Clare Xanthos
Bio
Writer, scholar and researcher specializing in racial equity, racial health equity and racial justice. Co-editor of: "Social Determinants of Health among African-American Men." PhD in Social Policy (London School of Economics).
Stories (12/0)
A Biracial Man’s Plea to End Racial Categorization
Self Portrait in Black and White by “biracial” author Thomas Chatterton Williams is a memoir that makes the case for doing away with the racial categorization of human beings. He shares how the USA’s hyperracialized society forced him as a young person to exclusively identify as Black. However, relocating to France; marrying a white French woman; and especially, becoming the father of white-presenting children has now demonstrated to him the myth of race.
By Clare Xanthos2 months ago in The Swamp
Dimitri Tsafendas: South Africa’s Forgotten Freedom Fighter
It’s nearly 30 years since the end of legalized racial oppression in South Africa -- known officially as “apartheid.” However, most people still don’t know the name of an important anti-apartheid hero -- a man named Dimitri Tsafendas (pronounced “Sa-fendas”); October 7th marks the 24th anniversary of his death in a psychiatric hospital.
By Clare Xanthos7 months ago in The Swamp
When Prejudiced Providers Show Their True Colors
Over the last 20 years or so, a growing number of research articles and media reports have demonstrated that racial discrimination in healthcare is a serious issue. Indeed, discrimination in the healthcare setting is a significant cause of poor quality care among visible minorities in the US, UK, Canada, and other Western countries. This is demonstrated by the shocking racial disparities in quality of care across all medical specialties, as well as the testimonies of patients and healthcare workers of color. Furthermore, the evidence points to a systemic problem, rather than just “a few bad apples.”
By Clare Xanthosabout a year ago in The Swamp
“Anti-Woke” - the New Code for Anti-Blackness
Whenever I read the article of a so-called “anti-woke” person, I pick up on the overwhelmingly negative, mean-spirited, and yes, anti-Black energy coming from the writer. This is not surprising, given that the term “anti-woke” – for the most part – is simply a cover for anti-Blackness. Those who describe themselves as “anti-woke” tend to couch their distaste for “wokeness” in terms of a general dislike of left-wing causes; but make no mistake, the anti-woke brigade’s primary obsession is an aversion to racial justice.
By Clare Xanthosabout a year ago in The Swamp
HBCUs Should Recruit Anti-Racist Faculty
The prevailing thought in the Black community is that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are safe spaces where Black students get a perhaps once-in-a-lifetime chance to not be a marginalized minority; to experience a discrimination-free higher education; and to be treated as a human-being, as opposed to struggling through the typical “learning-while-Black” experience. This feel-good image of HBCUs was somewhat diminished following two racially-charged incidents at the end of 2022.
By Clare Xanthosabout a year ago in The Swamp
Psychotherapists Should Acknowledge the Black Experience
In 2003, the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) released a ground-breaking report entitled Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. The report demonstrated the staggering inequities in both health and mental health services, regardless of insurance coverage. Regrettably, 20 years on, it doesn’t appear that there have been any meaningful changes.
By Clare Xanthosabout a year ago in The Swamp
Anti-Blackness on The Left
Nearly 40 years ago, a study found that half of all racists were left-wing. In other words, being liberal, progressive or a leftist does not make you any less likely to have racist thoughts and feelings or engage in racist behaviors. As disconcerting as these findings may be to some, they are consistent with decades of commentary regarding the behavior of liberals by civil rights leaders and intellectuals (e.g., Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, James Baldwin, bell hooks, Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Robin DiAngelo). Moreover, there are an abundance of contemporary examples which support the study’s conclusions, including my own experiences.
By Clare Xanthosabout a year ago in The Swamp
Why We Need a New Civil Rights Act
Martin Luther King would have been truly disappointed that nearly 60 years since the passing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Americans of African descent continue to be relegated to the status of third-class citizens, marked out for unequal treatment, harassment, and worse. What’s more, this awful situation extends to many other countries; in 2023, we’re living in the midst of a pervasive global anti-Blackness.
By Clare Xanthosabout a year ago in The Swamp
The Terrence Woods Story: An Untold Travesty of Racial Justice
On October 5th 2022, it was a staggering four years since American TV producer Terrence Woods allegedly disappeared while filming with the UK company, Raw TV. Woods’ co-workers claimed that he “ran down a cliff,” while on set at Penman mine in a remote part of Idaho, and apparently vanished into thin air. Aside from some attention from the Dr. Phil talk show, Vice.com, and a few local US news outlets, this story has been eerily ignored by the mainstream media. Furthermore, the limited coverage has been one-sided in its ready acceptance of Woods’ co-workers’ version of events, and its overwhelmingly colorblind approach in a case with obvious racial overtones.
By Clare Xanthosabout a year ago in The Swamp
Some Observations on John McWhorter’s “Woke Racism”
For over two decades, Columbia University professor, John McWhorter, has produced anti-racial justice commentary, which has been eagerly lapped up by his racist fanbase. McWhorter, a self-described liberal (who is Black) is someone who implies that Black people should be grateful that slavery and Jim Crow were abolished; that modern racism is insignificant; and that anti-racism is a threat to American society.
By Clare Xanthosabout a year ago in The Swamp
