White Feminist Privilege in Organizations

[snooper2]

White Privilege Diary Series #1 - White Feminist Privilege in Organizations

Over the last thirty years I've worked with a variety of white-dominated feminist organizations that have expressed a wish to "diversify." While feminist organizations differ in structure and intent, the reasons these various organizations gave for bringing me in as a consultant or to hold workshops were strikingly similar. "Why," they wanted to know, "can't we attract women of color to our organization? And when they do show up, why don't they stay?" Sometimes I worked alone, but often I worked with an African American feminist partner. We found, over time, a depressing similarity of pattern as, one after another, the organizations we counseled decided that our suggestions would be "too difficult" to implement. This diary describes my experiences in the world of white feminist organizations and NGOs, and offers an analysis of the key problems of white privilege and the investment of many white feminist institutions in racist practices.

I'll start this essay with this comment: If you're a white feminist and an anti-racist, I'm not talking about you (though I would be interested in talking with you). If you're a white feminist and you don't like how I'm talking about racist white feminists, that's fine. But if you want to convince me that most white feminists aren't also racists (conscious or unconscious), forget it because it won't work. You'll be doing the racists' work for them, by distracting from a discussion about racism, and diverting to a lament about poor, misunderstood white feminists. Finally, if you're a white, racist feminist and you know it, get a clue, or take a hike. Or show your ass. And if you're not any sort of feminist at all, go bark up somebody else's tree.

One spring afternoon in the late 1990s I get a call from an African American feminist colleague. (We'll call her Mary, though that's not her name.) There's a white feminist 501(c)(3) that is interested in bringing in diversity counselors to help them... diversify. Let's call the organization Too White For Comfort (TWFC). (There's no point in picking on a single organization in this diary, because this story was repeated countless times.) They're too cheap or too broke to pay for diversity counselors, so we're asked if we'll volunteer. Because we believe in what we do, and also have university jobs, we agree. We set up a time to meet together with the TWFC Board.

When we all meet, Mary and I find ourselves at a table with thirteen white women, two Latinas, and one African American woman. Like many feminist NGOs, this one clearly has a small core leadership group of about 4-5 women, all of whom are white. The white women are the ones who describe the problem: they simply can't get women of color, and especially African American women, to join the organization or to get involved with programs in any real numbers. Mary looks at the women of color and invites them to contribute to the discussion, but they generally demur or repeat what the white women have said. We're used to this -- Mary will hear something different when she gets them alone.


More at the link---

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/22/957012/-White-Privilege-Diary-Series-1-White-Feminist-Privilege-in-Organizations#

[Eleanors38]

1. Wow. Thanks for posting this. You are gutsy.

[AverageJoe90]

2. Unrec.

For all the imperfections that do exist in the modern feminist movement.....actual racism just isn't one of them. So I am unable to rec this because of that.

[Eleanors38]

17. Respectfully, where did feminism find that innoculate?

[AverageJoe90]

24. Respectfully speaking, I'm honestly not sure what you're trying to say. nt

[redqueen]

3. Wow look at you. Three years old, but the message is still relevant.

But ... you posting it?

You?



Dude, please.

[snooper2]

4. do you deny the privilege exists?

You only want to talk about one type of privilege? Have you ever been the leader of a feminist organization and had come across this (I mean in real life, not on the intertubes)

[redqueen]

5. LOL.

Enjoy yourself

[snooper2]

7. I guess you can bury your head in the sand but the privilege is there

Maybe you can talk about it in the safe haven so fellow feminists understand and are aware when they are in certain situations!

We learn from each other!

[redqueen]

9. Goddess... really?

"the message is still relevant" <- what do these words mean to you?

See, here's what you're apparently unaware of - we already know this. All the feminists here. The fact that you don't know this speaks volumes about so much (e.g. your sincere concern about the issue, how much reading you do about feminist issues either here or elsewhere, etc.)

Like I said, enjoy yourself. Good luck finding a feminist on DU who's unaware of the issue of white privilege in feminist organizations. You won't. Be cause we aren't pig-ignorant blowhards and we know that white privilege is something that permeates society - which (gasp!) actually includes feminist organizations!!! Mind blowing stuff, right?!



But yeah, we aren't your intended audience. That is transparent. So, like I said: Enjoy.

[snooper2]

11. I was reading up on average size privilege as well...

I posted about pretty privilege that got some folks riled up, we need a definitive list!


Get to work!

