#white privilege and male privilege and cis privilege and financial privilege

[thegiftofgabes]

The Gift of Dice - Intro Post

I am Gabriel Caetano (they/them), and I am a queer, Latine parent, TRPG creator, audio producer, and game facilitator (aka GM) from Brazil.

Roleplaying Games

I make tabletop Roleplaying Games, as well as TTRPG-adjacent experiences.

I like fantasy, science fantasy, and weird fantasy the most and I have been more and more invested in looking at games as enablers of social experimentation and questioning.

I like to say that every game I make is a product of excellent taste and developing skill.

You can find my games at https://thegiftofdice.itch.io/

Indie Games Facilitator for Hire

I run and facilitate (aka GM) roleplaying games as a gig.

I have over 100 session under my belt, and growing, and a large catalogue of indie, alternative games to facilitate for players anywhere out there in the world, including Masks, Thirsty Sword Lesbians, Nibiru, Apocalypse Keys, Noctis Labyrinth, Troika!, Blades in the Dark, CBR+PNK, and many more.

You can browse through the dates I setup, or make a custom request.

Politics and Ethics

All TTRPG content has a price tag, except when I think it shouldn't, and all of them should have alternate methods of access for anyone who does not enjoy the privilege of earning dollars, euros, pounds, and other hegemon currencies.

Yet, non-white people, non-het, and non cis-male people anywhere who cannot afford to buy anything I make without putting their safety and well-being financially are welcome to get my stuff for free, one way or another.

I also offer seats for free or at a greatly reduced fee to people in the Global South, where the dollar exchange would make access to my game sessions absolutely crushing.

None of the content I create is compatible with Hasbro or Paizo products, or products by any company or individual that shares their ethics and predatory approach to industrializing an art form, on principle.

Additionally I do not use or rely on artificially generated content to create my games or run my sessions.

Game Design Principles

I've come across this game design manifesto and I've decided to adopt it for my own game design as best as I can and let it evolve as I grow as a game designer and writer.

against coercion: a game design manifesto by JPLeBreton

let players wonder about things and trust them to find answers;

connect players with patterns they find intrinsically fulfilling;

never treat a number going up as an inherently positive or meaningful even;

teach respect for the autonomy and boundaries of all things;

posit alternatives to fantasies of accumulation and extraction;

do not think of emotional responses as something you extract from players;

produce and distribute ethically;

aspire to more than escape.

Whether I'll succeed or fail at following these principles, or even how they will evolve over time, all I can say is let's play to find out.

Kindly, Gabriel Caetano

[rebirthgarments]

Support @hibiscusly and my friend @se3raj.0 and the families around him to have a chance to get a free Custom Vinyl pro test Banner! Go to bit.ly/serajfund to support!

By supporting Seraj’s GFM, you get a chance to get a custom wearable vinyl protest banner made for you that you can attach to yourself or your mobility device, use at pro tests, hang up in your window, hang up in your workplace, there are so many options! You can co-design the banner with me- I can make something pretty exact from a drawing, or just tell me what elements you would like / things you would like it to say and I can design it! Your banner can talk about multiple types of liberation struggles since our liberation is interconnected! Banner can be up to 4 feet wide!

I do sliding scale entries, check out the great sliding scale guidelines graphic from @Chiara.Acu :

$20 an en-tree for those who can

$10 an en-tree for those in the middle

$5 or less an en-tree for those who are low income

So for example if you are employed and have access to healthcare but stress about some basic needs but are still able to meet them, send $10 for every en-tree.

For those of you who cannot contribute financially, I would also accept these other options:

-contribute art, goods or services to Seraj’s Support Soiree at bit.ly/fundraiserforseraj

-your commitment to post 4 days in a row about Seraj on your social media as 1 entry, or if someone financially supports on your behalf! Send me screenshots as proof!

Unlimited entries!

You can send proof of support through the @RebirthGarments IG or our Tumblr ( rebirthgarments.tumblr.com ) , and you will be contacted through whichever platform you contact us on! This rahffle is open till April 2!

[Image descriptions:

Photo 1:

Sky holding up a silver holographic banner with the queercrips for pal-is-time graphic in red, black, green and white. Sky is wearing a turquoise and purples scalemaille headpiece, purple holographic disco jumpsuit, pink laser cut queercrip symbol earrings, a @FloMaskUSA mask with Rebirth Garments custom fabric covering the filter and a black and white scarf with olive leaves and net pattern. They are standing in front of a white cubes tile wall.

Graphic 2: a text graphic by @Chiara.Acu titled:

“Sliding Scale Guidelines

Full Price Or Higher End Of Sliding Scale ($25)

(Multiple Of The Following Apply To Me)

• I can comfortably meet all my basic needs like food, housing, and transportation

• lown my home or rent a high-end apartment

• I am employed or don't need to work to meet my needs

• I have regular access to healthcare

• I have regular access to financial savings

• I have an expendable income for eating out, coffee to go, movies, books, and new technology

• I might have some debt, but it does not prevent meeting my needs

• I can take time off for vacation

• I can travel for fun

• I have family wealth and have benefitted from family support throughout my life (my family/parents pay or have paid for part of rent, phone, healthcare, etc)

• I benefit from institutional support and social privilege because of aspects of my identity (multiple of the following identities describe me: white, male, cis, straight, able-bodied, neuro-normative, US-born)

Middle Of Sliding Scale ($10)

(Multiple Of The Following Apply To Me)

• I may stress about basic needs like food, housing, and transportation at times, but I am still able to meet them

• I am employed

• I have access to healthcare

• I have access to adequate housing

• I might have access to financial savings

• I have some expendable income for eating out, coffee to go, movies, books, and new technology

• I can take a vacation every year without significant financial burden

• I have some family support or have benefitted from family support throughout my life (my family/parents pay for part of rent/phone/healthcare etc)

