General Discussion

Dems to Win

(2,161 posts)

30. "Vote for me because I look like you" is what a lot of people think of

Wed Dec 14, 2016, 06:01 PM

Dec 2016

when they hear the term 'identity politics.'

Others rightly call this tokenism. As many have pointed out, I wouldn't call it a feminist victory if Sarah Palin had been elected. It's not enough to look like me, a politician has to fight for me in order to win my vote.

There was discussion of the disappointment older women felt when a lot of younger women supported Bernie in the primary. Some of the talk did take the tone of demanding that young women HAD to vote for Hillary because she's a woman. That doesn't create good results, and might be what people are reacting to when they are negative about 'identity politics.'

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

42 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Identity politics is a right-wing slur for civil rights [View all] Fast Walker 52 Dec 2016 OP

Civil rights is about equality, while identity politics is about advantages for specific groups FarCenter Dec 2016 #1

OK, so should Democrats ever use the term? Fast Walker 52 Dec 2016 #4

As a coalition including groups based on racial and gender identities, I doubt they can avoid it FarCenter Dec 2016 #5

It's always about civil or human rights for specific groups so "identity" minimizes the issues. bettyellen Dec 2016 #6

actually Identity Politics is about coalescing as a political force to get civil rights for those La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #9

right, but the question is whether the term is tainted and if there is a better term for it Fast Walker 52 Dec 2016 #18

the term is a right wing term, that the left after this election seems to have taken up La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #32

Thank you for this Uponthegears Dec 2016 #31

it's not a dig to say he did poorly with minorities. it is a fact. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #33

I kinda meant the dig at his language Uponthegears Dec 2016 #36

It was "identity politics" which gave birth to the civil rights movement.. JHan Dec 2016 #13

I personally think this is important but am wondering about the term itself-- is it tainted Fast Walker 52 Dec 2016 #19

I think that's a good analogy ... JHan Dec 2016 #21

Yep Uponthegears Dec 2016 #35

That sounds very republicanesque...I could not disagree more. Demsrule86 Dec 2016 #16

The right has framed several issues in their favor ck4829 Dec 2016 #2

While I agree the term is pejorative ymetca Dec 2016 #3

Very confusing. Doesn't the other side practice identity politics? Baitball Blogger Dec 2016 #7

While I agree that it's not an ideal term (I'd prefer "social issue politics", Bernie Sanders whathehell Dec 2016 #8

bernie sanders is not right wing but he never has had to cater to nonwhite constituents La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #10

He had to cater to non-whites in the primaries whathehell Dec 2016 #11

no, he did very poorly with non-whites. even young non-whites voted for him at much lower levels La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #12

I think that had less to do whathehell Dec 2016 #20

right. my point is that he didn't do well with minorities, and he will continue to alienate us La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #29

"and he will continue our to alienate us if whathehell Dec 2016 #37

no, it's his distancing from identity politics over all. La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #39

"his inability to tell civil rights coalitions apart from tokenism" whathehell Dec 2016 #41

Post removed Post removed Dec 2016 #25

maybe in your head, but not in real life. nt La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #27

"'cater to' nonwhite constituents?" What an insulting phrase. nt MadDAsHell Dec 2016 #15

attend to, listen to, deal with, be sensitive to: are all phrases that i can live with La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2016 #23

Is environmentalism an identity politics issue as well? jalan48 Dec 2016 #14

I like your idea. Identity politics sounds too much like "Vote for me because I look like you" yurbud Dec 2016 #17

"Vote for me because I look like you" is what a lot of people think of Dems to Win Dec 2016 #30

Identity Politics can apply to all groups regardless of race or party affiliation DemocraticSocialist8 Dec 2016 #22

K&R betsuni Dec 2016 #24

Of course it is and the ones using it that way are complicit in the alt rightining of america bravenak Dec 2016 #26

May I repeat my humble attempt at a different word? Uponthegears Dec 2016 #28

thanks-- to be clear, I am not against anything you wrote, it's just whether the words Fast Walker 52 Dec 2016 #42

Ok. David__77 Dec 2016 #34

Speak to Uponthegears Dec 2016 #38

Define, without invalidating any other viewpoint. David__77 Dec 2016 #40