White radical feminists can not be true feminists if we do not embrace and prioritize racism/anti-racism.

 I'm so very sad, hurt, disappointed in the white wombn of a radical feminist organization I was attempting to work with - wombn whom I admired and the goals of the organization I am aligned with - with the blaring exception of their not being willing to identify racism and prioritize anti-racism.

The format of the weekly zooms were 1.5 hour of panel presentations followed by an hour or so of participants gathering in 'breakout' rooms. The panel presenters were majority white european, australian, canadian, and u.s.a. Each panel also had most of the time at least one other representative from Mexico, Central or South America; India, Asia and once two wombn from the Congo region of Africa.

At each zoom, we were invited to suggest potential panel topics and presenters, and also we were told we were free to leave one breakout room and go into another, should that room not appeal to us or if we're looking for something different and/or another friend, etc.

After attending these panels for several months, and the breakout rooms for about two months, I was concerned because of the racism I heard expressed several times - racism I tried to address when it came up. 

Some examples of racism rearing its ugly head: from talking about using "black face" as comparable to drag when in an argument with Black wombn to negative visceral reactions to Black Lives Matter and Critical Race Theory to asking a single Black wombn to join the organization because they valued and felt it was necessary to have the voice from Black wombn on board - and other 'incidents' in between.

I contacted the organizers and requested that a panel on anti-racism/racism be put on the list and expressed my willingness to be a presenter and/or to find other white wombn also willing to present.

My request went unanswered for a couple weeks maybe - I know these wombn are very busy and working quite hard to make this successful - but still I did not expect this response that I received. Not that this isn't the typical response of white wombn, but I did not want it to be the typical response of white radical feminists.

From the organizers in italic and blue

Jan 19^th

Hi Xan and Sally

We had a couple of women emailing to say they felt Xan was making everyone only discuss racism in the break out room. I suggest we have a room focussed on racism this Saturday so women who want to discuss it can go there. Could you go in that room Xan? Then women who want to will go there. 

It’s good to think about racism so this could be a way to do it.

Alternatively do you have any ideas as to how we could do this?

Jo

Hi Jo
Thanks for you email. I agree it's very important that there's an
opportunity for those who want to, to discuss racism. So I think the
idea of a specific room to do this is excellent, as it will allow those
who are particularly interested to find each other, which can otherwise
be difficult to do if women are place in breakout rooms relatively
randomly.

Let's try it for this week at least and see how it goes. There's no real
limit on the number of rooms we can set up, so we can repeat it for as
long as there's sufficient interest.

I'm doing the same for a couple of other topics as well. I think it's
great that we'll be able to cater for particular interests as well as
provide a space for women to meet to discuss women's issues in general.

Thanks for suggesting it.
Best wishes
Sally

 

Xan:

It would be a gross understatement of my feelings to say I'm disappointed you didn't tell the couple womyn emailing you complaining about talking about racism that 1) you, as a wombn in leadership position, believe discussing racism is crucial to our movement; and 2) that they, as you tell everyone from the get go, have the choice of going to another room should the one you are in not meet your needs.

And furthermore I am deeply disappointed that you want to shuffle this conversation off to a breakout room instead of a panel discussion - where you could also invite one or more of those womyn complaining about talking about racism on the panel on racism to express their point of view. 

I am very willing to participate in a break-out room on racism and I deeply hope it will be attended by more people than the room can accomodate. 

I also want to bring to your attention, if you haven't already taken note of, that there have been two panelists that I am aware of who directly addressed the need to discuss racism and they both have been Black womyn.

I sincerely hope that a breakout room is just the beginning of our willingness and commitment to addressing racism.

Thank you both

In love and rage, Xan

Jan 25^th

Dear Xan

We're sorry to have to tell you that there have been a number of
complaints about your contribution in the breakout rooms over the last
three weeks. In essence women have told us that they feel you are very
keen to promote your own analysis and not open to allowing other
perspectives to be discussed.

As you know, we are a radical feminist organisation and the break out
rooms are a rare opportunity for radical feminists to meet
internationally to exchange ideas and information.  Whilst it is
absolutely essential that race and strategies to combat racism are
developed, WHRC is not the appropriate place for those discussions to
take place.

