If it’s alright, I want to say something for white people who are joining in on this discussion. I really appreciate that you guys are so interested in this but there are a few things you should know:
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Our ethnicity is not a defining characteristic, but it is a part of our identity, in the way that your identity involves gender. As a biracial, q***r genderfluid person, my identity is really important to me because it influences how the world interacts with me and how I interact with it, much like the identity of a straight, white cis man is influenced by how the world interacts with him and he with it. It’s just that because his entire identity is considered the “default,” it’s not a characteristic for him because society is preset to fit to him. It’s kinda like how you have Steve Rogers as Captain America, but Sam Wilson is the black Captain America.
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The biggest problem with the word “racist” is that when you tell a white person that they have done something racist, they think that a racist is someone who actively hates and denounces other ethnicities. Often though, we mean that racism is something like ignoring the existence of people of color. It’s not a dangerous racism, but it’s a hurtful one.
