Surely the existence of each of these things precedes their political essence. Even a black person like me; a very political thing indeed, clearly exists before becoming a vessel (in ways sometimes terribly real, and sometimes comically abstract) for the lens of the day.
>>jskell+(OP)
In many cases, yes. Totally agree with your example. Some cases maybe not?
Some things are perhaps coincident with the politics of the thing. Whether manufacturing uses sweatshops or child labor, for instance. I'm not sure that's separable.