Let’s Be Honest about Identity Politics

Black and white

A story told by right-wingers these days is that something called “identity politics” is harming the world. These right-wingers are open and honest that by “identity politics” they mainly mean women and minorities who stand up for their rights.

It could be argued that some people have pushed their identity claims too far but even if such is the case, the actions of some people do not negate the principle that rights should apply to everyone. Nevertheless, right-wingers have weaponized the concept of “identity politics” to broadly dismiss claims of equal protections under the law.

America’s “Identity Politics”

Malcolm X once said that he wasn’t born thinking he was Black; the world told him he was Black. On this point, he was correct. In the context of American culture, “Black” is an attributed identity — a set of stereotypes defined by the dominant culture that are attributed to a group of people subsumed under the label “Black.” Those people so labeled can and do create and assert their own identities, but they must do so against the social pressures of the dominant culture.

This works both ways. For example, I wasn’t born thinking I was white; the world told me I was white. In the context of American culture, “white” is also an…