• I fall somewhere in the middle of the social matrix - For example, I may be white and trans, or a middle-class able-bodied person of color”

“Low End Of Sliding Scale ($5 Or Under)

(Multiple Of The Following Apply To Me)

• I frequently stress about my basic needs like food, housing, and transportation and don't always meet them

• I have debt, and it sometimes prevents me from meeting my basic needs

• I rent lower-end apt or have unstable housing

• I am unemployed or underemployed

• I qualify for government assistance like food stamps and medicaid

• I have no access to savings

• I have no or very limited expendable income, and I cannot afford eating out, coffee to go, movies, books, and new technology

• I cannot afford a vacation or have the ability to take time off without significant financial burden

• I do not have family wealth

• I sometimes have to support family members or other dependents

• I do not benefit from institutional support and social privilege because of multiple aspects of my identity (multiple of the following identities describe me: Person of color, female, trans, queer, disabled, neurodivergent, immigrant, undocumented or refugee)”

End image description ]

[runthepockets]

The thing about male privilege is that even though it provides you a lot of security that definitely helps in ways that non-males are barred from is that it's not all glitz and glamor. Yeah, a lot of rich white (cis) guys run the world and are very scary and powerful, but that's a very small percent of the population and they do very, very little for the common man as far as morale or finances go, unless he's like, a cryptobro (and even then....shit dude, I can't blame a guy for doing whatever he feels like he needs to do to keep his kids fed and never work again, having a job sucks dick. Being a provider in this economy, too? Fucking forget it).

The most male privilege gets the rest of us is like, managerial positions at 7/11, or the baggage handler department at the airport. And don't get me wrong I think we should be giving women positions of authority and higher pay just as often as guys do, but for the time being this is the world we live in. If you look like a dude, you get treated like one. I'm baffled by trans guys who argue back against this stuff and whine about how they "never asked for male privilege". It just is what it is. We have a level of sexual, financial, and social primacy over non-males. It's unavoidable. There are a lot of things I can do that a lot of my female friends-- cis and trans, black and white and latina and asian-- just can't. It doesn't mean you're gonna become a rapist or an abuser overnight, it doesn't disregard your personal hardships or your trauma with the medical industry and homophobic bullying or whatever, and it's not an immutable curse that makes you less of a feminist or an inherent danger to women. It just is what it is.

[thewanderingelk]

What is Privilege?

The resistance that I have been met with the most when attempting to discuss privilege of any kind, is people insisting that they simply do not have it. I believe this comes from a misunderstanding of what is actually meant when we talk about privilege.

The kind of privilege we discuss when talking about white privilege, male privilege, straight privilege, etc, is different then the kind of privilege you might think of when you hear the word. We're not talking about the billionaire, or the guy you know who gets everything he wants. The privilege we're talking about is different. Hidden. Almost impossible to see unless you actively search for it. And that's the way the system has designed this privilege to be.

So, what do I mean when I say "privilege"?

When someone says "white privilege", it refers to the ways that the system intentionally makes life easier for those who are white, and more difficult for those who are of color. White privilege means that a white person is less likely to be wrongfully murdered by police. White privilege means that a white person can usually walk into a classroom and not be afraid that they will be the only person of their race. White privilege means that a white person doesn't have to worry about being denied a job simply for the color of their skin.

This kind of privilege applies to anyone who is part of a majority. A straight person is less likely to have to worry about being attacked on the street for their sexuality like a Gay person does. A man is less likely to have to worry about being violated like a woman does. An able-bodied person is less likely to have to worry about accessibility like a disabled person does.

It's important to note that lacking privilege in one area, doesn't mean that you don't have privilege in another. For example, while I don't have straight, cis, or able-bodied privilege, I do have white male privilege.

How can privilege be used to help others?

Privilege can be seen as an inherently bad thing. After all, it elevates us and gives us an advantage over others, even if we don't necessarily "deserve" that advantage. With the wrong people, privilege can cause even more harm then it might otherwise.

So is there a way to use your privilege to help others? Absolutely!

Here's an example:

Black people are, unfortunately, less likely to be taken seriously by and more likely to receive anger from white people when talking about racism. As a white person, I have the privilege of being taken more seriously by other white people. Therefore, I can use my white privilege to speak up about racism in ways that people of color might not be able too.

Another example is this: As a Transgender person, I do not have cisgender privilege. When I discuss the issues that Trans people face, I am often met with hostility and accusations of being "delusional" or of "grooming kids". A cisgender person can speak up on behalf of Trans people and is more likely to have a neutral or even positive interaction.

Not to mention, having to constantly battle for our rights is exhausting. Having an ally who can stand up and do some of the work for us means a lot and can make a huge difference in our lives and wellbeing!

Ways you might be able to use your privilege for good causes include:

- Speaking up in support of people who don't share your privilege

- Financially supporting minority-lead businesses or organizations (marginalized people often don't receive the same amount of business or funding as non-marginalized people)

- Educating your friends and family about the issues faced by people who don't share your privilege

- Encouraging others to support those who don't share their privilege

- Centering the voices of those who don't share your privilege by reading or watching their media, sharing their media and social media posts, and voting for them in politics (if that person aligns with your values).

Well, that's all I have for now. I apologize that this post is so long, but I hope it helps bring you more understanding of what privilege is and how it can be used to make the world better for others! Thank you for reading, and have a great day\night.

P.S: If you have any corrections or things to contribute to this post, please let me know and I will update it!

