Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Gaslighting

 ... trains women and other oppressed people to be good victims, because that makes life easier for the oppressors.  It can be deliberate or subconscious.  You're not crazy.  It's just that crazy, bitch, dyke, and feminist are names that women get called when they express opinions which differentiate them from doormats.

Sometimes people just LIE to you.  Trust your gut; if it says something is wrong, then something is probably wrong.  Look for objective ways to measure what is going on.  Do other people object to similar things that you do?  Do your complaints relate to practical, not just subjective, problems?  If so, it's probably objectionable.  And even if the matter is purely subjective, systematically hurting someone's feelings is emotional abuse, which is not okay either.  Stifling someone else's viewpoint ranges from suppression to outright censorship, depending on context.

Pay attention.  Know yourself and others.  Understand where your feelings are coming from.  Then speak your truth, and if people try to shut you up, fuck 'em, shout louder.
Tags: gender studies, networking, reading
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  • 1 comment
ideealisme

ideealisme

July 27 2013, 10:55:06 UTC 7 years ago

I've had considerable experience of "gaslighting" over the last two years while campaigning over a particular issue - but in this case it is nothing to do with my sex and everything to do with the fact that I am questioning a wrong done by a very powerful dynasty who have connections with every single media organ in the country - and every single organisation who might challenge them is wooed over by the chance of being published or interviewed on papers or airwaves. People easily suppress things and are easily bought alas.

Off topic, but there you have it!