Empowerment

Many organizations and activist groups talk about empowering this or that group. Over the years I've heard this from groups fighting sexism, racism, heterosexism and other isms.

Yesterday, as I heard this again, I noticed that I have a strong physical reaction to the phrase. So I had a look. What is that I hear and what do I find troubling about it? It is arrogant. (something I have some personal familiarity with!). To think that I have some special gift to bestow on some poor powerless person (or group) that will give them some of the power they seem to inherently lack is boldly arrogant.

As I looked at this, I realized I can't even think of another point of view about it which I think is part of the blindness of privilege -- in my case, white, male privilege. There might be another point of view that would seem workable to me, but I can't see it at the moment. So I'll just talk about the issues I see with "empowering" some group.

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There. The first cut at my thoughts on this issue.