You searched for centering whiteness - Page 21 of 22 - Everyday Feminism

Person standing on a sidewalk, looking ahead seriously

Wonder why we talk about race so much? Here’s why anti-racism work isn’t separate from feminist work, but is actually a crucial component to it. These three examples show that we can’t begin to address the experiences of all women until we acknowledge race. Read on to learn more about how we can dismantle oppression by thinking of more than gender in our feminism.

“Why is this event only for [insert marginalized identity]? I’m an ally! I want to show my support.” While it can hurt when you come with good intentions, a healing space that is only for people of a marginalized identity that you don’t share is not for you. And that’s actually ok and needed. But sometimes we forget that and demand entry. Here’s another approach.

Racism and mainstream sci-fi culture often seem to go hand and hand. Here’s how our favorite movies get it wrong, and some ways we can start to address this problem.

As a black woman, I feel like there’s this unsaid pressure that I have to limit my sexual actions and expressions simply because there are so many prevailing stereotypes about black women’s bodies. Slavery is regularly employed as a framework to talk about black women’s sexual bodies today. And we need to curb this trend. Here are three reasons why.

There’s a difference between appreciating language and being a snob. And the last place that we need grammar snobbery is in social justice movements. And not just because getting hung up on subject-predicate agreement is distracting to the job at hand, but also because purporting one form of English as elite is inherently oppressive. So let’s talk about why.

There are lots of ways to be a great “ally” – and innumerable ways to be a terrible one. But it’s not rocket science. There are simple things you can keep in mind and do in order to be a better person “currently operating in solidarity with” the marginalized or oppressed. And while this list is not comprehensive, it’s definitely somewhere to start. So “allies,” let’s talk.

The US owes its very existence to the Black women whose unpaid labor built this nation and whose political activism has rescued it from fascism repeatedly.

“What are you?” Are you making harmful assumptions about mixed race people? Check out the dangerous mindset behind these common phrases.

Yes, even “liberal” justices like Ruth Bader Ginsburg are part of the problem. This shows how the everyday stereotypes we deal with connect to systemic racism.

“This was how I realized I was dating a racist man.” Wow. This story really shows how much racism is normalized in our lives – even in our intimate relationships.

Did you hear about what Shannon Rowbury said about intersex Olympics runners? It’s not okay – and here’s the info on anti-intersex bias and transphobia that shows why.

“Where are you really from?” Often, when non-Asian folks try to flirt with Asian women, it’s like they’re responding a racist stereotype. Here’s how to avoid that, with some ideas for what to do instead.

Person covering their face

It’s dangerous when social justice ideas – the same ones that empower us – are used to harm people. Here are some signs that this is happening in your life or community.

Person standing outside in a yellow long-sleeved shirt with their arms crossed, seeming perturbed

Do you consider yourself a “bad” example of an Asian like this author does? Here’s why so-called “positive” stereotypes aren’t very positive at all – and what you need to know to stand up to them.

A group of four people, each wearing white t-shirts with "volunteer" written on them in black, hold a globe

Before you send your next donation or volunteer abroad, here’s what you need to know about the problems with charity work, and what effective work for change really looks like.

Cartoon of a 'Rosie the Riveter' type character, saying "We Can Do It!"

Being a Black feminist can sometimes feel isolating, but here are some options for a practice that’s right for you. Do any of these speak to what feminism means to you?

One red figure raising its hand among a group of gray figures

Self-determination – making your own choices – is so important. But let’s be careful about the difference between self-determination from a colonial perspective and how it’s defined in Indigenous struggles. If we don’t, it can be used to actively perpetuate marginalization and hurt disabled people. Here’s how you can take up self-determination in a justice framework.

Recently I got an angry e-mail from someone who knows my parents pretty well, and had read something I had written about privilege. “How disrespectful can you be!? You’re spitting in the face of everything your parents have worked for.” I explained that acknowledging privilege doesn’t discredit any of my dad’s hard work. It simply puts that hard work in context.

“How do I have ‘cisgender’ privilege? I’m just normal. How is that a privilege?” This common attitude is how privilege can exist without being questioned. So here’s a list of privilege for people who aren’t trans so we can work together to help our society become more inclusive.

Person pushing up their glasses to hold their head in pain

If you’re white and these phrases are familiar, then you may have whitesplained. Here’s how the most common ways of whitesplaining get in the way of racial justice.