Don't Label Me: An Incredible Conversation for Divided Times

first off, there's a prescient quality in reading a book about the culture wars (for lack of a better term) that is more than 2 years old: terms that are now loaded are freely used, terms that are currently overused are not even invented yet, and it seems there's more room to speak against 'A' without automatically being labelled as a supporter of 'B'. Or perhaps her intersectional identity as a lesbian Muslim woman of colour gives her more cover than most?

I was not a fan of her framing the book as a conversation with her dog but, at the same time, can understand it was a device to present the material in a friendly, non-confrontational way. (And maybe I can see the value of owing a dog when I am old, aimless, and lonely). as for the material, it was rarely challenging to me as I already agree with everything she wrote.

so things I liked:

right from the start she admitted her unearned identities have played an outsized role in bringing attention to her ideas. she advocates for going first, as in: if I hope to be heard by you, I first have to hear you. that taking offense is an avenue to power. the unspoken rules of allyship: listening means unquestionably agreeing with how victims perceive their situation. and that allies are transactional, as opposed to the relationships we build with friends. we should proceed as if we're right, but also listen as if we're wrong. and the final section with actionable steps for cultivating honest diversity made the book more than a mere meditation.