Introduction
In her book "Nice Racism," Robin DiAngelo challenges the notion that well-intentioned white progressives are immune to racism. She argues that these "nice racists" often cause the most harm in cross-racial spaces through microaggressions, objectification of Black people, and centering their own feelings when confronted about racist behavior. DiAngelo aims to help readers recognize and address their own internalized racist beliefs, even if they consider themselves allies in the fight against racism.
The book serves as a guide for white people who are ready to move beyond performative allyship and take meaningful action against white supremacy. It explores common behaviors and justifications used by progressive racists and offers strategies for becoming truly accountable in anti-racist work.
The Harm Caused by Nice Racists
DiAngelo argues that well-meaning white progressives often inflict more daily harm than openly racist far-right extremists. These "nice racists" believe they are part of the solution rather than the problem. They join diversity committees, attend Black Lives Matter protests, and seek out diverse schools and neighborhoods. However, their actions frequently perpetuate racist systems and subject people of color to constant microaggressions.
Some examples of harmful behaviors by nice racists include:
- Gentrifying diverse neighborhoods
- Making comments about how "articulate" Black colleagues are
- Using hip-hop slang around Black people
- Impeding progress on diversity boards by prioritizing talk over action
- Centering their own feelings over those of colleagues of color
While these individuals have good intentions, DiAngelo emphasizes that intentions are not enough to solve deeply entrenched issues of racism and white supremacy. Growing up in a society steeped in racist messaging leads white people to internalize harmful beliefs about their own superiority and the supposed deficiencies of Black people. Unlearning these ideas requires moving beyond performative niceness and embracing discomfort.
The Myth of Individualism
One of the most persistent aspects of nice racism is the myth of individualism. When confronted about racism, many white progressives protest that they shouldn't be lumped together with other white people. They cite their activist work, diverse friend groups, or anti-racist upbringing as evidence that they are different.
However, DiAngelo argues there is no way for white people to opt out of benefiting from systemic racism, regardless of their personal beliefs or experiences. Centuries of racist policies have created advantages for white people in areas like education, housing, and wealth accumulation. For instance, discriminatory lending practices in the 1950s allowed white families to build intergenerational wealth through home ownership while excluding Black families. This impacts school funding and educational opportunities to this day.
Clinging to individualism allows white people to avoid acknowledging that they acquired resources unfairly rather than through pure merit. It also protects their self-image as good, moral people. Giving up this myth is difficult but necessary to identify and dismantle one's own racist attitudes and behaviors.
Intersectionality of Oppression and Privilege
DiAngelo shares her own experience growing up in poverty to illustrate how white people can simultaneously experience oppression and benefit from white privilege. As a child, she faced hunger, homelessness, and humiliation due to her family's economic circumstances. Many white people with similar backgrounds bristle at the suggestion that they have privilege.
However, DiAngelo emphasizes that while her poverty created very real hardships, her race never made those hardships worse. In fact, her family's racism toward Black people gave them a sense of superiority despite their low socioeconomic status. Later in life, DiAngelo's whiteness eased her path through higher education and allowed her to achieve social mobility.
This demonstrates the concept of intersectionality developed by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw. People's various social identities intersect to create unique lived experiences. A poor white person faces class oppression but still benefits from racial privilege. A wealthy Black person may have class privilege but still encounters racial discrimination.
For too long, white people have used their experiences of oppression to avoid examining racism. But understanding how different forms of oppression intersect actually allows for more nuanced analysis of social issues. Centering race does not negate other forms of marginalization - it provides a fuller picture of how different systems of oppression operate and can be dismantled.
Willful Ignorance and Lack of Humility
Nice racists often display a dangerous combination of ignorance about racism and an unwillingness to be uncomfortable or examine their own culpability. Growing up in segregated communities and consuming white-centric media leaves many white people woefully uninformed about the realities of racism. For instance, white people tend to vastly underestimate the racial wealth gap.
This ignorance is compounded by a lack of practice in dealing with discomfort or accountability around race. Because of segregation, white people rarely have to answer to people of color. When confronted about racist behavior, their "nice" facade often crumbles quickly.
