you cannot rise by standing on my neck. (c) dopegirlfresh

was reminded of this earlier in the week.

some highlights:

1. I don't have to choose my race over my sex in political matters.

7. I can live my life without ever having read black feminist authors, or knowing about black women's history, or black women's issues.

8. I can be a part of a black liberation organization like the Black Panther Party where an "out" rapist Eldridge Cleaver can assume leadership position.

41. I can believe that the success of the black family is dependent on returning men to their historical place within the family, rather than in promoting policies that strengthen black women's independence, or that provide social benefits to black children.

68. I know that the further I go in education the more success I will have with women.

74. I can choose to be emotionally withdrawn and not communicate in a relationships and it be considered unfortunate but normal.

75. I can dismissively refer to another persons grievances as ^*ing.

76. I have the privilege of not knowing what words and concepts like patriarchy, phallocentric, complicity, colluding, and obfuscation mean.

yes, as a black man in america, you DO enjoy some privilege.

i know that's a loaded word, but in an anti-oppression context, privilege deals with how much societal "value" you carry.  for instance: i am a black woman, but i'm also straight, cis-gender, able-bodied, college educated, and from a middle class background. all of those things give me an "advantage" in society over a queer, poor sista--even though much of the {mostly black male} parlance would have you think we're all in this together.

to a degree, we are.

however, black women have often had to swallow some really offensive behavior and attitudes just to stay in the game. to struggle for freedom with our brothas. to be heard. we've also worked on our own terms.

either way: if you're dissing the sistas, you're not fighting the power.

if you need an example of how it's done:

fem.men.ist
jewel woods
men can stop rape
^SEHU?!
saul willams (especially his book she)

...to start.