When it comes to systemic advocacy, there are multiple approaches. Some of them are collaborative and move the needle by building relationships and planting seeds. Other strategies are grounded in litigation. Both are essential.
People who advocate publicly tend to focus on the more collaborative approaches. It feels kinder. More socially acceptable. Not aggressive. People view you as more welcoming. People who litigate get more attention from the news. I find people who are successful in the collaborative route are more likely to already have privilege and power. People listen to them because of their education, their race, their status, or they are non-disabled/neurotypical, etc. People who are walked over/ignored/dismissed due to racism, sexism, ableism, etc., often find themselves with no choice but to seek the litigation route. Just because collaboration works for you doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. Just because you are welcomed in doesn’t mean everyone will be.
In fact, that is the whole reason why human rights are essential. Human rights exist because people in power just didn’t want to provide equality. So you need to fight for it. History is full of people who didn’t intend to be change makers, but life happens, and you make a choice. Do you accept your employer firing you for being gay, or do you do something about it?
Being collaborative with the Trustee from Chilliwack was leading nowhere, and litigation was the only way to make this stop. Anyone who has filed a human rights complaint or Charter challenge has their own version of, “there was no other way”.
We have our rights because people litigated. We must never forget that.
People have the opportunity to work collaboratively with people in power because of those rights. If they didn’t exist, people would shut the door on you. And we know that to be true because that was what was happening, which forced people to litigate. Generations later, the laws created a new normal, and people now talk to you about the topics you want to advocate for.
So for all of my blogs acknowledging how important it is to plant seeds, build relationships, and macro systems being the long game, I am FULLY aware that this side of advocacy exists because a bunch of people lost their shit and went to work by litigating or by creating a social movement. (Which probably would have led to changes in law.) Not by smiling and planting seeds that would have no water or sunlight.
The law is your water and sunlight.
Brought to you on the backs of people who got absolutely nowhere by collaborating.