DiAngelo shares an example of a Black executive who was fired after challenging her white boss's racial bias. The boss's discomfort with being called out trumped any consideration of the executive's qualifications or the validity of her complaint. This demonstrates how quickly "nice" white people can lash out when their self-image as non-racist is threatened.
Tackling white supremacy requires a willingness to lean into discomfort and respond with humility when called out for racism. Progress is messy and often unpleasant. But avoiding conflict in favor of superficial niceness only serves to maintain the status quo.
The Problem with Color-Celebrate Credentialing
DiAngelo identifies "color-celebrate credentialing" as a common tactic used by nice racists to prove they aren't racist. This involves citing proximity to or relationships with people of color as evidence of one's non-racist status. Some examples include:
- Mentioning Black friends or family members
- Talking about living in a diverse neighborhood
- Referencing volunteer work in communities of color
- Bringing up past activism or social justice work
Politicians frequently employ this tactic when accused of racism. Joe Biden defended himself against criticism of praising segregationist senators by citing his work with civil rights activists. Donald Trump had a Black appointee stand silently behind him during a press conference addressing racism allegations.
This behavior is problematic for several reasons:
It derails conversations about racial justice by shifting focus to the white person's credentials.
It implies that simply tolerating proximity to people of color makes someone non-racist. However, racists throughout history have tolerated or even sought out such proximity (e.g. enslavers).
It objectifies people of color by using them as props to bolster white people's social capital.
It reveals an attitude that views not being racist as an identity rather than an ongoing practice.
DiAngelo shares a cringeworthy story from her college years to illustrate how attempting to prove one's wokeness often backfires. At dinner with a Black couple, she spent the evening recounting racist jokes and comments made by her family members. She thought she was demonstrating her enlightened views, but in reality she was subjecting the couple to offensive content all evening.
The Pitfalls of Trying to Out-Woke Others
Even longtime anti-racist activists can fall into the trap of trying to prove their superior wokeness. This might look like:
- Claiming they don't need racial justice training because they already know everything
- Publicly calling out other white people's racism to demonstrate moral superiority
- Denouncing white people as a group to show how enlightened they are
While holding each other accountable is important, the goal shouldn't be to bolster one's own anti-racist credentials. White activists will never reach a perfect, non-racist state. The work requires ongoing vigilance, learning, and growth.
Focusing on out-woking others often leads to harmful behavior. For instance, DiAngelo describes a white woman in an anti-racist group who publicly shamed another member over observed racist behavior instead of having a private conversation. This prioritized performative wokeness over actually addressing the issue constructively.
Decentering Yourself and Learning from Feedback
When confronted about racist behavior, nice racists often center their own feelings rather than listening to the harm they've caused. Common responses include:
- Becoming defensive or upset
- Tone policing (criticizing how the feedback was delivered)
- Bursting into tears and begging for forgiveness
- Minimizing the impact of their actions
These reactions shift focus away from the person harmed and onto the white person's emotions. They fail to acknowledge that while an incident may seem minor to the perpetrator, it likely represents an ongoing pattern of microaggressions for the person of color.
DiAngelo emphasizes that receiving this kind of feedback is actually a privilege. The person offering it is taking a risk to help you grow. Instead of centering your own discomfort:
- Thank them for the feedback
- Take time to process your emotions privately
- Reflect on your behavior and its impact
- Take steps to make amends and do better in the future
The Problem with Clinging to Shame
Shame is one of the most socially acceptable emotions for nice racists to express when confronted with their harmful behavior. In anti-racism workshops, white participants frequently voice shame over their racist actions or thoughts.
However, DiAngelo argues that clinging to shame often allows white people to avoid real accountability and change. Shame focuses on feeling bad about who you are, while guilt centers on feeling bad about what you've done. By wallowing in shame, nice racists can:
- Present themselves as moral people who are aware of racism
- Elicit sympathy and absolution from other white people
- Disengage from difficult anti-racist work by becoming too overwhelmed
- Avoid having to take concrete actions to address harm caused
While shame can be a normal part of confronting one's racism, it becomes problematic when used as an excuse for inaction. True anti-racist work requires moving beyond shame to take responsibility for harm caused and commit to ongoing growth and change.
