Thread by @queersocialism

and this is where the discourse has been stagnant for a few years now. first of all, this analysis is categorically insufficient/incorrect/anti-black.

but, this is where “privilege” & “intersectionality” (devoid of an ideology, as joy james talks about) discourse has led us, lol

https://twitter.com/queersocialism/status/1383117331732312065

you have people claiming (x) group has “privilege” & “benefits” from (x) structural oppression, and what happens is instead of interrogating the fact these colonial structures of power exist & how to eradicate them; you’re having endless insufficient debates about the semantics.

these liberal analyses of “privilege” have been trying to force people who are allegedly in-proximity to power to “acknowledge their privilege” and it has failed!

it has not challenged power, saved a life, fed any empty stomach’s—but the language is in everyone’s lexicon!

and yet, best believe there’s a multi-million dollar post-intersectionality economy with individuals getting rich telling you to “acknowledge your privilege!” and “how to be intersectional!” 😭 goodbyeeeeeeeeeeee

and i would argue most people in positions of “””privilege””” don’t actually materially benefit, in a way that’s easily recognizable, from said “””privilege”””—which is why the analysis is insufficient because people know if they “benefit,” then why isn’t it paying their rent?

why aren’t these “benefits” stopping them from being victimized by racialized state violence? or, incarceration? why isn’t it feeding their kids’ empty stomach? why are they still experiencing labor alienation and exploitation? etc. etc.

when the fact of the matter is, it really doesn’t matter if you do or don’t “benefit” from these colonial structures of power—b/c a lot of us are ideologically invested in it in one way or another—even if we don’t benefit, which is harming/killing ourselves and others.

so how do we ground ourselves in a politic where we are divesting from these, again, colonial/capitalist/imperialist/patriarchal systems of power? seems like such a far more fruitful way of approaching these struggles assuming your goal is actually liberation ofc. lol idk, tho.