General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why Reverse Racism Isn't Real [View all]Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)Bigotry is not exclusive of institutional and societal elements. To say 'bigotry is when it is personal, racism means institutional' denies the institutional oppression of LGBT people which is a result of bigotry.
The language we seek to make must be always more inclusive, not constantly constricted to exclude some minority groups. If you take away the words used to describe injustice, you take the ability to fight that injustice.
I am subject to societal, institutional discrimination which is not based upon race. That's a fact. Millions of people are in the same shoes I'm in. Millions of those are also People of Color. This presents a terminology challenge. Perhaps the discussion would be best left to lesbians of color as they are the group that gets the trifecta of racism, sexism and homophobia.
Part of this is that homophobia is a flawed term. I think that homophobia describes a reason for anti gay prejudice but not the thing itself. But we are sort of stuck with it for now, so I use it in the way most people understand it. What can you do? Not talk about it? Be constantly confusing to the poor straights who are often trying really hard to understand and to evolve? I just use homophobia or anti gay bigotry which is more accurate but also clunky, and of course if 'bigotry' comes to mean 'not institutional' then it becomes a word that is inapplicable to anti gay animus and actions. Leaving us with homophobia or long phrases that hinder communication.
It is a very interesting area of discussion, that's for sure.