Comments on: Bisexuals and straight privilege http://freaksexual.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/bisexuals-and-straight-privilege/ activist analysis of bisexuality, polyamory, and BDSM Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:09:42 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Katie http://freaksexual.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/bisexuals-and-straight-privilege/#comment-1576 Katie Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:22:36 +0000 http://freaksexual.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/bisexuals-and-straight-privilege/#comment-1576 qwoc, thank you for your words (from another qwoc). qwoc, thank you for your words (from another qwoc).

]]> By: Estraven http://freaksexual.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/bisexuals-and-straight-privilege/#comment-1573 Estraven Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:35:17 +0000 http://freaksexual.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/bisexuals-and-straight-privilege/#comment-1573 qwoc, thank you so much for making us aware of these issues. Those of us with white priviledge cannot possibly see our own blind spots. I realize it is our responsibility to educate ourselves, and I do read blogs by people of color, but I feel I learned a lot just by reading your post. I was so curious to find out if you felt that Pepper understood your post correctly, and disappointed that you did not answer. Imagine trying to see your own shadow when you are facing the sun on a sunny day; that is what having priviledge is like. My second husband is Canadian, and even though we are both white and speak English we have discoverd bizarre cultural differences that have caused problems between us until we figured them out and made accomodations for them. I believe ALL queers need to work together, particularly now; any help you can give us with our blind spots would be greatly appreciated. qwoc, thank you so much for making us aware of these issues. Those of us with white priviledge cannot possibly see our own blind spots. I realize it is our responsibility to educate ourselves, and I do read blogs by people of color, but I feel I learned a lot just by reading your post. I was so curious to find out if you felt that Pepper understood your post correctly, and disappointed that you did not answer. Imagine trying to see your own shadow when you are facing the sun on a sunny day; that is what having priviledge is like. My second husband is Canadian, and even though we are both white and speak English we have discoverd bizarre cultural differences that have caused problems between us until we figured them out and made accomodations for them. I believe ALL queers need to work together, particularly now; any help you can give us with our blind spots would be greatly appreciated.

]]> By: pepomint http://freaksexual.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/bisexuals-and-straight-privilege/#comment-1530 pepomint Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:52:03 +0000 http://freaksexual.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/bisexuals-and-straight-privilege/#comment-1530 qwoc: First off, thank you for raising these issues. I'm going to repeat back each point you made to make sure that I understand. 1) This paper is written from a white perspective, and is mostly talking about these issues from a white bisexual point of view. This is certainly true. I am writing from a white perspective, and the bisexual circles I move in (which I am writing about) are more white than the overall population by a good bit. I have added a disclaimer to the top of the essay which makes this perspective clear. Unfortunately, that's a disclaimer which should probably be at the top of everything I write, because the particular sexual minority groups I move in (bi, BDSM, poly) are all extra-white. 2) The concept of "looking queer" versus "looking straight" may be largely irrelevant to queers of color, or at least to you (not sure which). I think what you're saying is that racism trumps any possible privilege here: straight society treats you crappy whether or not they read you as queer, and queers also treat you badly due to racism no matter how you are read. Most people (queer or otherwise) read you as straight no matter how you look, because queerness is generally only read off of white people. Queer people use this reading as a hook for racism as you describe. 3) "Coming out" is not as relevant to queers of color. This is because there's not the same loss of privilege (since any privilege is largely already gone due to racism). The way I've heard this framed other places is that coming out itself is a privilege, and one that is primarily available to white queers. So discussion of queer visibility tends to end up being discussion of white queer visibility. 4) The privilege you might get in M/F relationships is attenuated by racism. (Always? Only when you are in a relationship with a white person? Not sure here.) The upshot is that the three conclusions I make above may not apply to you or bisexuals of color in general. Bisexuals of color are less diverse along lines of privilege than white bisexuals, due to racism. This means that the organizing problem I identify does not apply (though there might be other organizing problems) and that bisexuals of color might interact better with other queers of color than white bisexuals interact with white queers. Thanks again. Let me know if I've gotten anything here wrong. Pepper qwoc:

First off, thank you for raising these issues.

I’m going to repeat back each point you made to make sure that I understand.

1) This paper is written from a white perspective, and is mostly talking about these issues from a white bisexual point of view.

This is certainly true. I am writing from a white perspective, and the bisexual circles I move in (which I am writing about) are more white than the overall population by a good bit.

I have added a disclaimer to the top of the essay which makes this perspective clear. Unfortunately, that’s a disclaimer which should probably be at the top of everything I write, because the particular sexual minority groups I move in (bi, BDSM, poly) are all extra-white.

2) The concept of “looking queer” versus “looking straight” may be largely irrelevant to queers of color, or at least to you (not sure which). I think what you’re saying is that racism trumps any possible privilege here: straight society treats you crappy whether or not they read you as queer, and queers also treat you badly due to racism no matter how you are read. Most people (queer or otherwise) read you as straight no matter how you look, because queerness is generally only read off of white people. Queer people use this reading as a hook for racism as you describe.

3) “Coming out” is not as relevant to queers of color. This is because there’s not the same loss of privilege (since any privilege is largely already gone due to racism). The way I’ve heard this framed other places is that coming out itself is a privilege, and one that is primarily available to white queers. So discussion of queer visibility tends to end up being discussion of white queer visibility.

4) The privilege you might get in M/F relationships is attenuated by racism. (Always? Only when you are in a relationship with a white person? Not sure here.)

The upshot is that the three conclusions I make above may not apply to you or bisexuals of color in general. Bisexuals of color are less diverse along lines of privilege than white bisexuals, due to racism. This means that the organizing problem I identify does not apply (though there might be other organizing problems) and that bisexuals of color might interact better with other queers of color than white bisexuals interact with white queers.

Thanks again. Let me know if I’ve gotten anything here wrong.

Pepper

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