Fuck off Neo-Liberalist American

           My facebook feed is flooded with congratulation posts about the recent decision of the Supreme Court concerning the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. DOMA is unconstitutional. They've said it. It's one huge victory for the LGBTQ community and basically anyone who believes that individuals should have the right to choose to be with whoever they love. But if we look at the arduous journey for equality in this country, this victory is just a foot in the door. I can only imagine that individuals from the LGBTQ community rejoiced with deep breaths and affirming tears. The fight has been won. They can finally rest for an hour or so. But the war on inequality, the everlasting struggle to allow targeted identities to be the people they want to be without any hindrance is still persistent and menacing. And they understand that, just like I understand how alienated me and my friends felt when we saw the Supreme Court affirm a post racial reality that is only real for white Americans. Yet my newsfeed is filled only with rejoicing particularly from people who aren't from the LGBTQ community. And that's fine. But rejoice with an inside voice because that's not your victory. It isn't my victory either. While I am an ally, I could never say that I fought as hard as I could have for the LGBTQ community. I didn't shed tears when prop 8 was put into place. I didn't stand alongside protesters and I didn't risk my life and livelihood to be associated with the LGBTQ community. Instead I scolded a few friends for misusing the term gay and wore a fucking button. And that's ok. But now that the time has come from celebration, please leave me off the invite list. I don't deserve to take part in any grandiose celebrations and honestly I don't want to right now since my community and my rights have potentially taken a drastic step back.
         But what bothers me the most is that all around the country, in upper class cities and college towns, hordes of neo-liberalist predominantly white Americans will turn this into a spectacle. They will throw parties and write superficial facebook statuses. They'll have a pseudo political conversation with their one gay friend about "how they feel". And then afterwards it'll be business as usual. They'll go back to their bias free lives, while some of their gay friends will find themselves wondering why so much hatred and discrimination still exists. The LGBTQ community won today, but tomorrow the same thought I have now will pop into their heads: "I thought we got passed this." Indeed we did think that. But now that's it's tomorrow, we've realized that there's so much more to do. 

Poor People don't want to hear about the struggle

            While I appreciate the intellectual conversation that surrounds: race, socioeconomic status, sexual preference, gender roles, and other social justice topics, sometimes I feel as if people forget that they are privileged to even be able to sit back and ponder these inequalities. I'm included in that group. I'm a privileged minority student at the University of Michigan and while I do face inequality and racial stigmas on campus, I don't have to feed a family, work 12 hrs a day and forgo health care. And when I try to have candid conversation about what course of action should be taken for those who are from a low socioeconomic status, I find that most activist refuse to budge and will only accept unrealistic concessions. Activist are quick to say that the poor needs x, y and z, and they won't budge till they get it, but when you're reality is barely paying the bills, sometimes just x is enough of a victory for you. So honestly, while I don't want to shut down conversation about these issues, I think we need to recognize when we sound like complete ass hats when we talk. No one cares about the capitalist machine. No one cares about the theoretical implications of identity negotiations after a given election. No one cares about media bias. No one cares about how the American lexicon is designed to oppress minorities. Now it's a tad unfair to say no one cares. Poor people do care. They're not stupid. They know that the current system and nation isn't right. But when you're starving and rent is 3 weeks past due, sometimes all you care about is getting that extra paycheck. And if you need to appease the white patriarchal capitalist system to get it, then so be it. 

You are the biggest loser

        I am so tired of people who take body issues lightly. In their world obesity is just another hurdle one needs to get passed in life and the only reason fat people don't make it over is because they're too lazy to get up from the couch. What they don't know is the psychological prison someone can develop from being fat. I'm going to be honest. I have some meat on me and not all of it is white. So pardon my pathos in this post because I'm tired of the hypocritical nonsense I get from people regarding my weight. First to any mean spirited person who might want to reply to this post, I know that I'm fat. I know that my weight isn't healthy and my body image isn't where I want it to be. I also understand that I potentially put myself at risk by not lowering my body weight. I also know that I have the physical capability to do so. I say this because I honestly get tired of people who are in good shape harping on about how getting back into shape is just a mindset that needs to be developed. Sometimes it's a little bit more than just a switch of determination that needs to be flickered. There are habits and insecurities that have been ingrained in our minds that a quick motivational speech and training montage theme song (left on rerun) won't fix. Often it's a struggle because with every single pound you drop you feel like you're negotiating between two selves: one that you hated but wanted to love and another that you love the idea of, but find yourself hating. Society gives us a skewed sense of body image, which makes it impossible for us to ever trust our own evaluation of our body. It's funny because some people claim that the media shows images of people who have chosen a certain lifestyle. ; a healthy, able bodied one. Of course when news of anorexia and bulimia come out, they begin to talk about rehabilitation and therapy, as if their lifestyle needs to be repaired with the utmost care, while our lifestyle simply needs a gym membership card. And what's worse is that the most insecure in our ranks are recruited to drop a ton of weight and compassion. Then they're given a microphone so that way our newly reborn brother or sister can lead us back to the promiseland, while regurgitating the same dismissive crap we've always been hearing. They are the worst because they honestly believe that because they were able to do it, then we're able to do it as well. They are completely ignorant to the fact that everyone's weight problem is different. It's not even only a weight problem. It's a body problem. We're not happy with our bodies and those who say they are tend to be among the most insecure. I have no doubt it's a natural part of self improvement that drives our slight dissatisfaction with our current body. But the media and culture exacerbates that small insecurity we all share.
  I recognize that my body issues, while at times very tough for me,don't even come close to some of things I've seen my friends deal with. I recognize that my sister and mother have it so much harder than I do because fortunately my body doesn't always need to be a prime asset to prove my manhood. But that doesn't mean I can't be supportive of the people around me. It doesn't mean my struggle is any less important than theirs. It means that we need to collectively tell those who are quick to judge to shut the fuck up. It means that our weight problems, from just a few extra pounds you regret to severe obesity, need to be treated with the utmost care. So no don't tell me to just lose the weight. Don't tell me I'm lazy either. Just don't say anything until I ask you. Then give me your sought after opinion, while remembering that we can walk in each other's shoes, but not each other's bodies.