Robin J. DiAngelo

Explores counterproductive reactions white people have when discussing racism that serve to protect their positions and maintain racial inequality.

Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism

White Fragility

Robin DiAngelo

The International Bestseller 'With clarity and compassion, DiAngelo allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to "bad people." In doing so, she moves our national discussions forward. This is a necessary book for all people invested in societal change' Claudia Rankine Anger. Fear. Guilt. Denial. Silence. These are the ways in which ordinary white people react when it is pointed out to them that they have done or said something that has - unintentionally - caused racial offence or hurt. After, all, a racist is the worst thing a person can be, right? But these reactions only serve to silence people of colour, who cannot give honest feedback to 'liberal' white people lest they provoke a dangerous emotional reaction. Robin DiAngelo coined the term 'White Fragility' in 2011 to describe this process and is here to show us how it serves to uphold the system of white supremacy. Using knowledge and insight gained over decades of running racial awareness workshops and working on this idea as a Professor of Whiteness Studies, she shows us how we can start having more honest conversations, listen to each other better and react to feedback with grace and humility. It is not enough to simply hold abstract progressive views and condemn the obvious racists on social media - change starts with us all at a practical, granular level, and it is time for all white people to take responsibility for relinquishing their own racial supremacy. 'By turns mordant and then inspirational, an argument that powerful forces and tragic histories stack the deck fully against racial justice alongside one that we need only to be clearer, try harder, and do better' David Roediger, Los Angeles Review of Books 'The value in White Fragility lies in its methodical, irrefutable exposure of racism in thought and action, and its call for humility and vigilance' Katy Waldman, New Yorker 'A vital, necessary, and beautiful book' Michael Eric Dyson

Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

Monicap

Very illuminating to read, especially now, during the 2020 police brutality protests and amid a flood of social media posts of white people wondering how they can be better allies.

Every time my brain caught on a phrase (in social media) and started arguing about fairness or whatever, I would think of the arguments in this book and confront whatever motion my brain was putting forward.

ALSO, anyone who's making the story of the current protests more about the rioting/looting (actions of a few bad actors) than the reason the protests are occuring (systemic racism) is displaying white fragility.

Sandrin

this book is an amazing starting point for anybody who is looking to educate themselves on racism and racist behavior(be it intentional or not).

Mia Caven

This was a good book. Quick and informative. Probably a good start for those easing into deeper educational topics such as race. It covers the basics but in an effective way for sure. Although it must be kept in mind that this is written by a white woman. So I also highly recommend books written by POC to actually get their POV.

Freso

This covers some very basic anti-racist theory, but seeing how a lot of whites only claim to not be racist rather than actively anti-racist, this is still very much needed. Additionally, a lot of the points of this book (esp. near the end) are well worth rehashing even if you have been active in anti-racism for a while. It’s always good to rehash basics.

Additionally, one thing that struck me while listening to this, is how much of this applies across so many other intersections; e.g., male fragility when patriarchy is challenged, straight fragility when heteronormativity is challenged, and cis fragility when gender norms are challenged.

I think this is a decent book to get started on in your antiracist (self-)work, but don’t let it be the end of it. I imagine it can be a hard, uncomfortable read if you don’t already acknowledge your internalised racism (and other bigoted biases you’ve been socialised to hold), but that’s really all the more reason to read this. Reflect on it. Learn to acknowledge that you’re a product of a society and that the prevailing messages of that society will have gotten themselves internalised in your “self”.

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT! I listened to this last week on audio book and it is a fantastic book every white person should read/listen to, not being afraid to be uncomfortable and gritty. The narrator really holds herself and whoever is listening accountable. This should be essential reading, honestly. 

jaz ☁️

Joy Bush

If only all the white people would read this and start the lifelong work of addressing their white fragility and dismantling racism. Great read, recommend to everyone.

Tish

Wow. If you’re white, this should be required reading. So so good.

Cindy

Difficult to read if you are white. And this is a good thing. Much praise.

Alexa M

Really wish I had picked this up sooner, such a necessary read for white people !!

The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality. In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.

Jeannette Ordas

A good primer for all white people on talking about race.

