MODULE 4 - SHIFT YOUR THINKING
Tokenism, Saviorism, White Feminism,
OH MY!
With all of the -isms floating around in our society…
it's good to know what they actually mean so that you can learn how they affect you and do something about them.
Tokenism is the practice of making only a perfunctory or symbolic effort to do a particular thing, especially by recruiting a small number of people from underrepresented groups in order to give the appearance of sexual or racial equality within a workforce.
White Saviorism refers to western people going in to “fix” the problems of struggling nations or people of color without understanding their history, needs, or the region’s current state of affairs. This is something that you see often when white people are going to african and latin american nations to "help". Somehow it turns back to being centered on THEM and their experience, rather than the people they have gone to "help". You can see this commonly today in the comment section of posts on social media when you may see white/white-presenting people speaking for people of color - also known as white-splaining. I'm obsessed with this MTV Decoded video explaining it more. (also, if you haven't started watching ALL of the short episodes that Francesca does, you totally need to.
White feminism is a form of feminism centered around the ideals and struggles of primarily white women. While not outright exclusive, its failure to consider other women and its preoccupation with Western standards and the problems faced by the "average woman" is often alienating to women of color, non-straight women, trans women, and women belonging to religious or cultural minorities. I found this article from Bustle to really hit the nail on the head about how it can present its
So what does that mean as a photographer?
It’s pretty simple, actually.
• Don’t reach to models of a certain ethnicity for photos to put on your website and social media just to make people THINK that you are diverse, when in fact you are just using those photos to benefit yourself and your business and get you more clients of color. That’s not cool.
• Don't go into a session with the mindset that you are "saving us" with your art - it gives way to that saviors mentality. Instead, view us as equals and then your art has the power to speak for itself.
• Keep in mind that the world isn't just about you and your experiences with oppression. White privilege doesn't mean your life hasn't been hard. It means skin color isn't one of the things making it harder.
Being truly diverse, both as a person and a business, means that at your core you support POC and aim to do everything that you can to be a part of the solution to end racism and save lives. This means, not being “that person” that calls the cops just because a black person’s mere presence makes you feel unsafe in your little bubble. When black people are dying at the hands of trigger-happy officers across the country for ridiculous reasons, calling the cops on someone for actually unnecessary reasons is a DIRECT THREAT to that person’s life. Just let that marinate.
Once your life is diverse, naturally your business will follow suit.
Stereotypes & Word Choice
Stereotypes kill people.
I know that’s extreme, but it’s true. Remember our little history lesson earlier in the guide about black people and pain? And then there is current event to consider as well that I’m sure I don’t have to point out to you.
So, don’t be that person who stereotypes through your business. Don’t ask your clients to dress or act a certain way. As a birth photographer, you are a storyteller. TELL OUR STORIES. Tell them the way they unfold and don’t try to fit them into the neat little box of what YOU think a birth story should look like. By now, you should know that they are all unique...just don’t miss those things that make them such. Embrace people where they are without judgement or criticism and you should be fine.
Also, be mindful about word choice. Don’t start tagging things like #blackbirth when it’s not something you cover regularly. It just doesn’t give off a good vibe.
And not every black person is African American. We come from many different ethnicities, just like you probably do. You are probably the safest, in my opinion, addressing us a WOC or POC.
Educate Yourself
The most basic fact is that it’s not my job or any other POC’s job to educate you and make you feel good about yourself. I’m taking to time to give you the small gist of things from my personal perspective. It’s ultimately your job to do the research and learn more about these things that you are unfamiliar with. Purchasing this guideline means you’re off to a great start, but keep in mind that there are SO MANY more resources out there that are available to you - from youtube videos, to articles, to whole books on the subject of race, diversity, and inclusivity.
Also note that you are never owed a “yes”. It’s not our job as POC to make your business look and run better. We are not obligated to respond to your model calls.
The shift in your thinking and in your business is not supposed to be easy. You will likely run into more pushback than acceptance, just use those times to reflect on yourself and your intentions. Figure out ways to TRULY be someone who is an advocate for diversity and the needs of marginalized people and remember that you are a person first, then a photographer...not the other way around.
If you're trying to unlearn the biased systems in America that are designed to keep people of color down, here are 10 books about race in America you can start with.
'So You Want to Talk About Race' by Ijeoma Oluo
In her bestselling book So You Want to Talk About Race, Editor at Large of The Establishment Ijeoma Oluo unpacks some of the biggest racial issues facing the United States today, including white privilege, micro-aggressions, police brutality, the Black Lives Matter movement, and so much more. Simple, straightforward, andrazor-sharp, this book is an accessible and friendly user guide for anyone trying to understand identity, representation, and racism in modern day America.