[transmascyatta]

despite me not liking you much based on your takes i'm going to try to genuinely explain what i further mean in good faith

forgotten more so refers to being purposely excluded in arguments that claim trans men have the same privilege as cis men. this statement assumes that the mentioned trans men all pass as cis men. this excludes trans men who cannot pass for various reasons such as financial or living in an area without access to gender affirming care, but also those who do not want to pass.

generalizing statements like "trans men have male privilege" do not make sense and are used to further a divide in the trans community when we should be focused on solidarity

(not to mention how "male privilege" usually refers to "white male privilege". further alienating trans men of colour in these statements)

transandrophobes seem to constantly forget that gnc and feminine trans men & mascs exist?? what about those of us who don’t want to pass. masc trans women exist, fem trans men exist and we are holding hands and frolicking in the fields together

(while it is true some of us can’t pass for a big variety of reasons, that is not what this post is about)

[torque-witch]

I don’t know if even like 4 people see my posts anymore

But ya know like being chronically ill and attempting to sell art and run an Instagram, having to use TikTok to make videos because instagrams algorithm says u have to post videos plus managing auctions every weekend and trying to post everywhere in order to make money and trying to appear normal and functional and not like u maybe showered MAYBE twice in a week plus eating??? Pushing through fatigue and sore joints and nausea and

Some nights u just feel like tomorrow it ends. I’m all done. It’s too much I’m gonna go back to retail and work myself into physical and mental deterioration

But then someone is like

Bitch your work is exquisite. I’ve got this giant ass Mother Mary framed BITCH i want you to murder out and I’m gonna tell all my pagan friends and while you’re at it?! I want you to paint Baba Yaga for me too you’re amazing

And I remember that I have value.

Is it value in a capitalist sense? I mean no. People have told me many times that art is not financially sustainable and do you want this job? I have this job for you. No it doesn’t accommodate disabled people, but!!! You’ll have a real job!

But I can bring people joy and people believe in me simply because I create and they get excited about my work and that! That’s what I need right now after living in the hell that is right-wing central: PA automotive shops - for six years!!! Interacting only with cis straight white republican god-fearing males as my superiors! My peers! My customers! Who laugh openly about my beliefs and my identity and who actively wish me death or illness by medical negligence and say that being disabled is shameful!!!

And to pay my bills off of literal sacrilegious art??? And my MOM compliments me??

Bro just tell your artists. Your musicians. Your barista. Your fav person. That they make u happy.

Idk if I can do this forever but it is healing. I don’t physically feel good and I’m not perfect or fast or super popular but it is healing. I can start to believe in me and reframe my worth and explore talent.

Is this a privileged post? Perhaps. Is this also a pandemic in which I chose to prioritize my health and not my financial status? Yes. Except for that capitalism still exists and I have to participate in it in order to not lose all of my property!!!! Otherwise yes. I would be sleeping all day.

Anyways do I feel like a failure? Yes. Do I also feel vindicated in so many ways this year? Yes. I’m doing what I can and it means something to other people and that! Makes it worth getting up again tomorrow.

[cloveroctobers]

YASMIN DOUGLAS—

IG info/Bio: @/imyasmin_d | 11.6k followers | hello & ahlan 🎶

23-24 years old depending on her birthday (I’m thinking too much about timelines since i know some shows aren’t live and if they filmed it prior & it’s just being shown to us now...then there’s the boat party that comes in after, you get what I’m saying right? No? Okay)

Moroccan heritage

she was born in fes along with her baba

Father works in the carpet & rug manufacturing industry and worked in his father’s business from the young age of 16

her mother is from Essaouira & has often stated that she couldn’t stand Yasmin’s father the first time they met but she wouldn’t want to travel through this life with anyone else

Her father and mother came from two different lifestyles. All he knew how to do was hard work yet he had a sarcastic but playful side to him whereas her mom came from a family that was more financially stable & she was free to do whatever! mainly hanging at the beach with her friends without a care in the world, she was privileged and a little uppity while her father’s life seemed to be planned out from the day of his birth

Yet they still fell in love and decided to leave Morocco months after they got married at 21 & 24 & not too long after they had yas they left for England

She was raised in Kent, England

The Atmosphere led to her boho lifestyle...being exposed to castles, gardens, and underground tunnels from time to time shaped her into what she felt she was meant to be. She loved her second home

they call her “yazzy”

Parents follow islam...Which Yasmin respects but is not strongly devoted to

Can speak & write in Arabic but seems to do better in writing

Her paternal grandparents fault her parents for not teaching her to excel at both & feel that if they weren’t in such a rush to leave home she would speak Arabic better

Which made Yasmin feel like shit. Her paternal grandparents were strict on keeping their customs alive whereas her maternal grandparents were carefree as long as they got to see their granddaughter alive & well that was good enough for them

Idk maybe a only child or has a older brother? I don’t feel like she comes from a big family sibling wise

her mother made her a stuffed purple sheep that she took everywhere with her as a kid & continues to keep close to her. Y’all had imaginary friends? Well Yasmin had a real friend she could see & squeeze the life out that didn’t require talking and hugging the air, but that’s fine do u

100% collects beanie babies until this day but lil yamb is the number one princess in her household

As her significant other you have to be okay with lil yamb sleeping in between y’all that’s just the way it is

These stuffed babies are her comfort when no else can be

she’s a singer/songwriter. Went to uni for it & finished a semester early

Went through multiple hell experiences when it came to interning & temping while still in school & after

Let’s just say she wasn’t down to f*ck her way to the top

this made her anxiety act up, these people made her feel like she wouldn’t be good enough to show the world her craft & it’s didn’t have to be the world, just someone who would listen

But she couldn’t give up, there was nothing else she saw herself doing. She knew this is what she was meant to do but she couldn’t lie and say that her insecurities didn’t get the best of her most days

Although the cons seemed to out way the Pros some days, she kept at it & found herself a solid team that knew what she was about and understood her soul

Was definitely the student who loved all her English classes & when she spoke up everyone found it shocking since she preferred to just write everything out rather than “participate in group discussions”

I feel like her singing voice sounds similar to Jessica mauboy’s (if you don’t know who that is & you’re a fan of r&b/pop check her out or if you’re just curious that works too lol)

Knows her music notes like the back of her hand, duh!

