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This is not the proper take. At all.
Our conversation that aired last night was very clearly about country music's problems with *race.* Thassit. White women were literally only brought up in the context of their very real contributions to the *race* problem.
Now, if this statement was alluding to that fact—suggesting that part of the gender issue is the fact that white women are perpetrators of white supremacy—I wouldn't say anything. But I don't think that's the case.
This came from an account that built its brand around gender equality and only added racial equality to the mix post-George Floyd. It's fine that they're new here (again, most ppl in Nashville are), but the constant conflating of race and gender issues is problematic.
During our panel, Maren spoke about how white women in Nashville have been taught to fight for other white women, and that's all they've done for YEARS.
Now, if you wanna be an ally for Black folk, be that, but understand that this is entirely separate from the gender issue.
Now, if you wanna be an ally for Black folk, be that, but understand that this is entirely separate from the gender issue.
The good news is that fixing the race issue will fix the gender issue. Like, if this industry ever gets to a place where it opens up to Black folk who show up in ALL their Blackness, I guarantee there will always be more than enough space for white women (see: *white* supremacy)
So, again, you gotta pull from the bottom and suspend this idea that if you're not screaming "What about the women!" every 2 seconds, white women will be left out of the convo. It's just not true. Your inclination to do this is ego, & ego leaves no proper space for allyship.
Let me give you an example:
Let's say you're a woman working at a company that only has 1 bathroom for men and 1 for women, & you're mad because the men's bathroom has twice as many stalls as the women's bathroom.
A TRAGEDY!!
Let's say you're a woman working at a company that only has 1 bathroom for men and 1 for women, & you're mad because the men's bathroom has twice as many stalls as the women's bathroom.
A TRAGEDY!!
Now, let's say there are also a couple of women in wheelchairs who work in your office, & they're upset, too—not just bc there aren't enough stalls, but bc none of the current stalls in the women's bathroom are even wheelchair accessible.
A REALLY *BIG* TRAGEDY!!
A REALLY *BIG* TRAGEDY!!
So everybody's fed up & now it's time to fight. But when u go to demand that the women's bathroom is remodeled, are u going in on behalf of the *women*? Or the *women in wheelchairs*?
If you're a white woman in country, your past actions suggest the former. Here's the problem:
If you're a white woman in country, your past actions suggest the former. Here's the problem:
Your boss may add more stalls, but if u ask for more stalls considering *only* the able bodied among u, u *will* get more stalls, but they likely *still* won't accommodate the women in wheelchairs.
How do we know? Bc the company has never, in its history, been wc accessible
How do we know? Bc the company has never, in its history, been wc accessible
HOWEVER. If you go to your boss and ask for WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE stalls, you STILL GET MORE STALLS...
...but *this time* they actually work for EVERYBODY, INCLUDING YOU.
...but *this time* they actually work for EVERYBODY, INCLUDING YOU.
Again, the same thing applies with race and gender issues in country.
White women: Make sure this town *really* works for non-white ppl, fight for them FIRST, & y'all will be good. Trust me.
Also, please remember how far behind everybody else is: https://twitter.com/AndreaWillWrite/status/1361124312460242953
White women: Make sure this town *really* works for non-white ppl, fight for them FIRST, & y'all will be good. Trust me.
Also, please remember how far behind everybody else is: https://twitter.com/AndreaWillWrite/status/1361124312460242953
