Discussion of "White Tears"

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I'm kind of on the fence over this issue.

As you may remember, Ruby Hamad wrote this article for the Guardian a few months ago: www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/08/how-white-women-use-strategic-tears-to-avoid-accountability
The article claims that some white woman use tears when accused of mistreatment by women of colour.

Anyway, today the author posted this: twitter.com/rubyhamad/status/1031664912408371200
It's a Twitter thread in which the author claims that a friend of hers has been fired for sharing Hamad's article, which is shocking if true.

Personally, I don't recognize what Hamad is saying in her original article. Then again, as I am not a WoC, I have never been on the receiving end of what she is talking about. This is why I am on the fence.

However, if someone was fired for sharing the article, then I do have a big problem with that. I didn't agree with the article, but Hamad has the right to say what she likes, and people should be free to share her thoughts if they wish to.

Not necessarily. I have many left wing female acquaintances who are pretty blind to their privilege. Sometimes people are very good at seeing everyone else's privilege but their own.

should have said feminist, not female.

They aren't left wing if they don't at least recognise class and national privilege.

They do, but they struggle to apply it to their own white privilege - presumably because it makes them uncomfortable to acknowledge that privilege.

I agree @persister a lot of very 'right on' lefty people are blind to their own privilege. Just look at the transactivists and their allies for examples. I think people who consider they understand privilege and oppression can actually react particularly badly to having their own privilege pointed out as it challenges their own self perception as a 'good' person. I'm reading a fantastic book at the moment called 'whitr fragility' by Robin DiAngelo (a white American woman who gives diversity training and sees it all the time). She argues that one of the causes is the 'good/bad binary' where people believe that 'good' people (including themselves) can never be racist, so raising an issue of race does not lead to an apology or reflection but to anger and tears as their sense of self is threatened. This then perpetuates the silence on racial issues which perpetuates racism. The same could be said about the taboo of naming male violence. It reminds me of the rules of misogyny, to paraphrase: 'the worst thing about racism is it makes white people feel bad'.

I think people who consider they understand privilege and oppression can actually react particularly badly to having their own privilege pointed out as it challenges their own self perception as a 'good' person.

people believe that 'good' people (including themselves) can never be racist, so raising an issue of race does not lead to an apology or reflection but to anger and tears as their sense of self is threatened.

Yes, this, Qumquat! I've seen this in action a lot, but I was struggling to articulate it - thanks.

Qumquat I think you’re absolutely right and it’s something I can definitely recognise in myself- it’s very easy for me to assume my life experiences to be the default, because I’m white. It’s something I’m trying to be very conscious of as the stuff with the TRAs and also Trump getting elected has made me really aware that we need to pull together as feminists. Women of colour have done a lot of the legwork for feminism and rarely get the credit for it.

Absolutely water. It's something I've been thinking and reading a lot about recently. Just reading a book by Ijeoma Oluo where she writes:

"White women will heap praise on my words calling for the destruction of the patriarchy, and then turn around and ask why I have to be 'so divisive' when I dare bring up race. Black men will praise each essay I write calling out White Supremacy, but will call me a 'feminist tool of slave masters' when I demand that black women be treated with respect by everyone - even black men"

Sadly after my experiences of the way black women and girls in my school have been treated for sharing their lived experiences I can entirely believe that someone might be disciplined for sharing this article.

Women of colour have done a lot of the legwork for feminism and rarely get the credit for it.

Yes to this.

What strikes me every time I see an instance of racism whitesplained away is how identical the arguments for silencing BAME people seem to the arguments for silencing women wrt misogyny. Not all white people / did it really happen like you said / what about the white women / why are you so angry?