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Are you suggesting that a closeted person has any sort of obligation to come out to (potential) bigots so that said bigots can attain a more enlightened worldvi

Are you suggesting that a closeted person has any sort of obligation to come out to (potential) bigots so that said bigots can attain a more enlightened worldview? It is not incumbent on marginalized people to teach their oppressors the errors in their ways, often at great risk to themselves.

Kalium 8y ago
I agree with your point wholeheartedly and completely. You are fully correct in every possible way, in every detail. With that said, a more charitable reading might be that the person was noting the power of representation and role models to inspire.
tjr225 8y ago
I think that's exactly what they're suggesting and it's totally absurd.
kennyadam 8y ago
Who is it that teaches the oppressors the error of their ways? I'd suggest it is actually the marginalized people. Civil rights movement is a great example.
- ahje 8y ago
  What you are suggesting is that school bullies would simply cease to be bullies when you show them the error of their ways. Alas, that's not how the World works. The only way to get to people like that is to hurt them, either physically, mentally, economically or socially. That's what we're doing as a collective by changing norms so that it's no longer considered acceptable to beat people up for being <insert whichever unique attribute you want>. Doing that will result in conflicts. Sometimes those conflicts will escalate into violent ones. As a single person it's often not viable to proceed into that territory alone, and so it's better to widthdraw from that society.
- taurath 8y ago
  Yeah, but from a place of power where they can unify and message correctly, not one from the places where people are being oppressed. When the prevailing message isn’t “oh gosh this is horrible” but “that other person got what they deserved” you’re not going to change people’s mind. For every MLK there were hundreds of lynchings. You can’t lead with no followers.

Kalium 8y ago

I agree with your point wholeheartedly and completely. You are fully correct in every possible way, in every detail. With that said, a more charitable reading might be that the person was noting the power of representation and role models to inspire.

tjr225 8y ago

I think that's exactly what they're suggesting and it's totally absurd.

kennyadam 8y ago

Who is it that teaches the oppressors the error of their ways? I'd suggest it is actually the marginalized people. Civil rights movement is a great example.

ahje 8y ago
What you are suggesting is that school bullies would simply cease to be bullies when you show them the error of their ways. Alas, that's not how the World works. The only way to get to people like that is to hurt them, either physically, mentally, economically or socially. That's what we're doing as a collective by changing norms so that it's no longer considered acceptable to beat people up for being <insert whichever unique attribute you want>. Doing that will result in conflicts. Sometimes those conflicts will escalate into violent ones. As a single person it's often not viable to proceed into that territory alone, and so it's better to widthdraw from that society.
taurath 8y ago
Yeah, but from a place of power where they can unify and message correctly, not one from the places where people are being oppressed. When the prevailing message isn’t “oh gosh this is horrible” but “that other person got what they deserved” you’re not going to change people’s mind. For every MLK there were hundreds of lynchings. You can’t lead with no followers.