Fav color is royal blue, especially on her eyelids & nails

Occasionally sleeps in rollers to keep her hair wavy

Needs her space when it comes to disagreements, they stress her out & she panics a bit when things go wrong so she feels like she needs to leave the situation rather than talk it out right then and there

She’ll talk when she’s ready, she just needs someone that’s a little patient with her that’s all

Words of affirmation is her love language? When she figures out how to balance her love life with her work life that is. When she’s feeling confident she’s smooth with words but when she needs to show you how much you mean to her & she really takes the time to think it out & feel her emotions, she’s writing you a song or you’re the inspiration to it or a poem, leaving you little love notes on blue post-it’s around the house, will write 50 reasons why she loves you on Valentine’s Day, and will say so when it’s just the two of you in your own comfort

Isn’t too crazy about public displays of affection but will deff hold your hand if that’s something you or she wanted in that moment

I think she’s fluid

Hasn’t been in many relationships. Sure she goes on tour every other year and gets to meet many people but they’re not solid relationships, they’re hookups and she hasn’t done many of those either

Had maybe one or two solid relationships: a androgynous woman that uses she/they pronouns & was in a rock band & a cis male she met at a tattoo parlor his step-brother owned (he kinda favored seb but we’re not going to speak on that)

I believe she wants to get married someday but isn’t so keen on the idea of kids. The furthest she’ll go is adopting a couple of animals. She’ll be a pet mom! I feel like she’ll be anxious looking after the life of a human being when it’s extremely hard to do so not only for herself and the love of her life & you want to add kids to the mix?! Fucking hell! but that could change? Who knows what life can throw at u

Has a hedgehog named Sonia that she drops off at her parents for their weekly sleepovers

Loves lace—mostly bralettes & crotchet clothing

I see her as a corduroy girl too. She has at least some rusty brown low-rise corduroy pants or/and a jacket

owns a crotchet kit, she’s bloody good at it too

Loved pink & purple (still likes them, they’re her 2nd & 3rd fav colors) so much as a kid that she tried to dye her hair half & half while her parents went out on their date night...it was also the weekend before school pictures :)

Says she got her inspiration from starfire & raven. She was only 13 at the time & had braces. Her father approved saying she’s a kid and she should be allowed to express herself. He only said that because his own parents barely let him & his brothers have their own fun

Her mother thought it was atrocious and did her best to get it out with the help of her other hair stylists friends (her mother worked in plenty of beauty shops once she got to England, until she decided to convert their basement into her own shop) who she invited over to see what her daughter had done but when you use certain permanent dyes...

It didn’t completely damage yasmin’s hair plus it was just hair, Yasmin didn’t see the big deal. She thought she looked splendid

Anyway, massive fan of ballroom dancing

She’s got a great ear to begin with so it was extremely fun twirling around while wearing pretty ballroom gowns

Took boring etiquette classes as a form of punishment? After the whole teen Titans inspiration thing “went wrong”

Enjoys western films

yes she owns a cowgirl hat & some boots too so sue her, she likes what she likes

Knows how to lasso but hates doing it to animals but she’ll do it to you :) (*gags* lmao why???)

Also loves visiting western towns & learning some history or at least experiencing what it was like

Type of significant other that will do her best to persuade you to stay in a treehouse airbnb, a cabin, the fucking Idaho potato, or camping out in her Volkswagen van in the middle of nowhere!

Has faux cow rugs, wicker baskets, wicker chairs in her flat, hangs some plants in glass jars & bottles all over her house

Her flat is very bright & vibrant: white, mocha brown, tan, yellows, & pastel purple

When it comes to decision making, she’ll make them pretty quick but only if it comes to choosing desserts

nobody is touching her mom’s meskouta orange cake WITH syrup

the dessert eater that always picks the one that has a surprise inside, meaning it has to ooze out with SOMETHING to make it 10x more satisfying

Leaning towards Buddhism, had studied some of their beliefs and found it resonates with her spirit

Fan of neon lights, probably has a few neon signs in her flat preferably on her brick wall in the loo, “to give u comfort as you go!” “that...actually makes sense.” Tai commented as he rubbed his chin coming to terms with yasmin’s reply. While Iona scowls, “no, no it doesn’t. I feel as if it’s an invasion of my bits!” “...Sorry you feel that way.”

tai & ciaran are automatically deemed as her brothers since she came into the villa with them. She had time to connect with them unlike anyone else. It was just the way the stars wrote their story and it showed outside of the villa too. they often crash at her place all the time when they’re in town & vacation all the time together when their schedules line up + it never feels like she’s third wheeling

“TaiTower” & “BB-Ci” are their names in her phone, Tai picked his own name while the “bb” stands for “best buds” for ciaran —which is a joke since he drunkly called himself so + he loves everyone when he’s drunk

You can always count on her to belt the lyrics to a Chaka Khan, TLC, or paula abdul joint when she’s drunk lol

As for the girls? She’s close with miki 😒 they just seem to be on the same wavelength when it comes to the pressure of the media since they have some sort of fame which increased with them being on the Telly. They bond over that & from there they’ve built a solid friendship

She could also be friends with AJ too (if you didn’t get swiped from her that is lmao!) they’re sorta opposites with aj being high energy/active while Yasmin is more mellow & “mysterious” but seem to connect in different ways: their sexual indentities, insecurities/anxieties, having something to be passionate about but at the same time maybe not? She might lean towards elladine or Genevieve if she had to make a choice?

Aquarius sun + cancer moon

so she’s still 23 y’all, I got it! I can’t do math sorry

“Freddie Mercury was probably my dad in my past life.”

Can play the banjo, guitar, & oud

Participates in hot yoga weekly

If she’s not with mc in the end and continues dating around if anyone from season two: LUCAS, Kassam, Gary, Rocco, maybe Blake? I originally thought Elisa but she’s probably too much for yas let’s be honest here lol they’d be better off as friends

Omg I forgot marisol! Imagine that?! Whew!!!

