Diversity officer in UK - "Women of colour can't be racist or sexist"

silverfeather · 14-05-2015 10:40am

We should lock her and katie hopkins in a wardrobe and make them kiss.

indioblack · 14-05-2015 11:20am

Ronald Brave Nutmeg wrote: »

“I, an ethnic minority woman, cannot be racist or sexist towards white men, because racism and sexism describes structures of privilege based on race and gender.

And therefore women of colour and minority genders cannot be racist or sexist because we do not stand to benefit from such a system.”

This is what Bahar Mustafa, a students' union diversity officer in the UK, said this week. She had organised an event on Facebook for black and minority ethnic (BME) students, but posted a comment saying.

“Also, if you've been invited and you're a man and/or white PLEASE DON’T COME just cos I invited a bunch of people and hope you will be responsible enough to respect this is a BME Women and non-binary event only.”

She was accused of being racist and sexist, and responding with the comment at the top of this post.

I have a few questions about this.

(a) Who decided that racism “describes structures of privileges”? And why are they more of an authority on the subject than anyone else?

(b) What's wrong with the traditional understanding of racism, which is treating people in a different (usually negative) way because of their skin-colour or background?

What's a diversity officer and who pays for the position?
Probably the taxpayer - me.
Get these people out to work - they'll find all the diversity they want.
Rant, rant. That's better.

Maguined · 14-05-2015 11:23am

I do quite like her defence against the No Confidence vote.

Yes I took time off from my job without informing anyone of cover for my position which is effectively abandoning my duties. Yes I took the time off to engage in an occupation demonstration. Yes that occupation negatively affected disabled students who asked to speak to me in private over their concerns but I told them to just join in on the demonstration because it's what I believe in. Yes disabled students were negatively affect by this demonstration but its okay I disregarded their concerns, disregarded my duties as welfare officer and disregarded the negative impact this occupation would have on their day but its okay, I apologised on Facebook so that makes it okay.

To top it all off you can't vote no confidence in her as an individual because...

If I get 'No Confidenced' then all of the hard work that students my position has given a platofrm to would be jeopardised.

It doesn't matter how terrible as an individual she is at her job a vote against her is a vote against all minorities. Not to mention...

Before you consider signing this petition, it is important that students are aware that a vote of No Confidence will result in me losing my position and job as Welfare and Diversity officer, effective immediately, and so it is not a decision that should be taken lightly.

Indeed not a decision to be taken lightly, unlike say racially insulting someone on the student unions offical twitter account. Or casual injokes like #killallwhitemen.

Maguined · 14-05-2015 11:26am

indioblack wrote: »

What's a diversity officer and who pays for the position?
Probably the taxpayer - me.
Get these people out to work - they'll find all the diversity they want.
Rant, rant. That's better.

The position is normally a paid full time job with the funds coming from the students union directly.

silverfeather · 14-05-2015 11:27am

Maguined wrote: »

I do quite like her defence against the No Confidence vote. 'Before you consider signing this petition, it is important that students are aware that a vote of No Confidence will result in me losing my position and job as Welfare and Diversity officer, effective immediately, and so it is not a decision that should be taken lightly. '

She's daft.
I think people are aware of what the petition hopes to accomplish. I mean it's what the petition is for.

silverfeather · 14-05-2015 11:29am

Maguined wrote: »

The position is normally a paid full time job with the funds coming from the students union directly.

It is in some Unis not in others. It depends on their budget. A lot of people take a year off to do it. That is usually the case here. Or do it part time. I don't know what her situation was. But she would have been paid anyway.

14-05-2015 11:29am

This is what happens when we do not nip social Marxism in the bud. It will only get worse.

indioblack · 14-05-2015 11:35am

Maguined wrote: »

The position is normally a paid full time job with the funds coming from the students union directly.

That's alright, just my morning rant.
(get 'em out to work).
Feel better, now.

Maguined · 14-05-2015 11:36am

silverfeather wrote: »

It is in some Unis not in others. It depends on their budget. A lot of people take a year off to do it. That is usually the case here. Or do it part time. I don't know what her situation was. But she would have been paid anyway.

Is it not the case that those who take the year off to do it unpaid are normally in colleges where the officers are normally 3rd years taking a year out before returining to their course after their year is up. While in paid positions it is normally for graduates who spend their first year after graduation in this paid role.

She is already a full graduate, I just looked up the student unions website and yup she is paid 22k GBP to do her job.

http://www.goldsmithssu.org/representation/elections/positions/fulltime/

silverfeather · 14-05-2015 11:38am

Maguined wrote: »

Is it not the case that those who take the year off to do it unpaid are normally in colleges where the officers are normally 3rd years taking a year out before returining to their course after their year is up. While in paid positions it is normally for graduates who spend their first year after graduation in this paid role.

No they take a year out and are paid as far as i know.

osarusan · 14-05-2015 11:39am

Maguined wrote: »

She is already a full graduate, I just looked up the student unions website and yup she is paid 22k GBP to do her job.

http://www.goldsmithssu.org/representation/elections/positions/fulltime/

Hopefully not for much longer.

Duggy747 · 14-05-2015 11:47am

Diversity officer bans black people and women from conference.

Internet would have a meltdown at this.

I've known some people who've had the exact same approach as her, fully believing that you cannot be racist or sexist towards white men.

The mental gymnastics they do to twist the definition of racism to fit their own view is just astonishing to witness. The sheer hypocrisy that they would say things like "you can't just define racism to whatever you want" while literally seconds later doing it themselves.

