OK Boomer
Bigotry
This phrase has been used validly towards our oldest living generation, the boomers, on multiple occasions. A lot of them persist on oppressing the minorities of younger generations with their words and actions. They helped elect Donald Trump in 2016. A lot of them are cisgender, heterosexual, and white and some have not even endured poverty.
Most Boomers do have toxic ideologies. They have been hateful towards the younger generations. They claim we don’t have much experience with life; That we have never had it hard. The same old stuff that our parents like to tell us. We can definitely “OK BOOMER” their bigotry.
We also have the same hate and bigotry they carry with them and hurt others. How are we to label Generation X, Y, and Z bigots? Food for thought.
We Forget History
Now that we younger generation folk have caught onto this phrase; it has been misused and misplaced in conversations pertaining the pain and suffering Boomers have gone through when they were the youngest generation. Boomers are still made up of all races, sexes, genders, sexualities, religions, health, and much more. In 2020, we seem to forget those very important aspects.
We forget Boomers were alive during the Civil Rights Era in 1954 and the AIDS Crisis in 1981. Boomers have stories from the Stonewall Riots in 1969. And today there are still Boomers who are fighting for Transgender Rights. They have been fighting for Marriage Equality for Interracial couples in 1967, for Gay people in 2015, and continue that fight for people with Disabilities to this day. They are helping us as Political leaders in our government, in the Democrat Party, to bring Justice to Black People still being murdered by cops. This is just a lick off the surface of what has happened during their existence and what they are doing for us while they are still alive.
Their Stories
For Boomers who have stories to share, we need to listen to them. They may not always use the language we would like them too. They still paved the path for us to take victory from our oppressors and rebuild countries and cities how we need them to be. To do this, we must become the social human beings we once were and exchange stories. We have so much to tell each other and we need to be open to listen, especially to our elders who know what we have been through.
I am an eighteen-year-old, transgender non-binary, poor kid. I wouldn’t even know I’m transgender without Boomers. My entire generation still suffers from the lack of stories given to us by them. Without the Stone Wall Riots I would be hiding as a man. I wouldn’t be able to take the hormones I need to be a healthy adult. And my household would not be safe at all. I have Boomers to thank for my haven and the doctors willing to treat me as a human being.
With that being said, we should not take away the voices of those who are and were also oppressed. In fact, a lot of Boomers who are in minority groups or in poverty today are suffering because of our ignorance. They do not deserve to be ignored. We must listen to their stories because they will bring lots of great fruit in our journey. And now, it is up to us to learn from those stories and pave a better future for all.
Gen Z out.
