Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Intersectionality theory shows race & gender cut across all spheres of inequality. Matters here too & this thread exposes racism w/i scicomm

It is not inconsequential that #NDTMeetScienceTwitter is dominated by White scientists. Their behaviour needs a lot of critical thinking.

Thread based on misattributed quote that is now being used to condescend & disparage a Black male scientist. Yet few of you read the article

Historical dynamics are glaring: White people, including White women, going after Black people with false information is epitome of racism.

There are few Black people in science with PhDs. One very famous Black man with a PhD is not insignificant & should be supported.

Irony of White people critiquing NDT: he shares his platform with scientists & he is an actual practising scientist. Not the same as others.

Another irony: White scientists using NDT thread exalting #scicomm of other White people, throwing in 1 or 2 POC - the same ones I might add

Many White scientists are now using racist discourse to critique NDT ("arrogant," "shameful"): this is how #scicomm reproduces inequality.

White scientists like to say they own their #WhitePrivilege. Much like NDT article that none of you read, you don't understand this concept

Peggy McIntosh uses concept of #WhitePrivilege to proactively interrogate how she benefits from racism as a White woman in academia.

McIntosh found she was frustrated with male academics who will say they support women's rights, but who won't give up their status to help.

That is, male academics, esp White men, have advantages that White women don't; rarely give up power & opportunities to increase equality

McIntosh tried to get Black women academics involved in her feminist activities & found she couldn't engage them.

Turns out she didn't understand that Black women had similar things to say about White women academics that White women say about "men."

So began a long process of McIntosh reexamining the ways in which she, as a White woman who suffers gender inequality, recognised her racism

#WhitePrivilege is NOT White people saying they understand racism exists; it is NOT act of contrition of saying "sorry about my privilege"

#WhitePrivilege is White people recognising that Whiteness is set up as "morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal..."

#WhitePrivilege is "when we work to benefit others, this is seen as work which will allow 'them' to be more like 'us.'" Let's unpack this.

Even in their pursuit of equity, White people think #POC should be more like what White people consider to be equitable and just....

....Rather than considering POC's needs, interests, goals, history, knowledges & values of what is equitable & just from #POC point of view

Back to NDT for a minute: #NDTMeetScienceTwitter is exactly that: White people making demands of a Black man for White people's interests.

#WhitePrivilege is identifying & rectifying tacit & overt forms of power that White people have, regardless of their social standing.

That means White women, like McIntosh, need to recognise that despite their career hurdles, they have greater social power than a Black man.

White men and women demand NDT yield to their expectations because they don't "see" what he does for Black scientists in his field & beyond.

That's a manifestation of #WhitePrivilege: White people aren't hampered by race so they don't understand pressures on few #POC leaders.

#WhitePrivilege is not just about being in a "favoured state, whether earned or conferred by birth or luck." It is about power & dominance.

#WhitePrivilege is a special form of cultural power – it is the “permission to escape or to dominate.”

I.e. White people can opt out of race discussions; they can choose to see racism or not; they can work to understand Whiteness or deny it.

White people can use their #WhitePrivilege to consciously discriminate or unconsiously increase racism. #NDTMeetScienceTwitter chose latter.