The white savior complex, also known as white saviorism, is an ideology in which white people act from a position of superiority to save BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities and individuals.
After seeing people, especially people of color, in need during or after an environmental or natural disaster, pandemic, or other humanitarian crisis, you may ask yourself how you can help. Perhaps you see the inequalities that BIPOC people face every day and wonder how you can help.
Is what you’re doing more about feeling good about yourself than actually addressing systemic issues that affect BIPOC people? Your white savior complex may be at play. be.
Helping your fellow humans is a noble idea, but sometimes the white savior complex gets in the way of doing the real work that needs to be done. Here’s what you need to know about white saviorism and how to avoid it.
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Whether they realize it or not, people with a white savior complex have an underlying belief that they know best or have skills that BIPOC people don’t have. said Dr. Sabara Nolan, Executive Director of the Selton E. Henderson Center. Professor of social justice at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. health.
People with a white savior complex think this way.[t]They are somehow in a position where they should have more power to solve the problem than the people who are affected,” Nolan said.
The white savior complex can play out in pop culture and real life as well. For example, in movies we sometimes see white people coming into town to “save” BIPOC communities, such as athletes, students, and prisoners accused of crimes they didn’t commit.
In real life, the white savior complex often occurs when white people witness the day-to-day inequalities faced by BIPOC communities during or after a humanitarian crisis.
The history of white saviorism
White saviorism is a centuries-old concept, with its origins in the belief that many white Westerners inherently possessed the knowledge, ingenuity, and skills to solve other people’s problems around the world. It goes back to the time when we believed that there was. After that, white saviorism mainly affected people in developing countries, especially people in Africa.
“This is the fundamental basis of Western imperialism, and it is evident in the global empire-building enterprise,” said Dr. Daniel Smith, advisory board member of the Maxwell Union of African Scholars at Syracuse University. health.
White saviorism still exists around the world and in the United States. White saviorism tends to focus on providing immediate solutions to people on a personal level, especially during humanitarian crises, Smith said.
These immediate solutions are essential to meet urgent needs during a crisis. Yet white saviorism does not look beyond these immediate needs. As a result, white saviorism fails to meet the long-term needs of affected communities.
“I think these solutions don’t really pay attention to how complex the interactions between social, economic, and political factors are,” Smith points out. “One of the implications of this is that a white savior mentality encourages individual dependency rather than long-term community building and long-term community self-sufficiency.”
A person with a white savior complex may not cause any harm. Still, people who want to help can do more harm than good if they just put a Band-Aid on a problem. That Band-Aid will eventually peel off, revealing deeper existing barriers.
”[White saviorism is] “It’s essentially a form of blindness,” Smith said, adding, “You can’t accurately perceive what’s right in front of you. If you can’t see it accurately, you won’t be able to see things that can deeply help you solve problems.” You can not.”
White saviorism “perpetuates white supremacy as the system that organizes society,” Nolan added.
White saviorism and its health effects
Whether consciously or unconsciously, white saviorism leads to health inequalities, or worse health outcomes, for BIPOC people.
“Doctors typically tend to view patients as individuals with specific illnesses or symptoms, and are unaware of larger issues, such as living in poverty or living in areas with high crime rates,” Smith said. added.
Health inequalities, including lack of access to health care, can impact:
- Access to health screening
- number of people who develop the disease
- Number of people who suffer from complications or die from preventable causes
- severity of illness
For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected BIPOC people in the United States. The answer was to come up with solutions that met the needs of individual patients.
Those with a white savior complex may believe they have already provided the solution and shift their focus to the next disaster. As a result, structural barriers that put BIPOC people at a disadvantage when it comes to health access and health outcomes remain unmet, Smith said. Unless these barriers are addressed, long-term change cannot occur.
“These social factors influence people’s health and well-being. If healthcare providers want to treat people holistically for long-term health, they can do more than just treat the symptoms they are exhibiting. “No,” Smith explained. “That’s the white savior mentality: focusing on the individual and their unique symptoms. […], rather than focusing on the larger systemic structural issues that cause these illnesses. ”
Smith said white people who want to support BIPOC communities need to take a backseat first and “follow the lead of people of color in this space.” [you] ____ is inside. [You] We need to be willing to be at the center of solutions and follow the advice, expertise and wishes of those closest to the pain and problem. ”
It is also essential to white people’s efforts to address structural social issues. Rather than narrowing your focus to the individual level, think broadly and consider what systems may impact the health and well-being of BIPOC people.
Don’t hesitate to denounce other people and organizations that participate in white saviorism, then turn them back.
“If you understand what white saviorism is, you’re in a position to look at it and think about it,” Nolan said. “Hopefully, if you’re trying to avoid it, you can clarify what harm it does, how you can avoid it, and how big an impact it will have on whatever the job is. I hope I can be in a position as well.” [person or] What the organization is trying to do is [White saviorism was not at play]. ”
People with a white savior complex act from a position of superiority in an attempt to help BIPOC communities. In reality, white saviorism generally ends up doing more harm than good. White saviorism fails to address the systemic issues facing BIPOC people.
We can prevent white saviorism by listening to BIPOC communities and meeting their needs in ways that create long-term change. Tackling deep-seated issues, rather than just addressing immediate issues, helps communities move forward.
