White adjacency is the theory that some groups ofnon-White people are aligned with White people, and that this adjacency gives them special privileges that are denied to people who aren't white adjacent.[1]
Non-white people may be considered white adjacent by choice, or by cultural factors that havestereotyped them as white adjacent, such as themodel minority stereotype.[2][1] White adjacency is most often sought by non-Black minorities who want to distance themselves fromBlack people.[1] Mixed-race black people may, however, seek white adjacency.[3]
Asian Americans, and in particular, Asian women, are often viewed as the most white adjacent minorities.[2]
In theUnited States,critical race theorists increasingly view East Asians as white adjacent.[2]
Withinwhite spaces, diversity is typically represented by Asian women, or images of Asian culture.[2] Images of White men and Asian woman are so common that they have come to symbolizeWhite American manhood,[4] and the extremely high rate of interracial marriage has led some to suggest that Asian Americans are becoming White.[5]
However, according theBrookings Institution, 63% ofAsian American respondents identify aspeople of color, and nearly 80% say that they are not proximal to whiteness, suggesting that Asian Americans, as a whole, do not see themselves as white adjacent.[5]
Diversity within white spaces is rarely represented by Black people, which some critical race theorists view as driving a wedge between minority communities by incentivizing Asians to retain their special status while reinforcing stereotypes.[2] However, some Black people may present themselves as white adjacent, presumably to enjoy the benefits of whiteness.[3] Such people are typically light-skinned enough to pass as White or anything but Black.[3]
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