The point that I’m trying make here is that, even accepting that oppression is worse than mere dickishness, dickishness doesn’t suddenly become acceptable if it happens not to also be oppressive. What’s more, I will add that being a member of an oppressed class does not automatically excuse dickishness on your part against members of your oppressor class. Basically, what I’m saying is that in general, everyone should make an effort to avoid being a dick whenever possible. Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that, for example, transsexual people should be unstintingly polite to cissexual people in all circumstances; if someone is oppressing you, and refuses to stop, then by all means give them both barrels. And by all means, criticize institutional power structures in angry and sarcastic ways when there is a need for you to do so. But don’t think that your collective identity magically imbues you with a get-out-of-being-a-dick free card: if you’re rude to someone for no reason, you are still doing a shitty thing regardless of that person’s race, class, sex, religion, gender identity, ability or sexual orientation.
From Voxcorvegis: Don't be a dick.
