Building off some good discussion in the other thread today. I’m thinking about how can white Hexbear users can be better here, and in leftist spaces, AND when we engage with the broader BIPOC communities? What are we doing wrong, and what can we do that’s better?

And I 100% get that’s it’s not on marginalized folks to explain it to us. I do. It’s just, at this moment I’m trying not to get overwhelmed with feeling like it’s just not possible to make the world better. Not even get us to socialism, just getting things to be a tiny bit better. I don’t know what else to do. So I’m reaching out to my BIPOC comrades with an open hand. If you feel like sharing, please do.

For the white folks, we need to be better. We do. It may not be comfortable to hear, but we do. Maybe we’re not as bad as the libs and the chuds on this but that’s not a valid measuring stick. Come on.

  • ButtBidet [he/him]
    ·
    1 year ago

    Listening a whole lot and talking very little has also been my strategy. But I can't get over the number of times middle class white people need to centre themselves and just dominate these convos.

    • meth_dragon [none/use name]
      ·
      1 year ago

      i think this is the right way of doing it, short of just plunging yourself into poc spaces, inevitably inciting conflict and getting the brainworms forcibly struggle-sessioned out

      i honestly don't blame them for the mayo-centric discourse that much anymore. no investigation, no right to speak is all well and good, but most of these people aren't even aware that there's anything to investigate, and while it's technically my duty to educate them wrt poc issues, they're likely resistant to education and i have better things to do with my time.

      • Poogona [he/him]
        ·
        1 year ago

        This is terrifying to me though since if I'm in a fun convo I usually wind up getting animated and trying to draw people in with directed questions, and "centering" my white ass in the process. I don't always realize I'm doing it, and I've had poc respond pretty well since I imagine it's a good social tactic with people regardless of race, but I cringe to myself thinking about how many times I've probably been a brash overbearing white guy to the people that stayed silent.