--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: White fragility! White people are so…" description: "\"White fragility! White people are so sensitive about race and racial conversations. I feel like I'm always walking on eggshells when I'm around white p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/margaret-cho-1136_communication_white-fragility-white-people-are-so-sens_919694.png" --- # White fragility! White people are so sensitive about race… ![“White fragility! White people are so sensitive about race and racial conversations. I feel like I'm always walking on eggshells when I'm around white people.” quote by Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/margaret-cho-1136_communication_white-fragility-white-people-are-so-sens_919694.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/margaret-cho-1136_communication_white-fragility-white-people-are-so-sens_919694.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/margaret-cho-1136_communication_white-fragility-white-people-are-so-sens_919694.png) > “White fragility! White people are so sensitive about race and racial conversations. I feel like I'm always walking on eggshells when I'm around white people.” [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. White fragility describes how many white individuals react defensively to discussions of race, avoiding discomfort. **In simple terms:** White people often avoid race talks. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge defensive reactions. Themes race defensiveness communication Mood uneasy reflective Type observational critical When to use this quote - team meetings - social gatherings - educational workshops - online forums Key Concepts social psychology identity privilege Questions to Reflect On - How does your own discomfort affect conversations? - What steps can you take to stay open? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic issues by focusing on personal discomfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Eggshells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eggshells/) [Fragility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fragility/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racial/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Walking on eggshells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking-on-eggshells/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [White fragility is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-diangelo/white-fragility-is-a-state-in-which-even-a-minimum-amount-of-racial/) [Robin DiAngelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-diangelo/) > [White fragility doesn't always manifest in overt ways; silence and withdrawal are also functions of fragility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-diangelo/white-fragility-doesn-t-always-manifest-in-overt-ways-silence-and/) [Robin DiAngelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-diangelo/) > [A lot of times, you feel like you're walking on eggshells in a creative environment, because everyone's having to watch out for egos so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hale/a-lot-of-times-you-feel-like-you-re-walking-on-eggshells-in-a/) [Tony Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hale/) > [I could never work out whether we were to view religion as a life-insurance policy or a life sentence. I can understand a wrathful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-could-never-work-out-whether-we-were-to-view-religion-as-a-life-2/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Briggs: This is how you walk on eggshells? Riley: Well, you know. Eggshells. If they're on the ground, they're probably already broken anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geonn-cannon/briggs-this-is-how-you-walk-on-eggshells-riley-well-you-know/) Geonn Cannon > [Secretly everybody's getting tired of political correctness, kissing up. That's the kiss-ass generation we're in right now. We're really in a pussy generation. Everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/secretly-everybody-s-getting-tired-of-political-correctness-kissing/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [He's pulling the load of an ox and walking on eggshells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-s-pulling-the-load-of-an-ox-and-walking-on-eggshells/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I could never work out whether we were to view religion as a life-insurance policy or a life sentence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-could-never-work-out-whether-we-were-to-view-religion-as-a-life/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I don't get particularly precious about things like this, though. Like the record company said, "We need a radio edit that delivers the hook"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-don-t-get-particularly-precious-about-things-like-this-though-like/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [People are so sensitive about race that they can't hear someone speaking about their life in a very true way, or doing satire or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/people-are-so-sensitive-about-race-that-they-can-t-hear-someone/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It's a sad commentary when I have to say that sometimes in our country we are real sensitive to race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/it-s-a-sad-commentary-when-i-have-to-say-that-sometimes-in-our/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [Sonia Sotomayor is uniquely and exquisitely sensitive to race issues because she is a Latina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/sonia-sotomayor-is-uniquely-and-exquisitely-sensitive-to-race-issues/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [The antidote to white fragility is ongoing and lifelong and includes sustained engagement, humility, and education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-diangelo/the-antidote-to-white-fragility-is-ongoing-and-lifelong-and-includes/) [Robin DiAngelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-diangelo/) > [The language of violence that many whites use to describe anti-racist endeavors is not without significance, as it is another example of how white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-diangelo/the-language-of-violence-that-many-whites-use-to-describe-anti-racist/) [Robin DiAngelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-diangelo/) > [I have found that the only way to give feedback without triggering white fragility is not to give it at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-diangelo/i-have-found-that-the-only-way-to-give-feedback-without-triggering/) [Robin DiAngelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-diangelo/) ## More by Margaret Cho > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I'm super-obsessed with 'Intervention.' I wrote a song about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-m-super-obsessed-with-intervention-i-wrote-a-song-about-it/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I have 3 dogs myself - I actually have a kennel license in order to do so. I love them so much I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-have-3-dogs-myself-i-actually-have-a-kennel-license-in-order-to-do/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I think self-deprecation is such a disease, and I want to cure everybody of it and so that's my contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-self-deprecation-is-such-a-disease-and-i-want-to-cure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I don't like pot anymore -- I forget why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-don-t-like-pot-anymore-i-forget-why/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I'm not a mom, but I think the word 'mother' is about wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-m-not-a-mom-but-i-think-the-word-mother-is-about-wisdom/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [That we are selfish gives us the opportunity to gain the power so that, in time, we might be selfless. To give back what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/that-we-are-selfish-gives-us-the-opportunity-to-gain-the-power-so/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Why can't all different types of women be considered beautiful? Why can't we can't we all be considered possible love interests?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/why-can-t-all-different-types-of-women-be-considered-beautiful-why/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I think that failure is just as important as success. In a way, failure is a kind of success if you can look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-that-failure-is-just-as-important-as-success-in-a-way-failure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I could never make a joke about somebody unless I could say it to their face and they'd laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-could-never-make-a-joke-about-somebody-unless-i-could-say-it-to/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/sometimes-when-we-are-generous-in-small-barely-detectable-ways-it-can/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [ Something as important as marriage equality, which is now a constitutional right \[in the USA\], is something that cannot be denied. It's also very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/something-as-important-as-marriage-equality-which-is-now-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It's not the best between my family and me. There are so many crimes left unpunished, debts unpaid, white elephants in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/it-s-not-the-best-between-my-family-and-me-there-are-so-many-crimes/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It's okay for you to have relationships, but it's not okay to talk about them. It's not okay to be out or to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/it-s-okay-for-you-to-have-relationships-but-it-s-not-okay-to-talk/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [My attitude toward peace does not depend on which war we are discussing. I think that words should do the work of bombs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/my-attitude-toward-peace-does-not-depend-on-which-war-we-are/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) [Explore all 285 Margaret Cho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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