Week 47 of #TWmemorymondays! Today we are going to chat about REVERSE RACISM. #fun
Reverse racism has come up a lot this past year, where there have been many comments and conversations about how POC can be racist against white people. Many many people think that it's possible (which I was surprised by recently about how common this thinking is).
First, let's talk about words/semantics and how important they are. They are important because culture is formed/changed with words and how we use them. So the dictionary definition of racism is "prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on belief that ones own race is superior." I can see how people think that racism against white people is possible with this definition. I think that this use of the word "racism" is lacking and in my perspective harmful, because it doesn't include systemic oppression, which seems crucial when talking about racism.
Taking in consideration of our societal structure of white supremacy, the combination of prejudice + power is what makes up racism. So if you're at the top of the power system aka you're white, no matter how much money you have or how many disadvantages you have against you, you are still at the top of the system and are "normal" in the sight of how America has been designed. Therefore, POC's cannot be racist against white people, because we don't have the same power white people were born into (aka white privilege).
What this sounds to a lot of people is that that is discrediting suffering and injustice that white people experience. No one is saying that. POC can be prejudiced against white people for sure, but that doesn't deserve the MINIMALIZATION of systematic oppression of POC by turning a blind eye to white privilege. See @Rachel Cargle's white supremacy triangle. Minimizing systemic oppression = supporting white supremacy. So is indifference. If you feel defensiveness rise up, it's time to turn that energy into seeing your privilege and doing some personal deep work. I love this quote from @rachel.cargle, "White privilege isn't a stab at your character it's a reminder of the world we live in. Acknowledging it proves a shift in our culture. Dismissing it twits the knife in our country's already wounded system.”
Let me say it again. WHITE PEOPLE CANNOT BE OPPRESSED..And it's ok and needed to call out misconceptions of how systemic racism works..On a personal note, there's been jokes and comments that I hate white people. That's so not true! Just because I call out an oppressive system, doesn't mean that I hate white people. I hate the inequality and the lives that's it's taken, and I hope you do too. At the end of the day it's striving for dignity and equality for all people - addressing it from both an individual and systemic level. I hope that my heart comes across. There is so much more for me to learn and change, and that there is still a far way for me to go..I have many articles that I've read about this that are really helpful. DM if you're interested
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#TWmemorymondays: A painting inspired by a memory every Monday of 2018. Connecting abstract art to real life. Week 47/53. 'Reverse' / 8x8 in / mixed media on paper