I was raised a straight, white, Christian girl with very little knowledge of anybody outside of my homeschool group. Saying I was ignorant doesn't even cut it. I knew basic, whitewashed American history and that was it.
When I grew up, I learned more about the world outside of my little bubble. I learned how to care for my hair from people with kinky afros and twists. I learned how to make my food from people who's language I didn't speak and how to love nature from the people who cultivated it for hundreds of years. I learned how to love others from people whose love was forbidden and love myself from people whose bodies were perfectly imperfect.
When I dipped my toes into culture I was scared of what I might find and instead, I found community and love and people who care about other people and I LOVED it.
But had you said to that straight, white, Christian girl that her ignorance made her pathetic and showed her hate instead of love then she would've never dipped her toes into that beautiful mixing pot of cultures and she would have remained ignorant. Your hate toward ignorance will drive away all those who strive for knowledge.
