Visibility of Identity

Disclaimer: theories of marginalization and privilege. 

The November Carnival of Aces prompt is Invisible Activism. My interpretation of this prompt is a smidge roundabout, so hold on to something. A key part of activism is understanding the needs and concerns of everyone in the community you advocate for, including those whose experiences and intersections are invisible (or low visibility). 

Spectrum of Visibility

Identities and experiences exist on a spectrum of visibility. Their noticeability may shift over time and can be affected by your choice to disclose, how you express yourself, where you are, who you spend time with, and more. 

  • I choose to speak frequently about asexuality, which increases the visibility of this identity. 
  • The low visibility of my gender is a choice I make and could change in the future.
  • My health conditions are classified as "invisible illnesses," however their visibilities fluctuate. They become more noticeable as a symptoms flare up or I may be put in a position where I feel I need to disclose. 
  • My whiteness is hypervisible in person and theoretically invisible online, but unspecified ethinicity is often assumed to be white as the normative default. 

A Unique Blend

Low Visibility carries with it a unique blend of privileges and struggles. The following lists were created by a mix of speculation, personal experiences, conversations with others, and reading blog posts.

People with Low Visibility Marginalization may experience the following privileges

  • Lower frequency of discrimination and assumptions, especially from strangers
  • Usually having the choice of if and when to disclose
  • Offered opportunities at a similar rate as normative peers
  • Depending on the area of marginalization, could be seen as the preferred representative and therefor be given more opportunities and have their voice amplified
These privileges are not constant. These privileges are not the same as Normative Privileges (white, cis, abled, etc.)*

People with Low Visibility Marginalization may experience the following struggles

  • Disbelief** and lack of support
  • Feeling unwelcome in community, or actively rejected
  • Feeling invalid, doubting identity
  • Feeling their problems are lesser, not worth addressing
  • Delayed diagnosis or realization
  • Masking, which can lead to depression and anxiety***

Note: I am not saying that people with High Visibility Marginalization cannot experience these struggles. 

Sources

*Collection of posts about light-skinned privilege. Includes the ideas that light-skinned privilege is not constant and light-skinned privilege is not the same as white privilege, which I broadened. 

**"On a more personal level, many people with invisible disabilities find that friends and family become irritated when miraculous recovery is not forthcoming within a certain timeframe. ... Disbelief is prevalent and demoralizing." - Naomi Chainey [read more]

*** I learned the idea of masking in Camouflage: The Hidden Lives of Autistic Women, but feel it could apply to more identities and experiences.

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