I've not heard of the blue bracelet before this, and I will admit that a few years ago, I would've been all over that. However, as a white woman, I am doing my best to listen and to learn. I'm so appreciative of your white woman PSA. I'm sorry you have to keep hitting us over the head, but I am grateful and I am learning.
I honestly don’t think they are inherently good or bad. I just think white women don’t always think these things all the way through, and I want to encourage honest reflection to avoid harm. Thanks for being here.
Thank you for your message. When I heard about the blue bracelet thing, my main thought was that it was a way for me as a white woman to identify other white women who would be safe… and to bear the same message to them and perhaps men, too. Then I heard someone say it was a performative act… now I am understanding more of the big picture along with deepening the self reflection so very important.
I think knowing one’s motivations/hopes, is really important. Finding your people (especially in a red state) makes complete sense. Also I think this was the actual intent of the first person to mention bracelets. But things took a turn, as they often do on the internet, and and before long white women were imagining themselves becoming besties with Black women strangers in public 👀. Wearing them to find other white women I personally dont see as harmful at all; using the bracelet to interrupt Black women going about their day- not ok.
I have to admit that I posted that comment before I finished viewing the Instagram (which was so rich and leads me to so much revelation and introspection, btw). As soon as I posted it I thought, "Oh no, I need to finish watching the rest of this ASAP because I will have to delete this if she mentions safety pins...and surely she's about to get into that."
I loved the PSA…most particularly because you make it crystal clear why it’s not enough for we white women to say we are “not with them” or “safe” - we have to back that up with real action. One teeny tiny action I can recommend is this - while I get most of my books from the library, I decided a few years ago that if the author was from an under-represented, under appreciated community, I would purchase their book rather than check it out from the library, to help them get paid for their labor.
I’m so glad it was helpful. It’s always problematic when someone decides they are a safe place for anyone else (men to women, straight to gay folks, white to black women). It’s great that some white women voted for Harris. But making the leap to “so I must be safe for black women” is a jump no one should try!
And I love this commitment! As an author I can tell you that it really does matter.
HI, Austin. I appreciate your rich and thought-provoking posts. I don't exactly understand this one. It seems as if you are saying that when white women vote blue and support campaigns in allyship with black women, it is merely performative. I supported Kamala Harris and non-MAGA candidates up and down the ballot. I gave to campaigns and drove my peers crazy with my hope and zeal surrounding these campaigns. I have wept every day since the election. I feel betrayed by white friends and family who voted MAGA. And when I called them on that betrayal, they demonized me. I lost family and lifelong friends over this. None of it was performative, and I stand in solidarity with women, white, black, and otherwise, even with those lumping me in with the ones who dealt this betrayal.
Oh gosh I should have explained more about the bracelets, as I sometimes forget everyone isn’t on the internet as much as I am (which is entirely too much!). It’s not at all performative to work for the world you want! That is good work. And it’s work I want to support you in. This is in reference to a new trend (similar to safety pins and black squares if those are references you know). The trend is to wear a blue bracelet to signify that you voted blue. Some white women want to wear them to find each other in red states or conservative workplaces. BUT. Some white women were taking things farther and imagining that the bracelets would communicate safety to Black women strangers, stop Black women from being nervous around the wearer, and offer permission to engage Black women. So I wanted to encourage white women to do some reflecting on motivations to understand the line between *this is benign* to black women and *this is harmful* to black women
I don’t think she was questioning sincerity in all white women who voted blue. Instead it is the potential performance of wearing things, like blue bracelets for example, that are supposed to signal to strangers (maybe black women in particular ?) that we are “one of the good ones” and “safe”. Why would we feel the need to do that?? She wants us to stop and think about the why in terms of trying to constantly signal our virtue to strangers potentially under the guise of showing we are allies…. If we only do that to make ourselves feel better it’s probably not helpful… or that’s my current take.
Thank you for this poem today.
Thank you for sharing the poem and the PSA. Points heard and appreciated.
I've not heard of the blue bracelet before this, and I will admit that a few years ago, I would've been all over that. However, as a white woman, I am doing my best to listen and to learn. I'm so appreciative of your white woman PSA. I'm sorry you have to keep hitting us over the head, but I am grateful and I am learning.
