Geometry Proofs but for Social Justice Human Equity Type Things

CW: discussion of systemic discrimination of marginalized groups and reactionary responses. 

For the record, I do identify as a “Bad At Math Gay.” Calculating numbers was never my strong suit. I was always much better at mathematics that involved letters, like algebra. Regardless of being required to memorize certain things like multiplication tables and square roots, when it comes to pretty basic mathematics, I need my handy dandy calculator app, or I need to write it all down lest I forget where I am and rearrange/miscalculate everything. Despite how much the world, myself included, relies on numbers, statistics, and all that jazz, I don’t like to think about, or do, math very much. Especially math that I haven’t needed much in my own life, like Calculus or Trigonometry. However, there is a certain mathematical practice that has stuck with me and that I’ve thought about relentlessly over time; and that is, of course, geometry proofs.

Now, it’s been a hot minute since I was a 14-year-old, freshman in high school with 1st period Geometry, but from what I recall (and with a very quick google search), basically the task of geometric proofs is to, well, PROVE the presence/truthfulness of a certain geometric concept or theory with a given set of information, as well as with previous knowledge of other mathematical theories and other such information. 

They look kinda like this: 

[Image Description: Red text “Two Column Proof: Isosceles Triangle Theorem.” Black text underneath “The Isosceles Triangle Theorem states that if two sides of a triangle are congruent, then the angles opposite the sides are congruent.” Underneath, Blue Isosceles Triangle with red “A” at top angle, red “B” and “C” at bottom angles, blue dotted line in the middle with black “D” at bottom between “B” and “C.” Next to triangle, black text “Given: Line AB is approximately equal to Line AC.” Black text underneath “Prove: Angle B is approximately equal to Angle C.” Beneath, a two column table, one labeled “Statements,” the other labeled “Reasons,” alternating three (3) white and green rows each with the statements and reasons proving the angles are approximately equal.]

Now, as I understand it (as a “bad at math gay”), proof execution in mathematics does not ONLY apply to geometry, but that was the class in which I learned about them and learned how to do them, so just know that if I keep referring to this process as “Geometry Proofs,” that’s why. Regardless, in incredibly “bad at math gay” layman’s terms, these type of proofs use step by step, A to Z, rigorous, logical, deductive reasoning from evidence based/proven studies to come to an understandable and reasonable mathematic conclusion.

And if we’ve learned anything over the past several years with the development of technology in this here digital age, the rampant increase in non-evidence based information being tossed around by inexperienced randos behind a computer screen, and consumers of that media failing to use their logic and critical thinking skills to dismiss said non-evidence based information, all of this has led to illogical, irrational thought processes. This not only has had a polarizing effect on our society, but has skyrocketed that problem to the point of reactionaries and conspiracy theorists being validated in their non-evidence based arguments and having ginormous platforms with millions of followers. 

Particularly during the GamerGate era and the Trump Administration, there’s also been a profound increase in (usually (abled) white (allocishet)) internet dudebros who love to “play Devil’s Advocate” regarding social justice issues. These “open to ideas, logical free thinkers” will enter the comment section or DMs of a marginalized human, who on their social platforms has expressed frustration at oppressive encounters they’ve dealt with, to demand the time and energy of said human to “debate” with them about their own prejudiced based experiences, as well as the existence of things like systemic/systematic racism, the abled white supremacist allocisheteronormative patriarchy, and the need for intersectional feminism. 

Now, for the record, these people don’t deserve your time or energy. Most of the time they’re NOT ACTUALLY TRYING to understand your well-researched and constructed argument based on more complex science and numbers and facts and things like that. In fact, many a time they are PURPOSEFULLY and WILLFULLY misconstruing your claims so that they can continue to be ignorant of social justice issues, human equity, and don’t have to look inside themselves to deal with the uncomfortable, AWFUL history of the world, their so called “brave and free” country, or their own social upbringing and how it (and they) has/have been harmful and hurtful. 

But I, of course, am a curious human, and therefore am still interested. 

I’m still interested in what they would say, or do, if they would even say or do anything at all, if they WERE constructively given facts and information in a fairly easy to digest way in a comprehensive format. 

And if they REALLY need proof, if they REALLY want us to show our work when it comes to talking about systemic oppression, I propose putting forth the information in the fashion of a geometrical proof, as to more easily follow the steps and links to (maybe, possibly) help bring forth and communicate further understanding of how and why certain things are the way they are, and what we could possibly do to aid in dismantling the oppressive systems carved into our society. 

I’ll start with a very, VERY basic social justice, human rights 101 type example to show where I’m going with this: 

Two-Column Proof: The Discrimination is Bad Theorem 

The Discrimination is Bad Theorem states that there is chronic, institutionalized  discrimination and oppression against marginalized populations, and that has a negative effect on everyone everywhere. 

