Stop Calling It ‘Identity Politics’ — It’s Civil Rights
By Marcus H. Johnson
Asking marginalized people to renounce their identity is white supremacy.
This election cycle, “identity politics” has become one of the phrases that joined the political lexicon. Even though it’s now widely used, many people are still unsure of what “identity politics” means. Identity politics refers to the political interests of women, minorities, and other marginalized groups in American politics. These interests are far-ranging and include everything from fighting for equal pay for women to fighting against police brutality in minority communities.
Typically, “identity politics” has been used as a put-down by the alt-left. By now, almost everyone has heard the insult: “She was engaging in identity politics, and not focusing on the real issues.” But what are the “real issues” that identity politics “distract” us from? Generally, those who use identity politics as a deriding term want the left to focus on class instead of issues that pertain to the identities of marginalized people.
When the alt-left says “identity politics,” what they actually mean is “civil rights.” They want marginalized groups to stop fighting for civil rights because that would upset poor white people who might otherwise vote…
