We Need To Talk About Whiteness - with Ruby Hamad

Episode 17: Whiteness and feminism – Ruby Hamad’s first book tackles the power of white tears – how have white women wielded their innocence against women of colour and how has that ‘innocence’ been used to buttress white supremacy? The Washington Post described it as “a stunning and thorough look at White womanhood that should be required reading for anyone.” WHITE TEARS/BROWN SCARS traces the role that White Womanhood and feminism have played in the development of Western power structures and was inspired by her 2018 Guardian article ‘How White Women Use Strategic Tears to Silence Women of Colour’ which became a global flashpoint for discussions of race and gender. In this episode, we explore white feminism, the limits of feminist solidarity and the weaponisation of tears.