Brief Report Back Wednesday 2/17 "What Will White Wombn Do To End Racism?"

 After checking in and sharing our recent successes and challenges both addressing racism and practicing anti-racism skills, on the screen again is how we focus on removing the barriers of racism instead of “inviting” Black wombn to “join us”.

Intertwined in that racist practice of “inclusion” which leads to tokenism as well as the danger of expecting Black wombn to confront and educate white wombn re:racism, itcan also reek of the “white savior” behavior and mentality.

But the in recognition of the inequality of resources, with white people having sooooo much more, how we can provide “mutual aid” when connecting white people with requests for assistance from Black and/or brown wombn. Sharing resources, working toward restitution, supporting the reparations bill now in front of congress, feeding hungry unhoused people, providing portapotties – all ideas for redistributing wealth.

The ‘incident’ on the screen: responding to criticism from Black wombn re:lack of support. Arguing, convincing, being defensive, thinking I’m ‘excuses’ because other white wombn have already responded.

And we discussed the anti-racist response: “I hear you, I’m sorry, I will think about it and make sure I never do it again.”

When white wombn write a racist post on a Black wombn’s page, again sliding by letting other wombn respond. Honing in on examining the racism, focusing on the way(s) in which it is racist, besides the obvious bringing racism to the page.

We talked about the “they’ll never change” as being a reason to never try to change someone, along with the fear of or desire not to be “rude” as another reason not to act to confront racism. Or when truth is considered “rude”.

CRT (Critical Race Theory) garners as much negative racist response as “White Fragility” does so it’s very important to know what it is and how to discuss it.

We talked about the trap of “hierarchy” of oppression, recognizing differences in racism directed at Asians, Indigenous people, Black people, brown immigrants. How the “isms” divide and conquer by ensuring the different ‘degrees’ of violence and oppression, superiority and inferiority in a hierarchy. More helpful to examine the continuum of oppression and privilege where if you land at one end closest to white, you are most privileged; or closer to Black and Indigenous most targeted.

Resources:

“Diet For a Small Planet” by Frances Moore Lappe

“Critical Race Theory” edited Kimberlé Crenshaw, et al

“The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson

“The Sum of Us” by Heather McGhee

 

"Unconscious" racism, maybe - we'll see

I saw a picture on a white wombn's facebook page this morning that had individual photos of several mostly white wombyn, all but two wombn with masks on. Under the picture it said "It's not survival of the fittest during Covid. It's survival of the smartest."

Of the two wombn who were unmasked, one is white and the other the only Black wombn in the picture.

I don't think the white wombn who put up this picture intentionally was trying to send the message the two unmasked wombn were not smart - she probably had the 'survival of the fittest' message up there before she posted that picture - but regardless the message is there and it is racist. 

It is/was a racist message fuckin "survival of the fittest" even prior to adding the picture. So this is what I rushed to send to her:

Sally: I assume (as I don't know you but we have friends in common) that the sentence you put under this pic was not intentionally pointing out that all the white wombn wearing masks were the 'smart' ones who will survive and the one and only Black wombn and one white wombn were not smart and therefore will not survive. 

But that message is there, conscious or not, and I would urge you to change it if it is the wrong message you want to send out into the www universe.

The other thing is that the common propaganda that it is/was "survival of the fittest" is a lie, at least under capitalism and patriarchy: it is really what began as "survival of those most willing to use violence and domination to get what they want". 

And to the recent truth in that survival propaganda, again/still it is "survival of those granted white skin privilege" as Black and brown people - both adult and children - are dying at much much much higher rates than that of white people. 

Wow - I didn't know I was going to go so deep in examining this. I hope you will consider joining our weekly zoom so we can work on this together! In love and rage, Xan