Tone policing

Tone policing is when someone tries to diminish the validity and importance of a statement by attacking the tone in which it is said and presented, instead of the message itself. This diversionary tactic is used everywhere—households, educational institutions, workplaces and most significantly in cultures of protests by people high up on the “privilege ladder”. It is yet another tool used to protect privilege instead of understanding the structures of oppression that exist in our society. Naming something and knowing what it is, is the first step towards fighting it.