sinidentidades: sageoflogic: rawrlawra: socialistictendencies: tressainte: rationalthinker: What do Atheists, LGBT, and Women all have in common? stop right now atheists are not oppressed not even comparably as lgbt+ people and women are Comparing oppressions is usually a bad idea. Here is an example as to why. Are atheists oppressed? Probably. But please stab yourself with a screwdriver if you seriously think the oppression of atheists is in any way comparable to the oppression of almost any other group. Oppressions can’t be compared 1:1. It just doesn’t make sense because it affects people’s lives in different ways based upon what group(s) they identify with. BUT you can make the connection that they’re related because they have a similar root cause, which is what this picture is doing. In many places in the United States, atheists suffer from death threats and bullying which is arguably similar to some of the death threats and bullying that people in the lgbtq* community receive. An atheist legally can’t run for political office while openly identifying as an atheist in many states. In the states that an atheist can run in, there is discrimination against them which prevents them from being elected. The oppressions at work here are different, but that doesn’t indicate that the oppression doesn’t exist or that they don’t have a similar root cause (which, many times, they do). I belong to all three of the groups here, and I think that religion is one of the root causes of the discrimination against all three groups (although for women I think religion is more just an instrument of the patriarchy). Although obviously we should consider the idea that not all oppressions are comparable, I think it’s beneficial to identify when different oppressions have a root cause which people from separate groups can fight against together. Atheists have it better than when we were outright killed and burned at the stake, you’re right. But we’re still bullied, trusted LESS THAN ANY OF YOU ARE, and can’t gain higher elected offices while being frank about our atheism. I personally got worse bullying than many of the LGBTQ* kids, IN FUCKING TENNESSEE. We’re not talking just name calling, we’re talking being punched in the gut subtly so that it looked like an “accident” when people would pass by me in the school hallways, slammed into the walls for the same reason, having a Bible chucked at my head, and being told I should be burned at the stake.  Lots of people don’t think Atheists are oppressed because we have a few people publishing books on it. But just look at the death threats Jessica Alqhuist has been getting. Look at the kid that got kicked out of his house by his parents in Texas.  While I sympathize with your experience, to use that experience to make a case for the oppressions of atheists being comparable to those in the queer community or women doesn’t really sit well with me. Atheists do suffer from some forms of oppressions; however, to say that it is comparable to those in the queer community or women is pretty, uh, contentious.  Your atheism isn’t something that’s externally visible. If you’re going to marry someone of the opposite sex, your status as an atheist doesn’t stop the government from recognizing your marriage.  Also, putting the entirety of all oppressions being caused by religion is a pretty terrible position to have in the first place.  As a queer atheist, I have to say that any straight atheist that tries to say atheist oppression is comparable or worse than queer oppression can bite my godless, lady loving ass. There is bias and distrust towards us as atheists, but it is nothing like what I experience as a queer woman. They are totally different beasts. Not to mention trans* people, especially transwomen of color, are still being murdered far too often, so bite my ass with your historical context when we have modern context . And this attitude is probably one thing that prevents solidarity. Just saying.

sinidentidades:

sageoflogic:

rawrlawra:

socialistictendencies:

tressainte:

rationalthinker:

What do Atheists, LGBT, and Women all have in common?

stop

right

now

atheists are not oppressed

not even comparably as lgbt+ people and women are

Comparing oppressions is usually a bad idea.

Here is an example as to why.

Are atheists oppressed? Probably. But please stab yourself with a screwdriver if you seriously think the oppression of atheists is in any way comparable to the oppression of almost any other group.

Oppressions can’t be compared 1:1. It just doesn’t make sense because it affects people’s lives in different ways based upon what group(s) they identify with. BUT you can make the connection that they’re related because they have a similar root cause, which is what this picture is doing. In many places in the United States, atheists suffer from death threats and bullying which is arguably similar to some of the death threats and bullying that people in the lgbtq* community receive. An atheist legally can’t run for political office while openly identifying as an atheist in many states. In the states that an atheist can run in, there is discrimination against them which prevents them from being elected. The oppressions at work here are different, but that doesn’t indicate that the oppression doesn’t exist or that they don’t have a similar root cause (which, many times, they do). I belong to all three of the groups here, and I think that religion is one of the root causes of the discrimination against all three groups (although for women I think religion is more just an instrument of the patriarchy). Although obviously we should consider the idea that not all oppressions are comparable, I think it’s beneficial to identify when different oppressions have a root cause which people from separate groups can fight against together.

Atheists have it better than when we were outright killed and burned at the stake, you’re right.

But we’re still bullied, trusted LESS THAN ANY OF YOU ARE, and can’t gain higher elected offices while being frank about our atheism.

I personally got worse bullying than many of the LGBTQ* kids, IN FUCKING TENNESSEE. We’re not talking just name calling, we’re talking being punched in the gut subtly so that it looked like an “accident” when people would pass by me in the school hallways, slammed into the walls for the same reason, having a Bible chucked at my head, and being told I should be burned at the stake. 

Lots of people don’t think Atheists are oppressed because we have a few people publishing books on it. But just look at the death threats Jessica Alqhuist has been getting. Look at the kid that got kicked out of his house by his parents in Texas. 

While I sympathize with your experience, to use that experience to make a case for the oppressions of atheists being comparable to those in the queer community or women doesn’t really sit well with me. Atheists do suffer from some forms of oppressions; however, to say that it is comparable to those in the queer community or women is pretty, uh, contentious. 

Your atheism isn’t something that’s externally visible. If you’re going to marry someone of the opposite sex, your status as an atheist doesn’t stop the government from recognizing your marriage. 

Also, putting the entirety of all oppressions being caused by religion is a pretty terrible position to have in the first place. 

As a queer atheist, I have to say that any straight atheist that tries to say atheist oppression is comparable or worse than queer oppression can bite my godless, lady loving ass. There is bias and distrust towards us as atheists, but it is nothing like what I experience as a queer woman. They are totally different beasts. Not to mention trans* people, especially transwomen of color, are still being murdered far too often, so bite my ass with your historical context when we have modern context . And this attitude is probably one thing that prevents solidarity. Just saying.