Breaking the Silence: What Happens When Men Talk about Their Sexism

George Yancy is no stranger to controversy. In his infamous New York Times article “Dear White America” and the ensuing book, Backlash, he called on white Americans to acknowledge and confront the ways in which they have benefited from white privilege. In this book, Yancy turns the lens on himself to consider the many ways in which he has benefited from and helped to perpetuate sexism. From childhood and adolescence when boys learn to regard girls as objects of prey to the expectation of objectifying women’s bodies as a defining part of manhood, men who profess shock at sexual assault and harassment silently contribute to a culture that perpetuates violence against women. Combining his own experience with a wide ranging review of contemporary thought, Yancy’s incisive book calls on all men to acknowledge their male privilege and raise their voices against sexism.