white fragility

[hwahyt fruh-jil-i-tee, wahyt]

noun

1. the tendency among members of the dominant white cultural group to have a defensive, wounded, angry, or dismissive response to evidence of racism.

Word History and Origins

Origin of white fragility¹

Coined by Robin DiAngelo (born 1956), U.S. academic and author, in her article “White Fragility” (2011)

Example Sentences

People working towards change quickly saw that white fragility’s fury and retribution are as systemic as they are individualistic.

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Democrats are guaranteed to lose their seat in West Virginia, where retiring independent Joe Manchin will be replaced by popular Gov. Jim Justice unless the country is struck by an asteroid or Justice is photographed drinking a Bud Light while reading a copy of White Fragility.

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Nevertheless, the practice survived those attacks born from misconceptions due to white fragility.

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Singer also targeted her “RHONY” Black cast member, Eboni K. Williams, after the latter accused Luann de Lesseps of “white fragility.”

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The expanding lexicon around bias and privilege includes terms like “white fragility” or “white tears,” referring to white people’s defensive refusal to fully engage with accountability; other phrases like “virtue signaling,” being “a Karen” or “performative allyship” underline the difference between honest and fake engagement with questions of ethics, morality and responsibility.

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