This White person loves a debate and finds arguing exciting and productive. Likely, they argue on controversial topics regularly and see it as a way to challenge their own thinking. They might tell themselves, "I don't believe this, but I think we should explore all the possibilities." Often, this behavior is driven by the cognitive dissonance between their own experiences and beliefs, and the reality of racism they are first encountering.

Why It's Damaging
Devil's Advocates pull focus away from the issue at hand. They invalidate the experiences of Black people by questioning the weight race has in every interaction. They put the burden on Black people to defend and prove their experiences, all under the guise of scholarship. Instead of struggling with the discomfort of trying to understand the racism they have not previously noticed, they externalize this struggle by making others uncomfortable, especially BIPOC.

Two ways the Devil's Advocate appears:

1. They bait others into a debate by questioning whether racism is at the core of an action or event. They might ask Black people how they KNOW a White person's action was based on race and not on some other factor.

2. They might acknowledge that racism is a problem, but also point out that there are many other factors that contribute, like classism. They also might suggest the existence of "reverse racism."

This White person definitely recognizes that racism is alive and well in America. However, they are struggling too much with their own feelings of guilt to be supportive to the Black community. The Guilt Tripper has begun reflecting on their privilege and is appalled to find that they have (at the very least) been complicit in and benefitted from systemic racism. They are constantly worried about their own discomfort and fear making more mistakes.

Why It's Damaging
When you make the racism conversation about your feelings you center the narrative around White lives and experiences instead of Black lives and experiences. The whole point of anti-racism is re-orienting the focus of America away from favoring the viewpoint, feelings, and experiences of white folks as standard.

Two ways the Guilt Tripper appears:

1. They talk to BIPOC friends about their guilt. They frequently share their own feelings of sadness, anger, and guilt at how upsetting racism is. They remind people of times when they have been "not racist."

2. They center the conversation around themselves. They do this by comparing the pain of racism to other hurt they have experiences. They do this by asking for forgiveness or lamenting mistakes they have made.

This White person wants to be educated, not to self-educate. The Field Researcher puts the burden of their anti-racist education on BIPOC rather than taking ownership of that work themselves. They often treat Black friends as objects of study and are sometimes guilty of cultural appropriation because they see adopting someone's cultural signifiers as a way to understand them.

Why It's Damaging
Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color are tired. They have spent their lives trying to justify their existence and do not need the burden of educating White folks. BIPOC writers and artists have created libraries of information and opportunities for White people to do the work, so there is no need to put that on the individuals fighting for their lives every day.

Two ways the Field Researcher appears:

1. They ask their Black friends and peers to help them understand racism. They inquire about their experiences with racism, pressure them to share opinions when they haven't chosen to, and ask them to provide resources and examples without regard for the impact on their well-being.

2. They ask their Black friends and peers what to do in order to help. They put the burden of effort onto others despite the wealth of information available to read, watch, or listen to in order to learn these things.

This White person wants everyone to know how much they stand with the cause, just in case anyone thought they were part of the problem. The Optical Ally performs allyship rather than living it. They take actions that are highly public on the premise that they are showing their solidarity. However, their action is more driven by concern for their image as a White person than for the actual value of Black lives.

Why It's Damaging
The Optical Ally appears to be doing good for the cause in the moment, but they are not going to have an impact on the longterm social and political change if they don't genuinely engage. They feel good doing what they are doing, but their work still centers around White voices, by amplifying their own participation as important. They shirk accountability by hiding behind performative actions.

Two ways the Optical Ally appears:

1. They post all day on social media during a crisis to demonstrate their wokeness, but often fail to take action when it counts. They are not backing up their posts with daily action to disrupt racism. They are not doing the work to educate themselves. They also may not be aware of which posts and voices are damaging to the safety and optics of the movement.

2. They announce their allyship regularly by mentioning their donations, protest attendance, or telling stories of how they are participating in the movement. Their participation likely fluctuates with the popularity of the cause.

This White person believes they are rescuing Black people and people of color from oppression. Instead of understanding that their privilege allows them to take actions to redistribute power in our society, they see the power in their privilege as superiority. When speaking about Black communities, they focus on pain and suffering, and fail to celebrate Black voices, Black life, and Black joy. They credit themselves (and other White people) with the success of BIPOC people, communities, and movements

Why It's Damaging
Remember that slave traders stole actual humans from their homelands under the belief that they were rescuing them from their inferior ways. When you center yourself as a savior, you reinforce the narrative that BIPOC are lesser human beings, incapable of taking care of themselves. You encourage the racist belief that BIPOC are less intelligent, less capable, and more helpless than White people. You are simply remixing White supremacy, telling yet another story where White people are the hero.

Two ways the White Savior appears:

1. They focus strictly on the negatives of Black communities, believing that racism creates a binary of happy, privileged White people and poor, miserable Black people. They relish in narratives that center around Black pain, insisting this story be told again and again. They use other White people's guilt to encourage their participation.

2. They hyperbolize and commend their (and other White people's) contribution to the movement over Black voices. They may repeat stories of ways White people have "shown up" for anti-racism, but may be ignorant to the stellar Black leadership driving social change.

This White person (a phenomenon I first saw from Brit Bennett in 2014) has all the right intentions, and they need you to know that. They self-congratulate for supporting anti-racism and want the praise of others for doing what should be considered basic humanity. They seek immediate forgiveness for their mistakes and need acknowledgment of their good intentions, even when the impact does not match.

Why It's Damaging
While it's easy to recognize outward racist behavior, the "Good" White Person is hard to call out because they appear, on the surface, to be doing good. But focusing the conversation on intentions rather than impact excuses racist behavior. Asking for congratulations for anti-racist behaviors negates the goal of dismantling White supremacy by refocusing the movement on singular actions rather than sustainable social change.

Two ways the "Good" White Person appears:

1. When they (or another White person) does something harmful or racist, they remind others that "they meant well" or of other examples that demonstrate good morality from the accused. They often center themselves in their apologies, looking for validation that they are still good, even when they do bad.

2. They acknowledge their privilege in a self-aggrandizing way ("See how good I am that I recognize my privilege?"), but do not follow that up with actions to dismantle that privilege or use it for good. They often expect congratulations from both their White peers and their BIPOC peers for doing the right thing.