Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Self-Defined Majorities -- When does "white" mean white? And who decides?

[Sophie Rubin (yophiest]

We cannot make cohousing less white by refusing to say we are white.

We cannot make cohousing less racist by refusing to acknowledge race. Race
is a construct, yes, but racism - personal, structural, explicit, implicit
- is real.

Saying you are not white is a way of deflecting blame and a refusal to
acknowledge the privileges you reap from the color of your skin.

Learning about caste and race and deciding the answer is to say you’re not
white and no one else should acknowledge they are white is a form of
racism: you are undermining the real racialized, uncomfortable, and
alienating experiences of black and brown people in our communities (who
cannot escape those experiences through check boxes!) by changing the
subject, making it about you, not acknowledging the micro and macro slights
your neighbors receive because their skin is darker than yours. By focusing
your energy in a way that implies exploring the true meaning of “whiteness”
is more important than listening to people who actually experience racism
and more important than learning how you might make racially marginalized
folks feel more safe, wholly seen, and welcomed in our communities.


On Sat, Jun 24, 2023 at 21:19 Sharon Villines via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l@

>
> How many years have we been checking it and what exactly has it changed?
>
> I think it was a major move to drop Caucasian and substitute White, for
> example. Caucasian is a specific geographic area. White is totally
> undefined. Mostly it means whatever those people aren’t. And “those people”
> change as it becomes convenient.
>
> Sharon
> ----
> Sharon Villines, Washington DC
> "We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities." Walt Kelly
>
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