Y'all Means ALL (t-shirt)

[BunnyMeadows]

I hope I'm not violating any rules, but wanted to let people know about this t-shirt. It's an important, empowering message.

 

I think they'll do another run if 30 or more people show interest. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/yallmeansall

 

[artsy16]

This is so terribly offensive. Discrimination is not a thing of the past. I'm concerned that a future social worker would approve of this.

From their page: "The “Y’all Means ALL” campaign is a grassroots movement of people living in the South who choose not to live in the past."

[Eigen]

And how exactly is that offensive?

 

It's promoting people from an area that is traditionally (although perhaps stereotypically) to be more openly welcoming of a more diverse society.

[artsy16]

Um, because it makes the claim that people who are racist, etc are "living in the past". Aka discrimination is something that is old and can be "left behind" in a friggin time period. Social workers have to understand that discrimination is systemic and ongoing in the present day. Not something of their parents' or grandparents' generation. It's not accidental, it is deliberate and very much modern.

And that's all I will say on this.

[TakeruK]

I'm actually curious to take this discussion further, if you don't mind?

 

When I read the line "choose not to live in the past", it did bother me a little because it reminded me of all the academics in STEM fields that say things like "we have gender equality now--women are treated the same as men!" and dismissing the problem when things are certainly not equal. Or, in Canada, people say this in order to sweep under the rug the horrible things our Government did to our native peoples, our immigrants and our Japanese-Canadian citizens during the second world war (just to name a few examples, not an exhaustive list!).

 

However, when I read further into the FB page, it does seem to be promoting a good message (everyone is equal and there should not be discrimination) and advocates for everyone. So, that made me think maybe my initial reaction was wrong. You say that this statement is very deliberate and something about the wording does feel that way (which is why it triggered the above memories). Would you care to explain further? 

[Eigen]

Being as it's a message particularly targetted to (and from) the southern US, a region historically known for discrimination, I interpretted the message as a "we want to move forward and not live in the past".

 

Saying that the past was bad and we want to not be there doesn't mean we think the present is good.

 

I think if people felt like the present was "good", there wouldn't be a need for a grassroots effort to promote people leaving discrimination behind.

[BunnyMeadows]

I see this as a message of inclusivity - i.e. "when we say 'y'all' - everyone is included and equal - not just privileged white, straight, Christian people.

 

I sincerely did not intend to offend anyone, and I'm sorry if it has. 

[TakeruK]

I don't think you have offended anyone and I actually think discussion of different viewpoints is good. Sometimes we have to think critically about what we're seeing and sometimes it does mean going into slightly uncomfortable territories. Personally, I'm still torn on whether or not this group is genuinely good and I'm misinterpreting the "living in the past" line, or whether or not this group is doing good in the present while (purposely?) trying to erase/deny that bad things happened in the past. I'm leaning towards the former but not completely sure!

[Eigen]

A common interpretation of the phrase "living in the past" would be either someone who focuses on the past to the exclusion of the present, or someone who refuses to move on and accept current practices. 

 

So since the phrase is "movement of people.... who are choosing not to live int he past", I would interpret it entirely as a movement of people who are dedicated to building constructive relationships across race/class/orientation/gender lines, rather than focusing on past discrimination past the point of productivity, with a healthy side of implying that the current *should* be about constructive and nondiscriminatory relationships, and people who are discriminatory are living in the past. 

 

I can kinda see the argument for it supporting erasing the past/denying things happened, but if that was the case I don't think it would be brought up- implying that you don't want to live in the past usually means you're acknowledging that something in the past was bad, and you don't want to live that way anymore- learning from your history.

[BunnyMeadows]

I am all for critical thinking, but I think there is some rather serious jumping to conclusions going on here. 

 

The statement on the Facebook page is simply: The “Y’all Means ALL” campaign is a grassroots movement of people living in the South who choose not to live in the past.

 

It says absolutely nothing about putting racism in the past, or imposing time limits on discrimination. Have ANY of you ever been to Mississippi? The YMY group seems to be promoting equality for all, emphasizing that "Y'all" means people who are brown, undocumented, gay, lesbian, straight, imprisoned, etc. and that "Y'all" is not limited to straight, Christian, white people of privilege. It says, "Look at these different populations - they are all equal."

 

How anyone can analyze the Facebook Community (632 people) - and conclude that they're being discriminatory, or disingenuous - on the basis of one sentence is mind boggling.

 

And for the poster who is "concerned that a future social worker would approve of this" - it's you I'm worried about, dude. Anyone who makes a summary judgement about another person - SOLELY based on the fact that they like a t-shirt that promotes equality - is frighteningly judgmental and may be unsuitable for a profession that calls for empathy, respect, and understanding. 

[TakeruK]

It says absolutely nothing about putting racism in the past, or imposing time limits on discrimination. Have ANY of you ever been to Mississippi? The YMY group seems to be promoting equality for all, emphasizing that "Y'all" means people who are brown, undocumented, gay, lesbian, straight, imprisoned, etc. and that "Y'all" is not limited to straight, Christian, white people of privilege. It says, "Look at these different populations - they are all equal."

 

To be clear, I completely agree with the message that everyone should be treated fairly and equitably. And, I agree that this interpretation makes more sense but I'm simply curious to hear what artsy16 meant by their deliberate use of the phrase "choose not to live in the past".

[BunnyMeadows]

One can only hope that "artsy16" is re-reading the NASW Code of Ethics.

 

I am still very puzzled as to how a future social worker can damn/judge an entire community of 633 people championing equality, based on one sentence that does not even mention racism -  in a part of the country that has been fighting so hard for LGBT rights:

 

"Um, because it makes the claim that people who are racist, etc are "living in the past". Aka discrimination is something that is old and can be "left behind" in a friggin time period." 

 

I contacted Y'all Means Y'all on FB yesterday, and shared this thread. This was the response:

 

"Thank you. We were not aware of the debate while it was happening and we do appreciate the reasoned response/defence. Living in Mississippi we are quite aware of the strategy of racism to complain about "people bringing up the past" in order to avoid facing guilt. This was quite far from our intention but we will look at this phrasing again."

[TakeruK]

Cool, glad that you brought it up with the group and that it was not an intentional phrasing!