An acclaimed expert illuminates the distinctive role that white women play in perpetuating racism, and how they can work to fight it
In a nation deeply divided by race, the “Karens” of the world are easy to villainize. But in Nice White Ladies, Dr. Jessie Daniels addresses the unintended complicity of even well-meaning white women. She reveals how their everyday choices harm communities of color.
White mothers, still expected to be the primary parents, too often uncritically choose to send their kids to the “best” schools, collectively leading to a return to segregation. She addresses a feminism that pushes women of color aside, and a wellness industry that insulates white women in a bubble of their own privilege.
Daniels then charts a better path forward. She looks to the white women who fight neo-Nazis online and in the streets, and who challenge all-white spaces from workplaces to schools to neighborhoods. In the end, she shows how her fellow white women can work toward true equality for all.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“An immensely readable examination of White women’s prominent role in the endurance of systematic racism… the author uses a wide array of examples of “nice white ladies” both on the right and the left… [she] also discusses the tragic suicide of her mother, who, despite relative privilege, was “taught to be nice above all else”—like many White women. Daniels, who has clearly done the work of examining herself first, concludes by offering constructive ways White women can undo the damage of their privileged status.”
―Kirkus
“Buttressed by Daniels’s personal reflections and lucid readings of American history and culture, this is a bracing yet actionable call for change.”
―Publishers Weekly
“Daniels, a Race and Africana Studies scholar, “calls in” nice white ladies to dismantle white supremacy and promote a non-gendered feminism focusing on the intersections of race, class, sexuality, and more…Daniels creates a “we’re all in this together” tone by framing the narrative with her personal anti-racism journey, including her racist ancestry (her grandaddy was a Klansman). A welcome addition to the anti-racism canon.”
―Booklist
“Daniels breaks down the role of white women in maintaining the prevalence of white supremacy in American society, emphasizing that even white women who “mean well” are complicit.”―Library Journal
“This nation has never, ever read anything like Nice White Ladies, and it shows every single day. Paragraph after paragraph, Jessie Daniels illustrates that’s it’s not enough just to say what no one is saying. We must, as she does, write what is rarely spoken with supreme skill and a desire to substantiate our claims as though our lives depended on it. I’d love to live in a world where every white woman on earth reads this book. It could change everything.” ―Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy: an American Memoir
“Mixing stories of her own youth and family with current events, Daniels calls in all white women to look at where they were, where they are, and where they are going. Instead of shying away from difficult truths, she invites readers to sit with them—to look across the table or into the next cubicle and see the impact of generations of choices. As uncomfortable as it is necessary.”―Mikki Kendall, New York Times-bestselling author of Hood Feminism
“Once again, Jessie Daniels has given us a crucial book for understanding race in America. This should be required reading for all who want to dismantle racist systems that limit what could otherwise be possible.”―Safiya Noble, author of Algorithms of Oppression
“If the title makes you squirm, this book is for you. Nice White Lades is a manifesto for readers who are ready to do the real work of reckoning with our shared racist inheritance.” ―Ruha Benjamin, professor of African American Studies at Princeton University
“With compassion, care, and a gentle double-dare, Daniels’ book cuts straight through the noise. I now know what I should do to help dismantle systemic racism, and I’m doing it. I’ll always be grateful for this book.” ―The Rev. Dr. Susan Corso, minister and novelist
“A timely call to action for us white women everywhere in a moment plagued by the rise of white supremacy. Daniels lucidly details the mundane and sadistic ways that white women uphold white supremacy, even when it comes at great personal cost. Her work does not allow ‘nice white ladies’ to simply wallow in guilt, but encourages us to concretely challenge the ways we reinforce racial hierarchies.”―Alyssa Bowen, PhD, research fellow at True North Research
“This is the book on whiteness we’ve been waiting for. Jessie Daniels pulls no punches as she unravels centuries of American narratives that cast white women as innocents, victims, and saviors. Drawing a straight line from lynching picnics to Karen-hood, Daniels deconstructs the tiny daily behaviors of “nice white ladies” that create structural racism across the United States today. This book is a powerful calling-in of her fellow white women, highly recommended for those who want to push past their conditioning.”―Minal Hajratwala, author of Leaving India
About the Author
Jessie Daniels is the author of White Lies
Jessie Daniels, PhD is Professor of Sociology at Hunter College and at The Graduate Center, CUNY (Sociology and Critical Social Psychology). She earned her PhD from University of Texas-Austin, where she worked with Joe R. Feagin, and did a post-doctoral fellowship at University of Cincinnati, where she worked with Patricia Hill Collins.
Her main area of interest is in race and digital media technologies.
