noahSep 12, 2025
Joelle

Privilege:
Not being blamed for what someone else does.

For instance, if a white cis dude does something bad, that in no way impacts all other white cis dudes. But if a trans person does something wrong, all other trans people have rights restricted as a result.

Hell, in some cases a cis dude does something bad and trans people get their rights restricted.

This is how privilege functions.

Sep 12, 2025 at 7:54pmWeb
Show threadRMSep 12, 2025

@joelle Absolutely.

I frame it as a question of who is punished and who is forgiven when I do my diversity equity and inclusion talks.

Was Hillary Clinton punished or forgiven for having a private email server?

Compare that to Donald Trump - was he punished or forgiven for being a criminal?

Is Israel being punished or forgiven for attacking 6 countries this week?

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/10/maps-israel-has-attacked-six-countries-in-the-past-72-hours

Compare that to Russia - are they being punished or forgiven for the war in the Ukraine?

Maps: Israel has attacked six countries in the past 72 hours

In just three days, Israel has carried out strikes in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and Yemen.

Al Jazeera
Show threadSanctorumSep 12, 2025
@joelle for as long as the people allow it
Show threadMacaroni9490Sep 12, 2025
It's sad that it's considered a privilege to be considered a complete individual whose actions are their own and will not be used to enforced bigotry.
Show threadRichard K Sep 12, 2025

@joelle I don't know... A cis white dude murders a cis white dude and I get blamed as a "radical leftist".

To not get smeared is a privilege, but I think most people will experience that broad brush sooner or later.

Show threadMoveSep 13, 2025
@joelle this.
Show threadNikola Orsinov [Joseph Grimaldi]Sep 13, 2025
@joelle Idk i would probalby express what you're getting at differently:

Trans people are being persecuted in the USA.
The trump administration and right wing media are twisting everything into a reason to go after them.

We need to stand in solidarity with our trans brothers and sisters and collectively reject this fascist narrative, as well as protect them physically from fascist violence.

Personally, i find the privilige angle a little less relevant and a lot more vulnerable as a talking point.
Show threadDarwin WoodkaSep 13, 2025

@joelle

Or all women’s uteruses having to be policed because someone decided some women getting abortions was “wrong",

Even though NO MEN are EVER held responsible for women getting pregnant in the first place.

Show threadFJ BrodieSep 13, 2025
@joelle there are so many times I wish I wasn't a white CIS dude...
Show threadSailor AnarresSep 13, 2025
@joelle yep "white" isn't a race like others it serves as the "default" non racialized privileged group
Show threadSoozcatSep 13, 2025

@joelle Privilege also manifests as not being blamed for something you did.

If you've ever been able to talk your way out of a speeding ticket even though you were caught dead to rights, you might have privilege.

Or, I don't know, if you were convicted on all 34 felony counts and still get to be president, you might have privilege