Season three: maybe Lily? But what if? Me being the slightly messy bitch that I am? Something happening with her & AJ. Now that?! Would be some chaotic shit “from the outside looks of it” name the irrelevant person behind the quote...now!

I’d like to see her interact with allerga but there could be something with her & cherry. I’m thinking cherry, Yasmin, & priya would bond well but we’re not here to talk about that

Getting rid of the physical aspect I genuinely think she’d do well with marisol, Lucas, or kassam. They’d mesh well I think in a relationship

She’s a body shimmer girl for sure!

Loves silk or satin robes

she’s a shortie, 5’2 to 5’5

Is learning Spanish

Loves arcade games, come see her in pinball & Pac-Man!

Quarantine life did not change her lifestyle much, but it did slightly mess with her mental health :/

loves the fall time, feels like she can slow down some and really spend time with family and friends

I feel like she has one best friend outside of the villa & that’s good enough for her!

They met their first year in uni & been close ever since

She doesn’t speak to the temporary friends she grew up with anymore & is often confused why they feel the need to keep up with her in the media which added more annoying worries to her heart but whatever right? Keep your eyes on the horizon

celebs she finds/found attractive: Aaliyah—especially when she played in queen of the damned, Kehlani, Zazie Beetz, Fivel & Booboo Stewart, Lakeith stanfield, Leah Lewis, Sofia Carson, Ryan gosling, & Nick Jonas

She listens to: jade bird, Yebba, Elli Ingram, Wafia, Zeina, Summer walker, Tanerèlle, Mariah the scientist, Teyana Taylor, Tove Lo, lady Gaga, Ra Ra Riot, Empire of the sun, & smallpools

Anthem? Diana Gordon — Rollin’

[platypus-mcslothman]

A conservative member has just claimed that anyone using the term ‘white privilege’ should be reported to counter terrorism officials… that’s not a dog whistle, that’s a fog horn.

I can confirm as a white, cis male, white privilege does certainly exist. You only need a little bit of time discussing common day practices with a diverse group of people to see this. Or even just look at basic statistics for a second. Heck, I’d go stronger and say I do not just have white privilege, I have cis and male privilege, I have heterosexual privilege, and I have class privilege. If you cannot admit that there is a privilege to being born into a financially stable family comprised of a demographic majority, which the state caters to and legislates in favour of, then you need to spend a little more time practising empathy.

Anyone claiming ‘white privilege’ is terrorist jargon is either uninformed or worse (in the case of this politician for example) a racist who doesn’t want discussion of race related issues or solutions. It’s why Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela were accused of being terrorists (or jargon along the same lines of terrorist).

Source:

https://apple.news/AMlX45iO6QOis3xracQ9eEA

[firelord-frowny]

Basically, if you belong to any ~privileged~ groups, you have a responsibility to constantly consider yourself capable of contributing to the oppression of marginalized groups.

Straight and/or cis people need to constantly consider ways they may contribute to oppression or mistreatment of lgbt+ peeps.

White folks need to constantly consider ways they may be facilitating white supremacy and/or oppression of people of color. 

Wealthy or even just financially comfortable people need to make sure not to be dicks to poor and working class people. 

Men need to be on constant guard that they don’t use their maleness as a weapon against women and that they treat women with all the same dignity and respect and consideration that they’d give to another man. 

Literally, having been indoctrinated by all the terrible -isms and -phobias that are pushed onto all of us does not make you a bad person. But refusing to go out of your way to unlearn and undo it kinda does. 

[jovialtorchlight]

As a white, cis gender male living in a place of privilege, I recognize that my financial support—paying into bail fundraisers, donating to BLM—is one of the main ways I can contribute to the movement, on top of amplifying black voices.

I am not in a financial place to do so.

I do, however, make money selling creative works, and I know many talented people who do the same. So for the immediate future, I am pledging to donate any profits I make from my writing to benefit organizations that desperately need support in this pivotal moment.

I know I have friends in the same place—writers, artists, craftspeople. Please consider doing the same. Use your platforms and voices to directly contribute to the movement as much as you are able.

[sad-sad-times]

Being white doesnt mean you have no problems, it just means your skin colour isnt causing them

Being straight doesnt mean you have no problems, it just means your sexuality isnt causing them

Being cis doesnt mean you have no problems, it just means your gender identity isnt causing them

Being male doesnt mean you have no problems, it just means sexism isnt causing them

Being able bodied doesnt mean you have no problems, it just means disability isnt causing them

Being born into a wealthy family doesnt mean you have no problems, it just means financial instability isnt causing them

Being a straight, white, cishet, able bodied, rich man doesn't mean your life is problem free - but you are at an advantage in this society, and it is your job to use that privilege to help those less fortunate. It is your job to stand up and recognize that you get treated better than other people because of your skin colour, sexuality, gender, etc. Your life might not be perfect - but you aren't set up to fail like other people.

[camxreed]

★ ━  ( ross butler,   cis-male,   he/him )  ━ ★   just to be clear, ya didn’t get this information from me.   The person you’re lookin’ for is   CAMERON KAO LIANG REED.  also known just as    CAM.    Last I heard they were born on  MAY 17TH, 1990   in    NORWICH, VERMONT,   but he’s been livin’ in  THE NORTHWEST DISTRICT,    for about    TWO YEARS.    Word around the districts is, this cat,   CAM  can be    STUBBORN,   UNCOMPROMISING,   &   POSSESSIVE,   but i gotta tell, ya, alls I seen is good things, like the fact that he’s   PATIENT,   GENEROUS,    &   RELIABLE.   I guess that depends on how well ya know ‘em, though.   the last thing ya need to know is that he is currently a   GRADUATE STUDENT. I don’t know much about what that’s all about but I do know that’s all I can tell ya the rest you gotta find out on ya, own.    ━     ( ooc:  nadia,   est,   28,   she/her )

Hello everyone! My name is Nadia and I’m super excited to write with everyone. I haven’t been a part of a game in like a year or two but I saw this game and this character just came to me so I had to join! If you ever want to reach out, my discord is tristranthorne#0645 and I’m usually on even when I’m supposed to be working but shhh don’t tell my boss. I wanted to do a rundown below about this sweet pan doofus because I have so much muse for him even after writing a crazy long bio and doing the character questions post. 

