If you’ve been searching for a white woman who’s not afraid to show that her support of Black liberation is entirely conditional and deeply precarious, then meet Lindsey Wilkinson.
This 26-year-old badass has just started dipping her toes into anti-racism, but she’s made it clear from the get that her commitment will only last so long as she receives uncritical encouragement from Black people.
“I’ve been learning so much in the last couple of weeks,” says Lindsey. “And I was feeling super pumped up and inspired to lend my voice to this movement, but I was surprised that some people are honestly just so negative and mean even though I’m trying to help.”
Trouble first came for Lindsey when she DM-ed a Black coworker asking what she could do to help the Black Lives Matter movement.
“She completely freaked out on me,” says Lindsey. “It was so mean that it made me just want to give up on even trying to be involved at all, so that’s what I told her.”
But Lindsey’s coworker remembers it a little differently.
“I literally just told her that I’m not even an activist, and even if I were, she should do research and use some of the many resources available to educate herself instead of demanding a Black woman do the work for her,” says Shauna Reeves. “And then she pretty much had a meltdown and accused me of attacking her.”
However, Lindsey is staying strong in her resolve to never let other people’s feedback influence her actions.
“Now just isn’t the time for us to be tearing each other apart,” she says. “I’m new to this, but I’m trying really hard, so shouldn’t that be valued at least? Because if it’s not, I’m not sure what my place is in all this.”
Lindsey’s willingness to threaten to end her support for anti-racism every time she brushes up against criticism is a moving testament to how little she gives a shit about the work she is demanding to be made a part of!
“We’re stronger together,” Lindsey adds. “So instead of infighting, let’s save all of our energy for our actual enemies, like Trump.”
At press time, Lindsey still has no idea she is the one draining energy from the Black people she has suddenly decided to “help”.
“I would just ask that everyone go a little easy on me,” says Lindsey. “Am I really supposed to be perfect at this overnight? No one ever improved from being aggressively insulted with feedback.”
