It’s evident society holds a strong hatred and disdain for outspoken women, which is all the more substantiated when we dissect how terms like “social justice warrior,” and many like it, are so often used against women discussing their pain.
So let's look at the definition of the term brought to you by Wikipedia, “Social justice warrior (SJW) is a pejorative term and internet meme used for an individual who promotes socially progressive, left-wing and liberal views, including [equal rights].”
This is all it takes for one to be plastered online with the preface that they’ve gone mad, even by the same people who supposedly care about equity?
Well of course, since many read the latter of this definition as though it is fine print, which states,
“The accusation that somebody is an SJW carries implications that they are pursuing personal validation rather than any deep-seated conviction, and engaging in disingenuous arguments.”
This is valid criticism and what the term had grown to analyze, as it was originally a non-pejorative phrase for those who engaged with social politics. “SJW” evolved to categorize individuals who only cared about social justice for the aesthetic purpose of being seen as an intellectual or noble person. Think of someone who discusses equality but may promote themself as intellectually superior to the groups they’re advocating for or refuse to acknowledge their biases because of their “holier-than-thou” attitude.
But, there is nothing disingenuous about the people this term is weaponized against, as “SJW” is now a euphemism for those who feel any emotion besides bliss when discussing their oppression, so then must be punished through public humiliation for their insubordination.
Which looked and still looks something like this.
Oh hey, that’s me.
Videos and pictures like these do a good job painting marginalized people as “unstable.” Screenshotting their faces mid-speech to spin a narrative that we’re unjustly aggravated- using the public’s misogynistic bloodthirst as fuel for their clickbait. In my case, it was a video where I analyzed misogyny and racism in leftist spaces, which thus gifted me my very own “crazed” thumbnail, topped off with a sensationalized headline by a fan of the leftist streamer I dared criticize. Painting me as not only an angry woman but an angry Black woman.
And the thing is, women and minorities are allowed to be angry. It is okay to be mad, especially towards the people who question your outrage as they carry out blatant, racist, misogynistic, fatphobic, and queerphobic attacks.
Having to defend your oppression to the very ones who oppress you, as they monetize off of it, just to then be painted as delusional… that’s infuriating.
But you know what I find utterly repulsive? The individuals we expect more from, who so triumphantly state their allegiance to the marginalized, speak on our behalf, then tear us down to prove to bigots that they are not like us, that they too haven’t “lost their minds” to think we are actually equal.
This behavior isn’t new and will continue to evolve as long as hating women and other marginalized groups is exchangeable for social currency, as now seen with terms like, “SJW,” “pick me girl,” “Karen,” and “identity politics.” These phrases sought to critique those who weaponize social justice language (SJW), women who use misogyny for male validation (“pick me girl”), White women who weaponize racist systems, such as the police, against minorities (Karen), and those who care about oppression only when their marginalized identity is affected and may not view discrimination through an intersectional lens (identity politics).
But now these terms have been co-opted by bigots, conservatives, and liberals/leftists who so badly want to prove themselves as “non-politically correct,” resulting in blurred lines between valid criticism and pure malice towards the marginalized groups these phrases are now weaponized against.
Because painting the marginalized as “violent,” “crazy,” and “unrighteously angry,” allows those in power to forgo any human decency, since we are now seen as subhuman.