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Genuine question for white people on here who consider themselves antiracist. What do you do that makes you antiracist? This isnt rhetorical. I genuinely want to know.
Follow up question: Are you accountable to people who experience racism? And if so, how? Do you take your lead from racialised ppl?
More questions: What does accountability look like? Do you ever witness racism and just ignore it (if y'all follow me then I know the answer to this is yes b/c when your yt mutuals attack it's crickets) and why? When would you step in? What does solidarity mean to you?
Thanks to everyone who responded. I think these are questions we always need to be asking ourselves and each other. And be honest and thoughtful and not performative or defensive. Some other thoughts: 1. White people need to be collecting other white people. Even pals and mutuals
with social capital. And I'm not just talking about the far right and your racist uncle. I mean the things that happen on here and in real life everyday. No one wants to think their pal is racist but don't dismiss it. Quick rule of thumb, if the target of the attack or
defensiveness is not white or settled, but the majority of the people criticising them are or vice versa, maybe have a think about why that is. Collecting is different to calling out. 2. Don't be trying to weaponise one or two tokens against POC that make you feel uncomfortable.
Don't hide behind them as proof of your antiracism bona fides. Don't quote Angela Davis or Fred Hampton to dismiss what POC are saying to you. If you feel the need to fight POC using other POC, think about why that is. Maybe it's because you know that you shouldn't be speaking,
when it's not your place. Listen and think about what's making you so defensive. 3. Solidarity is not just showing up when it's easy. It's not just on your terms. It's showing up when it's hard. What are you willing to risk because you have to risk something for it to be
meaningful. If not, it's just performative white saviourism at best and is unhelpful. You can claim to be an "intersectional feminist", but what does that mean materially if you get quiet to preserve your own power, including social capital. 4. "Diversity" is not antiracism and
in many cases is code for tokenism. If your group is all white, instead of trying to make your group more diverse by recruiting a couple of tokens to be led by white people, why not reach out to existing migrant/ethnic minority groups to see what they're working on. Don't ask
BIPOC to come into yet another hostile all white settled space. Even if you think you're antiracist, I guarantee that space will be hostile. Working in coalition can be a way to be accountable to and led by POC. Trust has to be built through action. 5. Don't let not wanting to
fuck up be an excuse not to do anything. You're going to fuck up. We all do it all the time. When we don't want to be bothered to do something, we can always find an excuse for why we can't do it. You CAN do it. And you might fuck up, but it's not the end of the world.
Those are just some initial thoughts after reading the replies, I might add more if I think of anything, but tbh I'm pretty tired today.
Also, as always @merj_ireland has antiracism trainings and abolitionist webinars and are generally a good resource.
Also, as always @merj_ireland has antiracism trainings and abolitionist webinars and are generally a good resource.
