Whites See Racism as a Zero-Sum Game that They are Losing.
So. A study came out recently saying that white folks in the US felt that anti-white discrimination was a huge problem and that anti-Black racism is hardly a problem at all anymore. While I understand that people do all sorts of studies on topics that I don’t give a shit about, my only question is was this a slow news day or something?
So white people minimize racism experienced by Black folks? Wow, stop the presses. And white folks still frame race issues in the US as Black/white? Sounds like some people don’t want to join the 21st century, which is well underway people, get with the program. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s been mixed-race week recently. Or something.
First, the New York Times had a piece on January 30th entitled “Black? White? Asian? More Young Americans Choose All of the Above”
Then on February 4th, Colorlines, a great magazine from the US that talks about race and racism, resistance and culture, responds with “A ‘Mixed-Race’ Nation Isn’t the Same as a Post-Race One”
If you can, please read both those pieces first.
Oh, and on Feb 14, a book review I wrote, for the book “Other Tongues: Mixed Race Women Speak Out” was published at rabble.ca.
Let’s start at the beginning.
Read the rest of this entry »
Okay, following up on my piece inspired by Womanist Musings about Black History, is my overall larger concerns with bringing better and insightful change to the world and society with live in, centering marginalized voices and fucking shit up.
So, now that I have your attention. Hee hee.
Many well-meaning left-leaning organizations are white-dominated and male-dominated. While it seems as though this is inevitable, it’s not. And I’m talking at the staff, manager and board levels. Some folks are aware enough to be self-conscious of this. These folks will often wring their hands in existential angst, freaking out that they aren’t representative and looking for a quick fix on how to make that happen. Others don’t notice, since being in all- or mostly-white environments is just normal for them, even in a city like Toronto.
The problems (and there are so many) are that being representative is something that all organizations should strive to be, with the understanding that true representation is never achieved, it’s always a goal. That said, the goals of representation need to be clear.
This blog by Womanist Musings was posted in my Facebook feed.
Why I am Skipping Black History Month Today is the first day of Black history month. Schools throughout North America are going to spend the next month educating students on the history of the people of the African Diaspora. Teachers will pat themselves on the back for having inclusive pedagogy and many students of colour will only feel further ‘othered’. White supremacts will spend the month whining about the fact that a Black history month exists, and will therefore call it racist and exclusionary.
Why I am Skipping Black History Month
Today is the first day of Black history month. Schools throughout North America are going to spend the next month educating students on the history of the people of the African Diaspora. Teachers will pat themselves on the back for having inclusive pedagogy and many students of colour will only feel further ‘othered’. White supremacts will spend the month whining about the fact that a Black history month exists, and will therefore call it racist and exclusionary.
Black history month was intended to be inclusive, and teach about the sacrifices of people of the African Diaspora and instead, in my education, it served to further White supremacy — because specific events were chosen to frame Canada as a nation of tolerance. If we factor in that Black history month creates Black history as an additive, because it is not deemed important enough to focus on throughout the year, with the fact that it is often structured in such a manner that places importance on reducing the effect of White supremacy, the very existence of the month is problematic. It is hardly surprising that White supremacy would effect the celebration of our history, given that there is nothing outside its purview in North America.
Read the full blog here. And the comments are outstanding.
So, the latter part of the article, which yes I finally finished, focuses on meritocracy. Earlier in the article, the authors say this:
Canadian institutions operate as pure meritocracies when it comes to admissions, and admirably so.
Um, no they don’t.
Meritocracy is the (false) idea that if you work hard you will achieve financial and/or professional success. The model of meritocracy doesn’t account for systemic barriers such as racism, sexism, homophobia, classism and all the other ways that people and communities are marginalized and oppressed. The model of meritocracy acts as though all that counts is your individual hard work. Therefore if you don’t succeed … presto! … it’s your fault.
It’s handy how hegemonic structures reinforce each other isn’t it? Annoying as hell but definitely handy.
But by the latter part of the article they become mired in the US data, since the “issue” of those nasty folks of colour wanting to attend university has been a bigger issue in the US, and for a much longer time. From the white folks’ perspectives, it’s something that’s needed to be handled by limiting non-white, and particularly non-WASP admissions as much as possible. They’re still working on it, and are pretty successful from all accounts.
Canadian universities, apart from highly competitive professional programs and faculties, don’t quiz applicants the same way, and rely entirely on transcripts. Likely that is a good thing. And yet, that meritocratic process results, especially in Canada’s elite university programs, in a concentration of Asian students.