'When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir' by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele
If you really want to understand the Black Lives Matter movement and the people who put their lives on the line fighting for its behalf, When They Call You a Terroristis a must-read. Written by artist, activist, and Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors and journalist and author Asha Bandele, this powerful and breathtaking memoir reveals what it is like to be Black in today's violently racially charged America.
'Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower' by Brittney Cooper
In her searing and courageous new book, Cosmopolitan columnist and Rutgers University professor Brittney Cooper dismantles the misguided notion that Black women's anger is a weakness. Rather, the author draws from history, pop culture, and her personal experiences from childhood and adulthood to position "eloquent rage" as a source of power that grants black women from Serena Williams to Michelle Obama the strength to not only survive but thrive in America.
'An African American and Latinx History of the United States' by Paul Ortiz
If you want to understand the racial landscape of modern-day America, you first have to understand the nation's past, and Paul Ortiz's new bottom-up history book is the perfect place to start. Spanning more than 200 years, this alternative narrative offers a definitive and intersectional look at the country's development through the eyes of the African American and Latinx communities that helped it flourish, often to their own detriment.
'The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority' by Ellen D. Wu
For decades, Asian Americans have been perceived as the "model minority," but for a long time, the country feared the threat of their "yellow terror." How did this particular minority group's stereotype transform so radically, and in what way does the new perception of Asian Americans cause harm? Ellen D. Wu's tracks this metamorphosis and all of its racial implications in The Color of Success, and eye-opening book that will make you confront what you think you know about America's history with otherness.
'Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race' by Debby Irving
Honest to the point of cringe-worthiness, Waking Up White dives head-first into the uncomfortable world of racial privilege. In it, author Debby Irving opens up about her experiences living as a white woman and coming to terms with the fact she exists in a world that rewards her for her skin color and punished others for theirs. If you're still waiting for your "ah-ha" moment, this could be the key.
'This Muslim American Life: Dispatches from the War on Terror' by Moustafa Bayoumi
In this eye-opening book about fear, racism, paranoia, and surveillance, Moustafa Bayoumi offers an unflinching look the culture of the War on Terror as experienced by Muslim Americans. A powerful blend of personal experience and academic research, this engaging collection of writing is an important and timely addition to the world of Muslim studies.
'The Hidden Rules of Race: Barriers to an Inclusive Economy' by Andrea Flynn, Susuan R. Holmberg, Dorian T. Warren, and Felicia J. Wong
When we talk about race and inequality in this country, it's typically in social terms, but the United State's economy is one of the biggest barriers to an equal and inclusive nation where black and white families are granted the same opportunities. At least, that is what The Hidden Rules of Race strives to prove by offering up concrete examples of the many ways in which unspoken rules of race and economics perpetuate inequality.
'Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race' by Beverly Daniel Tatum
So you want to have a conversation about race, but you aren't sure where to start? Consider Beverly Daniel Tatum's classic Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria your crash-course in the psychology of racism. Straightforward and accessible, this fully revised and updated book is the perfect entry point into all of those complicated, uncomfortable, but vital discussions about race in America.
'Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism' by Safiya Umoja Noble
In today's modern world, racism and bigotry have taken on brand new and still largely unexplored forms that thrive in our internet culture. In Algorithms of Oppression, Professor of Communication Safiya Umoja Noble investigates the many ways in which search engines like Google perpetuate and promote damaging biases that privilege white people and discriminate against people of color, especially women of color.
And of course, you can find some more birth-realated racially charged books that are so worth the read here.
Support Others
The biggest way to shift your thinking is by supporting others who are already doing things to benefit the POC. Support the black birth photographer who is already getting most of the clients of color that you want, because it’s bigger than you and your needs.
Take it a step further and support black-owned businesses.
Listen to the community that you are wanting to represent and become a true ally by standing alongside us in our fight to get our voices heard.
“For diversity to have impact and mean something within the creative industries, we have to acknowledge that so often within these spaces - where we are aiming to connect with culture daily - that we miss the chance to be more nuanced, that we miss a chance to check micro-aggressions directed towards people of colour and that we miss the chance to challenge the spaces we work in… It’s giving your space to those in need and doing more pro-bono work for cultural causes. It’s giving time and money to specific groups… It’s making a commitment to dismantle privilege within the space you work in everyday and checking your own privilege at the door, daily.” —Lemara Lindsay-Prince, “Diversity breeds tokenism, what we need is inclusion: a post-election view on the US creative industry”