Yes, I'm Emotional. Yes, My Argument is Still Valid. | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Yes, I'm Emotional. Yes, My Argument is Still Valid.

Why emotional invalidation in social justice needs to stop

159
Yes, I'm Emotional. Yes, My Argument is Still Valid.
Forwallpaper

I'm an emotional person. I cry when I see a really cute dog, my whole body erupts in wiggles when I'm happy. Sometimes, I get too angry to talk, or too sad to open my eyes. Thankfully, I'm introspective by nature, and I know how to read my own emotions. I know how to give myself what I need.

My emotions only became a problem when I entered the sphere of social justice. Here, I thought, here is a place where I can take my fear and anger and channel it into something good. No longer would I have to sit with these feelings festering hopelessly inside of me. I had assumed that my caring so much would be an asset, not a disadvantage.

I was in middle school the first time a boy told me I was too emotional to engage in a debate about feminism. Or illegal immigration. Or homophobia. Or any subject we were debating in our eighth-grade civics class. This kid worshiped numbers and logic, and believed that any argument that prioritized the human condition over those was obviously flawed. My baby hippy-liberal self was not having any of that nonsense, but it took every ounce of willpower I had to not cry out of frustration whenever I talked to him. But this kid had to be an anomaly, right? He was just a jerk who felt he had to resort to being mean to little girls to feel powerful.

He was not an anomaly. Throughout my life I have met more people than I can count who think that emotions have no place in debate. You only need to look through the comments on any Facebook post or YouTube video to find them. The more my arguments were met with "Are you on your period?" and "Don't be such a crybaby!", the more I felt that maybe they were right. Maybe I should just shut up and leave the arguing to people who can get a grip on themselves.

The thing I hadn't realized is that none of the people telling me this had as much at stake in the argument as I had. When I am arguing with a man about feminism, I am trying to get him to see me as an equal. He is trying to be right. A straight person may not understand why a homophobic politician getting elected into office terrifies me, but that is because they are not affected by this in the same way that I, a lesbian, am. It wasn't that they were objective, it was that they simply didn't care.

Not caring about an issue itself is a form of privilege. So what if immigrants face racism and xenophobia in the US, I'm not an immigrant. I looked into this phenomenon, and found a quote from an article on everydayfeminism.com that made everything click into place for me.

"At the end of the day, tone-policing is a tool used against marginalized people who are upset about their oppression – and should be."

And it had worked on me. I stopped talking about issues that affected me because I thought my emotions made me wrong. But if there is one thing I hate more than being wrong, it is for oppression to win. I made a vow to myself to not let a fear of being seen as a hot mess keep me from perusing justice and equality.

I won't be silent, and neither should you. Be proud, be emotional, and don't stop fighting.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

2444
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1463
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200708
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21222
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments