Identity Politics

[Rascal]

This is a phrase I hear a lot, it is often attributed to the liberal left who it appears in a majority of peoples thoughts to be a bad thing.

I am not of the liberal left, liberal right or liberal centre because I am not a liberal, although I do believe some socially liberal causes are fair and just such as legalising gay marriage and a woman's right to chose what she does with her body.


The question is what do you think Identity politics is and why are you either for or against it?

 

[Saddleworth2]

This is a phrase I hear a lot, it is often attributed to the liberal left who it appears in a majority of peoples thoughts to be a bad thing.

I am not of the liberal left, liberal right or liberal centre because I am not a liberal, although I do believe some socially liberal causes are fair and just such as legalising gay marriage and a woman's right to chose what she does with her body.


The question is what do you think Identity politics is and why are you either for or against it?

'identity political formations typically aim to secure the political freedom of a specific constituency marginalized within its larger context.'

Is the most common definition I recognise. So for example the campaign for equal rights for women in the States in the 60's. Gay rights, Black rights.

I have never really thought it a bad thing and indeed agree with the vast majority of campaigns that hit public awareness. In a perfect world it shouldn't be necessary, but it is because of historical factors or because 'party' politics and systems of government do not deal with the issues that identity politics seek to resolve.
It can cause polarisation and pretty strong resistance by the status quo which causes toxicity and in some cases even violence but that is more a failure in society, media, government than an inherent feature of identity politics.

 

[Ban-jani]

I suppose the best example of it being a negative and something I think Rascal will agree with is that elements of the liberal left today will focus on something that there isn’t a great issue with, such as BLM in the UK or gender pronouns for people who don’t think they’re a man nor a woman (which doesn’t exist), rather than economic improvements for everyone who’s poor.

In the past, when gaining better rights for ethnic minorities, women, homosexuals etc. it was something that needed a lot of focus to enact social change but it seems to be that the new phenomenon is being pushed by middle class white kids who want their own civil rights movement, that needn’t exist in 2020 Britain.

They push a narrative that we’re living in a horrible society that treats minorities and women like some early 20th century southern US state, when in reality, the law, institutions, social opinion etc. are on the side of women and minorities today. It’s like they’re living in a parallel universe.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Identity politics means that people are only interested in looking after their own class, race, religion etc. and therefore promote political ideologies based on the enhancement of their group of people and vote for or create parties they think look after their group of people... whether that means other classes, races, religions etc. are ignored or suffer as a result or not.

I am against identity politics because it leads to extremism.

As for the point about liberals and the left. In the USA liberals are classed as left wing, in this country liberals are if anything actually slightly to the right of centre but can move slightly across to the left of centre. Yet because everyone here is obsessed with everything America says and does, the term “lefty liberals” has become widespread. To be liberal is to be moderate and fair across the board to all classes, races, religions etc. They are neither left wing nor right wing.

 

[Ancient Citizen]

I suppose the best example of it being a negative and something I think Rascal will agree with is that elements of the liberal left today will focus on something that there isn’t a great issue with, such as BLM in the UK or gender pronouns for people who don’t think they’re a man nor a woman (which doesn’t exist), rather than economic improvements for everyone who’s poor.

In the past, when gaining better rights for ethnic minorities, women, homosexuals etc. it was something that needed a lot of focus to enact social change but it seems to be that the new phenomenon is being pushed by middle class white kids who want their own civil rights movement, that needn’t exist in 2020 Britain.

They push a narrative that we’re living in a horrible society that treats minorities and women like some early 20th century southern US state, when in reality, the law, institutions, social opinion etc. are on the side of women and minorities today. It’s like they’re living in a parallel universe.

This.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

can't say.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

I suppose the best example of it being a negative and something I think Rascal will agree with is that elements of the liberal left today will focus on something that there isn’t a great issue with, such as BLM in the UK or gender pronouns for people who don’t think they’re a man nor a woman (which doesn’t exist), rather than economic improvements for everyone who’s poor.

In the past, when gaining better rights for ethnic minorities, women, homosexuals etc. it was something that needed a lot of focus to enact social change but it seems to be that the new phenomenon is being pushed by middle class white kids who want their own civil rights movement, that needn’t exist in 2020 Britain.

They push a narrative that we’re living in a horrible society that treats minorities and women like some early 20th century southern US state, when in reality, the law, institutions, social opinion etc. are on the side of women and minorities today. It’s like they’re living in a parallel universe.

Good post. Spot on with your main point.

But I wouldn’t call these people the liberal left, i’d call them the loony left.

 

[Ancient Citizen]

Good post. But I wouldn’t call these people the liberal left, i’d call them the loony left.

So would I, and indeed most would, but what's happening is these types are
now getting far too much attention, and the loony element gets more and more
brazen.

 

[Kazzydeyna]

I suppose the best example of it being a negative and something I think Rascal will agree with is that elements of the liberal left today will focus on something that there isn’t a great issue with, such as BLM in the UK or gender pronouns for people who don’t think they’re a man nor a woman (which doesn’t exist), rather than economic improvements for everyone who’s poor.

In the past, when gaining better rights for ethnic minorities, women, homosexuals etc. it was something that needed a lot of focus to enact social change but it seems to be that the new phenomenon is being pushed by middle class white kids who want their own civil rights movement, that needn’t exist in 2020 Britain.

They push a narrative that we’re living in a horrible society that treats minorities and women like some early 20th century southern US state, when in reality, the law, institutions, social opinion etc. are on the side of women and minorities today. It’s like they’re living in a parallel universe.

I wouldn't swear to it as I don't follow individual posters specifically but I'm pretty sure you and I are at differing ends of the political spectrum however I agree with a lot of what you write here.

Middle class, affluent, privileged, invariably white, people lecturing the poorer, the less privileged, those of different ethnicities on how they are oppressing/being oppressed by errr privileged white people.
Trying to sow division and hatred at times in order to - on the surface - make themselves feel better.
I believe many are useful idiots who don't realise they are being used in order to sow this division as they don't realise that if people are fighting amongst and against themselves they're less likely to notice the crimes of the people who really benefit from ordinary folk hating on each other.

Sad to say the "new left" are becoming the real enemy of the working class and less privileged in society. Many of these middle class warriors seem to despise British working class people.

They're dangerous.

 

[Ancient Citizen]

I wouldn't swear to it as I don't follow individual posters specifically but I'm pretty sure you and I are at differing ends of the political spectrum however I agree with a lot of what you write here.

Middle class, affluent, privileged, invariably white, people lecturing the poorer, the less privileged, those of different ethnicities on how they are oppressing/being oppressed by errr privileged white people.
Trying to sow division and hatred at times in order to - on the surface - make themselves feel better.
I believe many are useful idiots who don't realise they are being used in order to sow this division as they don't realise that if people are fighting amongst and against themselves they're less likely to notice the crimes of the people who really benefit from ordinary folk hating on each other.

Sad to say the "new left" are becoming the real enemy of the working class and less privileged in society. Many of these middle class warriors seem to despise British working class people.

They're dangerous.

Excellent post this.