Ibram X. Kendi has made it his life’s mission to fight racism with antiracism (aka more racism). Not just for him, but For the Children.
To that end, he’s written a book, “How to Raise an Antiracist,” which we can only hope discusses the content of this new Atlantic piece in more detail:
“We wondered if our Black child’s attachment to a white doll could mean she had already breathed in … the ‘smog’ of white superiority.” @DrIbram on kids, race, and toys: https://t.co/eYbdEMA8xW
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) June 7, 2022
This sounds promising, doesn’t it? Kendi definitely delivers:
[Kendi’s partner] Sadiqa and I were probably unduly sensitive about the whole situation. But we wondered if our Black child’s attachment to a white doll could mean she had already breathed in what the psychologist Beverly Daniel Tatum has called the “smog” of white superiority.
Maybe our minds were sounding a false alarm. Maybe the eye and skin color and hair texture of the doll had no bearing on why Imani had become attached. I did not know. No one knew. But I did know why the alarm was ringing.
The alarm was ringing because Ibram X. Kendi sees white supremacy literally everywhere.
Anyway, as it turned out, Kendi and his partner were ultimately able to breathe a half-sigh of relief, because they realized that their Black child’s affinity for a white doll arose out of necessity rather than “the ‘smog’ of white superiority.” The toy chests at the daycare only contained white dolls! So his daughter didn’t actually hate herself after all.
Not that that brought Kendi much comfort:
Anger overtook me. Not at the day care’s owner—at myself. Imani had been going here for several weeks, and not once did I examine the toy chests.
Imani did not choose to play with the white doll over dolls of color, I realized; she hadn’t had another option. After all these years, how many children still don’t have another option in their toy chests, libraries, or schools? What does the overrepresentation of white dolls tell children about who their caregivers think is important?
We told the owner about the white dolls before leaving for the day. Changes came. But I had failed my doll test.
author's own words:
"probably unduly sensitive about the whole situation"— Defiant Dunn Dufault, BSc. Microbiology (@Dunn_Dufault4) June 7, 2022
It’s hard out there for an antiracism pimp.
interesting. I have to berate my class daily when students decide to draw people with green and blue skin. Inventing new racism is NOT okay
— Craig Nipples (@Nuke_Putin_2) June 7, 2022
“We wondered if our Ginger child’s attachment to a Grogu doll could mean she had already breathed in … the ‘smog’ of green jedi superiority. We are literally shaking right now and considering hormone blockers for the whole fam.” pic.twitter.com/lkfzeEYDQI
— Cubes Rotating Within Spheres (@HHershorn) June 7, 2022
Heh.
This definitely promotes antiracism
— Federalist Muskrat 🇺🇸 (@Muskrat__) June 7, 2022
In that it promotes racism.
Racist drivel.
— Andrew Sullivan (@sullydish) June 7, 2022
Kendi’s methods seem like a pretty effed-up way to raise a kid, if we’re being honest.
What would be the psychiatric diagnosis for Ibram, and is his daughter safe?
— rabidnarcissists (@rabidnarcs) June 7, 2022
This is almost child services-worthy
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 7, 2022
Imani could definitely be considered at-risk. Best of luck to her in the future … she’s gonna need it.
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Related:
Ibram X. Kendi says there’s ‘no debate’ over the ‘imagined monster’ that is critical race theory
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