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So, I have a combination of spiritual paths, which some might not understand. I consider myself pagan, but I also study Buddhist ideology to some extent. I also believe that a large part of my spiritual path is about working against oppression, both internally and externally. These ideals seem to clash for some people, but I don't believe they do. I have heard many a white feminist claim that Buddhism is the antithesis of feminism and that it promotes passivity. I absolutely disagree. However, at the risk of feeding into a stereotype, e.g. the one about Asian women being too meek and passive, a.k.a. complicit in their own oppression, I do believe the gentleness is a strength. Being gentle is a Buddhist teaching, as is introspection, as is having the courage to face your own traumas, in order to not act from them. Somehow, so many white feminists seem to believe that acting from a place of trauma is appropriate, if they acknowledge their trauma at all. Many of them don't because that would require admitting they were vulnerable, or in their minds, weak. So, as a therapist, I can say for certain that if someone can't acknowledge their trauma, they cannot avoid acting in a way that is motivated by trauma. I think we all sometimes act from a place of trauma, and the idea is to minimize it by learning about ourselves and learning to deal with our own pain without hiding from it or avoiding it. Hence, gentleness. If you refer to certain emotions you have as weak, then you are by definition not being gentle to yourself.
I find that I personally struggle with how to present my ideas in such a way that helps people see outside of their own ethnocentric views on things. I find it hard to share my views because white women don't often think I have an opinion about anything. And well, when I do share this one, it isn't a popular opinion. And it's easy for someone like that to assume that I don't know enough about White American culture to be able to comment at all about it. What people don't seem to understand is that I do understand white American culture, because I grew up as part of it. I was raised by my mother, who is a white woman, and I have two sisters who pass as white. I did not grow up in an Asian community, rather I grew up in a white community. I did not even know any other Asian families. I identify more with white people than I do with Asian people. Although many people fail to realize it, I identify as a Feminist.
I find that I personally struggle with how to present my ideas in such a way that helps people see outside of their own ethnocentric views on things. I find it hard to share my views because white women don't often think I have an opinion about anything. And well, when I do share this one, it isn't a popular opinion. And it's easy for someone like that to assume that I don't know enough about White American culture to be able to comment at all about it. What people don't seem to understand is that I do understand white American culture, because I grew up as part of it. I was raised by my mother, who is a white woman, and I have two sisters who pass as white. I did not grow up in an Asian community, rather I grew up in a white community. I did not even know any other Asian families. I identify more with white people than I do with Asian people. Although many people fail to realize it, I identify as a Feminist.
