It's a difficult one this - and by this, I mean bullying.
Personally, I don't get why certain types of bullying seem to get super-powers over other types. I imagine it's because generally, people aren't very bright (average IQ is 100!). So they find it easier to understand the micro specific stuff (racism; homophobia) rather than the macro: the underlying bad, which is some people bullying other people based upon some random prejudice.
I abhor all bullying equally: racism; homophobia; Islamophobia; taking the piss out of the guy with the gammy eye or a hair lip scar... And that's the point. It doesn't matter what attribute one is using as an excuse to bully. If it's bullying (more to follow) then it really doesn't matter what is being used as an excuse. So the question is rather, 'what is bullying?'
I feel like I need more time to consider this question. It's certainly one I shouldn't attempt after a bottle of cava. But, I'll take the risk. I think that aggression is the difference between piss-taking and bullying. But I've just shifted the difficult definition from 'bullying' to 'aggression'. Because 'aggression' can be subtle. One can deny someone a job because he is bald or trans and that is aggression - even if it's all done with a grin fuck ( a phrase an ex-boss of mine used: to grin at someone and mouth positive platitudes whilst fucking them career-wise).
Onto my second bottle - logic is going to deteriorate...
I'm going to split it into two parts now.
1. No economic impact
2. Economic impact
1. No Economic Impact. This is about making someone feel bad without actually impacting their life chances. It goes all the way from a snide comment to beating someone up without a hospital visit. I think that this has to be (as, I believe the internationally accepted definition of antisemitism is) all about the perception of the victim. A few chants in the terraces, even if intended in good-humour, are only bullying if the recipient feels abused. But now we open Pandora's Box, because the role of victim can be played disingenuously. And we have a number of people nowadays who have no humour and are perma-offended. Hard isn't it?
2. Economic Impact. So now we're talking about something that really impacts someone's life: such as being gay means they earn £200k less over their career, so they live in a worse flat; they have less expensive holidays etc.).
This is also hard - hard to prove or define I mean. There's a lot of publicity about the gender pay-gap - but again those bloody infuriating average 100 IQ people focus on the specific and not the macro. There most certainly is a gender pay-gap but it's far smaller when considering pay for specific roles - the implication being that women generally may choose professions which pay less well. And then we're into the whole free-market question which I'm assigning ultra vires for this post.
But is there also a race pay-gap? Personally, when hiring I always gave the benefit of doubt to the most 'disadvantaged' person I had interviewed... which once led me to hire a very short Indian lady over an average height Indian man. But there probably is such a prejudice (I don't study social sciences so I don't have stats to hand - but then again I value so lowly the intellect of social scientists that I may not even trust their findings).
I think there are other pay-gaps that may be even more dramatic. Here's one (as a man below 5' 7" in height). There is definitely a pay gap related to height. But then, looking back (and I was frustrated at the time) - how much of the height thing actually resulted in a superior gravitas or confidence or ability to inspire? I don't know.
I am very aware that I've written a lot of words and probably nothing of value. And if you want to respond that I'm just a wanker, I'll get it. If I must boil it down to a few thoughts:
- There is a very fine line between 'bantz' / humour and bullying. And that line is defined by the perception of the victim.
- Offence by the victim does not prove intent by the initiator.
- Economic bullying is more serious but much harder to define or prove.
And finally, my own philosophy for life: just be nice to other people. Being nice may include piss-taking if you feel they are getting it as a joke and are giving it back. But it certainly doesn't include making someone else feel bad. That's horrible.