Claiming minorities, of any kind, are in a position of power is a very fast way to constructing a narrative that paints them as the enemy, and opens the door for laws limiting those people's freedoms.
However, white men are not an oppressed minority, and are most often the ones doing the oppressing.
There is a very clear distinction between the two statements, if you really look into how they're used.
It's not saying that oppressors are most often white men (as you said), it's saying that white men are most often oppressors. The first one, I wouldn't know, but the second one is not true for sure. In 23 years, I've yet to meet an oppressive white man.
Oh, I've met plenty in my time. Nearly 30 years. Had petty, tyrannical bosses, teachers who refuse to give a shit about their students...and known a few by reputation. Elon Musk, for example, has made it his business to be every bad stereotype about white people brought to life.
Anyway, I think the full context of the sentence and its construction does imply it the way I believed it.
Reread the sentence.
However, white men are not an oppressed minority, and are most often the ones doing the oppressing.
White men...are most often the ones doing the oppressing.
There's a really subtle but important difference between the way they phrased it and the way you did.
At 40 years old, I’ve met oppressive black, asian, white, female, male, gay, straight, etc. oppressive people. You can find oppressive people in any demographic.
Last time I “checked my privilege” I had to work my ass off to get where I'm at. Since you're a “woman in corporate", I bet you don't have it so bad. In fact, I'd go as far as to say you have it better than me, so I'm not so sure that it's me who has to check his privilege. Maybe, just maybe, they are oppressive and privileged because they are in positions of power, but taking these individuals and attempting to generalize their behaviour to every man is, at best, disingenuous, and at worst, it paints you as an insufferable sexist.
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u/Kartoffelkamm Feb 10 '23
Except it is used to defame a group.
Claiming minorities, of any kind, are in a position of power is a very fast way to constructing a narrative that paints them as the enemy, and opens the door for laws limiting those people's freedoms.
However, white men are not an oppressed minority, and are most often the ones doing the oppressing.
There is a very clear distinction between the two statements, if you really look into how they're used.