(no subject)

[rhivolution]

I...sort of want to write a post about how, in my mind, it is goddamn important for white people to feel uncomfortable, because it means we (we = white people including myself) are actually thinking about our shit instead of just having things bounce off the Cloak of Privilege.*

But I don't know if that would be derailing from the matter at hand, or if it is appropriate, or if it would call the shitstorm of How Dare You Want Me To Be Uncomfortable down on me, or what.

Discuss.

* It may be slightly derailing as well that I think of it like a permanent Cloak of Invisibility, a la HP.

Comments

[tanyad]

*nods* I get you... even if the session had a second presenter that was POC it probably wouldn't have stuck with me so much. But no one addressed the obvious, that a.) Yes, white woman you are addressing your privilege, b.) it's lovely that you are asking other white people to do so, but c.) the conversations that need to be had about this topic aren't going to happen in a mixed crowd, at a professional conference because well, people are to afraid of wagging their bare ass in the wind and being branded a racist or insensitive.

There's also d.) there's just some things POC won't discuss with non-POC in the room and the issue of systemic racism is probably one of those topics.

I'm debating on proposing a session on Systemic Racism in Higher Ed from a POC perspective for my regional conference, and I've got till Friday to submit a proposal.

[rhivolution]

Yeah--the fact that there wasn't a POC in a leadership perspective in the session was what threw me in hearing you talk about it. (Perhaps TPTB thought it would seem tokenist or stereotypical, which is a dumbass excuse.) It strikes me as problematic and ineffectual to have a privileged person do a General Overview of any topic where they are privileged, when addressing a broad and general audience in a national arena.

I'd say go for the proposal if you think you have the energy; it could be highly beneficial to both white people and POC.

[tanyad]

I think I will, but part of me is cringing about the potential for utter, epic fail that could happen in such a session.