Okay so Cam’s birthday is May 17th, 1990 (which is also Ross Butler’s birthday, I was being lazy), which makes him a Taurus so like v loyal, v disciplined, v stubborn 

His dad is white and his mom is Chinese Malaysian and he grew up in Vermont which is like 95% white and rich 

His dad’s a professor at Dartmouth and his mom is an established artist so he basically grew up rich and popular and so he didn’t have troubles growing up 

It was during college when he finally started learning that he was privileged and blessed and that not all people were like that and it really messed up his world view 

It was also during his formative years that he started to realize that he was pansexual which goes against the expectations his parents have for him and he is still not out to his parents at all 

He came to Portland to run away from his problems to go to school and is currently a grad student who is going to graduate this upcoming school year 

His parents pay for everything which is another reason he hasn’t come out because he is scared he’ll lose their financial support

He is usually the tallest guy in a room (at 6′3) and as a cat named Pepperoni 

Connections - 

Friends - Please give him friends. Give him nice friends, give him friends who give him shit, friends.. friendship.. please 

Romantic - I don’t feel that he has been dating but I can see him having hook ups and one night stands. Could possibly be a one night stand or a Tinder date? He’ll say that he’s too busy studying to really “date” but he’s an idiot so. 

School/Work - Okay so Cam goes to Lewis and Clark but currently is in his third year of school where he needs to do a year long internship in a public school setting. I have him interning at the elementary school and high school so if your character is a teacher, then that could be a great interaction. He is studying to be a school psychologist, so if you are a psychologist, that works too! He’ll basically be around the school so interactions there work. 

Neighbors - He lives in the Northwest district so he’s bound to have neighbors. Maybe they bond over shitty landlords... or Pepperoni getting loose. Idk, I don’t talk to my neighbors. 

These are just some ideas that came to my head but I’m always down for brainstorming and plotting so please feel free to reach out!! 

[idealuk]

I'm a relatively new Shameless fan but I gotta say I'm impressed at how Cameron managed to have Noel and Gallavich return as requirement for his own come back. I'd be concerned at the writers screwing them up again but the fact he only agreed to come back on those conditions gives me some comfort as he surely wouldn't have agreed if they weren't gonna make it a good story? He's got them eating out the palm of his hand right now!

This newly insightful Nony is clearly referencing posts like this one that I’ve made which you should read if you’ve also had concerns about how the hallowed return of Gallavich is going to be handled in Season 10. Cam has been a star in front (he did not act to heavy-handedly manufacture chemistry with other love interests for Ian, it just was not there (my start-to-finish thoughts on Elliot Fletcher’s character are in the precedent links), and I personally think that he viewed it as being further disrespectful to avid fans of the show - Gallavich shippers - to force it when his and Noel’s dynamic had always been so organic), and behind the scenes, in this attempt to rehabilitate the mishandling of his character and what would be the provisional descent of that relationship, and he and Noel have always been true allies to those of us actually in the queer community, but, again, it should be noted that Emmy left certain power and financial shifts in her wake after finally winning in opposition to T.P.T.B. for parity with Bill Macy (see the linked post at the top of this for background information on that) that Cam was all too right and eager to take advantage of, and with a particular ease due to his cis white male privilege. I do not say that last part as a slight against Cam, but against the television dragon known as John Wells, and his general bigoted perceptions. This Nony is right, Cam seemingly has John, and his “Shameless (US)” writing staff, bent to his auspiciously righteous will, and, therefore, we, those whom have also have held the dragon’s feet to his own fire throughout the years (for when you want to go down a rabbit hole of my own personal endeavours) and newbies alike, should have hope for what’s to come, but we cannot forget that, with out Emmy being triumphant, and departing a season later, regardless, Noel’s unquestionable consistent dedication to the characterization of Mickey Milkovich (not that it’s particularly an outlier for actors on this show with their own characters), and despite the fact that there’s insurmountable evidence that most of the writers took the opposite of Noel’s approach to that characterization, we probably wouldn’t be on this precipice, so there’s high-sodium gratitude to be had on multiple fronts.

… Also, I’m coincidentally currently watching Trevor Noah break down the status of “Felicity Huffman’s” (it’s both of theirs - it’s just her name on the cheque) trial drama in last night’s (Monday’s) episode of “The Daily Show,” and, with hubby making more money than - not just other cast members in general - but ones who have been asked to deliver more notes, dimensions, and/or screen time with their characters being what started all of this, more bad press from an ‘Ameritocracy’ standpoint is the last thing that this show needs right now, or ever, given the overall focus of the show.

… Dare I say it? Even the show with the greatest downfall can make a comeback, and here’s a little shameless self-promotion of what I’d like to see in that upswing, but, honestly, I won’t be truly happy until they bring Svet back in to the fold by having Mickey and Ian rocking up to that mansion and demanding shared custody of their son, which is not some thing that I’ll hold my breath on, despite my newly found optimism.

😭😭😭

… Shut up, Adele, I refuse to roll in the deep again just yet.

[sedersta]

Ariana Grande, Ambiguous Deserving Pop Icon or White Heteronormative Ciswoman Monopolizing off Minorities?

     Ariana Grande has been under much criticism for stealing aspects from other communities to assist in selling records. Looking through an intersectional and queer lens, I’ll give examples of ways Grande has queerbaited LGBTQ+ viewers, appropriated Latinx and Black cultures, and been insensitive towards the real day to day issues people of minorities endure. 

