Mnemonic
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Australian Politics
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Melbourne
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When Julia accuses Tony of sexism, it's not about whether Tony's policies or comments are actually sexist. Julia is talking about herself, not Tony. It has more to do with Julia feeling like a victim than Tony being an oppressor.
Yet, that's the reasoning behind victimhood in the workplace and in government. If someone feels they are a victim of sexism, racism or some other kind of discriminatory behaviour, bullying or harassment, then that is sufficient. It doesn't matter what the "oppressor" actually said or did.
For example, if you're a man and start doing things that are unintentionally annoying to a woman or you somehow end up in the same places as her, she might think you're harassing, following or stalking her. It doesn't matter if you have no intention of harassing, following or stalking, that you somehow said or did things, by coincidence, that made her uncomfortable. If she thinks it's sexual harassment, it's sexual harassment. If she thinks you're stalking her, you're stalking her. It doesn't matter what you think, it doesn't matter why you said or did what you did. What matters is how she feels.
What exists in the victim's mind is what matters, not that of the alleged oppressor.
I'm not saying it's wrong, because sometimes the "victim" really does feel that way, and you can't be sure. You just have to believe them.
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