“Google it, hoe” reads an Instagram post attacking a person for asking about a feminist issue.

Recently, there have been accounts on Instagram that claim to hold feminist or otherwise politically correct values. People who don’t have as much knowledge about certain topics will ask innocent questions, and the account administrators will quickly shut them down, shaming them for not being as educated. 

This kind of behavior is dangerous because it tells people it’s bad to ask questions and because it makes people resent the issue you are fighting for.

There is a difference between making an offensive comment and asking a question, and in society these days, there is a dangerous trend toward everything being seen as offensive. If you know a lot about an issue, you should not be too proud to educate other people because this is the only way society will move forward. You can’t expect people to be as educated as you are. 

When someone doesn’t share or understand your point of view, it can be frustrating. However, discussions and differences of opinions are a vital part of society and what makes a democracy function. For example, scrolling on Instagram introduces me to new ideas and opens my mind to opinions all over the political spectrum.

When someone makes a comment about a political issue, keep their intent in mind. For example, there is a difference between a man asking about PMS versus saying that all women are moody when on their periods. One is a question that is potentially coming from genuine curiosity and the other is an iteration of a hateful stereotype. Being too quick to attack men excludes them from the fight for gender equality. 

Change can only happen if you make people understand what you are fighting for, and if they feel attacked they won’t understand.

Being open to new ideas is vital. If you feel strongly about something, you should be open to explaining and educating about that topic. 

Even if you don’t want to explain for a personal reason, there is no need to be rude to curious, non offensive individuals.