[bettyellen]

14. "Be cause we aren't pig-ignorant blowhards and we know that white privilege is something....

that permeates society"

Hells yes. The only wome who denied WP exists are going to show up here to rec this thread. Ironic, huh?

[leftyohiolib]

8. when someone doesnt like the message they attack the messenger

[m-lekktor]

18. the OP apparently assumes you aren't going to agree with this.

and all the other people who are WOOOOOOOOOSH on the privilege issue are gonna be all excited thinking the white female feminists on DU are gonna be all put out and react like they would if it were them being discussed. unfknbelievable.

[Demo_Chris]

6. I predict two hundred replies, eäsily. nt

[11 Bravo]

22. 150 of them from 3 or 4 posters.

[1000words]

10. Incoming! ....

[Squinch]

12. "But if you want to convince me that most white feminists aren't also racists (conscious or

unconscious), forget it because it won't work."

Ah! I see! So because I am white and feminist, I must be racist, because you say so!

SO, here's what I say: If you are white and you go by the name snooper, you must be racist because I say so!

Not sure what the point of this is, because there really isn't any logic to be found in there anywhere.

Enjoy your flamebait!

[Eleanors38]

16. We may all be a qt. low when we check ourselves,

I think this is what the OP is about. Again, the problem with the WP argument isn't so much the ultimate truth in it, but with how WP is used. I can't think of anything worse than centering a public campaign to persuade folks to the Democratic side on "White Privilege." And I see where WP will develop its own liturgy by which those of different opinions will be tagged or their views diminished by pushing the button marked "White Privilege," with the deep implication of white racism.

None of us white folk are above the problem of racism, and we certainly can't define it away.

[Squinch]

23. Saying that if you are white and a feminist you are therefore a racist bears no resemblance

to saying that white privilege exists. Nor does it follow from acknowledging the fact that feminism has work to do with respect to race.

Think it through. You'll get the difference.

Or maybe I'm just too naively hopeful.

[Eleanors38]

30. Not to be pedantic, but I didn't use the "therefore"

word. In another way, I am saying all us whitefolk have a whiff of racism about us, be it because of some visceral hatred, or the from the effects of a what-me-worry indifference to institutional racism What's more, most of the hottest critics of this "whiteprivilege" discussion would probably agree with me that that there is WP if simply because they/we have long ago conceded its earlier precursor, Institutional Racism.

Now what?

[Squinch]

33. Again, let me point out the ridiculous quote from the OP:

"But if you want to convince me that most white feminists aren't also racists (conscious or unconscious), forget it because it won't work."

What that quote says is that most people who are both white and feminist must therefore be racist. The comment is illogical and baseless.

I have no problem with the concept of white privilege. I also have no problem with stating the fact that the feminist movement has not effectively addressed the needs of women of color.

I have a BIG problem with an OP that states that most people who are both white and feminist must therefore be racist.

[CTyankee]

29. Hi, El! I can speak to this issue through my work with Planned Parenthood.

The revelation about Margaret Sanger's support for eugenics back when she was campaigning for birth control has been a defining moment for the feminist, pro-choice movement. While we can set it in the context of the times in which she lived, there is no question her legacy has been severely diminished by her adherence to the discredited, racist politics of eugenics. During my 6 years with that organization in CT all staff had numerous diversity trainings and the legacy of Sanger was examined and discussed. The Management Team also had to step up.

I have been encouraged with the organization's efforts on Board of Directors diversity but still feel the management is too white. For an organization that serves many women of color and serves them honorably with its care, its management, too, needs to do better and I hope it does. I still receive my GYN care from PP (yes, they take Medicare!) because I couldn't find any better care anywhere than what PP does. We were very proud of the role PP played with the landmark Griswold v.Connecticut case in the Supreme Court. In fact, my gyn until a few years ago was Virginia Stuermer, the young, new Yale Medical School grad who was fitting diaphragms at the PP clinic the day of the raid by New Haven police.

[Eleanors38]

32. Planned Parenthood IS the frontline! I support their services to the community fully.

One unfortunate measure of PP's success is the RW's relentless attacks on it; not just because of reproductive services, but because of the RW's accurate perception that PP is a defacto cross-roads of different races, the sexes, and different cultures, where real coalitions can be built. The RW cannot abide any peoples running things outside a power structure they control.

The day we resolve, at least to some degree, the problems of race, the greater will be the fear of the FR, and they will then become quite vulnerable.

Hello, CT!

[CTyankee]

36. I think opposition to PP goes to the heart of the matter: the RW's fear of unleashed female

sexuality. It scares the bejesus out of them. The witch must be burned!

