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As a white woman, ask yourself: are you upholding or fighting racism?
What's Up with White Women? is a practical guide for white women who are interested in becoming more effective in their cross-cultural, anti-racist practices.
Blending real-life stories, theory, and anti-racism practices from decades of on-the-ground work, the authors invite white women to understand their gendered role in systemic racism and their unique opportunity for action. Both frank and compassionate, coverage includes:
- Stories of white women's experiences with sexism, racism, and white privilege
- How white women harm BIPOC and ourselves by colluding with systems of oppression
- Why and how white women often hijack race conversations
- A powerful six-stage identity development model for self-reflection and growth
- Guiding questions and practical actions for strengthening anti-racism practices
- Tools to cultivate genuine partnerships with BIPOC individuals and groups.
White women are positioned in a power hierarchy between white men and BIPOC. It is time for white women to step up and undertake deep reflection on their role in systemic racism and take concrete actions that support equity and justice for all people.
AWARDS
- SILVER | 2022 IPPY Awards - Current Events II (Social Issues/Humanitarian)
"Govan and Smith trace stages of identity development that they observe in white women as we come to recognize our dual locations in sexist systems that oppress us and racial systems which privilege us. The book is alive with white women's testimonies on the raw but rewarding work of observing often hidden power systems. This analysis helps white women with two simultaneous character-forming tasks: healing from wounds of sexism and using the power we get from privilege to weaken racism in ourselves and in the world."
— Peggy McIntosh, PhD, author, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, founder, National SEED Project on Inclusive Curriculum, Wellesley Centers for Women
"Bold, poignant, and provocative, Govan and Smith have done a masterful job of highlighting vital voices, frameworks, and analysis of white women and racism that is rare. This work is much needed in this time of racial reckoning. This is a must read for those looking to go deep to understand how complicity, niceness, and silence can be equally as devastating as racism itself. Thank you!"
— Tyrone C. Howard, PhD, professor, UCLA Dept of Education and Black Male Institute
"Combining a joint approach for addressing sexism, in partnership with the privilege of whiteness, along with the proposed identity development model and concrete actions, this book promises to move the work of anti-racist white women forward by leaps and bounds. If you identify as white and female and are serious about your anti-racism work in the world, this is your next book."
— Kathy Obear, Center for Transformation and Change, author, But I'm NOT Racist and In It For The Long Haul
"Is there a need for a book on white women and racial justice work? Having read this book, the answer is clearly yes. Govan and Smith have struck a powerful balance which allows this book to at once speak truth, offer hope, and expect the reader to act. The experience of both authors' ever-deepening work in this area shines through and is a valuable model for how white women can engage in racial justice practice."
— Dr. Heather W. Hackman, president, Hackman Consulting Group
"White women are both bulwarks in maintaining white supremacy and leaders of resistance to it. This book is an insightful, provocative, and practical guide to the range of ways white women respond to the intersection of gender and race. With nuance, and attention to complexity, Govan and Smith do an excellent job of teasing apart the many roles that white women play in our communities and offer them a challenge to examine the complicated impact of gender and race in their lives. Filled with poignant, powerful, and honest stories, this book offers a toolkit for white women to become more effective racial justice allies. Highly recommended."
— Paul Kivel, educator, activist, author, Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice
"I always appreciate it when white women tell other white women about being white women. This book does not disappoint. Reading through the developmental process leading from Immersion to Integration, I saw decades of my interactions with white women finally making sense! The stories, histories, examples, and experiences that Govan and Smith provide are both personal, painful, and enlightening. This book offers a timely opportunity for white women to learn more about themselves as they work toward the Integration of their race and gender intersections."
— Dr. Debra Ren-Etta Sullivan, Seattle Black Child Development Institute
"Govan and Smith have created an excellent resource to help white women better understand their conflicting position as victims of sexism and as perpetrators of white supremacy and racism. The book offers new ways of thinking and tools to enable white women to overcome lack of information, fear, and resistance, which will better prepare them to work to dismantle systems of oppression. I salute the authors for having the wisdom and courage to write this valuable book."
