You don't need to educate the majority
Photo by Unseen Histories from Unsplash
“Tokenism benefits only a few. It never benefits the masses, and the masses are the ones who have the problem, not the few.
― Malcolm X
Intersectionality acknowledges the complex connections between our identities and societal rules. Whether you are a minority because of ability, race, sexuality, or gender identity, this blog is to help you understand another way you can experience discrimination.
Want to be a Stereotype?
No one wants to be a stereotype. Expectations are a part of everyone’s lives. Through school, family, and work.
Some broad expectations of how we should act just don’t fit. I have a form of cerebral palsy, and I rebelled against the “wheelchair-bound” stereotype for all of my childhood.
Because no one wants to be a stereotype, we, as minorities, work hard to prove to society and ourselves that we’re not a token or special snowflakes.
Why am I so much more disabled sitting down
When I had to get my first wheelchair, I began to struggle more emotionally than physically. I refused to admit I was different. It was the first time my disability altered my life. It took me 7 years to even sit in my first wheelchair.
Intersectionality is important to me as an Asian-American man with a visible disability. My experience is subjective. Both those communities are diverse.
This blog uses films to break down academic concepts and the origins of discrimination and stereotypes. This is because many films have offered me an escape from the harsh realities of my identity through the years. Fantasy and science fiction are my favorite genres for the far-away worlds.
Even if most of the characters I connected with are only a metaphor for disability or other minorities, I’d latch on as a child. One notable film was Disney’s Little Mermaid because Ariel yearns to walk on land. Within these representations, there are flaws. Which come from concepts like the models of disability and the “exotic other.”
Mission
Learning about these concepts and spreading awareness of internalized prejudices of your own community is why I write. Those in the minority need representation to be seen and understand where all this discrimination comes from.
Read more about film series like Avatar, X-Men, and How to Train Your Dragon. Or, if you have a suggestion for a film, submit it here.