The internet is the new battleground for fighting oppression.

Have you checked your privilege today?

It's getting a whole lot harder to avoid the inevitable 'calling out' of privilege.

In response to the rise of internet culture, social justice analysis and action has migrated to the internet, where it counteracts the culture of misogyny, racism, homophobia, trans*phobia, ableism, and general bigotry.

This internet culture is examining and challenging privilege starting of course with white skin privilege to the intersectionality of all forms of oppression.

The results of all this is that social justice internet culture is helping to shape contemporary discourse and influencing popular culture.

“The internet is the new battleground for fighting oppression,” my daughter insists.

Many young people utilize the social medium of Tumblr as a platform to promote and explore social justice issues. My 18 year old daughter is a huge tumblr blogger and from her experience it seems to be young women who are predominantly what they are calling 'Tumblr Social Justice Warriors' (TSJW—a derogatory label that people who blog about these issues are called by their critics, but who are reclaiming the name).

At last, non-privileged perspectives are beginning to present in mainstream culture—I think because of the speed at which everything happens faster via the internet; and examining one’s privilege is a starting point on the road to overcoming oppression in our societies.

My daughter’s community discusses, analyses, critiques popular culture in the context of oppression. It is a community that pushes her to stretch her thinking. It's an online space that for some participants is the only place where they can openly discuss their views, their very lives—away from the omnipresent lens of white culture.

They blog, reblog, quotes, images, essays and generally get and offer others an ongoing education on oppression and getting beyond it.

John Seely Brown writes about 'communities of practice' and 'joint collective agencies' based on passions and interests and how this is the future of education. Tumblr social justice is one such example where engaging one another, the participants practice what Seely Brown describes as  'deep tinkering' and 'marinating in the experience.'
What an education they are creating for themselves!

Anti Oppression, anti-Racism Education.

For any person facilitating learning, it will be an incomplete education without the constant presence of anti-oppression, anti racism awareness as part of the program.

“But our family is not racist!” you might be exclaiming.

What you want to consider is that oppression is not only the overt suspicion, dislike and hatred of people of another skin colour or race or gender, or sexual orientation, but it is also the insidious upholding of  negative cultural attitudes against those who do not conform to 'mainstream' portrayal of 'normal,' (read 'best').
Until representation of people who are not white-skin in media becomes the norm, until gender discrimination in the work place and in other institutions like schools is arrested, we are all implicated in the upholding of an oppressive society.
Some will argue (and I am one such person) that if you are not actively challenging racism and oppression, then you are part of the problem.

Have you checked your privilege today?

From jessiehmann.com images

You can start by examining your own privilege. Whether you have white skin, or you are middle class, or cis-gendered, or able-bodied, or Christian, unschooling etc., it is important to acknowledge how your privilege operates within an oppressive society and what you can do to promote social justice for all.  That's called taking responsibility for our privilege--and acting intentionally to pull down systems of oppression.

It is not enough to think of oneself as exempt from anti-oppression education. Even people of colour for example, need to continue to educate themselves on the issue: we are horrified by the depth to which some people of colour have internalized racism and actually identify with the oppressors!

Many (usually white people) object to 'non-privileged' peoples wishing to retain the use of labels when talking about themselves and their struggles. For example here's a quote from a well-meaning person:

 I can't help but wondering if something isn't lost in all this labeling. What happens in my personal relationships when I focus on who has the power advantage in this category, but not in that category etc.? Doesn't it over-emphasize difference instead of recognizing shared humanity? 

My 17 year old daughter expresses it perfectly:

Labels, when applied by the marginalized, serve to express experiences, shared identity, and systemic oppressions. Recognizing shared humanity is impossible as long as the experiences of groups of humans are informed by an unjust social and political landscape. We do not share humanity while there is injustice; privileged people do not have the right to inform us that our labels are what prevents equality; what prevents equality is the unwillingness of oppressive groups to acknowledge and dismantle their privilege. Only when our rights and opportunities are equal in every respect will our humanity be the only label necessary.

In my next post, I will be reviewing a book about anti-oppression education, so stay tuned!