Surviving Becky(s)

The infamous rise in characterizations of white women as Becky(s) is a modern phenomenon, different from past characterizations like the Miss Anne types. But just who embodies the Becky? Why is it important to understand, especially with regards to anti-racism and racial justice? Understanding that learning, moreover even discussing, dynamics of race and gender are oftentimes met with discomfort and emotional resistance, this creative, yet theoretical book merges social science analyses with literary short stories as a way to more effectively teach about the impact of whiteness and gender. Additionally, the book includes guiding questions so that readers can critically reflect on the behaviors of Becky(s) and how they impact the hope for racial harmony. Designed specifically for both educational spaces and the larger society, the author, an educational researcher and former classroom teacher, approaches the topic of race and gender, specifically whiteness and white women, in a nuanced manner. By borrowing from traditions found in critical race theory and teacher education, this book offers both counterstories and anecdotes that can help people better understand the dynamics behind race and gender.

Long before the popular aphorism, ‘Beckyisms’ have been discussed among Scholars of Color. Cheryl E. Matias provides courageous and fierce accounts of the social, political, and emotional trauma too often unleashed by Beckys—who are abundant in all spaces. This book is a mustread to decipher how whiteness operates in our education system and our society., Surviving Becky(s): Pedagogies for Deconstructing Whiteness and Gender is revelatory in content, revolutionary in form. Stories of white supremacy and Beckys are powerful and nuanced—every one an ode to Derrick Bell’s Faces at the Bottom of the Well. Their stories, woven with Cheryl E. Matias’ unflinching analysis, make this an invaluable read for anyone hoping to more deeply understand the accumulative ravages of racism., Long before the popular aphorism, “Beckyisms” have been shared and discussed among Scholars of Color. In their new volume, editor Cheryl E. Matias and authors provide bold, courageous, and fierce accounts of the social, political, and emotional trauma and terror too often unleashed at the hands of Beckys – who are abundant in all social and professional spaces. Written from multiple perspectives and in different genres, these accounts prove to be woven from the same fabric. Indeed, despite geographic and racial/ethnic differences among the authors, there is a distinct constancy with the pervasive social construction of whiteness generally and Beckys in particular. These pages also contain the authors’ rich dialogues around healing and hope. This book is both a must read to decipher our understandings of how whiteness operates in our educational system and our society at large; and serves to validate the experiences of anyone who has ever confronted Beckyisms.

Cheryl E. Matias is full professor in the department of curriculum and instruction at the University of Kentucky.