Jen Harris

This week has been a struggle for me. I read this book to specifically understand what would be going through my friends and colleagues minds as I tried to explain to the how the current climate of the world affects me. I will say that this book gave me a much better insight into those thoughts while most of them weren’t a shock to me.

Disclaimer: I'm not white. I read this book to learn about what antiracist content geared towards white people is like.

This book throws down some serious learnings about understanding the difference between racial prejudice and racism.

I enjoyed the "answers" to common "I'm not racist because X" excuses I've heard used plenty of times.

always online

Disclaimer: I'm not white. I read this book to learn about what antiracist content geared towards white people is like.

It's quite good.
This book throws down some serious learnings about understanding the difference between racial prejudice and racism.
I enjoyed the "answers" to common "I'm not racist because X" excuses I've heard used plenty of times.

Taylor

Extremely valuable as a white person. Should be required reading for all white Americans especially.

Cindy Lieberman

The right book at the right time in my becoming educated about racism and all the societal structures that make everyday, ingrained white supremacy (her word) so difficult to overcome. 

Written by a white diversity trainer, the author shares her ongoing struggles - despite her experience in discussing and teaching race relations - to create a race neutral, bias-free workplace. 

Most helpful is that she has heard EVERY excuse from white people about how “I am not racist because ....” [I marched in Selma/ I have black friends and coworkers / I don’t see color...etc. ] and then proceeds to break down how exactly racist we ARE because of what our blind and tone-deaf statements and protestations actually imply. Highly recommended!

Gisela Ayala 

I think this is a really good starting place for white people. It's thought-provoking and points out a lot issues. It should be required reading.

Sara Hazeltine

This book is a necessary read. I will be rereading throughout my lifetime.

Anna Cashman

Not a nonfiction person, so audiobooks are key. 
I really think this was helpful in understanding deeper levels of our inherent racism and our feelings around racism (and where those feelings come from) as white people. My only critique would be that it could’ve benefited from more layman’s terms. With that being said, there were a lot of good examples and experiences that made the points the author was making much more understandable. 

Highly recommend and think all white people who think they’re not racist should read this.

Angel Martinez

Love how this basically took everything I knew about racism and chucked it out the window. Like, all this time I thought I had to make an active choice to say the n-word whenever I sing along to Caroline or call someone with dark skin and curly hair ugly to be considered racist. Turns out it's a system that we are born into and demonizing it only makes it harder for us to accept our complicity. As important as these points were, I felt like the author was very repetitive...... like she was just making use of the same concepts and changing up the word choice/sentence structure..... so I couldn't enjoy it as much as I would have wanted to! And I kinda wish I did support a BIPOC author instead but anyway

Amy Landon

This book is a must read for every (white) person to understand how our white fragility can lead to indirect racism and to understand why we white people need to be more aware of our white privileges and why we need to act more !!!!

Kevin Heinrich

Mariane Ferrantino 

So I think this is a pretty solid jumping off point into anti-racist reading, but I also just read a response to it by John McWhorter, who I very much respect, that shed some different light on a lot of this book. It is difficult that it is written by a white person. I definitely have a lot more reading and learning to do.

Rebeca Keren Nuñez

Es cierto que es escrito por una autora blanca, pero aun así, el tema que aborda es relevante y lo que dice es real. El tema racismo, es algo sobre lo que debemos reflexionar y tomar acciones, por lo que esta es una de muchas instancias de educación que son necesarias. Algo muy importante es no solo quedarse en la lectura de este libro, eso solo no alcanza.

Fraser Simons

Good when paired with other social Justice/anti-racist books. This is pretty much just primarily why people get defensive. It is somewhat actionable but certainly one piece of the puzzle.

Vivian

“The simplistic idea that racism is limited to individual intentional acts committed by unkind people is at the root of virtually all white defensiveness on this topic.”

I wish everyone could read this book with an open/learning mindset for their racial awareness education. Denial of racism doesn’t make it disappear. The first step is to call it for what it is and own up to our ignorance and prejudice. As an Asian living in the west I’m painfully aware of how we could both be victims and perpetrators of racism.

White Fragility Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism

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