Member-only story
A quick thought experiment:
If I were to suggest that heterosexual men cannot be sexists, because after all, we date, sleep with and even marry women, would anyone think this argument rational? Does our personal closeness to women — in this case, even sexual intimacy — render us incapable of misogyny?
Seriously, does anyone believe that, or argue that?
If not, then why does it seem so persuasive to certain people to claim innocence from the charge of racism by pointing to a black friend?
If having sex with a woman doesn’t insulate guys from a charge of sexism, surely grabbing drinks or working out with your black buddy can’t serve as proof that one isn’t racist, can it? Of course not.
The ability to think negatively about a group of people, but to carve out individual exceptions to a broader, less salutary rule, isn’t particularly difficult.
Lately, we have another version of the “some of my best friends” defense, this time coming from Donald Trump, and in this instance, concerning the issue of anti-Semitism.
