Coming up from behind
Jun. 29th, 2013 04:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soniaI've noticed that the people who use the most chemicals and fragrances are the ones who have to make the biggest changes to go fragrance-free at my request. They're also the ones who are most likely to be unaware of residual fragrance on their clothes or in their hair. No wonder they get so huffy when I say (ever so politely) that their efforts aren't enough. No wonder I'm sometimes too tired to say anything, knowing they really tried, knowing I'll wake up with a headache the next day.
I see an analogy with privilege and racism, sexism, etc. The people with the most privilege have to make the most changes, and are also the ones who are most likely to repeatedly screw up as allies. I'm not excusing them (us), but it does give me a smidge more compassion.
Is there any way to use that analogy to help people making their first (or twentieth, or two-hundredth) steps as allies?
I see an analogy with privilege and racism, sexism, etc. The people with the most privilege have to make the most changes, and are also the ones who are most likely to repeatedly screw up as allies. I'm not excusing them (us), but it does give me a smidge more compassion.
Is there any way to use that analogy to help people making their first (or twentieth, or two-hundredth) steps as allies?
