Editor of controversial yoga piece releases statement
The editor of a controversial op-ed piece where a white woman openly laments about the affects of a heavyset black woman in her yoga class has responded.
Jen Caron caught a wave of backlash after sharing her earnest thoughts on XO Jane about an African American woman entering her yoga class. Some called the piece self righteous, while other viewed it as a direct example of white privilege.
Read what Rebecca Carroll, the site’s editor had to say.
Throughout my life as a person, a black woman, a writer and editor, author, mother, daughter, partner and friend, it has always been an integral part of my existence to listen and question, invite and engage in dialogs about race. How can we look at issues surrounding race, racism, cultural appropriation and race consciousness in nuanced, unprecedented ways that will help move not merely the conversation, but the actual systemic foothold of the segregationist, tribal thinking that hurts and hinders the growth and emotional health of both black and white Americans alike.
[…] After taking a step back, halfway through my fourth week as an editor at xoJane, I realized that in all likelihood if I were a reader who hadn’t had the initial conversation with Jen and knew the background and context of the story, I would have been equally as offended as the most critical commenters. Because I SHOULD have asked Jen to do more work and questioning before writing about her experience. Instead, I read it too quickly before running it by only one other editor at xoJane, and published it without giving a thorough enough consideration to the response of the xoJane community, and readers at large.
Click here for the full response.
What do you think?
Does the editor being black change your perspective?
Sound off below!