Yes, thank you for saying that. The problem runs deeper than you may realize. Even very well meaning people would walk up to me and ask me "Are you homeless? What's your name?" They didn't volunteer their name, address or socioeconomic status when asking such questions.
They were trying to ascertain if I would need help. A much better question format that isn't so problematic would be along the lines of "I have X (clothes, blankets, whatever). Would you like to have that?" If someone isn't actually homeless but would be happy to have a free blanket, what do you care? Maybe that blanket will help prevent them from becoming homeless.
The blanket example reminds me of all the handwringing about people "misusing" LLINs as a fishing aid, as though fighting malaria is more important than not starving.
This study investigated the extent of bed net misuse in fishing villages.
Wow. There is something incredibly fucked up about funding a study into bed net misuse rather than a study on the dire need for more help with meeting basic necessities like adequate nourishment as evidenced by so-called bed net misuse.
Or, you know, the sarcastic reply: If you die of starvation, I guess you no longer need to worry about details like malaria.
This seems like a good study that will save lives.
Using malarial nets to dry fish means not using them to prevent malaria.
Ok, good chance the answer is "give more nets". How are you supposed to know that without this study?
The insecticides might also be fish poison, this could lead to a collapse of an important food source. A study like this could help surface that before it becomes a disaster.
My problem is not with them trying to determine what is being done with bed nets and why. My problem is with the framing. It is incredibly judgy and it is the kind of language that goes along with policies that boil down to "the beatings shall continue until morale improves."
Such language tends to point to an agenda and to an underlying hostile attitude towards the population supposedly being served. I was homeless for a few years. A lot of homeless programs are actively hostile to homeless individuals. This helped sharpen my existing tendency to be critical of such details.
If you think how it is framed doesn't matter, perhaps we can discuss some choice words for you or your profession or your demographic and see if you still think details of that ilk don't matter. Hint: When you say it matters if it is done to you, but it is irrelevant when done to some downtrodden group receiving "assistance" (often of the "Please stop helping me!" variety), then you are prejudiced and the existence of this prejudice out in the world is likely one of the root causes of the group in question being downtrodden and unable to make their lives work.
It reminds me of an anecdote about CS Lewis. He is supposed to have given a beggar some change, and he friend asked him "what did you do that for? He's just going to spend it on booze." And Lewis is supposed to have replied "well, that's all I was going to use it for anyway."
They were trying to ascertain if I would need help. A much better question format that isn't so problematic would be along the lines of "I have X (clothes, blankets, whatever). Would you like to have that?" If someone isn't actually homeless but would be happy to have a free blanket, what do you care? Maybe that blanket will help prevent them from becoming homeless.