SOLD OUT-Discussion Night: Feminism, White Privilege & Fragility

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. YOU MUST HAVE REGISTERED VIA EVENBRITE IN ORDER TO ATTEND.

On May 23rd, we invite you to join The Feminist Club Amsterdam for a Discussion Night on Feminism, White Privilege and White Fragility. Our Discussion Nights are set up in a seminar style, with everyone contributing to a group discussion with the entire group, and later on in break-out groups. For each Discussion Night, a couple of FCA members volunteer to choose the topic, reading material and moderate the evening in accordance with the FCA Code of Conduct.

One of the biggest hurdles in acknowledging and fighting racism is white privilege and white fragility, and thus the unwillingness of white people to acknowledge the fact that racism is not just individual, but is deeply ingrained in our systems and institutions (systemic oppression), and thus internalized in our own behaviour and actions. Recently, the Feminist Club Amsterdam has had some discussions come up, both on and offline, about racism and white privilege; too often these discussions are derailed due to white fragility and white tears. This happens when, in a conversation on color or racism, a white person centralizes their experiences, their feelings, their good intentions, and/or their lack of privilege along other axis points (besides race) OVER the lived experience of POC. In this Discussion Night we would like to address these mechanisms, both as they might take place and as ‘cases’ to discuss, and how to move forward from this.

LANGUAGE
**The readings and main discussion will be in English, however we will offer break-out groups with discussion in Dutch to make this evening accessible to both Dutch and English speakers.

Het te lezen materiaal en de gemeenschappelijke introductie en discussie zijn in het Engels, maar na de inleiding zullen we de groep opdelen in kleinere Engelstalige en Nederlandstalige groepjes, zodat de avond toegankelijk is voor Engels- en Nederlandssprekenden.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
All are welcome to join, however please remember (as in accordance with FCA’s Code of Conduct: http://www.thefeministclub.nl/coc/) that this is a safe space. This event is for everyone, and we highly encourage white members of FCA and other white folks to attend, BUT ONLY if you come prepared (the readings and media we have linked below are MANDATORY); this discussion will likely be uncomfortable for many white people, so we ask that you come ready to check your privilege and sit in a bit of discomfort, listening to other voices in the room.

If you're white, this evening is for you if you're willing to prepare by reading & watching all required materials AND if you're willing to also listen, learn, and look at yourself as you sit with some uncomfortable feelings that will likely arise.
If you are a POC this evening is for you if you're interested and feel up for discussing white privilege and white fragility alongside white people who are willing to listen, learn and look at themselves.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT
If you have any other questions or doubts as to whether this evening is for you or not, feel free to contact the volunteers organizing this event: Maya (in English) or Bernadette (in English or Dutch). As well, as we are both white, we acknowledge that our perspectives are limited and we may be missing important points, nuances, and readings that others might feel are necessary. Please feel free to call us in/out, so that we can continue to do better moving forward.

ACCESSIBILITY INFO
Gender neutral washroom available
Plastic chairs available, as well as a small couch
This venue has a lift and is wheelchair accessible
If you have any other accessibility related questions please let us know and we will get in touch with Mama Cash.

This event is by optional donation at the door, and no one will be turned away due to lack of funds.

New to Intersectional Feminism? Check out the FCA’s ABCs to get yourself up to speed before the event: http://www.thefeministclub.nl/abc/

MANDATORY READINGS & MEDIA:

READING: 5 Signs Your Idea of 'Intersectionality' is Anti-Black Racism in Disguise by Hari Ziyad http://everydayfeminism.com/2016/07/intersectionality-anti-black/

READING: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
https://www.deanza.edu/faculty/lewisjulie/White%20Priviledge%20Unpacking%20the%20Invisible%20Knapsack.pdf

VIDEO: People, Systems and the Game of Monopoly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rxL3ik9sJA&feature=youtu.be

READING: White Fragility is Racial Violence, by Amelia Shroyer
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amelia-shroyer/white-fragility-is-racial_b_8151054.html

READING: White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
http://libjournal.uncg.edu/ijcp/article/view/249/116 -

READING: 11 Ways White America Avoids Taking Responsibility for its Racism. The pernicious impact of "white fragility," by Robin DiAngelo
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/11-ways-white-america-avoids-taking-responsibility-its-racism

READING: 4 Reasons People of Color Can’t Cater to White People’s Guilt – Or Their Tears, by Michal 'MJ' Jones
http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/11/poc-cant-cater-white-guilt/

VIDEO: How Microaggressions Are Like Mosquito Bites
http://fusion.net/video/354460/how-microaggressions-are-like-mosquito-bites/

READING: 4 Ways You As A White Person Can Reduce Your Complicity in White Supremacy, by Donyae Coles https://unapologeticfeminism.com/2016/12/4-ways-you-as-a-white-person-can-reduce-your-complicity-in-white-supremacy/

Recommended Reading:
***For Dutch readers, if you want to explore these topics more, we highly recommend finding yourself a copy and reading Anousha Nzume’s new book ‘Hallo witte mensen’ https://www.bruna.nl/boeken/hallo-witte-mensen-9789462984141