— Pamela Smith Chambers, training director, The Beyond Diversity Resource Center, co-author, The Anti-Racist Cookbook
"What's Up with White Women? is a turning point in our collective understanding of a group that exercises racial privilege but is trapped by sexism. The authors deftly walk readers through an understanding of white women with bravery and empathy rarely seen in books on anti-oppression."
— Robin Parker, executive director, Beyond Diversity Resource Center, co-author, The Anti-Racist Cookbook
Tilman Smith has been an educator, project manager, and racial justice consultant for over thirty-five years, serving as a classroom teacher, college instructor, caucus facilitator, trainer, and coach. She has facilitated workshops and caucuses throughout the country on the topics of racial equity, white privilege, internalized sexism, and internalized white superiority. She lives in Seattle, Washington.
Ilsa Govan has extensive experience as an anti-racist facilitator, consultant, leadership coach, and activist. As co-founder of Cultures Connecting, she has helped countless organizations put their vision of racial equity into practice. Her facilitation superpower is guiding white people in examining how we've internalized racism in our assumptions and actions. She lives in Seattle, Washington.
Foreword
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction
The Canyon We Must Cross
Working in Relationship
A Push
Focus Groups
The Power of Language
Acknowledging Our Lens
2. A Power Analysis: White Women and Institutional Access
Navigating Sexism
Benefiting from White Privilege
Occupying the Buffer Zone
3. A Model of White Women's Development
Overlapping Characteristics
The Progression: Sexism Before White Privilege
Feeling Each Phase
Strategic Questions
Using a Developmental Model
4. Immersion
Normalizing Whiteness
Gender Role Limitations
The Carrot and the Stick
Advancing White Male Agendas
Competing for Male Attention
The Ideal Object
Nice White Ladies Hurting People of Color
Final Thoughts
Feeling Immersion
Strategic Questions for Immersion
5. Capitulation
Putting People of Color at Risk
Stuck in the Middle with You
Normalization of the White Woman
What About Me?
Silent Consent
Between Helpless and Powerful
Passive Aggression
The Politics of Capitulation
Final Thoughts
Feeling Capitulation
Strategic Questions for Capitulation
6. Defense
Defense Reversal
Fighting for Crumbs: Sexism Versus Racism
I Got This
Take What I Want and Leave the Rest
I Love Your People
That's Not What I Meant!
Helpful and Nice Aggression
Please Join, as Long as You Make Me Feel Good
Physically Defending Ourselves
But I'm a Good Anti-Racist: Defensiveness Toward People of Color
Final Thoughts
Feeling Defense
Strategic Questions for Defense
7. Projection
Following the "Rules" of Anti-Racist Allyship
Dualistic Thinking
Competing to be the Best White Person
Relating to Black Men
The Helper
Final Thoughts
Feeling Projection
Strategic Questions for Projection
8. Balance
Driving in the Ocean
Intersectionality
So, How Do We Do This?
Awareness
Knowledge
Skills
Action/Advocacy
Final Thoughts
Feeling Balance
Strategic Questions for Balance
9. Integration
Capturing a Moment
Being With One Another
Final Thoughts
Feeling Integration
Strategic Questions for Integration
10. White Women's Tears
Women of Color and Tears
White Women's Tears As a Response to Sexism
Tears for Fears
The Impact of White Women's Tears
Tears in Immersion
Tears in Capitulation
Tears in Defense
Tears when Transitioning to Projection
Tears in Projection
Tears in Balance
Tears in Integration
Beyond Tears
11. If What, Now What?
Grow Awareness and Knowledge
Using Awareness and Knowledge to Inform Skills
Interrupt Oppression
Connect with People of Color
Final Thoughts (For Now)
Appendix A: Community Conversations: A Guide for Collective Praxis
Getting it Together
Things to Consider: Some Unhelpful Common Patterns of White Women
Let's Get Real: Using Serial Testimony for Deep Reflection
The Basics
Reflection Topics— Examples
Appendix B: Focus Group Participants
Definitions
Focus Group Participant Book List
Notes
Index
About the Authors
About New Society Publishers