Aligning Actions with Values
In the wake of high-profile incidents of racial injustice, many white progressives rush to demonstrate their support for anti-racist causes. They attend protests, share social media posts, and use the terminology of racial justice. However, there's often a gap between knowing the right things to say and taking meaningful action for change.
To truly align actions with anti-racist values, DiAngelo recommends:
Be honest about how white fragility derails your efforts. Recognize when defensiveness, silence, or over-cautiousness are preventing you from fully engaging.
Create accountability circles with other white people committed to anti-racist work. Seek friends who will lovingly call you out and help you examine harmful behaviors.
Remain answerable to people of color. Regularly ask for feedback on your progress and impact.
Compensate people of color for their time and expertise when seeking their input or inviting them to consult on diversity initiatives.
Put your money where your mouth is by donating to racial justice organizations or offering your skills and resources to support anti-racist work.
Promote and amplify the voices of Black intellectuals, artists, and leaders.
Challenge white silence on racism in your personal and professional circles.
DiAngelo emphasizes that allyship is an ongoing practice rather than an achieved state of being. It requires showing up daily to support anti-racist efforts and remaining open to growth and accountability.
Practical Steps for Anti-Racist Action
Throughout the book, DiAngelo offers concrete suggestions for white people seeking to move beyond performative allyship and take meaningful anti-racist action:
Educate yourself. Before asking people of color to explain racism, do your own research using readily available online resources.
Join a white anti-racist affinity group to process your learning and hold each other accountable.
Cultivate authentic relationships across racial lines, but don't expect people of color to be your teachers.
Speak up against racism in white spaces, even when it's uncomfortable.
Support Black-owned businesses and cultural institutions.
Advocate for equitable policies in your workplace and community.
Teach your children about systemic racism and model anti-racist behavior.
Vote for candidates and policies that advance racial justice.
Examine your own biases and racist socialization on an ongoing basis.
Accept that you will make mistakes and commit to learning from them rather than becoming defensive.
The Ongoing Nature of Anti-Racist Work
A key theme throughout "Nice Racism" is that becoming anti-racist is a lifelong journey, not a destination. DiAngelo emphasizes that no white person can fully escape their racist conditioning or the benefits they receive from white supremacy. Even those who have been engaged in anti-racist activism for decades must remain vigilant about their own biases and behaviors.
This ongoing nature of the work can feel daunting or discouraging to some. However, DiAngelo argues that accepting this reality is actually freeing. It allows white people to:
- Stop trying to prove they are "one of the good ones"
- Approach the work with humility and openness to growth
- Take risks and make mistakes without shame derailing their efforts
- Focus on impact rather than intention
- Build authentic cross-racial relationships not based on performative allyship
By embracing anti-racism as a practice rather than an identity, white people can more effectively contribute to dismantling white supremacy in all its forms.
Conclusion
"Nice Racism" challenges progressive white readers to move beyond performative allyship and confront the ways they perpetuate racial harm despite good intentions. DiAngelo argues that the "nice" behaviors many white people rely on to prove their non-racist credentials often cause significant damage in cross-racial spaces.
Key takeaways include:
All white people absorb racist messaging and benefit from white supremacy, regardless of their individual beliefs or experiences.
Focusing on intentions and maintaining a "nice" facade prevents white people from recognizing and addressing their harmful behaviors.
White progressives must be willing to experience discomfort, receive critical feedback with humility, and prioritize impact over intentions.
Anti-racist work is an ongoing practice that requires constant vigilance, education, and accountability.
Effective allyship involves concrete action and material support for racial justice, not just using the right terminology or performing wokeness.
By abandoning the myth of white exceptionalism and embracing the messy, uncomfortable work of confronting their own racism, white progressives can become more effective partners in the fight against white supremacy. This requires moving beyond fragility, defensiveness, and shame to take meaningful anti-racist action in their personal lives and communities.
DiAngelo's work serves as both a wake-up call and a practical guide for white people seeking to align their behaviors with their espoused anti-racist values. While the journey is challenging, she argues it is essential for creating a more just and equitable society for all.