HomeMy WebLinkAboutWhite Fragility Book Discussion Resource Guide 2White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Book Discussion Resource Guide (Chapters 7-12)
Conversation Guidelines
These guidelines serve to promote a safe and productive dialogue about the book. They will be
discussed at the beginning of each book discussion.
Listen patiently & actively – hear others out completely before responding or
reacting. If you have immediate reactions, write it down and come back to it later if it
still feels relevant.
Be present; experience & sit with discomfort – don’t allow yourself to stop paying
attention or give in to distractions when things become hard or uncomfortable.
Be mindful of the space you take up – if you notice you are sharing a lot, maybe
you should step back and allow others to speak.
Suspend judgement – try to meet people where they’re at. Remember that everyone
is informed by different life experiences and it is not always productive to label things
as right or wrong.
Choose language carefully – use “I” statements, we can only speak for ourselves.
Respect confidentiality – it is possible that some participants will share vulnerable
stories or experiences, and they should not leave this space.
Important Disclaimers
These were outlined in the Authors note, and DiAngelo talks about them in more detail on
various platforms. They are important to keep in mind throughout this book discussion.
1.White people addressing white fragility surfaces several dilemmas. First, it requires
that white people be centered in the conversation about racism. This can be problematic
because it reinforces the white centering that is taken for granted in society at large (it is
the author’s hope, however, that it is a centering that exposes, rather than protects, the
workings of white supremacy). Second, it positions white people—yet again—as the
experts.
2.The primary goal for white people working to understand racism is not to learn how
racism impacts BIPOC, but to recognize how racist systems shape our lives, how we
uphold those systems, and how we can interrupt them. White people need to take
responsibility in educating themselves - BIPOC do not owe white people anything in
discussions about racism.
3.The arguments in this book build off of antiracism scholarship & activism that
BIPOC have written for generations. This book would not exist without the work of
BIPOC. It is just a starting point for educating yourself on anti-racism, and there are
many resources for continuing education from BIPOC voices (see Resources for
Continuing Education section of the book & resource list at the end of this guide).
Helpful Zoom tips
1.The host of the meeting will mute all participants at the beginning. When it is time for
discussion, you can unmute yourself to participate.
a.
b.There are two ways you can unmute yourself:
b.i.If you are on a computer, you can hold down the spacebar on your
keyboard while you speak. If you release the spacebar, you will be muted
again
b.ii.Click on the mute icon at the bottom of your screen (same icon as above).
With this option, you must manually click the icon each time you would
like to speak, and you will stay muted/unmuted until you click it again.
c.Please stay muted when you are not speaking!
2.To use the chat function, you must click on the chat icon at the bottom of
your screen. When you click on it, a chat window will open up, and you will
be able to send and view chats. The icon looks like this
Discussion Questions
These are sample discussion questions, and our 1-hour book discussion will not allow time to
touch on them all. Even so, there is great value in taking the time to think about all of these on
your own. Remember that this discussion is simply a starting point, and you are encouraged to
continue having these conversations moving forward.
1.Review the ‘social taboos’ mentioned in Chapter 7. Think of examples of each from
your own life. Do the same with the ‘triggers’ mentioned in this chapter.
2.Why are questions such as “What is the right thing to say?” or “What am I supposed to
say?” the wrong questions? How might you respond the next time you hear these
questions?
3.How does DiAngelo challenge the idea that it is our intentions that count?
4.If you were Karen’s colleague (Chapter 8), think about how you would react to her. As a
white colleague, how could you explain what is problematic about her response? As a
BIPOC colleague, what strategies could you use to address Karen’s white fragility?
5.Re-read this passage from Chapter 8. Consider the profundity of this reply and what
feelings it brings up for you.
“‘How often have you given white people feedback on our unaware yet inevitable
racism? How often has that gone well for you?’ Eye-rolling, head-shaking, and
outright laughter follow, along with the consensus of rarely, if ever. I then ask,
‘What would it be like if you could simply give us feedback, have us graciously
receive it, reflect, and work to change the behavior?’ Recently, a man of color
sighed and said, ‘It would be revolutionary.’ I ask my fellow whites to consider
the profundity of that response. It would be revolutionary if we could receive,
reflect, and work to change behavior.”
6.Why are white people more receptive to other white people (rather than BIPOC)
educating them on race?
a.What does this say about the role white people must play in addressing systemic
racism in society, in our homes, with our friends and family members, and in our
workplaces with our colleagues?
b.What are the opportunities and dilemmas of white people educating each other
on racism?
7.Review the feelings, behaviors, and claims from Chapter 9. Have you witnessed or
experienced any of these? Have you ever made these claims yourself?
8.DiAngelo argues that emotions are political. Consider the below quote from DiAngelo
(Chapter 11). Also consider how emotions are read in public spaces and by the media.
How are emotions political? How do these reactions shape conversations about
racism?
“Since many of us have not learned how racism works and our role in it, our
tears may come from shock and distress about what we didn’t know or recognize.
For people of color, our tears demonstrate our racial insulation and privilege”
9.DiAngelo states discomfort is necessary to disrupt racism. Why?
10.If we accept that racism is always operating, the question becomes not “Is racism taking
place?” but rather “How is racism taking place in this specific context?”
a.How does awareness of that change how we think about our lives and our
actions?
b.Think about concrete ways you can continue antiracism work in your own
life. Make a list.
Resources for Continued Education
For those wondering what to do next, this list can be a starting point for your continued
learning. Moving forward, I hope that you find value in reading and learning from BIPOC who
have already taken the time develop these resources – and have been paid to do so. While
DiAngelo does a great job giving white people a starting point, we must remember that white
people are not the experts. If you are only comfortable learning from white authors and
scholars, you are encouraged to reflect on why.
Books
Consider purchasing from Black-owned bookstores rather than Amazon for your anti-racist
resources! Be conscious of who is profiting off of these purchases. Check out this article for a
list of stores by state (but you can still order online from many!):
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/black-owned-bookstores
Between the World and Me by Ta Nehisi Coates (All are invited to read this book next
month and join us for a book discussion on Monday, August 24, from 1:30-3:00 p.m.)
How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall
The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century
by Grace Lee Boggs
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle
Alexander
Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Davis
Articles
The Case for Reparations by Ta Nehisi Coates
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/
The 1619 Project – An ongoing collection of essays published by the New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html
Who Gets to be Afraid in America? by Ibram X. Kendi
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/ahmaud-arbery/611539/
The White Space by Elijah Anderson
https://sociology.yale.edu/sites/default/files/pages_from_sre-11_rev5_printer_files.pdf
For Our White Friends Desiring to be Allies by Courtney Ariel
https://sojo.net/articles/our-white-friends-desiring-be-allies
Films & Series to Watch
Note: always be mindful of white saviorism in media – think back to DiAngelo’s discussion of
The Blind Side.
Just Mercy directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
13th directed by Ava DuVernay
Moonlight directed by Berry Jenkins
When They See Us directed by Ava DuVernay
The Hate U Give directed by George Tillman Jr.