To continue The Oppy’s active discussion on racism and white privilege, I wanted to focus on the concept of “white fragility” in this issue, from the perspective of a white female, and how it slows meaningful discussions, prevents our understanding of POC’s (people of color) experiences with racism, and is detrimental in social progress towards equality.
White fragility, a term coined by Robin DiAngelo, is a state where even a minimum of racial stress becomes intolerable for a white person and therefore, triggers defensive reactions ranging from seemingly well-meaning to blatantly vicious behavior. Unfortunately, it is a common theme in our society, and it runs deep.…
