Thank you. Representation matters, aka this picture with US representatives congratulating themselves over the passage of the health care bill in the House:
It was with some trepidation that I clicked on this thread, but I could not stay away. If I could say one thing about the subjugation of one sect over another and have it truly sink into deep, deep consciousness, it is this about sexism: When women discuss casual and overt sexism (up to and including its most shocking form, rape) that we face every day, we are not attacking/damning men personally. We all use the personal to humanize our experiences, whether it is sexism, racism, or any other form of institutional control. Because of the sensitive nature of rape, it is incredibly difficult for conversations such as this not to get heated. But the broader conversation can be so fruitful if we recognize that any given act of sexism (again, up to and including rape) is very, very personal and demands respect. However, the systems of privilege that continue to allow such egregious acts are not personal. Such systems are rooted in thousands of years of subjugation that in relative time, we are only beginning to address.
