When Do I Get To Be Recognized As Fully Human?
Months or weeks that celebrate marginalized groups can be a double edged sword
The older I get, the more ambivalent I feel about months or weeks that focus on marginalized people.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m fully aware of why events such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Asexual Awareness Week exist. These activities bring awareness to the unique experiences of marginalized groups and celebrate the accomplishments of those groups.
However, as someone who is marginalized three times over for her race, gender and sexuality, in the long run, these commemorations seem hollow.
For instance, I recently participated in a Zoom conference call for my job. I work at a healthcare organization with several divisions such as hospice care, home health care, visiting nurses, and health insurance. The Vice President for my division gave a short presentation on the first Black nurse hired at the company back in 1906.
