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White Tears/Brown Scars

How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color

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White Tears/Brown Scars

Written by: Ruby Hamad
Narrated by: Mozhan Marnò
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About this listen

 Called "powerful and provocative" by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, author of the New York Times bestselling How to be an Antiracist, this explosive book of history and cultural criticism reveals how white feminism has been used as a weapon of white supremacy and patriarchy deployed against Black and Indigenous women, and women of color.

Taking us from the slave era, when white women fought in court to keep "ownership" of their slaves, through the centuries of colonialism, when they offered a soft face for brutal tactics, to the modern workplace, White Tears/Brown Scars tells a charged story of white women's active participation in campaigns of oppression. It offers a long overdue validation of the experiences of women of color.

Discussing subjects as varied as The Hunger Games, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the viral BBQ Becky video, and 19th century lynchings of Mexicans in the American Southwest, Ruby Hamad undertakes a new investigation of gender and race. She shows how the division between innocent white women and racialized, sexualized women of color was created, and why this division is crucial to confront.

Along the way, there are revelatory responses to questions like: Why are white men not troubled by sexual assault on women? (See Christine Blasey Ford.) With rigor and precision, Hamad builds a powerful argument about the legacy of white superiority that we are socialized within, a reality that we must apprehend in order to fight. Americas Gender Studies Racism & Discrimination Social Sciences Discrimination Social justice Human Rights Equality White Skin
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A powerful book with a tremendous impact. The author's ability to connect the past with the present and personal experiences with systems of power is inspiring. I couldn't stop listening.

This is what we needed

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History tied to current day scenario across the world, Ruby Hamad is a master at bringing together contexts and timelines.

Excellent, thorough and well-researched

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Fantastic listen about a fact based perspective on how race / colour and feminism intersect. While it’s oriented mostly toward women and feminism there is broad applicability to many other groups as well. This is a most read.

Really powerful perspective on how race / colour / feminism intersect.

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This book was emotionally challenging, deeply insightful, and poignant. Amazing work and essential to read.

Amazing and thought-provoking

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Well written, succinct and eye opening. If you want to learn about whites women’s complicity in racism, this is a great place to start. (Said as a white woman who is hopefully an ally)

Fantastic

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