There are a few things I rarely do on my blog. First, I rarely link to large blogs or mainstream sites. Second, I rarely name anyone on my blog. I think I’m about to depart from that. At least for this post.
It was never about one incident, or one blogger, or one site, or one problem.
It was never just about how it was all white folks who got to throw back at a bloggers’ lunch with Bill Clinton.
It was never just about Burquagate.
It was never just about the racism spewed at Nubian in comment threads at Feministing.
It was never just about the cover of Full Frontal Feminism.
Or the cover of It’s a Jungle Out There.
It was never just about the aftermath of Katrina.
Surprise, it’s not even about Gloria Steinem’s pathetic New York Times article that called gender over race.
This was well before WAM! was bedazzled with unflattering reviews.
Or when Seal Press went off its rocker.
This was even before the Margaret Sanger’s comments of racism, sexism, and disgrace.
It was never just about Jena 6.
It was never just about Megan Williams.
This was before Sylvia was a Problem Chylde.
This was before discussions of appropriation and credit.
This was never just about a revised proposal for Yes Means Yes.
It was never about one blogger. Not BFP, BA, or any one singular voice.
There never was a whole lot for me to say about these events. Somewhere inside, I wonder if I have become that Adult I most feared: the one who’s seen too much to hope. I’ve got a list down my arm of what I wanted to write about: allies, racism, imagery, technology and accountability, invisibility vs. invincibility, and privilege
and then the list got too long and I suddenly
felt
tired.
Oh Sudy, your words point to painful threads, and I can feel why you are tired. I admire your work here and am grateful for your clarity. I hope that perpetual cynic Sudy never emerges, because the world would be a little more impoverished.
“It was never about one incident, or one blogger, or one site, or one problem.”
One thing that encouraged me this time around was that a lot more people understood that. Whenever the claim, “this began with an accusation of plagiarism” got thrown out there, quite a number of people stood up and said no. I’ve seen that tactic work so many times that I was pleased to see how ineffective it became to most of the people involved.
But … I hate that this makes you or anyone tired. I understand it, but I hate it nonetheless. Especially because your voice and your videos have given me hope and energy when I thought I had none.
Sudy, you are brilliant. I mean, economy of words and a wealth of knowledge.
Hola littlem,
No permission needed – link away.
Ilyka, yeah, I don’t know what happens when you’re this tired. Is this the stop and rejuvenate moment, the stop forever and move on to something else moment, or the if I don’t stop I’m going to slowly jade into perpetual cynic Sudy?
I would like your permission to link to this at Ilyka’s.
Because it NAILS it.
Somewhere inside, I wonder if I have become that Adult I most feared: the one who’s seen too much to hope.
When I feel like that I remind myself of the sin of despair.
But I can’t do that here. I don’t know that kind of tired.
And I wish you didn’t have to, either. Neither you nor anyone else tiring out right now.