I haven’t watched the lecture yet. . . . but I did read this about it in the Guardian:

Gif of the whole freaking day. PERFECT.

THANK YOU. I just read this and was like, “whhaaaaa?” does this guy KNOW Josh Duggar or something? It’s like if I went to work today and was all like, “I’m not gonna let Josh Duggar in MY house.” Josh Duggar has nothing to do with me. Nor my house. I hate it when people capitalize on the tragedies of others.

I really appreciate it when we can have productive and cordial conversations here. . . .particularly about such a painful topic.

Thank you so much for this explanation. . . . I did not know about the Stolen Generations. This is such a heartbreaking history—and I do not use the word heartbreaking lightly here. Words really do not suffice.

I wish I could move your comment all the way up to the top. . . . you’ve managed to contextualize the situation, express empathy, AND still maintain that what she did is never okay. THANK YOU!

How do you feel about this criteria? From an outsider’s perspective, I actually like it. In terms of actual genetic makeup, I could technically qualify as native american by a pretty large margin, but have never opted to do so, as I was not raised in any native american culture. it’s basically part of my bloodline the…

I don’t think so. . . . At least not in a society in which racial inequality exists. It’s a hard pill to swallow because, in America, we are quick to racially appropriate the “cool” aspects of black or african american sub-cultures, but equally quick to pretend that we no longer discriminate, that African American…

Again, I am so sorry that you have been cat-called in this way. As someone who has also been cat-called, I know it’s horrible. It sounds like you’ve been particularly assaulted in this way and I am so sorry. I also think it’s commendable that you kept data.

I think the catcalling dynamic, in all of its forms, deserves a lot of hard discussion and honesty. ALL catcalling is horrible and I am so sorry that you experienced cat-calling of this vicious nature. I am really, really sorry. I do not want to be on the attack here—because I think your experiences sound awful—but…

Man, she’s gross.

This makes absolutely no sense. No sense. Just, really, no sense.

This doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t. What matters is making a broad generalization about an entire group of people based on the following feature: the color of their skin. You can say, “I have been primarily harassed by Latino men” if that is, indeed, the case. Then you’re just describing a situation you have…

I really don’t see what size has to do with it. I am a very small person and for the 5 years I lived in France I was cat-called most frequently by North-African men. It would still be racist for me to say, “North African men like me.” Because I would be making a categorical statement about an entire group of people…

10 billion stars!

Nope. No stereotyping is good.

I think the most horrendous aspect of that comment (that there were black women present) is that she is just assuming that because SHE thought it wouldn’t offend these two women, obvs. they were not offended. It’s all about her intent and how that makes it ok. . . . there is nothing in this statement that offers any…

Dear White People,

That’s not the problem. The problem is that we live in a very racist culture in which black stereotypes are constantly perpetuated and she is contributing to this problem. Which is a big problem.

I’m going to come down on the side of white people never being allowed to say “black people [do X/Y/Z].” It sounds categorical. And these statements, to my mind, sound much worse when they are coming from someone who has been on the beneficial side of the racial divide.