What is queerbaiting?

     Queerbaiting is, “a strategy by which writers and networks attempt to gain the attention of queer viewers via hints, jokes, gestures, and symbolism suggesting a queer relationship... Denial and mockery reinstate a heteronormative narrative that poses no danger of offending mainstream viewers at the expense of queer eyes” (Fathallah). 

     Ari has hinted at being bisexual numerous times throughout her musical career, though she has never specifically defined her sexual orientation. She has stated how she doesn’t feel the need to label herself. Sexuality is fluid and I don’t believe anyone, pop diva or not should be forced to come out. However, presenting an ambiguous nature while selling records and a certain image can come off as suspicious. The usage of homoeroticism to achieve capitalistic gain without actually being in the queer community is a malevolent representation and woefully disrespectful. Queerbaiting (in regards to Ari’s music/videos) insinuates the typical bisexual tropes. It implies bi-women are hypersexual, just doing it for the male-gaze because they are bored with their boyfriends, and not actually bi. 

    Also noteworthy, is it known she has been in multiple hetero-relationships that she doesn’t seem to mind to make comments on or be public about. Do we think Ari’s lack of disclosing her label is her defending her right to privacy or merely a tactic to tease her audience whilst claiming the fame and fortune it produces? 

      In her song, MONOPOLY lyrics include, “I like men and women.” We don’t need to read queerly to understand Ariana is hinting at being bisexual. Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored’s music video plays heavily into homoeroticism. Throughout the video, she is dancing along a heteronormative couple and we are to suspect that Ariana wants the boyfriend. The song is about being jealous and bored, wanting a boy to amuse her. Both Grande and the girlfriend, oddly looking like an Ari clone, are highly sexualized. They flirt and dance seductively throughout the video. (see GIF above) The cherry on top though is the very last seconds of the video when Ariana and the girlfriend begin to engage in a kiss. The video ends abruptly before lips are locked. If this isn’t queerbaiting, I don’t know what is. 

     Another example comes from her song 7 rings. This song and music video have been heavily criticized for queerbaiting, cultural appropriation, and classism. Grande sings how a few of her favorite things include, “girls with tattoos who like getting in trouble.” Is this yet another instance of queerbaiting or is Ari hinting at her unrevealed bisexuality once again?

     Now to discuss cultural appropriation. When legendary singer, Patti LaBelle awarded Grande the Woman of the Year Award from Billboard, she (Patti) called Ariana a “white black girl” referring to her soulful voice. Although an odd statement, that wasn’t the main component of what was questionable. As Grande accepted her award she says, “Thanks for coming to my quinceñera,” (jokingly?) giving off the impression, along with her deeply spray-tanned skin that she is of Latinx heritage, which she is not.

     Grande is an Italian-American born in Boca Raton, Florida. That may be surprising to some because often people assume she is of Latinx or African American descent, not a white woman from Florida. Her heavily spray-tanned skin and use of African-American Vernacular English “accent” raise many eyebrows. More specifically, in 7 rings Ariana sings, “You like my hair? Gee, thanks, just bought it.” Hair, especially African-American hairstyles such as weave is highly racialized and criticized in the workplace. For Grande to monopolize on this reeks of cultural appropriation. She, as a white woman will never endure the oppression women of color who rock natural hair/weave do. Also to note, this music video is set in a pink trap house with kawaii and Asian references and an outfit highly speculated to be ripped off from the drag queen, Farrah Moan. 

     “Whoever said money can’t solve all your problems must not had enough money to solve them.” Wealth can solve a myriad of issues people deal with. Statistically, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people living with disabilities often have more setbacks than their white hetero-cisgender counterparts. Having a massive amount of disposable income a famous pop artist has could easily alleviate many financial struggles or other issues that may arise. Grande not being a person of color, living with a physical disability, or navigating life as an LGBTQ+ individual, this line in 7 rings rings classist and majorly privileged tones.

     So is Ari just expressing her creativity and wanting to defy labels or is she making money off of minorities while keeping her white hetero-cis privileges?

Bibliography:

Brennan, Joseph. “Queerbaiting: The ‘Playful’ Possibilities of Homoeroticism.” International Journal of Cultural Studies, vol. 21, no. 2, 2016, pp. 189–206., doi:10.1177/1367877916631050.

Grande, Ariana. “7 Rings.” YouTube, Republic Records, January 17, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYh6mYIJG2Y&list=PLFO0esT_hEQSy7OkaRaJzifilkkSTDzdZ&index=1

Grande, Ariana. “Break up with your boyfriend, i’m bored.” YouTube, Republic Records, February 8, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH4Y1ZUUx2g

Grande, Ariana. “Monopoly.” YouTube, Republic Records, April 1, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0pryRrJvfI

[lovesjustachemical]

Yoooooo, if people could stop calling LGBTQ+ people, POC, non-cis-male people, disabled and neurodivergent people, and poor people "basically Tr-mp" supporters and "all privileged straight white men" because they're really obsessed with a patently false "Bernie bro" narrative, that would be greeeeeaaaat. It's condescending and erasing as fuck.

And comparing these diverse supporters and a Jewish man who had family die in the Holocaust to Nazis is a bad and bizarre look too.

This isn't about whether you care for the man's policies or not, because these attacks aren't about policy. Just piss right off with the really gross and lazy "he's Left Tr-mp because he thinks healthcare is a human right" hysteria.

I want leftist reforms because I grew up in a trailer park on shoestring disability benefits. I want free college entrenched in our society for everyone because I've been financially abused (for other reasons than my queerness, but LGBT young people disproportionately are). He's the one candidate who's consistently said he will halt deportations and abolish ICE, and those issues are fucking critical to me. I want lots of other things that aren't the point here; the point is stop fucking telling me I'm supporting Bernie to impress men, ya sexist, classist assholes.

