Lace on Race

Racial Equity Anti Hero: White Liberal Allies

Intro to Series: laceonrace.com/2021/02/04/racial-equity-anti-hero-series/

Tiffany Washington talks her shit from the backwoods of Alabama. Her work appears on Facebook because she’s already been rejected by The Root.

Today, in Black History, we call out some things whypipo do that should never be done. Why? Because the following things are problematic, played out and trash.
1. It doesn’t matter how many black friends you have…you can still be racist. Why do white people always try to use their perceived proximity to blackness in an effort to absolve themselves of responsibility for their racist actions?I am not that “black friend” to you. Keep that in mind. If you ever tried to use me in that capacity, I would roast the hell out of you even if I agreed with what you are saying.
2. Having black family members is no different. In fact, it’s even more deplorable (yup) that you would use the ones you love in that capacity.
3. No matter how you were raised, you can still be problematic. As a matter of fact, I don’t care how you think you were raised. After a certain age, the majority of things they influence you come from outside your household. My child is 7 and I’m having to explain to him that white isn’t better than black….and he’s been raised in MY house. So, what do you think your little white brain picked up on when you were 7? Yup, you picked up on your place in the hierarchy, even doubly if your parents went out of the way to explain to you how black people were “just as good” or “not all bad” or “just the same” as whypipo. I wasn’t boo-boo the fool and neither were you.
4. Don’t be having my back in the messenger app and unwilling to call out your friends on their shit. Yeah, y’all engage with strangers all day, but when your homie is being problematic, y’all leave your “black friends” to do the heavy lifting and throw ‘high fives’ or compliment them for remaining so poised after the fact. That’s bullshit.
5. Don’t assume because you’re liberal that you are above racism. That’s what this entire series is about. If you haven’t noticed, only liberals (so-called in some cases) are being called to the carpet. It’s a lesson. Be humble.
6. Sexism is NOT worse than racism. And it’s not just racism against black people, either. Whypipo in this country have a lot of work to do for all that supremacy. Lots.
#TodayinBlackHistory

-Tiffany Washington

Collaborating Writers

6 responses to “Racial Equity Anti Hero: White Liberal Allies”

  1. Emily Holzknecht Avatar
    Emily Holzknecht

    Your phrasing that white supremacy has had great PR makes me realize that I have probably been a PR agent for white supremacy. I hadn’t thought about it that way before.

  2. Lee Carney Avatar
    Lee Carney

    I think liberals can be the worst perps because sometimes the racism in us is so subtle unless some level of self-awareness and knowledge is there. Most of us are only just getting to the work of anti-racism in recent months and realising just where we’re at.

  3. Lee Carney Avatar
    Lee Carney

    I think no matter what, you can still always be racist. I’ve learned here that the supremacist soup is thick and anti-racism goes far beyond just treating people with respect. It’s a life long unlearning of a scheme that’s hundreds of years old. It’s had great PR to make it the machine it is.

  4. Emily Holzknecht Avatar
    Emily Holzknecht

    Those bullet points stuck out to me too. Be humble. And using adjacency to marginalized people as our ticket in is a for of objectification. A Black friend or relative is not a ticket for white people.

  5. Emily Holzknecht Avatar
    Emily Holzknecht

    Adding from what I’ve learned in the Lace on Race community: no matter how much I’ve read about racism, I can still be racist…I can still find new aspects of white supremacy inside myself. No matter how many Black people I follow or anti-racism groups I belong to, I can still be racist…I can still find new aspects of white supremacy inside myself. Other people speaking up about racism doesn’t absolve me of speaking up too because there are enough people speaking or because it’s already been said. Liberal is one word for white people who I am likely to think might be above racism, but there are many others if a person isn’t “liberal” and none of those white people are above racism because there’s always more to root out, more ways we participate or benefit from racism.

  6. Rebecca McClinton Avatar
    Rebecca McClinton

    #5 stood out to me the most, “Don’t assume because you’re liberal that you are above racism. That’s what this entire series is about. If you haven’t noticed, only liberals (so-called in some cases) are being called to the carpet. It’s a lesson. Be humble.” Too often I try to use my liberalism to try to think that I’m further along than others in this work, and that’s so wrong. Tonight I was listening to the first-ever conversation in my community honoring local Black women in our community, their stories, experiences, and racial justice work. They mentioned several elements of what Tiffany Washington has listed here in this list. One woman told a story how there used to be a group of Black people who met regularly in our community, but it disbanded after a white woman insisted on attending because her son was Black (that fits in on #2 on Tiffany’s list here). A self admonition: Believe without question. Listen intently and intentionally. Act reflexively.

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