Given: 1) Marginalized populations exist. 2) Bad Things exist. 

Prove: Discrimination is Bad.

STATEMENT	EVIDENCE/PROOF/REASONS
1) Bad Things exist.	1) Given.
2) Bad Things happen to people sometimes.	2)  Bad Things are unpleasant stressors that can cause one’s mental and physical health to decline.
3) Bad Things have a negative effect on peoples’ lives.	3)  Due to the decline in one’s mental and physical health caused by the unpleasant stressor of the Bad Thing, one’s life is negatively affected by the Bad Thing.
4) Marginalized Populations exist.	4) Given.
5) Marginalized Populations are not Bad Things.	5) All of these groups have existed for 5evar, basically since the beginning of time, and have never actually negatively affected society as a whole solely by their existence.
6) Many non-marginalized folk have negative opinions of Marginalized Populations and think they are Bad Things for the world and society for a plethora of reasons.	6) In general, people fear what they don’t know and/or understand. As a result of this, people tend to get either defensive and/or a superiority complex when exposed to new information that challenges their ways of life, which is essentially the “fight” response upon one’s increased level of adrenaline from the fear.
7) As a result of non-marginalized folk not liking, being uncomfy with, and thinking marginalized folk are Bad Things, discrimination happened and continues to happen.	7) Throughout history, due to Western Civilization’s genocidal exploration and colonization of non-Western(*coughCough*non-Christian*CoughCough*) cultures/practices/religions/traditions/etc., with which they were unfamiliar and did not know and/or understand, they were not only fearful and uncomfy with these cultures/traditions/etc., but dignified themselves as superior/more cultured/civilized/etc., and then immediately dubbed the other cultures/practices/etc. as “Bad Things” that needed to be “fixed/corrected” (aka eradicated) based on their own Western/Christian based upbringing. With all of that, many legal documents and societal structures were created by these very people who held these misguided (and very wrong) ideas about non-Western/Christian folk, and TO THIS DAY, we still follow (and have even made more of) the rules, laws, and systems initially written into effect by the very people that created them. (And don’t even get me started on “reverse discrimination”of marginalized groups towards non-marginalized groups that is A WHOLE ASS other proof in and of itself)
8) Discrimination negatively effects the lives of the Marginalized Populations.	8) Due to the structural oppression marginalized groups face from the institutionally and socially created norms and practices, marginalized groups have less opportunities to live their lives to the fullest extent that non-marginalized groups can, and these are generally unpleasant stressors that cause one’s mental and physical health to decline.
9) Discrimination negatively affecting Marginalized Populations also negatively effects everyone else.	9) This, too, could actually (and probably will) be a whole separate proof post in and of itself, but for the primary basics of this example, let’s put forth the evidence that when Marginalized Groups are sad and stressed due to their mental and physical health suffering from the results of structural oppression, this can cause negative effects on society as a whole, which is a Bad Thing.
THEREFORE:	based upon the given information, and linking together all of the facts and studies attached (which also contain hyperlinked sources and/or bibliographies for one to peruse/do further research if not yet convinced by the ones linked in this proof), the resulting evidence-based conclusion is that Discrimination is Bad!

With all that said and done, of course, there will still be douchey asswipes who will claim that your studies/sources are wrong or invalid for whatever reason. Even with this very mathematic, logical, concise process, they’ll say you didn’t actually prove anything and you’re just “spouting SJW snowflake liberal media bias” whatever blah-di-fcking-blah…as if they’re not ALSO spouting whatever media bias it is they’ve consumed from conservative networks or “moderate/centrist” reactionary internet “influencers.” 

But this is not for them. Not really. 

It’s something I’ve been thinking about doing for a very long while. And honestly I just wanted to see if I could do it, and with more, if not all, of the leftist progressive talking points. 

Basically I want to make this a series. 

Why? I don’t know. 

Cuz I’m a giant freaking nerd? Cuz I’m an Aries therefore being argumentative is in my nature? Cuz I work for and was raised by an attorney so I’ve learned how to logically debate things over the course of my life? Cuz my ADHD[Redacted]Brain needs to organize and get this all out in the open so it can maybe relax, think about and/or work on my fiction projects for a hot minute?

Maybe. Probably. Yeah, that all makes sense. 

Anyway, methinks that’s all for today. Probably my longest, maybe even my most dense (aka boring, lol) bit of non-compulsory writing ever, but here it is and I wanted to do it. And apparently you wanted to be here to read it, so I am very very appreciative/grateful for your time, effort and energy if you wanted to and did so.

Thank you thank you so much! I hope you got at least a little something out of this, and that you’re doing well/better than before! I release you to the world to go about your days with good vibes and things!

Peace out, and sending love to all y’all! ❤

~Mackenzie Brynn Rap