I honestly don’t think they are inherently good or bad. I just think white women don’t always think these things all the way through, and I want to encourage honest reflection to avoid harm. Thanks for being here.
Yes. Thanks for encouraging important discussion and reflection.
Thank you for your message. When I heard about the blue bracelet thing, my main thought was that it was a way for me as a white woman to identify other white women who would be safe… and to bear the same message to them and perhaps men, too. Then I heard someone say it was a performative act… now I am understanding more of the big picture along with deepening the self reflection so very important.
I think knowing one’s motivations/hopes, is really important. Finding your people (especially in a red state) makes complete sense. Also I think this was the actual intent of the first person to mention bracelets. But things took a turn, as they often do on the internet, and and before long white women were imagining themselves becoming besties with Black women strangers in public 👀. Wearing them to find other white women I personally dont see as harmful at all; using the bracelet to interrupt Black women going about their day- not ok.
I appreciate your voice
Me last week: "At least we've learned some lessons since 2016, like not wearing giant safety pins."
Blue bracelet: "Hold my beer."
That’s hysterical. I almost mentioned the safety pins but I feel like people are not over it 👀
I have to admit that I posted that comment before I finished viewing the Instagram (which was so rich and leads me to so much revelation and introspection, btw). As soon as I posted it I thought, "Oh no, I need to finish watching the rest of this ASAP because I will have to delete this if she mentions safety pins...and surely she's about to get into that."
I loved the PSA…most particularly because you make it crystal clear why it’s not enough for we white women to say we are “not with them” or “safe” - we have to back that up with real action. One teeny tiny action I can recommend is this - while I get most of my books from the library, I decided a few years ago that if the author was from an under-represented, under appreciated community, I would purchase their book rather than check it out from the library, to help them get paid for their labor.
I’m so glad it was helpful. It’s always problematic when someone decides they are a safe place for anyone else (men to women, straight to gay folks, white to black women). It’s great that some white women voted for Harris. But making the leap to “so I must be safe for black women” is a jump no one should try!
And I love this commitment! As an author I can tell you that it really does matter.
Appreciate this so much! “Hope is a duty”, has been a crucial mantra for getting back in rhythm when I start to spiral! 🙏🏼
Thank you for sharing this poem today, Austin. I also really appreciated the PSA. Thank you for taking the time to speak.
HI, Austin. I appreciate your rich and thought-provoking posts. I don't exactly understand this one. It seems as if you are saying that when white women vote blue and support campaigns in allyship with black women, it is merely performative. I supported Kamala Harris and non-MAGA candidates up and down the ballot. I gave to campaigns and drove my peers crazy with my hope and zeal surrounding these campaigns. I have wept every day since the election. I feel betrayed by white friends and family who voted MAGA. And when I called them on that betrayal, they demonized me. I lost family and lifelong friends over this. None of it was performative, and I stand in solidarity with women, white, black, and otherwise, even with those lumping me in with the ones who dealt this betrayal.
Oh gosh I should have explained more about the bracelets, as I sometimes forget everyone isn’t on the internet as much as I am (which is entirely too much!). It’s not at all performative to work for the world you want! That is good work. And it’s work I want to support you in. This is in reference to a new trend (similar to safety pins and black squares if those are references you know). The trend is to wear a blue bracelet to signify that you voted blue. Some white women want to wear them to find each other in red states or conservative workplaces. BUT. Some white women were taking things farther and imagining that the bracelets would communicate safety to Black women strangers, stop Black women from being nervous around the wearer, and offer permission to engage Black women. So I wanted to encourage white women to do some reflecting on motivations to understand the line between *this is benign* to black women and *this is harmful* to black women
Sorry. I commented after reading the Substack,
but understood your point much better after taking time to watch the Instagram video.😳 Thanks again for your work!
I don’t think she was questioning sincerity in all white women who voted blue. Instead it is the potential performance of wearing things, like blue bracelets for example, that are supposed to signal to strangers (maybe black women in particular ?) that we are “one of the good ones” and “safe”. Why would we feel the need to do that?? She wants us to stop and think about the why in terms of trying to constantly signal our virtue to strangers potentially under the guise of showing we are allies…. If we only do that to make ourselves feel better it’s probably not helpful… or that’s my current take.
Thank you for this Carrie! It’s exactly what I was saying 💜
Ok, I see that now.