate pride. This year the discussion was more intense as corporation stopped supporting pride events or trying to market to queer and trans folx. We have also seen a dramatic loss of representation, even while it tokenized our lives in television and movies. At the same time the has been increase in violence on our bodies with more hate crimes. While I don’t like capitalism (surprise a trans doesn’t like capitalism) it is safer for me and people like me if corporations find me profitable -- so I need their meaningless words.
Allows*