No, it’s not fair. But as everyone, including white male artists, have been told, life isn’t fair.
Before the meat of this column: I am, according to a DNA site, 100% Ashkenazi Jewish Diaspora, more specifically Litvak. To white racists, I’m a Jew (and not white), usually pronounced with a long “e” sound right after the “J,” as in “Jē-ü.” To non-whites, I’m a white guy. Thus, I’m a member of “Schrödinger’s Whites,” hated by white supremacists and non-white activists alike.
As detailed in the following Tom Lehrer song, “National Brotherhood Week.”
That said, once you get to know me, I’m more amiably confused than anything else.
I just got off the phone with an old friend who was filled with anxiety on behalf of many of his friends. He’s an actor and gets work pretty regularly, although it’s always a struggle during the leaner times, which are increasing as he gets older. That’s just part of the acting business, as evidenced by this old description of an actor’s career:
1. Who’s John Travolta?
2. Get me John Travolta.
3. Get me a John Travolta type.
4. Get me a young John Travolta.
5. Who’s John Travolta?
But as I listened to my friend, I heard the ache in his voice (even though the message was a text).
“A huge number of artists, especially in the theater, have had their careers just halted, mid-career, and it’s very, very disturbing. I believe there’s going to be a lot of backlash and a lot of lawsuits, because white people are also protected by the Constitution.”
I wrote him back.
“Here’s the prism at hand for a lot of artists, especially those of color: they never even had a shot to start their careers in the first place. That’s why the goal is equity, not just equality. Pendulums swing and folks will always suffer, but ultimately, we’ll never know the daily discrimination issues that a Black person (or Latinx or Asian, etc.) deals with on a daily basis. I’ve had people in the industry treat me differently because I’m Jewish. Unearned privilege is hard to cede, but being shut out because of unearned discrimination is worse. In any case, the nonprofit version of the industry is going to have to serve community needs (including equity) over artistic vision — or go under.”
He’s a good man. Here was his response.
“I hear you. It seems like a very complex problem.”
The careers of white artists who used to work all the time — extraordinarily gifted people who do consistently incredible work, are in jeopardy.
But…
Think of all the equally-talented artists who never had the chance to have a career in the arts because of nothing more than the pigmentation of their skin.
Making a living in the arts is not a birthright, even to the talented.
In a clear description of equity, the word “fair” has to be removed. Equity isn’t fair. When the playing field has been tilted against a number of groups of people for multiple generations, the leveling thereof can’t be seen as “fair,” only “equitable.” Longstanding discriminatory resolutions are just that: resolutions.
White, male artists don’t have to disappear. That doesn’t serve anyone. In fact, what it does is place a line down the middle of our relationships with people. It forces people into treating relationships as binary. Good Guys vs Bad Guys. Them against Us. Even when “Them” and “Us” have a lot in common.
Ask your local, neighborhood Schrödinger’s white person.
We’ve seen the perils of painting people into a corner.
They tend to become enraged. Violent. I hesitate to use the word “crazed,” not because of its implication in the mental health community, but because I believe these people were completely rational about what they were doing. They were not crazy. They were as sane as those Nazis in Charlottesville, yelling “Jews will not replace us.”
Maybe that’s why there are numerous “anti-woke” diatribes in the press. Or worse, reports that there are numerous “anti-woke” diatribes in the press. Or reports about those reports.
All that does is give oxygen to the most bigoted among us. Yeah, that guy.
There’s a tremendous phrase featured in the improv community: “Yes, And…” In the instant creation of dramatic arc, one should make it a rule not to disagree with a partner on stage. Rather, one should take new information as fact and build another level on it wherever possible, no matter how ridiculous the scenario.
“Yes, And…” is not only a good practice for building dramatic arc. It’s a good practice for DEI practitioners as well. Rather than dismissing individuals who agree that the need exists but happen to be (by no practice of their own, just happenstance) members of a group with a “bad” track record on discrimination (White. Anglo-Saxon. Protestant. Cisgendered. Neurotypical. Heterosexual. Nondisabled. Wealthy. Male. Aged 30-50.), mightn’t it make more sense to inform, instruct, and otherwise support them? Don’t you want them to inform, instruct, and otherwise support you?
Quick question: do you happen to fall into one or more of those parenthetical groups?
As DEI implementation has no moment of victory over an unnamed foe, but rather a steady series of positive events based on the idea of making ourselves better people, the engendering of crowds of support can only force those who (despite everything) refuse to change to become more isolated in their habits.
In a country where 1/3 of the population is (and always has been) comprised of supporters of white supremacists, maybe that’s too much to ask. But gathering support perhaps ought to include people from all potential sources; even white male artists.
Finally, in a quote from Lily Zheng’s DEI deconstructed, the best book on DEI implementation in the entire literary sphere (and I’m not prone to hyperbole on other people’s books):
“When it comes to DEI training, taking away the agency of participants and framing learning as a remedial effort is more likely to make recipients increase their animosity toward those delivering training and even increase their negative feelings toward women, non-white groups, and other underserved communities. And there’s good evidence that, over the last few decades of less-than-effective DEI work, that’s what happened exactly.”
Lily Zheng
Based in Kirkland, Washington, Alan Harrison is a writer and speaker specializing in nonprofit organizations, strategy, the arts, and life politics. His columns appear regularly in major publications. Contact him directly at alan@501c3.guru.
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The assumption is that all white male artists have gotten their shot, worked all the time, and have been consistently recognized for it. That’s a mighty big strawman, but I guess nuance doesn’t make for a good article.
Interesting post, Alan,
As a 63-year-old gay man, I began my career as a beleaguered minority, but eventually became mainstream and enjoyed many years of employability in the arts.
Now, with the rise of fascism, I’m looking at the real possibility of becoming a beleaguered minority again.
Fortunately, I can afford to watch democracy die as a retiree.
Well, at least until they take away medicare and social security…