Reviews with content warning for Racism - White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better

This book lays it all out in no uncertain terms, but I beg you not to get offended and stop reading. It is a MUST READ. Because all it really does is point out what we already know: it is up to us, white people - and white women in particular, to stop being 'nice', stop chasing perfection and external approval, and start dismantling white supremacy. We cannot dump all this work on the laps of non-white folks, expecting them to clean up our mess.

This book will probably feel pretty confrontational, regardless of where you're at on your anti-racism journey. You'll find yourself saying, "nuh-uh, not me, I'M not like THAT!" I know I did. But take the time to really reflect -without that white guilt or defensiveness or toxic positivity - and see that yes, we are all like that. Maybe not all the time, but we are. Every white woman - me included - has done stuff like the white women mentioned in this book. Of course it's not a good look, but clearly, if you're reading this book or have read it, you're willing and ready to learn, grow, and change.

Because the greatest thing about this book is that it will give you hope and show you that we CAN change, we CAN do better, BE better, and become the accomplices non-white women and femmes need us to be. Because as the authors explain, "[white people's] liberation and [our] life [is] tied to the liberation and lives of Black, Indigenous, and brown folks".

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skudiklier's review

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

I truly think this book should be required reading for every white woman. It's fairly comprehensive and it's so much more direct than other antiracism books I've read; there's no way you can read this without at least considering your own racism and the ways you perpetuate white supremacism.

This book isn't perfect (it weirdly never mentions capitalism despite that feeling a bit like the elephant in the room at some points) but it doesn't need to be. It's an amazing wake-up call for white women and I really think we'd make a lot more progress more quickly if we could just snap our fingers and have everyone read this. And not just read it, but really really think about how your own racism plays into this.

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mj_86's review

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challenging informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.75

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rorikae's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

'White Women: Everything You Already Know about Your Own Racism and How to Do Better' by Regina Jackson and Saira Rao should be mandatory reading for every white woman. This book is extremely direct in how it approaches how we as white women uphold white supremacy through daily acts of racism. I believe that many people will shy away from how directly the authors approach this subject but Jackson and Rao call on every white woman to interrogate our own actions and how we can do better. They delve into different aspects such as the violence inherent in white silence, 'microaggresions,' racism at work, racism at school, and so much more.
This is ultimately one of the most comprehensive call-ins that directly calls white women to do better. I honestly think that every white woman should read this text, interrogate their own reactions to what Jackson and Rao are saying, and return to this regularly to check in on if they have been doing the work.

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bparkinson31's review

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challenging informative

5.0

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lettuce_read's review against another edition

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5.0

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lovesmhc's review

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challenging informative tense fast-paced

4.5

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