UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE

White Fragility

White Fragility is a term coined by Robin DiAngelo. White fragility triggers a range of defensive moves that white people exhibit when confronted with uncomfortable truths about race. These moves include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation. These reactions cause those who have been subjected to racism to stop sharing their experiences for fear of being attacked for doing so. In addition, the emotional reaction leads to a shift in focus: It is no longer about the experiences of racism of those directly affected, but about the feelings of those not affected.  These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate whiteness.