I have been calling out white feminism a lot these last few years, but some people who practice it still seem confused. I figured a quick little list was in order.
- You only care about issues when they impact white femmes.
- You don’t ask who is missing from the conversation when you are invited/promoted to a place/position with power.
- You center yourself when reading how WOC are being mistreated because you are too busy trying to relate it to your experiences that you are missing the point. You are also ignoring the opportunity to learn how your similar actions might be affecting other WOC.
- You never questioned why shows like The Handmaid’s Tale changed the racial implications from the book but still religiously sideline non-white actors.
- You don’t bat an eye when a white femme steps into a film/television role that was not written for them.
- You do not get suspicious when you hear the phrase “Women and BIPOC” and have not caught onto that resulting in opportunities for more white women and less POC.
- You refuse to learn someone’s pronouns even when you’ve known them for years.
- You go to the Women’s March and refuse to show up for any other marches, protests, demonstrations even though femmes often hold more than just the one identity your pink hat represents.
- When a POC brings your behaviors to your attention, you sidestep honest apologies but never unpack your privilege to figure out why you don’t believe you should be sorry.
- Your definition of feminism hinges on excluding BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, People with Disabilities, Unhoused People, etc., and any intersectional identities that a femme could ever possibly be.
For my other articles on this subject and similar topics, you can check out:
Full Stop: I’m Yelling Fire So That You’ll Pay Attention
Full Stop: Tropes We Need to Leave Behind
Full Stop: What We’re Not Going To Do
Full Stop: Casually Anti-Black Behaviors I’ve Observed This Month
Full Stop: Casually Anti-Black Behaviors You Need to Quit NOW
This bonus Full Stop was sponsored by the lovely people who contributed to my BuyMeACoffee fund. They make it possible for me to focus on writing instead of worrying about keeping my cell on.
