Why we should never shut up
Oct. 22nd, 2009 02:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sparkindarknessIt has been implied, from more than one quarter, that activists for GBLT rights and especially for my GBLT brothers and sisters in America, should shut up and wait. In fact, I’ve read no small number of articles for many weeks now that can be collectively entitled “STFU Homos.”
I firmly disagree with this premise. I don’t think any equality movement in the history of the world has ever achieved justice by sitting meekly and silently in the corner humbly waiting to be noticed.
I firmly believe that if you are silent you will be ignored. There are very large organisations that are dedicated to devaluing, harming and destroying GBLT folks and our rights. They will not shut up. If you don’t speak out loudly and angrily then THEY dominate the conversation, not you. And they will be the ones the politicians pander to.
I firmly believe that telling someone to wait for equality is wrong. It says GBLT people are low priority ands that the ongoing suffering and prejudice suffered by the GBLT community is not important.
While we wait a gay naval officer is forced to endure abuse in silence and when he does report it he falls foul of DADT
While we wait a lesbian is unable to see her long term life partner before she dies
While we wait more GBLT people are attacked
These things are happening and will continue to happen. And the longer we wait the more they will happen and the more victims they will be. When someone tells you to wait they are saying these victims - and future victims - do not matter. Are negligible. They’re not important.
And even if you think the advances won’t come yet, even if you think the government is busy with other things and justice for GBLT people is on the back burner - then you STILL have to keep pressing so it’s not forgotten altogether. Because they WILL forget.
You have to say that speeches are not enough
You have to remind them of their promises
You have to point out when they have done nothing
You have to speak when they do something homophobic
You have to speak when they ignore a very current GBLT battle
Because if you’re silent, they will ignore you. Because, even if you have to wait, if you wait in silence you will be waiting a very long time.
I firmly disagree with this premise. I don’t think any equality movement in the history of the world has ever achieved justice by sitting meekly and silently in the corner humbly waiting to be noticed.
I firmly believe that if you are silent you will be ignored. There are very large organisations that are dedicated to devaluing, harming and destroying GBLT folks and our rights. They will not shut up. If you don’t speak out loudly and angrily then THEY dominate the conversation, not you. And they will be the ones the politicians pander to.
I firmly believe that telling someone to wait for equality is wrong. It says GBLT people are low priority ands that the ongoing suffering and prejudice suffered by the GBLT community is not important.
While we wait a gay naval officer is forced to endure abuse in silence and when he does report it he falls foul of DADT
While we wait a lesbian is unable to see her long term life partner before she dies
While we wait more GBLT people are attacked
These things are happening and will continue to happen. And the longer we wait the more they will happen and the more victims they will be. When someone tells you to wait they are saying these victims - and future victims - do not matter. Are negligible. They’re not important.
And even if you think the advances won’t come yet, even if you think the government is busy with other things and justice for GBLT people is on the back burner - then you STILL have to keep pressing so it’s not forgotten altogether. Because they WILL forget.
You have to say that speeches are not enough
You have to remind them of their promises
You have to point out when they have done nothing
You have to speak when they do something homophobic
You have to speak when they ignore a very current GBLT battle
Because if you’re silent, they will ignore you. Because, even if you have to wait, if you wait in silence you will be waiting a very long time.