You are of course always welcome to join in the break out rooms, but we
do have to ask you to focus on women and sex-based rights in future. We
are happy to have women who are not (yet) radical feminists come along
if they are interested in finding out more about the issues, but we
cannot allow any one woman to dominate a discussion, especially when
this is on a topic that is not central to WHRC's purpose. We're sure you
will understand our reasons for this.

Can we also thank you properly for your contribution in doing the closed
captions during the webinars. We know that's very important for women
with hearing difficulties.

Best Wishes
Jo and Sally

 

Xan:

are you fuckin serious? so I've been doxed by individuals who don't even have the ovaries to talk with me directly? 

how the hell can i prevent anyone from expressing their opinion or presenting their analysis? have you asked and found out from these individuals how i prevent them from presenting any fuckin thing?

I DO focus on wombn, {including white wombn} not just in the breakout rooms but in my whole life - but I point/take out the 'understood' white and strate and heterosexist 'natural' meaning of "wombn". 

this is NOT feminism - we all know that if we live in a racist, heterosexist, classist, able-ist, misogynist patriarchy, the dominant white, male, ablebody, wealthy isms are 'natural' and dominate our vision, our perspectives, our language.

and so now you're taking a page from trans activists and silencing me? really? and under the excuse of 'feminism'? how is this different when NOW wombn wanted lesbians to keep quiet, or during the 60's civil rights movement when men wanted to keep wombn silent, let alone the 'free speech' movement when white boys wanted all wombn silenced, raped, and into the kitchen.

we are {already} divided. not talking about {these} divisions undermines our ability to unite let alone to be as strong as we can and have to be.

i will NEVER be silenced, either about pointing out bigotry or about white people's responsibility to smash racism, or men's responsibility to smash sexism, nor strate people's responsibility to smash heterosexism. this is who i am.

so if you don't want my anti-racist radical feminist view point, you'll have to ban me from your group.

i'm soooooo disappointed you are taking this position. 

white lesbian 'feminist' women have not changed a bit over the past 40+ years.

In Solidarity and Action:
Mz. Xan Joi

 

Jan 28

Xan:

Jo - I'm wondering if u've decided 2 ban me from breakout rooms? 

I don't no what to say except I certainly was not prepared for the hostility & silencing bringing up the need to examine & talk about racism triggered. I actually assumed it would be embraced as a shared vital endeavor we as white radical feminists need to address.

I feel deep sorrow at this too familiar chasm that wrenched open between us - I wish I could say this is a unique experience for me with white wombn but it's very familiar - getting a little less familiar here in the states, but still all too familiar.

I will not stop confronting racism & all forms of bigotry wherever I see it. & as you personally know, my ism radar is super honed. I've worked hard in my life to ensure that & was assuming/hoping whrc community shared that commitment. 

I deeply support & am equally deeply grateful you're doing this sex-based women's rights work, which I also will never stop doing. 

& I will never stop seeing the racism in the work that white wombn do or the heterosexism in the work strate wombn do, etc etc etc. 

Nor will I cease attempting to hold the mirror up for white wombn to see both personal & systemic racism for unless we're committed to being conscious of the racism we 'naturally' bring with us & committed to being accountable for smashing those barriers, our movements & our work will be for the greater benefit of whites at the same old cost to Black & brown wombn. i.e. fused with racism.

I deeply believe white wombn not only are capable/can address racism but we HAVE to if we want to really take out the "white" understood in "women" or "rad fem" & enable us to become a truly powerful force on the planet.

Anyway, I hope to hear from you befor Saturday. I will accept any decision u make - naturally. 

In love & rage, Xan

 

From Sally & Jo:

Dear Xan

The issue we are dealing with is not a wish to silence you, but the fact
that for 3 weeks running we have received complaints about your
behaviour in the breakout rooms. They were all from different women who
came across you in different spaces and at different times. All
complained along the lines that you were trying to silence them.

We have a responsibility to everyone who comes to the breakout rooms to
create a welcoming environment, to ensure that all women and their views
are treated with respect, and that there is an opportunity to discuss a
range of issues related to women's sex-based rights. Your aggressive and
rude reply to our earlier email makes clear that you are not interested
in most of the topics and do not like the nature of the discussions that
take place. We had hoped you would reflect on the complaints and
demonstrate a willingness to afford other women the space you demand for
your own views. Your response makes clear this is not the case.

In the circumstances we have to ask you not to attend any further WHRC
events.