Coming from here: http://elainemiller.com/blog/2013/blackface-racist-stereotyping-and-other-sophisticated-humour/

and here:  http://elainemiller.com/sorting-hat-says/racism/

Allies, gather round!

I would wish for any of us who have not been steeped in race theory (like medical students being steeped in anatomy) to step gently away from the public discussion of race and do some solid reading on the topic. (Heck, even if we have done a bunch of homework on the matter, there’s always something new to learn.)

It’s exhausting for POCs (and allies too) who are doing outreach and education to be doing impromptu Racism 101 over and over, for folks who say beginner stuff like

– “but if you’re Black and have blonde hair, isn’t that like blackface?” or

– “if you do race play within a consensual relationship framework, isn’t that the same as having a public career mocking Black women with the most extreme of stereotypes?” or

– “I’m white and striving to be forever colourblind, now can we stop talking about this?” or

– “You  people complained about a comedian and now we can’t see the funny racist show. This is reverse racism(TM).” or

– “Explain to me in careful details exactly why you’re upset about this thing you call racism. I’d like to try to logic it all away while ignoring what you’re saying”

and so on. These are all paraphrases of things I’ve heard or seen being said to Mollena Williams and other POCs on the topic of race in the last five days. No, honestly, I cant make that shit up.

No-one wants to think of themselves as racist or colluding  in rasicm, so it’s all too easy to get defensive (read: offensive) over the topic. But honest, its such a more nuanced conversation if you come to it prepared with some education under your belts. Even a day’s worth of reading will get you started.

Like this: Some great places to start.

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
http://www.amptoons.com/blog/files/mcintosh.html

Privilege parable — the dog and the lizard
https://sindeloke.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/37/

About Blackface
http://black-face.com/

EDIT to ADD: Derailing for Dummies

Derailing for Dummies

And for those of us who love the occasional smart youtube video,
Jay Smooth of IllDoctrine talking about how to talk about racist shit and “what you did vs what you are”

The above video with accurate captions: http://www.amara.org/en/videos/LMLZksHBoDci/info/how-to-tell-people-they-sound-racist/

Friends and neighbours and community members, be the allies I know you wanna be, and take some pressure offa the even-superheroes-get-frayed-edges edumacators. Increase your savvy on the subject.

Then we can get to the next step together.

ps. Everyone please feel free to gimme your favourite online resources for unlearning racism, race theory, and privilege.