WHAT IS WHITE RACIAL IDENTITY?

WHAT IS WHITE RACIAL IDENTITY? Background

This presentation is based on the work of Dr. Janet E. Helms of Boston College

Helms’ work focused specifically on Whites and Blacks so in most cases I’ve kept that language, but believe that White Racial attitudes towards Blacks are also applied to other people of color.

Race, Ethnicity, and Nationality Race is skin color Ethnicity is cultural identification: Italian-American, Greek-

American, etc Nationality is location: A citizen of the United States Racism = Racial Prejudice + Power

WHAT IS WHITE RACIAL IDENTITY? Goals

Move beyond guilt, fear, shame, and fragmentation/compartmentalization

Recognize the damaging aspects of racism to White people

Achieve a positive White racial identity A positive recognition and understanding of how

Whiteness as a social construct and cultural entity affects one’s sense of self

HELM’S STAGES OF WHITE RACIAL IDENTITY

Contact

Disintegration

Reintegration

Pseudo-Independen

ce

Immersion/Emersion

AutonomyPh

ase

One

Phas

e Tw

o

Dr. Beverly Daniels Tatum, President of Spelman College (1992): “Though the process for racial identity as been presented in linear form, in fact, it is probably more accurate to think of it in a spiral form…[a person may] revisit an earlier stage as a result of new encounter experiences, though the later experience of the stage may be different form the original. “

Phase One

CONTACT

CONTACT: ACTIVE OR PASSIVE INVOLVEMENT WITH THE NOTION OF OTHER

Characteristics Naïve curiosity or

timidity and trepidation toward Blacks

Limited White Consciousness

No awareness of systemic or cultural racism

Focus on colorblindness

Examples: “I don’t see race.” “I’m not White, I’m

just a person.” “You don’t act like a

Black person.”

Phase One

DISINTEGRATION

DISINTEGRATION: A CONFLICT OF SELFCharacteristics Recognition of racism Recognition of moral

dilemmas associated with racism (conscious or subconscious)

“Incongruence” or “dissonance” results from needing to adapt self or reconcile conflicting ideas

Examples of dilemmas Sense of morality vs. immoral

system that asks Whites to treat Black people immorally

Belief in freedom and democracy vs. belief in racial inequality

Desire for love and compassion vs. need to keep Blacks ‘in their place’

Desire to treat others with dignity and respect vs. belief that Blacks are not worthy of dignity and respect

Belief that White person should be treated according to individual merits vs. belief that Blacks should be evaluated as a group

DISINTEGRATION: TWO-FACED RACISM Two-Faced Racism: Whites in the

Backstage and Frontstage (2007) by Leslie Houts Picca and Joe Faegin

626 White students 28 colleges (the same institutions our

students continue on to) Journal every day for 6-8 weeks to record

racialized events 7500 blatant racist actions recorded

DISINTEGRATION: TWO-FACED RACISMFRONTSTAGE – multi-racial

spaces White students

demonstrate a desire not to be seen as racist.

They claim to be “colorblind”.

They act politely and cordially around people of color.

They usually avoid overtly racist language, emotion, and behavior (But, be sure, overt racism still exists).

BACKSTAGE – all White spaces

Whites participate in racist discussions, jokes, and viewpoints – either as the main actors (protagonists), assistants, bystanders, and, rarely, dissenters.

Whites demean the very groups and people of color with whom they are cordial or even claim to have friendships.

DISINTEGRATIONCharacteristics Looks for remedy

Finds ‘normalcy’ in White Culture

OR Over-identification

with people of color (Acting paternalistically)

Examples From Mirrors of

Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible

Phase One

REINTEGRATION

REINTEGRATION: RETREAT INTO WHITE CULTURE

Characteristics Fear of and anger

toward Black people A retreat from

situations involving race

Defensiveness about White Culture

Example: “I sometimes get angry

and feel like I am being attacked. I guess my anger toward a minority group would enter me in to the next stage of Reintegration, where I am once again starting to blame the victim. This is all very trying for me and has been on my mind a lot.”

REINTEGRATION: MOVEMENT INTO ANTI-RACISM

Characteristics Examination of

White self living in racist society

Resistance of racism

Anger at self and White society

Example: From Mirrors of

Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible

Phase Two

PSEUDO-INDEPENDENCE

PSEUDO-INDEPENDENCECharacteristics Consciously act to

combat racism externally while working internally to recognize beliefs shaped by White Privilege

Redefine what it means to be White

Acknowledge responsibility to end racism

Example “I can clearly remember the

resentment I had for people of color. I think I am finally out of the Retreat stage. I am beginning to make a conscious effort to seek out information about people of color and accept their criticism…I still feel guilty about the feeling I had about people of color and I always feel bad about being privileged as a result of racism.”

Phase Two

IMMERSION/EMERSION

IMMERSION/EMERSIONCharacteristic Seek out accurate

information from White people and people of color

Learn about White historical, political, and cultural contributions to develop a positive White identity

Phase Two

AUTONOMY

AUTONOMYCharacteristics A self-actualized

sense of White identity

Work with other Whites and people of color to change systemic system

Example: From Mirrors of

Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible

SOURCES Black and White Racial Identity: Theory, Research,

and Practice edited by Janet E. Helms White Awareness: Handbook for Anti-Racism

Training by Judith H. Katz Teaching/Learning Anti-Racism by Durman Sparks

and Branson Phillips Preventing Prejudice: A Guide for Counselors and

Educators by J.G. Ponerotto Two-Faced Racism: Whites in the Backstage and

Frontstage by Leslie Houts Picca and Joe R. Feagin