[Comrade Grumpy]

13. The worm begins to devour itself.

[boston bean]

15. Good article and provides much food for thought for all feminists.

It is a constant to check privilege within oneself. I try to practice it often.

[ismnotwasm]

20. Exactly

Whites internalize their privilege to the point it doesn't recognize it-- it's an invisible standard. We all should be 'checking our privilege'

[boston bean]

25. The author of the piece did

make one misstep if I remember correctly, she stated all white feminists are racists.

I decided to look over that and understand the greater meaning of the post. I think she meant privileged.

Overall, I'm not going to sit here and deny that racism exists in feminist circles, I'm going to actually try to listen and understand and work for a better understanding of the issues so as not to offend and learn what I can do to make it better.

[ismnotwasm]

19. Not news

You think feminist women of color are going to not react to white privilege? That the black feminist movement isn't a force growing in power, telling their stories their way? Think again. You think white feminists are going to whine and cry about how they walked to school 5 miles in the snow uphill both ways, so they should deserve special consideration? Which is basically what I've been hearing from certain white males around here? Uh-huh. I suggest a little reading of Alce Walker or a Bell Hooks.

http://educatedgirl.hubpages.com/hub/Black-Women-Feminist-Movement

http://www.africanfeministforum.org

http://unsettlingamerica.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/indigenous-feminism-without-apology/

http://www.mit.edu/~thistle/v9/9.01/6blackf.html

I could post 20+pages of women of color speaking out against white privilege-- which effects ALL white people, but I'm sure you get the idea. White feminists aren't immune to not recognizing privilege, but we get told and for the most part, we listen.

Thank you for affirming the idea of white privilege, far too many white men seen to get their feelings hurt.

Oh and feminists? We're Everywhere

[MadrasT]

21. And the sky is blue and water is wet.

It's a real problem.

Those of us who are aware and care, try to do what we can to step back and defer, and let others step up and speak.

The difference between me and other people with various sorts of privilege (I am speaking of the jerks who want to deny-deny-deny and make excuses about how they don't have *have* privilege) is I try very hard to know where my privilege exists, and I try to shut up and listen when people who have been oppressed want to speak about their experiences.

[KitSileya]

26. I must be on your ignore list.

You can't have read my post to bravenak just yesterday acknowledging that white feminists need to check their privilege when trying to be allies to black feminists and womanists.

We have also had severeal threads on this in HoF, and geeked out over our love for Trudy of The Gradient Lair.

Perhaps you need to listen (read) more and speak less....

[snooper2]

27. I have nobody on ignore...I don't read anything but GD and LBN, but thanks!

Well, I'm on discussionistiiita now as well so I've got right wingers to troll LOL


It's a blast you should try it- BENGHAZI!

[DonCoquixote]

28. and this is why Charity cannot replace government programs

because even the nicest charities exist at the will of a personality that made it.

[etherealtruth]

31. Racism cuts across many lines

... the identification of white feminists that are racist is sadly no surprise. We see white Democrats and white "liberals" that are racist ... we see poor folk that are racist ... we see rich folk that are racist. It is sad, it is disturbing ... but it exists.

I do have to say that I have not seem racist garbage being posted by feminists on DU ... as a matter of fact the feminists on DU appear to tackle posts that can be perceived (ARE) racist head on and are not timid about confronting it.

[annm4peace]

34. thanks you for this article and posting, I'm white and in a feminist peace group

our groups is also in a predominately white state and our group is about 95% white.

I grew up in CA.. I'm not used to this lack of diversity and often wonder why I'm still in this group. As time goes on, I am less and less active because of the lack of diversity.

When I was on the board we also had a teacher of social justice and racism try to do white privilege workshop. Sadly it was only done with the Board and we were all white. It was very frustrating. For some it was like pulling teeth just to get them to read material and discuss. Sadly the facilitator had to give up. Some Board members quit because of the stubborness of some of the Board members. Yet some of the board members still couldn't understand why our group was all white.

Much of what was written could be said of our group. It goes back to a few people running the whole show and not being truely and honestly inclusive.

[Gravitycollapse]

35. A totally uncontroversial claim. Privilege exists in many different forms...

And those who are subject to the oppression of the privilege of others are still themselves perfectly capable of having their own privileged status until you travel very, very deep into the murky reaches of abject groups.

Privilege itself exists in an endless hierarchy of acceptance. White women, even feminist white women, have white privilege. That is undeniable.