[realtalk-princeton]

How do you deal with everybody telling you you're so privileged? Everybody tells me how privileged I am because of my appearance and affluent background, but I was bullied in hs because I was really ugly/skinny back then, everybody in my family attacks me by mocking how dumb I am because I'm the only non-engineer major in the family, etc. I am thankful for what I have, but do I just suck it all up because I still have a lot more than others, even if I feel depressed and often have nightmares

Response from Clipper:

Oh boy. My first instinct passing over this question inbox was to leave it alone so that someone else could respond to it more kindly than I would, because my first response was “boo-fucking-hoo bitch, of course you’re complaining that people are reminding you that you had unearned leg-up(s) in life compared to others, instead of complaining about the rigged system(s) that gave you the leg-up(s).” But this has been in the inbox for a little while and I’ve paused to put myself in your shoes. I want to try to answer with only a little snark because, though others have asked this question from an adversarial position, I don’t think you’re actually coming from a bad place asking this. 

So, how do you deal with everybody telling you you’re so privileged? My short answer: shut up and accept it. Most people aren’t telling you this just to make you feel bad for being white/rich/male/cis/able/straight/whatever. I get that it can seem that way, and that people may be aggressive in making their points. At the same time, I’m 100% sure that if you were given a choice, you’d rather deal with people telling you that you’re privileged, than swap places with someone who doesn’t have those privileges. So yeah, suck it up. You’re privileged. Congrats. 

My long answer is gonna take longer to spell out. Privilege doesn’t mean you don’t struggle. It just determines what you struggle with. I like to think about it this way: Some life problems are “universal” in that everyone can and probably will go through them and suffer from them. Things like family struggles, bullying, acne, relationship issues, etc. I don’t think anybody is genuinely telling you to suck those up, because those problems can cause a fuckload of harm. Everybody knows that, everybody has friends and family who go through these universal life struggles if they haven’t themselves. 

On the other hand, some issues are systemic in that they negatively impact various groups of people based on unfair things. People born into low income families don’t have access to the same resources as the 40% of Princeton families who don’t qualify for financial aid for example. People of colour face discrimination that white people don’t face. People with disabilities go through life with additional challenges that able people don’t. And it goes on and on with other intersecting slices of privilege and disadvantage. That’s where the privilege aspect comes into the conversation. It recognises that there are different sources of human strife. In a fair world, all problems would be universal and would hit us all the same. But that’s not the world we live in, unfortunately. 

Your “privileged” background (whatever axes of privilege you’re talking about) precludes you from going through some very real struggles that severely impact others. It’s good that you are grateful for what you have and thankful that you don’t have some of these other struggles, but the fact is: you didn’t earn your privileges. Your accomplishes are your own, yes. You achieved them, and nobody can take that away from you. But if you were not privileged, it would have been harder (or maybe even impossible!) for you to have achieved what you have. There are some things you won’t struggle with because you’re privileged in whatever way, and those things create huge struggles in other peoples lives. Just like you didn’t choose to be advantaged in life, others without privilege didn’t earn the disadvantages they face and the barriers they have to overcome. It is unfair that many people don’t have the advantages you have.

When someone is saying that you’re privileged, they aren’t saying your life is perfect and that you can’t complain anymore. They are saying that you were helped along by that privilege and that you don’t have to face certain systemic struggles. Even as you encounter universal struggles —you mention depression and nightmares, which affect so many people— you are helped along by your privilege. Let me walk you through one hypothetical. Imagine a clone of you, with the same depression and nightmares, but who is also low-income. Would it be as “easy” for your clone to overcome depression if they can’t afford therapy? If they didn’t have health insurance? If they couldn’t afford depression/anti-anxiety prescriptions? If they had to work multiple jobs just to get by, and didn’t have enough time in the day to see a doctor? If they didn’t have the means to travel to see someone? If they had to choose between paying rent and seeing a doctor? Can you see how just one axis of privilege drastically amplifies even the universal struggles all people go through? Not only does privilege let you bypass systemic issues, but it also makes universal struggles easier to deal with as they arise.

(As a tangent, I think the discomfort around discussions of privilege is largely misplaced. Privileged people get upset when they first learn of the concept because they think they are individually being targeted/villainized for being privileged, when really it’s the systems’ fault that these inequalities exist. Some people react strongly to the concept of privilege because it clashes with the idea of individual meritocracy. They are proud of what they have, and don’t want it to be tainted with the thought that they didn’t earn it on a level playing-field, so they deny privilege’s existence and/or lash out at those who expose it. Then there are the people who do not have privilege(s) who justifiably feel cheated out of their potential due to systemic disadvantages that privileged people don’t face. There can be some animosity here towards people with privilege who don’t acknowledge the boosts that privilege has given them in life and people who don’t actively work to dismantle the systems that afforded them that unfair boost.)

So, again, how do you deal with everybody telling you you’re so privileged? I personally don’t think it’s something you would have to deal with any differently than if everybody was telling you that racism or sexism or any other systemic inequality exists. If your privilege is brought up in a way that make you feel uncomfortable, take a moment to figure out the source of that discomfort. If people are using your privilege to dismiss you and tell you that your problems aren’t real, then that’s obviously wrong. But if it’s being used to highlight inequalities that others face, I don’t see a problem with that, even if it makes you feel like your specific issues aren’t being centered at the time. 

Take a moment to step into the shoes of someone who has lived life without your privilege(s), and you will probably see why these issues might be so important to people bringing it up. People without privilege face the same universal issues you face (bullying, family drama, depression, nightmares and more) on top of amplifying systemic struggles that you do not face. Yes, people can be dismissive of privileged people’s struggles, and that’s not cool. But on the whole, I’d rather retain my privileges and have them called out from time to time, than face systemic disadvantages that are not being changed fast enough.