I no longer think its possible for anybody to be an ally to another oppressed group.
I've been reflecting a lot about race. People often talk about being a good ally and raising the voices voices of people of colour but I feel what they actually mean push my political agenda. Because if I responded with a Candace Owens video to someone arguing about defunding the police I'd be accused of cherry picking someone who confirms my own bias. We can all play that game. Why is it OK for a white liberal to 'raise black voices' who back up their argument but not OK for a white conservative?
It's a rhetorical device. To argue against that paticular view point becomes silencing, centering white voices and denying racism. At its worst its literally white supremacy.
I've reflected about my own approach to feminism because of this. Am I comfortable when Glinner attacks women who support trans rights on Twitter? Why do I allow him to speak over women because I have bestowed him the title of "ally." Radfems are very fond of saying men can only be allies and not feminists yet they give certain male allies platforms over liberal feminists. If they followed their logic fairly then Glinner wouldn't be able to mansplain feminism to any woman.
I've watched the vidoes online of white liberals bereating black cops and educating them about white supremacy. Its so cringe. And they get defended by many black woke folk on Twitter. Lets be honest - allyship is about politics not defending (insert oppressed group.)
Wherever men flagilate themselves about how awful they are (as a class) I just loose respect for them. Its not a get out of male free card. And how many so called feminists and allies end up doing awful misogynistic things? Thats how I feel when I see white feminists proclaiming about their anti-racist credentials.
I like to argue and debate but identity politics doesn't allow me to do this. If a person of a certain oppressed group challenges me I have to give way, even if what they are saying is factually incorrect, I just look like a dick arguing about something which I do not experience. I understand why. If someone is explaining an actual event in their life I have to respect that and I do like to learn and be empathetic.
But if someone is arguing about tactics or politics I should get to speak. Becuse the actions of identarians directly impact me. Its the reason why we are doomed to decades of Tory rule. Which materially effects my life. And its dumb to think that I have no black or brown mates and I might want them to be safe. That people haven't got the capacity to have human empathy for different groups.
Is it posssible to be a good ally in identarian terms? It just seems like such a contradictory and illogical concept. Because it assumes that members of an oppressed group all think the same. Many black people are socially conservative. Why are these voices not more mainstream with identarians? I am not supposed to take up space but then I am also asked to do the emotional labour of educating other white people. By sharing that book written by that white woman with the blackfishing name Robin DAngelo. Its a paticular narrative that I must push. And never question for fear of rejection from the "in group."