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A new book tackles the complex dialogue surrounding racism and sexism, particularly between White liberals and White conservatives. It seeks to understand the root of their disagreements on what constitutes these issues and offers strategies for addressing them in a constructive manner.
In titled ‘Is it Racist? Is it Sexist? Why Red and Blue White People Disagree, and How to Decide in the Gray Areas,’ sociologists Jessi Streib and Betsy Leondar-Wright conduct in-depth interviews with numerous White voters to uncover how they assess these contentious subjects.
During their research, participants evaluated both real and hypothetical situations to determine if they deemed them “racist” or “sexist.”
Examples provided in the book highlight various scenarios, such as a cartoon featuring a male patient in a hospital who refers to a female doctor as “nurse.” Another discussed case involves a White police officer who mistakenly shoots a Black teenager, believing the teen was brandishing a weapon.
The authors broadened their research by including real-life incidents like the actions of President Trump in 2017 when he advised NFL players to “get that son of a b—- off the field” during protests against the National Anthem, an issue initiated by the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
To gather insights, they engaged 127 individuals aged 35-59 from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds across the country. They utilized digital flyers distributed in non-political online spaces to invite participation in a general survey regarding American beliefs. Participants received a modest compensation for their two-hour interviews and were not informed about the subject matter in advance.
Betsy Leondar-Wright, who co-authored the book, shared with Fox News Digital how the increasing backlash against the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements during Trump’s first term inspired her and Streib to delve into this topic. Their goal was to explore the widening partisan divide among White voters regarding these pressing social issues.
Through their interviews, the authors established that individuals typically fall into two main categories: those identified as ‘acquitters’ and ‘convictors.’
Acquitters approach allegations of racism and sexism on a case-by-case basis and prefer to scrutinize each situation critically. They remain open to alternative explanations and often conclude that the accused may be innocent. This group tends to lean conservative.
Conversely, convictors recognize societal patterns and assess instances of race and gender inequality using a more algorithmic approach. This group generally supports the accuser and is more likely to label the accused as guilty, often aligned with liberal perspectives.
Leondar-Wright emphasized that both perspectives could benefit from one another in addressing these sensitive topics more effectively.
She urged acquitters to acknowledge systemic disparities evident in sectors such as healthcare, housing, criminal justice, and education while also being aware of gender inequities in pay and societal treatment.
Similarly, she highlighted how convictors could enhance their understanding by adopting some elements of the acquitters’ critical investigation techniques. Many times, convictors may reach erroneous conclusions by failing to pose necessary questions.
The authors advocate for a ‘surveyor’ method, which involves refraining from hastily labeling someone as racist or sexist based on a single incident. Instead, they suggest examining recurring behaviors prior to issuing any judgments.
Leondar-Wright made it clear that everyone will inevitably confront scenarios related to these discussions, advocating for a respectful dialogue. She encouraged both acquitters and convictors to listen attentively without presuming ill intent in those they disagree with.
Reflecting on her conversations with acquitters, Leondar-Wright realized that biases sometimes accompany her own political judgments.
As a self-identified convictor, she found it enlightening to discover how even individuals who may appear conservative were willing to take a stand against racism and sexism in their personal lives. One notable example was Alice, a conservative woman who chose to foster a Black girl after her friend’s imprisonment. When Alice’s mother exhibited racist attitudes, she prioritized her foster daughter’s well-being over familial ties.
Such stories proved to Leondar-Wright that not everyone fits neatly into preconceived categories. Her journey through these conversations revealed hope, igniting a belief that progress in addressing underlying societal patterns is possible.
“I do think there’s a lot of racism and racial inequality in our society and a lot of gender inequality. And so I’d like to help move people in the direction of seeing those patterns, those disparities,” she expressed during her discussion with Fox News Digital. “I ended up feeling a lot less hopeless about the potential for change than I was when I started.”
