'cause i —just set them up, just set them up, just set them up to knock them down

[erika]

In other news, if you like pedantic arguments about word choice, I'm arguing with someone on Tumblr over whether thin privilege and cis* privilege exist. (I'm on the "yes" side, obviously.)

Warning: I am super cranky in this! This is NOT nice arguing, especially my second response. Every so often someone's ignorance triggers in me the urge to be a giant bitch, and in this case I let it have free rein.

See my response, which directly quotes the entirety of their original post, and then their response and, of course, my response to their response.

Comments

[moonvoice]

Being favored for not being fat or for being cis gendered is not ‘special’. It’s the norm

Oh wow. Oh wow. Replace 'fat' with 'white' and you've got someone essentially saying that privilege of white people because they're the norm and 'typical' doesn't exist because it's the norm which is one of the most, I mean I can't, I can't even. I can't. I don't even know how you managed to formulate a response against so much wrongness.

Oh man, of course there is thin and cis privilege. I have respect that you were able to formulate a response. I am all for your eager vitriol! (Heh).

[erika]

Yeah, I mentioned that in my second response. I mean, I was focussing on their wrong use of the dictionary at first, and then I took a wider view and was like ... So whites can't have privilege because they're 72% of the population according to the last census? OK then!

[nimueth]

"Being favored for not being fat or for being cis gendered is not ‘special’. It’s the norm."

Aaand this is where I wanted to stuff their mouth with socks. What is normal? If we got into a debate about that, this person would latch on to its dictionary definition, and completely ignore the fact that normal is a perception and just as much of a social construct as gender roles are.

[erika]

I know! I feel like ... their equating "normal treatment" with "not being advantaged" ... doesn't make sense. If some people are treated worse, that's a disadvantage. If some people are treated better, that's an ADVANTAGE.

How words actually work: 101.

[tree]

your responses are so beautiful i want to weep!

also thanks for teaching me a new word (subreption). see, internet, learning is fun!

[erika]

I know, sometimes I think I was really mean, but most of the time I'm like "you know what, I don't give a fuck, it's not my RESPONSIBILITY to hold this person's FUCKING HAND and GENTLY MASSAGE THEM INTO A DECENT HUMAN BEING."

[tree]

so i would like that on a t-shirt. "IT'S NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY TO HOLD YOUR HAND AND GENTLY MASSAGE YOU INTO A DECENT HUMAN BEING."

also, this post about using dictionary definitions popped up on my dash this morning and i laughed because it is so relevant.

[erika]

I totally reblogged that. <3

[smw]

Isn't it a rule in dialogue (hah) about privilege that the first person to use the tone argument loses?

[panda]

If it isn't, it should be.

[erika]

As I said above, sometimes I kinda think I was really mean... BUT

Most of the time I'm like "you know what, I don't give a fuck, it's not my RESPONSIBILITY to hold this person's FUCKING HAND and GENTLY MASSAGE THEM INTO A DECENT HUMAN BEING."

[umadoshi]

That was a very satisfying takedown.

[erika]

I know! hee. I'm still self-satisfied over that.

Too bad they'd blocked me for being rude or whatever. WHATEVER. THE LURKERS AGREE WITH ME VIA EMAIL. :P

[geena]

ASDFGHJKLKJHGFDSSDFGHJK INFURIATION.

[erika]

YES BUT MY TAKEDOWN WAS SO SATISFYING

it was like "BAM"