Protests

Last weekend, I attended a peaceful protest here in State College. Arraigned by a local high school student, it was a Black Lives Matter protest and march. My guess was that maybe 1000 people were there, but I haven’t seen any crowd size estimates.

I spoke briefly about the history of the phrase “We Are Penn State” and how it was about anti-racism, and how we, as a University and as people, need to live up to that ideal. My off-the-cuff speech was maybe a minute long, and was well received. However, I regret saying a thing. I should’ve just listened. My time at the microphone took time away from a black voice that needed to be heard.

A few women in the crowd mentioned to me that they were scared of violence — PSU is an isolated island of reason in the middle of 45 country after all. I told them that as long as we all were here, no harm would come to them — that there were many who would shield them from attack. The fact that people, including me, are afraid of reprisals is one of the major symptoms of this problem.

I’ve had nearly a week to think about that protest. While there, I saw someone holding up a sign saying “Black Trans Lives Matter.” I was comforted for a moment. I was comforted by the fact that someone in this throng thought about trans lives in this contest. After all, non-white transgender women are much more likely to experience violence than white transgender women. (the scholarly term is “intersectionality”– which means that they experience not just transphobia, but misogyny, and racism as well¹. Throw in some classism, and they don’t stand a chance to have a peaceful life.

We assembled for the same reason so many others have — we’ve had enough of the racism, of the lies, the cover-ups. There’s a saying attributed to Muhammad Ali: “It is a privilege to learn about racism instead of experiencing it your whole life.” 

I’m white. I’m trans. And I’m female. I know that there is Male privilege — I had it and gave it up. I know there is cisgender privilege — gave that up as well. I grew up lower class — I’ve lived it all my life. And I know there is white privilege. Like being transgender, it is something I was born with — a natural part. If I could give it to someone else I would. By participating in these marches; by educating myself and others; and for God’s sake just LISTENING to the stories that black people tell of what their lives are like, I hope I’m doing my part in ending white privilege.

Maybe, someday, all lives will matter. But today, they don’t. Black lives, trans lives, women’s lives — none of those matter- only white cisgender males do . . . for now.

Be well. And do what you can.

1. Battle, J., & Ashley, C. (2008). Intersectionality, heteronormativity, and Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) families.?Black Women, Gender & Families, 2(1), 1-24.

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