Comments on: Voices, Pt 2 http://burningwords.net/2008/04/26/voices-pt-2/ perspectives on stuff from an angry feminist Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:44:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5-RC2 By: Emma G http://burningwords.net/2008/04/26/voices-pt-2/#comment-891 Emma G Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:49:40 +0000 http://burningwords.net/?p=98#comment-891 Everything we are empowered by as an accident of birth might surface as a privelege. We don't think about any of those things as privileges unless they are challenged and confronted by experiences which highlight how they provide advantages we can manipulate to separate us from another person's experience. If I allow my own humanity to encompass an appreciation of more scope for variation in others, my own variation becomes less singular or unique. It loses some of that potential power as priviledge. Then how I react when confronted can inform me about my own consciousness in a more useful manner. I can't give up or give away birth attributes. I can see them for what they are, as specific accidental variations that not everyone can or will possess. They do not represent my own accomplishment, nor do they signify any measure of worth. Not of myself, not of another's unchosen variations of birth. I'm never comfortable asking what another person's gender identity is. I would prefer it never be a necessity, but some circumstances can necessitate this information. Like tailoring resources to specific needs. I think for myself, its often worse to make assumptions based on my own limitations of knowledge and experience of variation itself. Worse to rely on my ability to decode how those variations occur, free of expectations for certain cues. I would rather risk the offense of intrusion through the admission of my own ignorance than to make an assumption of my own knowledge if I'm in doubt. Rather being the pivotal word. Because I will continue to make mistakes I'd rather not make, regardless of intention. I can only hope to learn, and try again. Sometimes a bit of discomfort or embarrassment is a useful reminder for me that I still have much to sort out in myself. Opening my own eyes first, is essential to watching where I'm going. You made an error of assumption about auditory cues, that came to your attention. You won't make that assumption as automatically the next time. Everything we are empowered by as an accident of birth might surface as a privelege. We don’t think about any of those things as privileges unless they are challenged and confronted by experiences which highlight how they provide advantages we can manipulate to separate us from another person’s experience.
If I allow my own humanity to encompass an appreciation of more scope for variation in others, my own variation becomes less singular or unique. It loses some of that potential power as priviledge. Then how I react when confronted can inform me about my own consciousness in a more useful manner.
I can’t give up or give away birth attributes. I can see them for what they are, as specific accidental variations that not everyone can or will possess. They do not represent my own accomplishment, nor do they signify any measure of worth. Not of myself, not of another’s unchosen variations of birth.
I’m never comfortable asking what another person’s gender identity is. I would prefer it never be a necessity, but some circumstances can necessitate this information. Like tailoring resources to specific needs.
I think for myself, its often worse to make assumptions based on my own limitations of knowledge and experience of variation itself. Worse to rely on my ability to decode how those variations occur, free of expectations for certain cues. I would rather risk the offense of intrusion through the admission of my own ignorance than to make an assumption of my own knowledge if I’m in doubt.

Rather being the pivotal word. Because I will continue to make mistakes I’d rather not make, regardless of intention. I can only hope to learn, and try again. Sometimes a bit of discomfort or embarrassment is a useful reminder for me that I still have much to sort out in myself. Opening my own eyes first, is essential to watching where I’m going.
You made an error of assumption about auditory cues, that came to your attention. You won’t make that assumption as automatically the next time.

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