White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviours including argumentation and silence. These behaviours reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. Robin DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.