Liberals love respectability politics.
It’s why they like rainbows painted on crosswalks but not on half naked bodies in a pride parade. It’s why they like Ellen Degeneres’ benign behaviour on TV but not two gay men kissing passionately on TV. It’s why they’re fine with trans women using a women’s washroom when they look feminine but not if they look masculine.
It’s why they liked the eloquence of Obama but not the destruction of the Ferguson riots. It’s why they liked the Standing Rock protestors blocking Keystone construction but not the Idle No More protestors blocking their morning commute. It’s why they like Jagmeet Singh showing love toward his racist oppressor but not if he’d aggressively opposed her racism.
It’s why they’re fine with giving money to food banks but not to panhandlers.
Respectability politics excuses liberals from having to address their own homophobia and transphobia, from having to address their own racism, from having to address their own classism, from having to address any of their discrimination.
