I want yall to stop saying ‘liberal identity politics.’ Identity politics is a Black revolutionary feminist phenomenon; it can never be liberal. What is liberal that falsely equates itself with identity politics is ‘representation politics.’ Be exacting with your language.
The phrase ‘liberal identity politics’ conjures succint images in people’s minds so I get why people use it but it’s a poor descriptor of the phenomenon in question because it is flat and ahistorical/undialectical. It is liberal for us to use it just bc it has discursive “ease. “
Black feminism deserves for the legacies and contributions it continues to introduce for us to be respected, honored, remembered, defended. It is disrespect when yall pretend that we don’t ‘need’ to make clear the distinction between identity politics and representation politics
Everything we do and say should be understood as an opportunity to stand in our principles. If we say we are about political education, then dnt defer to the ease of mental associations the phrase ‘liberal identity politics’ calls forth. Teach people the radical origins
Furthermore, and this is CRUCIAL for us as Anarkatas: if we say we STAND against misogynoir/transmisogynoir then we shouldn’t let Black women’s important political and intellectual contributions continue to be misrepresented, overlooked, and implicitly maligned.
Bc let’s not act like we dont know we live in a world that has always sought to frame identity pilitics as a betrayal to revolutionary socialism, as inherently liberal. Let’s not pretend the phrase ‘liberal identity politics’ doesn’t leave room for or defer to their thinking
In short: if you truly about Black women’s liberation you gon stand in it in all shades and that includes highlighting the history and revolutionary origins of Black feminist identity politics and not muddying the concept with silly turns of phrase that aren’t as woke as u think
You can follow @RantzFanon.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled: