There was a woman at Femmeconne who insisted on seeing middle eastern women as helpless victims of their society who need to be saved by Brave Enlightened Feminists Who Know What's Best (supporting the local women's groups (who do exist!) in doing their own thing is just not as rewarding or something)
Can I use this as an example the next time someone asks me why I am anti-feminist? I know non-white, non-christian women and men who are turned away from feminism because of this attitude and my gut reaction was "Why the hell didn't anyone take her out the back and give her a fucking slapping?!?!?!"
The fact that colonialism has always painted itself as "helping the poor victims of uncivilised societies who don't know what's good for them" (and that pretty much every time a society uses this justification, it ends up oppressively and selfishly colonialist, see the "liberation" of Iraq) is something I think a lot of people don't like to admit.
Which continues today through international aid programs... I was talking to an old lecturer of mine about this, and commented "I've always been cynical of Australia's aid program, now that I've worked in it, even more so".
"Those of you who are not atheist, how do you deal with bigotry in your own religion?"
I'm going to use veganism as a belief system here, as like atheism it is based on rationality and can actually be backed up with science because my person theistic beliefs don't follow any particular doctrine (even though I'm a recovering Catholic- that guilt will always stay with you).
I have seen alot of debate/argument within the vegan community about being "culturally sensitive", some people argue that when travelling or in the home of a friend who is from a different cultural group it's ok to eat non vegan things lest you cause offence. I think that even if you are seen as being totally crazy you can still explain veganism in basic terms to people.
I've seen alot of views on things such as ritualistic animal slaughter which is framed in a racist context, rather than in a logical one (ie people from here do this and they suck inherently, rather than people who do this suck regardless of where they are from).
The other issue that comes up from time to time is people using culture/race as an excuse to eat animal products. This can be particular difficult if someone grows up with different attitudes towards animals. For example someone who is Hindu who lives in a farm in India has a totally different view on dairy and cow use/abuse than someone who grows up in urban Australia who is white and Christian. I think that this needs to be acknowledged, that there are differences not only in the way animals are used in different places but also that people come from a different understanding point to begin with.
no subject
Can I use this as an example the next time someone asks me why I am anti-feminist? I know non-white, non-christian women and men who are turned away from feminism because of this attitude and my gut reaction was "Why the hell didn't anyone take her out the back and give her a fucking slapping?!?!?!"
The fact that colonialism has always painted itself as "helping the poor victims of uncivilised societies who don't know what's good for them" (and that pretty much every time a society uses this justification, it ends up oppressively and selfishly colonialist, see the "liberation" of Iraq) is something I think a lot of people don't like to admit.
Which continues today through international aid programs... I was talking to an old lecturer of mine about this, and commented "I've always been cynical of Australia's aid program, now that I've worked in it, even more so".
"Those of you who are not atheist, how do you deal with bigotry in your own religion?"
I'm going to use veganism as a belief system here, as like atheism it is based on rationality and can actually be backed up with science because my person theistic beliefs don't follow any particular doctrine (even though I'm a recovering Catholic- that guilt will always stay with you).
I have seen alot of debate/argument within the vegan community about being "culturally sensitive", some people argue that when travelling or in the home of a friend who is from a different cultural group it's ok to eat non vegan things lest you cause offence. I think that even if you are seen as being totally crazy you can still explain veganism in basic terms to people.
I've seen alot of views on things such as ritualistic animal slaughter which is framed in a racist context, rather than in a logical one (ie people from here do this and they suck inherently, rather than people who do this suck regardless of where they are from).
The other issue that comes up from time to time is people using culture/race as an excuse to eat animal products. This can be particular difficult if someone grows up with different attitudes towards animals. For example someone who is Hindu who lives in a farm in India has a totally different view on dairy and cow use/abuse than someone who grows up in urban Australia who is white and Christian. I think that this needs to be acknowledged, that there are differences not only in the way animals are used in different places but also that people come from a different understanding point to begin with.