Abstract

Life under oppression is riddled with double binds—situations where someone is forced to choose between limited and conflicting options, each of which entangles them further in their own subjugation. Because oppression saturates everyday life with these dilemmas, resisting them should be central to any broader struggle against oppression. Yet their very structure renders such resistance difficult to imagine, let alone achieve. I argue that people can resist double binds by reinterpreting the options they present through counter-oppressive values. This strategy can mitigate some of the harms double binds are designed to inflict, for example, by avoiding the shame typically imposed for failing to comply with their imperatives. I highlight how this form of resistance has already taken shape within social movements and emphasize the essential role of supportive communities in fostering and sustaining it.