It’s always good to have a little reminder to put things in perspective and check your privilege- because yes, even though I’m a woman and poor and v queer/not straight passing, and somewhat mentally/physically disabled, I still have a lot of privilege (I’m white, skinny, mostly able bodied, etc.). I went out to a movie and then drove around and got food with my new gay bestie. For some perspective, he’s a chubby, gay black boy. His aunt told him not to wear his crop top so “he wouldn’t get shot”, and even though he wore it he brought a hoodie and was very anxious and self conscious the whole night, and especially when we were sitting down in the resteraunt he said he knew everyone was staring at him and he hates it. Although we live in the mid Midwest, we were in the city, at pretty overall queer friendly places, but I still had to constantly assure him that I wouldn’t let anything happen, and keep a close eye on him when he went out to my car by himself in the dark, even if the car was within eyesight from where I was sitting. Now, I’m used to the stares and to getting called “sir” at church every week, but I’ve never genuinely thought I was going to get killed or attacked just for leaving the house looking the way I do. We had a fantastic time regardless- Incredibles 2 was awesome and the pizza we got was not only cheap but delicious, and it was a blast. But I definitely need the reminder sometimes that there are experiences I will never understand because of the privilege I have. Sure, I often don’t feel safe going places alone, and that’s a big problem. But I’ve never decided how to dress based on whether I thought it might get me shot, and that’s a big problem too. All I can really do is be aware of this disparity and that we still have these huge issues that we live with, and do my best to help others see that and eventually do something about it. Anyway I just wanted to write these thoughts out to process.

If you are a person of privilege (I am, full disclosure) - and when someone points it out, your first response is to argue about it? You really need to examine why that is.

we laugh @ celebrities for whining abt being in quarantine when they have literally everything but thats probably how literally all of tumblr would look to someone who doesn’t have anything to eat or drink. let’s learn from it.