White Feminism and White Tears as Bad Objects

Since the mid-2000s, a maelstrom of think pieces, journalistic articles, speeches, YouTube videos, and social media posts have introduced the term “white feminism” into the popular American lexicon. Simultaneously, the notions of white tears, and particularly white women’s tears, have gained traction. Suzanne Leonard explores the relationship between white feminism and white tears, a confluence that has myriad problematic implications. After teasing out the ways in which these understandings alternate between serving as progressive interventions and anti-feminist rejoinders, she suggests a formulation for how we might foster a more inclusive, collaborative theory – and practice – of emotional expression. Ultimately, she advocates for a futurity of a feminist politic of emotion that does not ignore the racialized contexts of feelings.