Whether or not you’re an avid tweeter, you’re probably familiar with the more recent ‘#Ferguson’ hashtag that is trending now and the less recent ‘#YesAllWomen’ hashtag that had been trending a couple of months ago. As someone who’s actually scoured and even participated in these outlets of outrage and dissent, I’ve come to a substantial conclusion: that there will always be people who will exercise their ‘right’ – note, ‘privilege’ – to defend themselves, if they so feel ‘attacked’.

Okay, so you’re probably thinking right about now, “Here we go, another one of those rants about oppression and privilege and yada yada yada!” And know what? You’re right. Truth be told, I’ve been lucky to have never been on the receiving end of the systemic violence and social inequality that so plagues MANY ‘first-world countries’. That being said, I probably have no right to stand up for or defend those who have been – because my involvement is only as a ‘desperately-subjective third party trying to empathise’. But, I will not let that stop me from trying to understand these experiences. That will not stop me from trying to understand that there are people out there who live under the shadow of there never being another tomorrow. That will not stop me from addressing the people who so chose to use the aforementioned mediums for their own selfish need to ‘defend themselves’.

Yes, I am well aware that ‘not all men’ leer, rape, harass women or partake in sexist behaviour. Yes, I am well aware that ‘not all white people’ are racists and believe that racism doesn’t exist anymore. But, I have to put my foot down and let these people - who believe they are exempt from persecution because they are ‘not like the rest’ - know that they are not entitled to use these mediums to defend themselves because it takes focus off the real issue. It takes focus off the actual experiences of marginalised groups of people who DO experience inequality and violence on a daily basis because ENOUGH people partake in exercising their antediluvian, toxic beliefs.

I completely understand why you would be taken aback, maybe even offended. And yes, you have every right to voice your opinions, your thoughts by right, yes. But by doing so (in these mediums specifically), for the sole reason of defending yourself and proclaiming innocence, you are exercising your privilege – as a man, as a white person, as a white male etc. – and placing your ‘hurt feelings’ over the feelings of those who have lost so much. Over those who are experiencing pain every single day due to a larger part of your more privileged group. And you can choose to ignore the truth behind my words and feign ignorance and continue to speak out about the ‘hardship’ YOU are facing, but please know that every time you do, you are silencing someone who is already having a hard time being heard. You are diminishing these people’s experiences because you can't understand that ALL marginalised people are not making generalisations. You have wasted the opportunity to actually stand up for those who are oppressed on a daily basis and use your privilege to speak for them, with them.

You have wasted the opportunity to prove why you are not like all the others.