Nex Benedict died one day after a fight in a school bathroom. Their mother Sue Benedict tells Bevan Hurley that the gender fluid teenager endured more than a year of abuse simply for being who they were
So your stance is essentially: “queerphobic culture exists therefore queer people should hide to be safe”?
Rather than question the legitimacy or merits of transphobia and fascism, you are placing the burden on the marginalized members to hide and just accept the unjust status quo. Just because something is the status quo does not make it right and it doesn’t make it immutable.
No one is arguing about the existence of consequences. The consequences of hate are painfully clear to everyone. We are saying instead that there ought not to be deadly consequences for being different. It’s unjust.
By your logic, African Americans should have just stayed in the back of the bus and in separate facilities. After all, they got sprayed with firehouses and killed for seeking equal treatment. Consequences amiright? Similarly, American colonists should have just bent the knee because England sent literal armies when they dared to declare independence. Oh well, they should have been aware of the consequences.
Transphobia and fascism isn’t natural law. It can and should be fought. “Aw man that’s just the way it is” is apologetic and defeatist at best.
Then we agree that children shouldn’t have to fight these battles. Unfortunately, the “adults” in Oklahoma and many other states are either failing them or actively participating in their persecution.
I assume you’re a grown-ass person like me. It is my job and your job to make this a safer world for people like Nex. Until then, they are indeed fending for themselves. I vote for the least-bad candidates, contact my representatives frequently, and give to charities who help queer people; admittedly I need to do more. The relevant question isn’t what Nex should have done; they died for being. The question is what can you do such that people like Nex don’t have to fight hate groups alone?
Voting is the bare minimum participation in politics. The groups that want to exterminate queer people are well funded and highly motivated. They sure as hell do more than vote once every four years and hope for the best. Their propagandists never sleep; right now they are kicking the left’s asses in the sheer volume of propaganda they produce and its having an impact.
So your stance is essentially: “queerphobic culture exists therefore queer people should hide to be safe”?
Rather than question the legitimacy or merits of transphobia and fascism, you are placing the burden on the marginalized members to hide and just accept the unjust status quo. Just because something is the status quo does not make it right and it doesn’t make it immutable.
No one is arguing about the existence of consequences. The consequences of hate are painfully clear to everyone. We are saying instead that there ought not to be deadly consequences for being different. It’s unjust.
By your logic, African Americans should have just stayed in the back of the bus and in separate facilities. After all, they got sprayed with firehouses and killed for seeking equal treatment. Consequences amiright? Similarly, American colonists should have just bent the knee because England sent literal armies when they dared to declare independence. Oh well, they should have been aware of the consequences.
Transphobia and fascism isn’t natural law. It can and should be fought. “Aw man that’s just the way it is” is apologetic and defeatist at best.
Sure. But fighting is not a safe, one-sided activity. Sometimes you punch a fascist and sometimes the fascist punches back.
While it’s all brave and great, I still feel not absolutely great about the idea of having children fight these battles.
Then we agree that children shouldn’t have to fight these battles. Unfortunately, the “adults” in Oklahoma and many other states are either failing them or actively participating in their persecution.
I assume you’re a grown-ass person like me. It is my job and your job to make this a safer world for people like Nex. Until then, they are indeed fending for themselves. I vote for the least-bad candidates, contact my representatives frequently, and give to charities who help queer people; admittedly I need to do more. The relevant question isn’t what Nex should have done; they died for being. The question is what can you do such that people like Nex don’t have to fight hate groups alone?
I voted for Biden and this still happened. Voting literally didn’t help.
Voting is the bare minimum participation in politics. The groups that want to exterminate queer people are well funded and highly motivated. They sure as hell do more than vote once every four years and hope for the best. Their propagandists never sleep; right now they are kicking the left’s asses in the sheer volume of propaganda they produce and its having an impact.
Voting is the participation trophy of politics. Gotta actually go and do things to impact politics.