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" W H I T E F R A G I L I T Y " By Annika Schenkel 4/22/2021
In her number one bestseller, White Fragility: Why Its So Hard for White People to Talk about
Racism, Dr. Robin DiAngelo explains how white people contribute to the oppression of black voices and why calling out problematic actions leads to uncomfortable, but necessary, conversations. Published in 2018, DiAngelo’s book debuted and shifted more attention to race relations in America as she introduced the term “white fragility,” effectively calling out
“white people’s paper-thin skin” and the defensive behaviors they typically exhibit when confronted about their racist actions (Waldman, 2018). Due to the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in the years leading up to 2020, DiAngleo’s book quickly became a talking point in racial discourse and garnered a wide variety of responses from all sides of the political spectrum. DiAngelo in 2020, shot by Djeneba Aduayom
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Graphic designed by The Atlantic
One of the most common criticisms about Unlike McWhorter, who discussed how “White Fragility” is that instead of amplifying “White Fragility” with a main focus on how black voices, DiAngelo effectively talks over the book affects how white people will view them. In an article published by The Atlantic, black people after having read the book, Linguist John McWhorter argues that the Carlos Lozada focuses more on how the book rhetoric in “White Fragility” is condescending does not pay the concept of white fragility towards black people, and that the purpose justice. The book critic published his opinions of the book is to make “certain educated about white fragility stating that while he white readers feel better about themselves,” agrees with the premise of white fragility, the which then causes these white readers to fall book is flawed in that people who buy the under the assumption that racial book in an attempt to educate themselves discrimination has not evolved at all since are, in fact, trying to make a positive change. the 1920s (McWhorter, 2020). “McWhorter - He condemns the “circular logic” that who is Black, highly educated, and a Democrat DiAngelo promotes with her assertions that - offers a well-rounded view regarding how “any dissent from ‘White Fragility” is itself DiAngelo’s perspective as a white author white fragility.”(Lozada, 2020) This review is may make her unqualified to discuss the not entirely negative. Lozada acknowledges issues at hand. If her assumptions that racism that DiAngelo at the very least attempts to were to still be as prevalent today as it was hold herself to the same standards that she 100 years ago, DiAngelo’s stance that all subjects her white readers to. In Lozada's white people are socialized to be racist view, DiAngelo has played an important role prompts white people to feel immense guilt in race discourse by coining the term "white and sadness during times dedicated to fragility," but her book itself doesn't provide celebrating black excellence, McWhorter any solutions for the problems she presents. argues.
Pg2 Another key demographic to analyze are "anti racist seminars, study circles, workshops, and certificates might achieve" in regards to members of the general population who progressive discussions about race have read and reviewed DiAngelo's work. The (Roediger, 2018). opinions expressed in book reviews are far
more blunt than in scholarly articles like Regardless of one's opinion on the book itself, those mentioned on page 2. By hiding nobody can deny the cultural impact the term behind the anonymity of a screenname, "white fragility" has on white America. people are able to publish an opinion without The general message of the book is being held accountable. One Amazon review progressive enough that already open- for DiAngelo's book entitled "self-help guide minded white people will be more inclined how to hate yourself" gave the book only one to realize their own racial biases, educate star, stating that the book is "pure Marxist others, and enact change in their community. drivel masquerading as anti-racism" and that he took personal offense to the primary Bibliography Aduayom, Djeneba. “Robin DiAngelo.” The New York themes (Vic, 2020). Times Magazine, The New York Times, 15 July 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/magazine/white- Other reviews, however, show an fragility-robin-diangelo.html. overwhelming amount of support towards the book. Overall, the perception of the book DiAngelo, R. J. (2018). White Fragility: Why It's So Hard by non-experts is generally positive; the for White People to Talk About Racism. Beacon Press. average rating on Amazon is a 4.5 out of 5, Lozada, C. (2020, July 2). Review | White fragility is real. and the book was rated No1. on the New York But 'White Fragility' is flawed. The Washington Post. Times Bestseller's list for several weeks during https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/06/18/ the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement white-fragility-is-real-white-fragility-is-flawed/. in June of 2020. One such positive review entitled "this book changed my life" states that McWhorter, J. (2020, July 15). The Dehumanizing people who disagree with the principles laid Condescension of 'White Fragility'. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/de out in the book prove DiAngelo's point that humanizing-condescension-white-fragility/614146/. white people will tend to view statements that address racism as “challenge[s] to [their] very Roediger, D. (2018, September 6). On the Defensive: identities as good, moral people” (DiAngelo, Navigating White Advantage and White Fragility. Los 2018, pg 2). Angeles Review of Books. https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/on-the-defensive-
David Roediger asserts in his article from Los navigating-white-advantage-and-white-fragility/.
Angeles Review of Books that people who Vic. (2020, June 1). White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for strongly oppose the narrative DiAngelo White People to Talk About Racism- Customer Reviews. presents either because they refuse to Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/product- believe that white fragility exists or because reviews/0807047414/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_paging_btm_ne they believe that anti-racist seminars divert xt_2? ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&reviewerType=all_review attention from more pressing racial issues, and s&pageNumber=2#reviews-filter-bar. fail to see what DiAngelo's goal truly is. Roediger argues that neither of these Waldman, K. (2018, July 23). A Sociologist Examines the positions "encourages" the evaluation of what "White Fragility" That Prevents White Americans from Confronting Racism. The New Yorker.
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