Lame Epiphanies

While walking home from a delicious birthday lunch hosted by my mother-in-law, I saw a poster for a live show. The band? Viet Cong. I recalled reading a blurb about this band a few weeks ago. Or perhaps I heard it on the radio? Anyway, they named their band because they'd heard the phrase "Viet Cong" and thought it sounded cool. After making it onto the radio, they'd received flack for their band name, and just didn't get it.

When I saw the poster today, this all popped into my head and I thought, "Whatever, it's been like 50 years, it's not like it's Hitler."

I just Googled it. It's been 40 years, but I didn't know that at the time.

Anyway, I continued my lovely walk down Jasper Ave and it struck me like Agent Orange: the Viet Cong is Vietnam's Nazi Party!

For students of history, or anyone older than about 50, I guess, this may not be such a surprise. But for someone who is just turning 32 today, this leaves as sour a taste in my mouth as that Agent Orange joke should in yours.

I didn't need to think deep dark thoughts on my birthday

This morning, before lunch, I was having an internal rage fest on an entirely different matter. A friend posted an image on her Facebook and I took offence to it. I don't take offence to her; she didn't post it to offend me. She posted it to educate and to help people. But, I have a cold, and it made me angry. Or, to put it coherently: this morning, the following image made me SUPER DUPER MAD!

I was seething: "It's not my fault I was born cisgender. I'm not checking that. I don't do anything to hurt anyone. It's not my fault I was born middle class. BLAALLAAHAHHA."

I understand. These messages are important for some people. Some people don't know how to sympathise or empathise. Some people might see a person in transition in a washroom and heckle him or her. If I saw that happen, I'd step in. Because I'm not an asshole.

I think I was also upset because I'm a woman, and yes, even white, straight, cisgender women still have struggles to overcome. Do I have to fight the societal hurdles that a trans woman or man does? No. Does that mean what I struggle through doesn't matter? I hope not. I hope that the suffering of others, whether worse or lesser than mine, doesn't mean mine aren't important.

Do you remember Patricia Arquette's (white, cisgender) speech when she won at the Oscars in 2015? She asked everyone that feminism has helped to join forces in the fight against unfair wages. Meryl Streep (White, cisgender) led the standing ovation. Of course these two women are loaded up with privilege. They're beautiful, rich (class), able-bodied, hetero, and likely come from a Christian background. Wowza. The ovaries on that woman asking for help on a feminist issue that affects all women! The backlash was immediate. Non-white women were incensed.

I didn't get it. I know many women consider white feminism to be elitist, but I consider that racist. Sure, I have it easier than you. How does that affect our combined struggle for equality?

Well, these assholes enlightened me.

Your band name is bad and you should feel bad

Privilege, then, may be only learning European history. It's not about who's a better feminist or who has it harder. And it's not about checking your attitude—unless your attitude is bad.

Have you ever thought about how trans people might use a washroom before? It's all over the news. All. The. Time. You should have. If you haven't, then the check your privilege notice is for you.

If you get angry at the check your privilege notices, they're probably for you.

If they're not, you probably have other privileges you just haven't checked yet.