Authentic, intersectional advocacy work: De-centering yourself
Authentic advocacy has been and will always be of the utmost importance in anti-trafficking efforts. Unfortunately, the vital work that needs to be done is often clouded by people putting themselves before those they are advocating for. White saviorism, performative allyship and centering yourself are all ways in which advocacy becomes ingenuine.
White saviorism can be defined as the centering of non-BIPOC, particularly white people. White saviorism, a term coined by Teju Cole, addresses how white people aim to center and call attention to themselves when giving charity and aid to Black and Brown peoples. Cole explains, “the White Savior Industrial Complex is not about justice. It is about having a big emotional experience that validates privilege.” The White Savior Industrial Complex is illustrated by short term service trips of faith groups of a patronizing nature, in cinematic tropes and by optical (performative) allyship on social media.
While discussing the concept of white saviorism, we cannot go without discussing the role of intention. No White Saviors, an anti-racist advocacy campaign, delineates how good intentions do not justify any harm or wrongdoing that may have occurred as a result of white saviorism, explaining how “we can acknowledge that people want to do good while also holding a higher standard and demanding better.”.
“We can acknowledge that people want to do good while also holding a higher standard and demanding better.”
White saviorism falls under the umbrella of performative activism and allyship. Performative allyship, often characterized by centering oneself, is in stark contrast to authentic allyship. Authentic allyship seeks to actively work towards educating yourself and others in an attempt to understand your privilege and hold yourself accountable. Promoting education and awareness is at the heart of authentic advocacy, rather than using your platform to promote yourself. While both performative and authentic allies may be experiencing the all-too-familiar emotions of grief, anger, and discomfort, it is the process of de-centering yourself that separates the two.
In discussing the nature of white saviorism and performative allyship, it is essential to address that systemic racism is undoubtedly interconnected with human trafficking in the United States. Anti-racism work goes hand in hand with anti-trafficking efforts. This extends to the disproportionate number of Black women who are trafficked as a result of the hyper-criminalization and hyper-sexualization of Black girls and women. In this case, authentic, intersectional advocacy requires protecting Black communities from the harm of racist governmental policies and institutions and from those that espouse and support racist ideologies towards Black women. Fighting systemic racism is an integral and essential element of fighting trafficking.
In order to de-center yourself in advocacy work, you must first examine how centering yourself in conversation may be harmful. It is important to understand that you are not the hero of anti-trafficking efforts, but rather a part of a larger community that strives to eliminate human trafficking on a global scale.
As illustrated by the Dressember Network, a collective of organizations dedicated to prevention, intervention and protection in anti-trafficking work, it is of the utmost importance to understand and amplify survivors’ voices as they tell their own stories. By providing support to organizations such as Love 146, an international human rights organization dedicated to their goal of ending child trafficking and exploitation, Dressember helps provide resources for medical and psychological care, educational support and legal assistance. The goal is for survivors to be better cared for as they reintegrate into their communities and amplify their own voices.
De-centering yourself may look different for different people. For those with large platforms, such as celebrities or influencers, it can look like turning their platforms over to voices within marginalized communities as opposed to using their own. In other cases, such as those with smaller platforms, de-centering can look like uplifting survivor voices within the community and raising awareness about an issue as opposed to seeking acclaim for acts of charity towards marginalized peoples on social media.
Ongoing education, increased awareness and monetary aid are essential to the life of any movement. If you are looking to center the voices of survivors and contribute to the fight against human trafficking, consider engaging in anti-trafficking efforts, such as staying up-to-date on the Dressember blog and social media. Or, become a Dressember advocate this December by donning a dress or a tie to raise funds for sustainable anti-trafficking efforts! As you advocate, focus on listening to survivors’ voices so as to better understand how to help.
3 Quick Questions to Ask to De-center Yourself in Your Advocacy Work:
Who or what is this avenue of advocacy highlighting?
Is this honoring survivors as my equals, or as people I/we need to rescue?
Am I positioning myself as the hero of the story?
About the Author
Layla Nath is in her sophomore year at American University where she studies political science and journalism! Due to her love of advocacy and academia, she is involved in her college community as a teaching and research assistant. Her desire to help others through writing and research, alongside her passion for sustainable fashion and social justice has led her to this team as an Editorial Intern!