I’ve heard over and over the idea that “if you are not a person of color, then there is just no way you can challenge their experience if they feel oppressed.” This is untrue–but with a tiny grain of truth. We can’t challenge anyone’s subjective experience, but neither can they challenge ours. Each of us…
Unsolicited Advice for “Oppressed” People
A very wise man once said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” One common theme that I hear from individuals who are deemed to be in a “victim” class is that they want the benefit of the doubt. A black person walking down the street or in a store does…
Micro-Aggressions and the Problem of Fragility
The former first lady, Michelle Obama, recently weighed in on the problem of racial insensitivity, with an anecdote about what happened to her at Target. Only, the funny thing is that she told the story two different ways. In 2014, in People magazine, Ms. Obama bemoaned being asked (by a short person) for help getting…