Do more than read 'White Fragility'

I've heard from BIPOC friends and colleagues about how often they have observed white people who said they are allies, proudly share they have read the book White Fragility by sociologist Robin DiAngelo (usually also on display right there at the desk or in the Zoom background) but continue to support the systems that are racist and oppressive.

At last night's BIPOC TV & Film event #MeanwhileInCanadianTV, we heard story after story from marginalized creators about the racism and other forms of discrimination they have dealt with. From those in authority providing notes like "a Black story as already been done, we don't need to do another this season" to "just turn that character white, we don't need another BIPOC character" to "that BIPOC character must have an accent". The conversation turned to the concept of allyship and how, particularly with the Black community, white people say they are allies, but based on their actions, as Writer/Showrunner Anthony Q. Farrell put it: "eh... we'll let you know".

It's not enough to be an ally anyways, it's important to be an advocate. To call out racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism. Being an ally has become a badge of honour to be worn proudly, which has evolved to mean 'too busy showing off to do the work' (like people saying "I'm not racist, I have a Black/Jewish/Chinese/whatever" friend). This idea of being an advocate is something you have to work at, and means doing more than simply reading White Fragility, which is only the start of your anti-oppression journey.

White Fragility as a text onto itself is a useful 101 for white people to learn terminology and concepts. It was one of the first books I read on racism. The problem is, a lot of white people stop there. They get the concepts and feel they are done. But you're not. White Fragility talks to you, but doesn't challenge you. It's also written by a white academic. Now, she does a great job crediting the Black academics' work she profiles, but it is still a book about white people for white people. It doesn't push the reader outside of their comfort zone to question themselves and their part in systemic oppression.

So, you've read this far and I hope for anyone white reading this, you're going, oh, I hadn't thought about that and so what's next?

I'd like to share with you two books that I really liked as they made me pause and reflect as a white person on my thoughts, my words, my actions, my community, and my contributions (positive and negative), and gave me motivation to step out of my comfort zone.

Waking Up White: and finding myself in the story of race by Debbie Irving.

While Waking Up White is also written by a white woman who is a racial justice educator, I think for those who unknowingly push against the concept of white fragility (you'll know that's you if your immediate response to that statement was "I don't do that" and/or "do I do that?") and/or haven't thought to do more than read White Fragility, this is the book for you.

It nudges you through the process of questioning your daily engagements with the world. Check your own subtle biases, examine the company you keep (is it diverse? why isn't it?), recognize when you actually aren't inclusive. Each chapter is a story of author Debbie Irving's experience and realizations of her contributions to racism and oppression (mostly focused on Black American issues), followed by questions for the reader to work through. It's a gentle push into getting the reader to go: "ohhh.... I hadn't thought about that."

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

If you need some tough love and want to get right into the mix of some challenging questions, this is your book. Me and White Supremacy is written by a BIPOC Muslim woman who works as an anti-racism educator. The concept of 'be a advocate not an ally' I mentioned above? It's talked about in various forms in many anti-racism circles, but Leila said it most directly in a way that made the idea stick for me.

Layla F. Saad designed the book to be worked through over a series of weeks. You do not rush through to say you've read it. A small chapter a day explores issues, followed by difficult questions to work through. A series of chapters make up one section, which is a week of work. I think the book was in 4 sections, so you work through it over the course of 4 weeks (one month). These questions really dig deep into not just Black issues, but also intersectionality, immigration, and Indigenous issues which can make it uncomfortable to work through. Which is good! It means you're being pushed out of the familiar to explore ideas and questions you likely have never asked yourself. It means learning and growing.

Me and White Supremacy really shook me as it discussed how too often white people don't say or don't do something to combat racism and oppression because they're worried about doing it wrong. It also takes a shot at White Fragility readers indirectly, saying that too often white people want to read a book or discuss at a book club and call that work and be done. These two nuggets were close together in the book and both made me pause to put the book down and reflect on my own actions, or lack thereof. And how yes, I do read a lot, and is it to avoid doing? And yes, I avoid conflict. I figured out that I don't read in lieu of the work (although I do tend to over read on a topic, but that is more due to the autism/ADHD than avoidance), and it's not just conflict that makes me avoid the tough conversations, but that I'm worried I'll do something wrong. This typical inactions on my part has contributed to systemic racism and oppression and is something I've now been working on.

I don't recommend treating any of these books as an either or. If we looked at these three books in the context of university courses, if White Fragility is level 100, Waking Up White is level 200 and Me and White Supremacy is a level 400/500. The three books all overlap the same academic foundation and do repeat themselves, but don't rush through them to be able to quickly say you've accomplished a thing. Too often that's our default - to be impatient and jump ahead "to the point" - which is why we have the systemic issues we have. We need to slow down and pay attention to all the pieces. If as a white person you're not even a little uncomfortable exploring issues of race and oppression, then you're not working on anything you learned about in White Fragility in any meaningful way.