Abstract: Epistemic injustice is generally constructed as harms that those with privilege do to those with none. However, oppressed persons sometimes perpetuate epistemic harms on each other, even within progressive spaces (i.e. spaces that recognize and oppose such harms). In this talk, I describe three forms of silencing that can occur in progressive spaces between fellow victims of gender oppression. These forms of silencing are (1) Experience-appropriation, where one claims to know more about someone else’s experience in an effort to dictate which mode of theorization about such experience is more valid. (2) Experience-alienation, which happens when certain contributions are deemed irrelevant or unworthy of gaining uptake in the conversation. (3) Policing modes of engagement occurs by assuming moral authority over what is deemed an acceptable and appropriate mode of engagement in the progressive space. I argue that in each form of silencing, an agent's experience with oppression is weaponized. That is, the agent uses her experience with oppression to silence another oppressed person’s testimony. What those who weaponize their oppression fail to understand is that one can be oppressed in certain contexts and privileged in others. Oppression weaponization can be avoided through greater awareness of the way one’s privilege may be deployed in progressive spaces.

Downloadable flyer: