@marcusconnaghan.bsky.social
For the longest time, I misremembered the “mythical norm“ as the “invisible norm“ – from the thinking that the American mythology is so embedded that these qualities are automatically assumed unless someone is noticeably “other”.
![[Bold, italicized black text on a light gray background] Audre Lorde, a Black lesbian poet, scholar, and feminist, described the "mythical norm" as a set of societal expectations that are often used to justify oppression. Lorde believed that people who don't fit the norm are often forced to conform or be ignored, and that this behavior prevents people from creating meaningful change.
[in larger, red font] She said that this norm is often defined as white, thin, male, young, heterosexual, Christian, and financially secure.
[Back to regular font] Trump has made it a point of aggrandizing those who fit these parameters (sometimes specifically praising them for those qualities), and attacking those who don't - and using their differences as insults.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:o6n4wskksulm5yt3xoz46gl3/bafkreieslhyhnrxo6gst7seyi32mnwypyvs4g2pakwvwu7exyhkd3kx76a@jpeg)
![[Dark blue background with white text from an NBC news post, with added notes and commentary in yellow]
[comment] Trump sows division between Americans, attacking anyone who isn't a straight White Christian Male
[original text] Defense agency bans events promoting DEl to comply with Trump's executive order
• Black History Month [Arrow inserted, pointing to the word White]
• Women's History Month [Arrow inserted, pointing to the word Men]
• LGBTQ Pride Month [Arrow inserted, pointing to the term Cis Hetero]
• Holocaust Remembrance Day [Arrow inserted, pointing to the word Christian]
• Juneteenth
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• “Other special observances"
[Closing commentary] Of course, all of these social constructs are merely weapons he uses to make himself and those like him wealthier, at the expense of our nation.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:o6n4wskksulm5yt3xoz46gl3/bafkreiflztfd6bg4z6no4kbzfax7pwve6ndhkjv27iu45jzqqzqbowvaqa@jpeg)
February 1, 2025 at 3:47 AM
For the longest time, I misremembered the “mythical norm“ as the “invisible norm“ – from the thinking that the American mythology is so embedded that these qualities are automatically assumed unless someone is noticeably “other”.