This is the right take, IMO. Labelling race, gender etc issues as "diversions" has the same flavour as "I know the slaves are oppressed, but freeing them doesn't end capitalism, does it?"

[–] AMuscelid@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The diversion is the idea of rainbow capitalism. For example: fighting for the right for people of any identity to own slaves is not a valid goal and also won't "free the slaves." Ending slavery is the goal. Rainbow capitalism acts as a shell game to divert energy toward token concessions and labels them victories. Anti-racism and feminism should be (and I would say, are) at the core of any coherent flavor of leftism, but diverse oppression is still oppression and a rainbow flag on a Raytheon missile is not a win.

Edit: should have read the comment further down. Said what I meant but with gooder words.