You searched for centering whiteness - Page 7 of 22 - Everyday Feminism

Our warped notion of how “dangerous” Black men are leads us, like George Zimmerman, to focus a lot of anxiety on them. It leads to the modern equivalent of lynching. It perpetuates racism. It cuts us off from other human beings. When we act out of our fear and hatred, out of our unexamined programming, we’re being George Zimmerman. Here’s another thing: It doesn’t help you be safer.

Courtesy of genetics, this author’s hair started graying in her late teens and she’s been dying it ever since. She’s learned a lot since then and at 41, she’s seeing things a bit differently.

A teacher helping a young child with math at the chalkboard

We love teachers – so this author’s offering great tips for improving your teaching practice by paying more critical attention to race in our schools. If you’ve made any of these mistakes, here’s what you can do instead.

Person holding up their hand, as if to say "Stop"

What’s the big deal about white people taking style, music, and language from black culture? Here’s your answer – and what you need to know to appreciate black culture without causing harm.

Person looking frustrating while looking at their laptop

Have you noticed the feminist movement’s race problem? You’re not being “divisive” or “too sensitive” if you have – here’s why.

Our proximity to whiteness doesn’t make us better, it just makes us more complicit in a system that continues to exploit Black and Indigenous (BI) POC.

“What are you?” This author’s story of feeling caught in the middle between Blackness, Whiteness, and Puerto Ricanness says a lot about our perceptions of race and heritage.

You might have come across the term “White Feminism” recently – like in discussions about Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift’s Twitter exchange. This short breakdown shows why we need to address this problem for a stronger feminist movement.

The relationship of Asian fetishization to white supremacy is rarely explored or explained but is present in every corner of the space it creates.

“People of color” is the correct term for people who aren’t white, right? Well, it depends on what you’re trying to say. This will help you make sure you’re not being hurtful.

One face made up of parts of other faces of varying skin tones

We need to talk about colorism in the Black community. Our experiences of race and racism vary by our skin tones, and lighter skin, associated with whiteness, can give us privilege among our own folks. Here are examples of how society dehumanizes deeper shades and complicates our relationships. Read on to learn why we must address colorism to move forward and heal.

How can you recognize internalized racism – and what do you do when it’s making you feel bad about yourself? These tips for healing can help.

“We all deserve equal rights!” These words help white people feel comfortable with change – but this shows how they normalize white supremacy more than they challenge it.

A person wearing dark-rimmed glasses, looking puzzled as they put their index finger to their cheek.

“Then you should stop speaking English and wearing jeans!” This response to cultural appropriation is so common – and so misguided. Here’s what you’re missing if you think people of color can appropriate white cultures.

“We are doing what white supremacy wants us to do.” Do you know how playing into the “model minority” myth hurts black folks – and your own community?

What happens when fat activism focuses on smaller fat bodies? Here’s some of the harm that’s caused when bigger bodies aren’t centered.

An elevated view of a thin person and a fat person lying side by side on lounge chairs

If you have thin privilege, and you want to fight fatphobia, what can you do? Here are some clear, practical, and powerful tips that can help.

Person with blue painted fingernails typing on a laptop

Although it’s often ridiculed and written off, fan fiction makes some serious progress when it comes to empowerment of marginalized people. It allows us to call out problematic media elements of the texts we love and subvert those narratives – leaving space to reclaim the stories. Read this piece to learn about how the world of fan fiction can be a feminist pursuit.

There’s a midpoint between the lazy and feminist portions of my brain that wants to say, “This thing is feminist because I like it.” But I can’t do that. Because then I wouldn’t have to be critical. This is the problem I have with centering conversations around whether something is feminist: It’s the wrong question to be asking about feminism.