Activists — whatever their political leaning, religion, identity or ideological cause — have a tendency to make life difficult for everyone else, and especially for those people they claim to represent.
In the Muslim sphere, such activists could legitimately say to a believer like me, “Well, it’s none of your business, because you’re not sociologically Muslim.” Which is fair enough, for by and large, I am not the target of widespread discrimination, and can easily hide my faith identity, unless I happen to be with my wife or children. Indeed, they would posit that their activism is generally a response to racism or neo-imperialism.
Another form of activism related to a shared health condition, however, I take more personally. This is activism which prevents me from naming the condition, because their form of activism creates horrendous stigma for people like me who do not share their narrative. In truth, I do not want to be associated with that agenda at all: I just want to be able to access appropriate treatment and support.
If I were to give a name to the condition in an attempt to garner support and understanding from family, friends, colleagues and even health professionals, a google search would quickly yield activist-generated content which paints a completely skewed — and extremely upsetting — picture.
While it is true that activists are of a spectrum, and that some are capable of countering the excesses of one extreme, it remains the case that the most vocal for any cause have a tendency to cause maximum damage to the very groups they claim to represent. Damage which, in many cases, is irreparable.
I know it is too much to expect such activists to reign in their activism — to be less vocal, aggressive, insistent — but the counterpoint needs to be made. You may represent your particular interests, but you certainly don’t represent mine.
Last modified: 3 July 2023
