To find this offensive? No whites allowed

[chipvinegar]

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/2018/02/12/wellness-retreat-in-costa-rica-that-bans-white-people-sparks-controversy.amp.html

I don't live an America, and I have no experience of racism in America, I somewhat understand the desire to have a "safe space" or a space to hold conversation around the issues, however the lady running it "eliminated all white people from her personal life" doesn't think white people should own passports etc

That's a lot of negativity for a "healing" retreat

The empowerment part... yeah, but the self segregation? Travelling backwards rather than forwards somewhat surely?!

[chipvinegar]

Everyone's asleep or this has been discussed already somewhere I guess? Insomniac here lol

[SleepingStandingUp]

I agree.

I think saying you think reverse racism doesn't exist but then saying white people are this and that and should be banned from this and that etc doesn't make sense to me. If you want to build it on love then surely you at least go for neutral ground not diversive comments

[Feedme1]

Well yeah, it’s extremely racist.

[silentpool]

It is extremely racist.

[blaaake]

Well, she's definitely a massive hypocrite

[SuperLoudPoppingAction]

I don't find it racist.
For me, prejudice + power = oppression, so white people can't be targets of racism in a world where we benefit from structures of oppression.
As a lesbian I enjoy segregated spaces for only lesbians, and I don't think that's heterophobic.
But this is aibu and I expect I'll be in the minority.

[ginghambox]

It's in Costa Rica. How many Costa Ricans have gone to the USA.

[floriad]

there have always been people that take things too far.

[BoomBoomsCousin]

It doesn’t oppress white people, or contribute to a culture that oppresses white people, so discriminatory, but not racist.

[Holowiwi]

Would you feel the same if it was a retreat for women and it said no men allowed? I somehow bet you wouldn't well for those women it is the same thing regarding their race.

[DCITennison]

How ignorant do you have to be not to recognise the validity in spaces which do not include white people?

Racism, in very big and very small ways, is a constant. Why shouldn't someone see value in a retreat which eliminates that experience for a while?

In what way are white people harmed by the existence of this place? They're not in case you were wondering.

[SleepingStandingUp]

SuperLoudPoppingActionso it would be fine for you to state in a platform that all straight people should be banned from leaving the UK because they all cause harm? Which was the gist I think of her statement but re US?
No issue with her wanting a safe space for other black women, I don't think that's sexist or racist although it would never be permissible in reverse. Butb you can't talk about how you are coming from a place of love and are so awesome and then make sweeping negative generalisations based on someone's ethnicity, race, religion, sexuality surely?

[SleepingStandingUp]

In what way are white people harmed by the existence of this place? They're not in case you were wondering
I don't disagree but you know that arguement wouldn't work the other way if I was inclined to set up a retreat for white women.
Irrespective of my reason for doing so, it wouldn't harm anyone else by it existing but it wouldn't be acceptable

[DCITennison]

And looking at it another way, it's not that white people are barred, it's just not for them.
White people are not on the agenda, it's a space for people who share a particular experience - being black.

[floriad]

btw, the place isn't the issue at all imo.
her statements about who should or shouldn't have a passport however?

things like that contribute to a certain political climate. and I don't see how that's helpful...

[DCITennison]

SleepStandingUp
You're absolutely right. It wouldn't work the other way. Because there is no oppression from black people that whitepeople may wish to to take a break from. That's the point.
So if someone did set up a whites only equivalent their reasons for doing so would be very different, wouldn't they?

[InionEile]

Typical Fox News sensationalism... but kudos to Vice for covering this. I think it's a great idea for women of colour to have their own space where they can focus on wellness. If you are in the US, you would know that a lot of these retreats and wellness spa type places can be full of white people (like myself ) and I can imagine a person of colour might not always feel as welcome.

Costa Rica is a racially diverse country with African and indigenous American heritage so I can imagine, again, that if you are a person of colour it would be more relaxing to be in a place where brown skin is the norm, not the exception.

There are plenty of white-majority places in America. Whites in America have a history of setting up lots of their own whites-only 'safe spaces' in the past e.g. check out the history of sundown towns . The entire state of Oregon banned black people from settling there at one point in time and it's still a very white state.

The owner of the retreat seems a little extreme in her views but she's not depriving anyone of their civil rights. I'm sure retreat centers that welcome white people are ten a penny in Costa Rica and she even admits that the center she is using right now is white-owned.

White supremacy is real and it's everywhere, built into the fabric of the United States. Her retreat just recognizes that fact and is open about it.

[PancakeInMaBelly]

White tourism IS destructive from a lot of what Ive seen travelling and Im white so not even AWARE of or on the recieving end of the half of it. Im assuming that thats what the passports comment was about.

Look. Most wellness retreats are set up by people who look like me and share a lot of my experiences.

I am not being excluded from accessing wellness retreats because this one exists.

[PancakeInMaBelly]

I mean what good has really come from white people having more access to less white parts of the world than non white people have to access more white parts of the world.

Not an awful lot of good. And a LOT of bad, historic and present.

It is a fair point...

[GatoradeMeBitch]

It's not racist. This is like men bleating that the women only marathon is exactly the marathon they wanted to run, not any of the hundreds of others. There are countless other resorts for white people. Setting aside some of her questionable remarks (quite possibly made because she knows it will get her press) it's understandable that some people of colour may want a space where they don't need to worry about the various forms of racism they may encounter in daily life.

[ReanimatedSGB]

I'm in favour of people setting up events that certain other people are barred from as long as there is plenty of equivalent provision for those other people. So, given that there are any number of wellness retreats open to white people, this is not a problem that needs addressing.

[Daffyfuck]

I believe it is racist.

No white people allowed =Ok

No black people allowed =racist.

Yes people can be racist to white people. There is racism for black and white people. But it's not taken seriously.

[PancakeInMaBelly]

How does it affect white people though DaffyFuck?
It doesnt
"Whites only" is racist because it limits options for black people.
A Black only retreat in a white dominated industry limits nobody and opens up the option to people who may otherwise feel umcomfortable or out of place on a retreat. Thats a good thing.

[condepetie]

Are you genuine? Seriously?

Reverse racism does not exist. There is no racism against white people - white people possess all the power. Non-white people continue to be discriminated against constantly. A safe space for non-white people is not racist against white people. I'm white and I can understand this. It's not difficult.