Thread by @P_Ratchford

Long Thread. City of Vancouver staff has issued a recommendation to council that is rooted in intersectionality and encourages discrimination on the basis of identity, this is the essence of racism. #vanpoli #bcpoli #cdnpoli

council.vancouver.ca/20190424/docum…

Background. The report seeks to establish a Carbon and Equity working group and recommends using $50,000 of public funds to run workshops.

CoV’s staff also recommends the city adopt an “intersectional” approach to selecting participants for its carbon and equity working group.

The workshops, “will consist of 10–15 representatives from local community-based organizations (or their citizen designates). An intersectional approach will be used.”

Current CoV staff recommendations read, “The City will strive to ensure the group has a majority of black, Indigenous, and people of colour among participants.

If one rephrases those recommendations to read, “The City will strive to ensure the group has a majority of straight white participants” that would immediately be called out as bigoted and racist.

As it should be….

Racism is racism regardless of which group it is directed toward and irrespective of that groups perceived power level within society.

The standard definition of racism is, “prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior” is valid.

Lets loop back to the recommendation that the CoV adopt “intersectional language”.

For those unfamiliar with the term, intersectionality is a lens through which to view the world.

Intersectionality focuses on multiple different areas of potential discrimination and where they overlap with one another. It emphasizes a need to understand when they co-exist.

Ex.

One can see how it is possible to be discriminated against both on the basis of your sex and color.

One could be treated in a lesser manner both because they are a woman and also because they are a person of color.

So, what is wrong with intersectionality?

It emphasized victim groups and fails to take into account differing individual stories and personal experiences of discrimination.

Intersectionality focuses on your group identity which becomes paramount over all else.

Consider the following.

Are Obama’s daughters more victimized and less privileged than a white woman who grew up in poverty in small town Manitoba, was abused, and ultimately bounced around in the foster care system through out her childhood?

No, of course not.

Intersectionalists tend to believe that simply through membership in a group your opinions are more valuable.

Intersectionalists also tend to believe discrimination is so endemic that it matters above all else, including our personal stories. This is a flawed and corrosive way of thinking.

Drawing broad conclusions regarding people simply by membership in a group (black, indigenous, people of colour, gender non-binary, etc) and on that basis determining who has been discriminated against and/or whose opinions & voices should be valued in public is wrong.

Please join me in recommending to council.
-Participant selection in publicly funded workshops not use an “intersectional approach”.
-Individuals and their stories are the focus vrs group identity.
-Removal of "intersectional lens" language for climate actions.

Time is short.

Recommendations go to Council on April 24th at 9:30am. Find out about speaking here.

vancouver.ca/your-governmen…

Request to speak here.

vancouver.ca/your-governmen…

Alternatively, you can contact councillors directly via their email addresses which can be found at the following link.

vancouver.ca/your-governmen…

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