She is an internationally recognized expert on Internet manifestations of racism.
Daniels is the author or editor of five books along with dozens of peer-reviewed articles in journals such as New Media & Society, Gender & Society, American Journal of Public Health, and Women’s Studies Quarterly. In the early 2000s, she directed a large, NIH-funded research project involving young men leaving Rikers Island, New York City’s largest jail.
A paper based on that research won the Sarah Mazelis Paper of the Year Award for 2011. In addition, some of her writing has appeared in The New York Times. Her books include, Cyber Racism (Rowman & Littlefield, 2009) and White Lies (Routledge, 1997).
Together, these two books offer an exploration of racism on either side of the digital revolution. She is currently at work several books, including Tweet Storm: The Rise of the Far-Right, the Mainstreaming of White Supremacy, and How Tech and Media Helped.
Her current work continues to examine the themes of race and technology through the emerging field of digital sociology. Digital Sociologies, (co-edited with Karen Gregory and Tressie McMillan Cottom, Policy Press, 2016) is a major contribution to this growing field. In 2014, Contexts Magazine said she was “pioneering digital sociology.”
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Book Review by Thomas Jerome Baker, MA TEFL, Universidad Andrés Bello, Doctoral Student (Applied Didactics in Education), Universidad Americana de Europa, Cancún, Mexico, Amazon Author and Past-President 2010-2011, TESOL Chile
Delicate Deconstruction of Decency: A Deep Dive into Nice White Ladies
In Nice White Ladies: The Truth about White Supremacy, Our Role in It, and How We Can Help Dismantle It, Dr. Jessie Daniels offers a searing critique of the performative allyship and entrenched privilege of white women. Her analysis deftly intertwines poststructural, feminist epistemological frameworks with an intersectional lens, examining the intricate layers of racial and gender inequities perpetuated by well-meaning but ultimately complicit white women. This book is a vital contribution to the ongoing discourse on race, gender, and power dynamics.
Daniels begins by situating “nice white ladies” within a historical context, unpacking the ways in which white women’s niceness has often masked deeper complicity in systemic racism. She writes, “The sweetness and politeness of white women have often been used as tools to maintain and uphold white supremacy” (Daniels, p. 45). This assertion sets the stage for a nuanced exploration of how seemingly benign behaviors can have pernicious effects on marginalized communities.
From a poststructural perspective, Daniels dismantles the essentialist notions of race and gender, demonstrating how these categories are socially constructed and maintained through power relations. Her feminist, post-structural epistemology challenges the dominant narratives that have historically excluded the voices of women of color. By foregrounding the lived experiences and voices of these women, Daniels underscores the importance of an intersectional approach to understanding the multifaceted nature of oppression.
One of the book’s strengths lies in its ability to weave personal anecdotes with rigorous academic analysis. Daniels shares stories from her own life, providing a reflective lens through which readers can examine their own behaviors and beliefs. She candidly states, “I have benefited from the very systems of oppression I now seek to dismantle” (Daniels, p. 123). This admission not only humanizes her but also serves as a powerful call to action for other white women to engage in self-reflection and active allyship.
The intersectional lens is a critical component of Daniels’ analysis.
She highlights how race, gender, and class intersect to create unique experiences of oppression for women of color. For instance, she discusses the trope of the “welfare queen” and how it has been used to vilify Black women while ignoring the systemic barriers they face.
Daniels argues, “The stereotype of the welfare queen is a racialized and gendered myth that has been used to justify punitive policies and reinforce white supremacy” (Daniels, p. 89). This intersectional critique exposes the interconnected nature of various forms of oppression and the importance of addressing them in a holistic manner.
Daniels also critiques the concept of “white feminism,” which often centers the experiences of white women while marginalizing women of color. She writes, “White feminism tends to overlook the ways in which race and class shape women’s experiences, leading to a narrow and exclusionary understanding of feminism” (Daniels, p. 151). This critique is essential for moving toward a more inclusive and equitable feminist movement that genuinely addresses the needs of all women.
In terms of readership, Nice White Ladies is an essential read for white women who are committed to social justice but may be unaware of how their actions contribute to systemic racism. It is also invaluable for educators, activists, and scholars seeking to understand the complex dynamics of race and gender in contemporary society. By providing both theoretical insights and practical advice, Daniels equips readers with the tools needed to become more effective allies in the fight for racial and gender equity.
In conclusion, Nice White Ladies is a compelling and thought-provoking work that challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about race, gender, and privilege. Dr. Jessie Daniels’ incisive analysis and honest reflections make this book a must-read for anyone committed to dismantling systemic oppression and fostering genuine social change.
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