I've been getting really involved in community organizing over the past couple months. It's something I've been interested in for years, but never knew where to go or how to start. I did some volunteer work in an elementary school for a bit, but it was too rigid and inflexible. I felt like a bandaid over a larger, systemic problem, and I knew just one year of work there was not enough to cause much change.
Many of the classes I've taken in college have given me more knowledge relevant to my activism. Last year, I took a class on restorative justice that introduced me to the concept of restorative practice and the steep contrast between these ideals and the American justice and policing system. In essence, restorative justice is an approach that aims to repair harm done to victims, and rehabilitate those who have done harm. Our focus was obviously much more on systemic change, reading Buddhas on Death Row by Obie Weathers and discussing how crime prevention requires addressing poverty and systemic oppression, rather than increasing police budgets. But as I add a sociology minor to my studies, I also wonder about the social applications of this process.
When fighting oppression and discrimination of any kind, we come face to face with people who do not see us as equally human to themselves. This kind of thinking is called infrahumanization; the belief that certain people, "others", lack positive human qualities relative to your own in-group. Just a step further and it's dehumanization; percieving a person or group as inhuman. This kind of thinking is both dangerous and difficult to poke through, as there is a belief that others are fundementally and unchangably different from one's self in such a profound way that they are no longer of equal value as people.
As a trans person, I feel a lot of fear in the face of people who do not recognize me as their fellow man, and I know much of what I say will be ignored or mocked even if I believe it is impactful and profound. Being dehumanized is horrific and terrifying, and naturally, causes a lot of anger for victims of dehumanization. I think it's really natural to become defensive and respond in kind, even when not directly provoked. A lot of the playbook for oppressors is to use coded language and dogwhistles, so we often have to be constantly weary and assume intentions in order to protect ourselves and our communities. Our response to dehumanization is one of defense. I want to emphasize this, especially with what I'm going to say next.
I don't think this is a productive way to respond. Calling back to restorative justice, I don't think that pushing people away and isolating them from us is beneficial for either party. It furthers a disconnect in information, isolation from alternative perspectives, and completely blocks any kind of conversation. We can't get people out of their mindset if we don't talk to them, we can't build community if we can't have conversations where we disagree. Not only that, but we cannot fully engage in a process of reconciliation and healing by those harmed. We only foster more fear. By no means is this easy or not emotionally taxing, it's fucking hard work. But we cannot let ourselves use the same tactics of infra/dehumanization, degredation, and disconnection from other human beings that are the tools of our oppressors. We cannot change everyone's mind in a day, it can take years. You might never see how your work changes someone's mind. But it is possible, and it happens every day. We must show kindness and compassion even in the face of evil, and we cannot forget that they are human too.
Do I think all this effort is worth it on every occasion? No, I don't. A lot of dehumanizing interactions are extremely brief, and I don't believe people will learn and change until they are ready to do so. If someone leaves a shitty comment, or heckles you at a protest, tell them to fuck off as loud as you wish. But a useful metaphor for me is planting a seed, doing small things over repeated encounters that can help open the person up to more conversation. Again, this is long and hard work, but you do not have to do it alone. Building allyship and communities that can support each other and each individually help tend the garden will make it strong and resiliant. This should be the goal, to build relationships and mutual understanding, to ask honest questions and give honest answers, and to provide feedback, grow, and change.
A lot of conservative and oppressive rhetoric is based on misconception and lies, and many people get tricked into believing and doing things that are profoundly harmful. We have to create room for people to learn they are wrong instead of shutting them out, and we need to be there to provide answers to their questions. We need to play the long game to get people out, just the same as the right has played the long game to get people in. We have facts and evidence on our side, people know something is wrong and want to do something about it. We just have to show them our common enemy, and how.
We hold a powerful ability to provide connections for misled people, to open the door to deeper conversations about their beliefs and deeper connections with other human beings. We need to be pouncing on these opportunities, rather pushing these people away, and in doing so, deeper into their bigoted beliefs. We can't talk the big talk of community building and action without knowing how to create that community, and include those it's more difficult to convince. We can't make everyone believe our exact ideals, but we can expose people to them in a positive way, and give them space and time to reflect on their own beliefs.
as we close this ramble off, we do want to make further note of how sometimes, this is not possible. there are people who are violent and hateful, who will harm marginalized people if given the opportunity. there are people who also just are not ready to change, or perhaps you are not in the right position, or are just not the right person to hold a relationship and entertain such beliefs. maybe you don't want to, or don't think it's worth it. we think that's okay, too. we think playing both sides in a fight against fascism and oppression is important, and have discussed with comrades both offensive and defensive tactics to employ when interacting with bigots in different circumstances, especially depending on personal social proximity. i think entertaining both stategies is something useful, and that we should not be limited to one option ^_^.