My unintentional racsim

 This morning when talking with a couple of white womyn, I attributed to Angela Davis something that Alice Walker said. When I stood corrected by one of the womyn, I was mortified and then realized I had the opportunity to point out the racism in my words.

One of the womyn objected, saying it was the fact that I turned 70 years old a couple weeks ago that I inverted their names. "What if they were two white womyn authors," she continued to protest, "that wouldn't have been racism."

I agreed, if I'd mixed up two white womyn's names it would have been no big deal. Maybe I could have blamed an aging brain. 

I could have even blamed an aging brain this time also. But because I am an anti-racist, it is my constant challenge to be aware of racism.

I know for a fact that white womyn often call Black womyn by another Black womon's name.That this is part of the racism of white people do, not being able to distinguish between one Black person and another.

I know historically, all Black porters were called "George". 

I know all this and yet when I was speaking, I was not tuning in consciously, cautioning myself to be aware of racism. Thus I fucked up. 

It won't happen again.