by Robin DiAngelo | June 2018
Confronted with their own shortcomings, white employees often shut down the dialogue—or frame themselves as victims. White fragility functions as a form of bullying: “I am going to make it so miserable for you to confront me that you will simply back off.”
When I consult with organizations that want me to help them recruit and retain a more diverse workforce, I am consistently warned that past efforts to address the lack of diversity have resulted in trauma for white employees. This is literally the term used to describe the impact of a brief and isolated workshop: trauma.
TAGS: [Individual Change] [2010’s] [White Fragility/Tears] [Accountability]