Those people standing behind her need to have a good look at themselves and what they think they stand for.

folamh · 14-05-2015 11:52am

Anyone who thinks that misandry and reverse racism are meaningful concepts is a reactionary.

jackofalltrades · 14-05-2015 11:58am

Good to see that 96.7% of people who voted in this poll disagree with her.

Sick and tired of "activists" changing the definition of words to suit their agenda.

DeVore · 14-05-2015 12:03pm

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Another World War would put an end to this nonsense

Yes but another world war would also put an end to just about everything else too.

Wibbs · 14-05-2015 12:04pm

Duggy747 wrote: »

The mental gymnastics they do to twist the definition of racism to fit their own view is just astonishing to witness. The sheer hypocrisy that they would say things like "you can't just define racism to whatever you want" while literally seconds later doing it themselves.

These neo hippies are a charm for this kinda thing. Ditto with labels. They decry all labelling yet manage to invent a legion more outa thin air/their fundaments. When you see terms like "non-binary"… WTF. Time to bail out.

Those people standing behind her need to have a good look at themselves and what they think they stand for.

In fairness D they're in the main young college age kids only just left the nest coming into what can be a rarified atmosphere depending on which group they get attached to and what course they choose to do. You're going to see far more of this in social studies type degrees than in science degrees. Nature of the beast.

In US campuses where this stuff can get to ridiculous levels they're egged on by the various social studies teaching staff. Penn and Teller had a great expose on the level of nonsense over there. It's here on youtube May not be safe for work. It's a few years old now and it's as bad if not worse these days. Check out this from only the other day. A newly minted member of the teaching staff who among other things had a mind dump with "white masculinity is THE problem for America's colleges.". Cue "rape culture" in 3…2…1… Apparently the university has officially described the outbursts as "hurtful". Can you imagine the shítstorm if a white man or woman for that matter had expressed similar opinions? Good luck with keeping the job.

Wibbs · 14-05-2015 12:15pm

folamh wrote: »

Anyone who thinks that misandry and reverse racism are meaningful concepts is a reactionary.

Here we go… That's not an argument, it's the go to response that translates as "if you question our dogma you're a [insert IST!! here]" and is designed to shut down any debate. Never mind that your position is clearly false and demonstrably so on a few levels.

awec · 14-05-2015 12:15pm

Fcuking students...

Wibbs · 14-05-2015 12:17pm

awec wrote: »

Fcuking students...

:pac:

Carlos Orange · 14-05-2015 12:19pm

Wibbs wrote: »

Here we go… That's not an argument, it's the go to response that translates as "if you question our dogma you're a [insert IST!! here]" and is designed to shut down any debate. Never mind that your position is clearly false and demonstrably so on a few levels.

Reverse racism isn't a meaningful concept. You have racism. If you flip it around you still have racism. It is like magic.

silverfeather · 14-05-2015 12:19pm

awec wrote: »

Fcuking students...

Going on to learn stuff......

silverfeather · 14-05-2015 12:20pm

Wibbs wrote: »

Here we go… That's not an argument, it's the go to response that translates as "if you question our dogma you're a [insert IST!! here]" and is designed to shut down any debate. Never mind that your position is clearly false and demonstrably so on a few levels.

You do come across as simply a reactionary.

silverfeather · 14-05-2015 12:21pm

DeVore wrote: »

Yes but another world war would also put an end to just about everything else too.

Let's just settle on the fact she is a moron. It might save lives.

Wibbs · 14-05-2015 12:23pm

silverfeather wrote: »

You do come across as simply a reactionary.

I'm not sure you understand the meaning of the word.

Pumpkinseeds · 14-05-2015 12:24pm

Someone should kill her with fire before she spawns.:D

Sleepy · 14-05-2015 12:26pm

silverfeather wrote: »

We should lock her and katie hopkins in a wardrobe and make them kiss.

Can I suggest an air-tight wardrobe?

MagicMarker · 14-05-2015 12:31pm

She has a black person holding the mic for her... RACIST!!

Greenmachine · 14-05-2015 1:13pm

Thank god the consensus is against her. I was beginning to think the world was gone mad. She is not the first to suggest that a member of a minority group can't be sexist or racist. Baffling how people can be so daft. She even spoke in a derogatory manner to a fellow student, through social media as a representative of her college. She should be dragged out by the ears.

RDM_83 again · 14-05-2015 1:46pm

Greenmachine wrote: »

Thank god the consensus is against her. I was beginning to think the world was gone mad. She is not the first to suggest that a member of a minority group can't be sexist or racist. Baffling how people can be so daft. She even spoke in a derogatory manner to a fellow student, through social media as a representative of her college. She should be dragged out by the ears.

UCL SU is backing her, and thats a big college

Maguined · 14-05-2015 1:49pm

Greenmachine wrote: »

Thank god the consensus is against her. I was beginning to think the world was gone mad. She is not the first to suggest that a member of a minority group can't be sexist or racist. Baffling how people can be so daft. She even spoke in a derogatory manner to a fellow student, through social media as a representative of her college. She should be dragged out by the ears.

It will be a great follow up if she does get kicked out with a No Confidence vote. I can hear her righteous indignation now "this was not a democratic vote as democracy requires equal representation and since minorities do not have as much voting power I do not recognise democracy unless all minority votes count as equal to 100 white-cis-male votes. Only then will we have true equality and democratic representation."

Diversity officer in UK - "Women of colour can't be racist or sexist"

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