The Problem with White Women

I Understand the Assignment. 

It's trending on social media. White person after white person posting their "I'm a 65 year old mom of 2 in Kalamazoo and #Iunderstandthe assignment." It's all over my feed and every time I see it I cringe. Because I guarantee you: most white women don't understand the assignment.

White women want to amplify their own voices. Their stories. And they do have stories They deserve to be heard. But they can't understand that they need to let WOC amplify their voices now. Their stories. This is a time in history where the stage is set for others to take the stage and white women to work quietly in the background. 

This isn't the time to tell Black women that you've been fighting the fight since they were in diapers (saw that in a post) or that Kamala represents all women (well yeah and no because Kamala, unlike us WW,  doesn't have white privilege). And remember that Donald Trump has a lot of white women fans and probably no black women fans.

Anyway, the thing that's so cringe-worthy is how performative it's all become. I understand the assignment but don't really plan to do any of the work might be a little more honest. Or I understand the assignment and I want praise because look at how awesome I am.

I don't completely understand the assignment. Because I have spent years trying to amplify my own voice. I have worked hard to make myself the main character in my story. And now I want to be part of this moment but I don't want to make it about myself. I want to do the work but I don't know exactly what work needs to be done.

I'm prepared to listen. I want to see this amazing country of ours become what it should be under the guidance of a woman who doesn't look like me, who has worked harder and smarter than my privileged ass ever had to, and will hopefully ease the disparity in this time. 

Allyship isn't just saying the words. We need to stop performing and start learning what it really means to stand up for others and to make the world a safer place for their voices to be heard and for them to take the stage.

Equal rights doesn't mean you lose any rights you have. Amplifying other voices doesn't mean you're voiceless. It means it's time to learn.