Pocket of Faith is a monthly newsletter directly geared towards the intersection of LGBTQ+ human rights and faith. We are proud to showcase this important subject, revealing that faith, religion, and LGBTQ+ rights co-exist in harmony and not in opposition.
Written by Jai Davis (they/them), faith organizer for Georgia Equality
The Work of Our Oppressors
In the words of Bayard Rustin, “And the easiest way to combat that feeling of not being enough is to find someone we consider less than. Less than because they are poorer than us, or because they are darker than us, or because they desire someone our churches and our laws say they should not desire. When we tell ourselves such lies, start to live and believe such lies, we do the work of our oppressors by oppressing ourselves.”
These powerful words resonate today as we witness the ongoing struggle for justice and equality in our society. They reflect the insidious nature of discrimination, where, in the face of our own struggles, some individuals and groups turn to dehumanize others in an attempt to feel superior. This “othering” is rooted in systemic inequalities and creates a dangerous cycle where one marginalized group is used to validate the oppression of another. This is not just a social issue, but a political and moral one that requires us to reflect on the ways we perpetuate or resist injustice.
Right now, we are seeing this cycle play out across various fronts—especially in the treatment of Transgender individuals, Immigrants, Disabled Bodies, Black Bodies, and other marginalized groups. Our government, in particular, has increasingly adopted policies that seek to divide, discriminate, and perpetuate inequality. From state legislators enacting bills targeting the Transgender community’s rights to healthcare and freedom, to the ongoing criminalization of immigrants seeking refuge and a better life, to the disregard for the rights of disabled individuals to access services, the evidence of societal fractures is undeniable.
Consider the Transgender community, which continues to face mounting barriers—whether it’s being excluded from healthcare access, facing violence, or the denial of basic human dignity. Instead of empowering these individuals, our laws and some voices in our society seek to isolate them, telling them they are “less than” because of who they are. Similarly, immigrants seeking asylum or a place in this country are demonized by those who call them “illegal” rather than recognizing their humanity. This rhetoric feeds into the belief that their value is inherently less, that their lives matter less.
People of color, especially Black bodies, continue to be targeted by racist laws and policies that treat them as “less than”—less than human, less than deserving of safety, freedom, and opportunity. The criminal justice system, healthcare disparities, and economic barriers are just a few of the ways this is maintained.
Even the Disabled community finds itself constantly fighting for the recognition of their rights and access to basic needs. Whether it’s in employment, education, or public spaces, there is a constant battle against a system that too often deems disabled individuals as “less than” or burdensome to society.
The tragedy in all of this is that, like Rustin said, we internalize these divisions and lies. We participate in the work of our oppressors by accepting these distorted beliefs and allowing them to shape how we treat others and how we see ourselves. When we create hierarchies of worth—based on race, ability, gender, or immigration status—we all lose. We forget that justice is not a finite resource. When one group’s rights are diminished, the rights of all are diminished.
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