Unfortunately, some people in oppressed groups seem to feel there’s only so much tolerance to go around and they don’t want some other group getting too big a share of it.
Yep – look at Dan Savage of all people, and his comments about “trannies”. (I will confess that up until recently, I didn’t know that “tranny” was a slur. Dan, however, does, and still uses it. In fact, that’s probably the least offensive thing he’s said.)
You see it from some feminist groups too, who accuse transwomen of being “fake women”, or because they can still have “male priviledge”, while “pretending to be a woman”. (Of course, we’re talking about a very small group of women, but it still amused me when I saw it)
You’re probably absolutely right and it’s shameful. Also, oppressed groups probably have enough emotional and mental strain from being oppressed that they want/need someone to lash out against themselves in order to feel better, or whatever.
Still very disappointing and sickening. When I hear and see gay friends making racist/bigoted/sexist comments I want to slap them and say, “you of all people should know how hurtful that stuff is.” I’m especially sensitive to remarks about transgender people because they have so few rights and so few allies of all of “us” that it strikes me as particularly insensitive and painful.