I see swarms of tourists (mostly white Westerners) posting pictures of themselves with Black and brown children, and it makes me cringe every time. It’s exploitative. First, these kiddos have most likely not agreed to be photographed and have their image broadcast to the world. Second, such images position the tourist as a sort of “white savior” amidst the Black and brown locals.
What is a white savior? The white savior trope describes a situation wherein white people—who conceptualize themselves as good, caring, and powerful—attempt to “save” or “liberate” non-white people. This us versus them binary situates white people as authoritative and knowledgeable—whose rule is necessary for the functioning of international relations—and non-white people, who are helpless, less capable, and less intelligent.
White saviorism undergirds colonialism and a lot of so-called “humanitarian” projects that are anything but. There is a place for true humanitarianism—which is actually an industry founded on a super specific philosophy and principles—but wealthy do-gooders in Silicon Valley, Hollywood, and elsewhere generally do not subscribe to it. Traveling to a refugee camp one time does not make one a humanitarian. Giving a speech at a fancy event does not make one a humanitarian. Leading an initiative that is awash in mere talk and virtual signaling does not make one a humanitarian. Anand Giridharadas’s book Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World brilliantly describes how wealthy, Western bastions of power promote do-gooder campaigns that do no nothing to tackle structural change, that do nothing to challenge the status quo, and that completely ignore the privilege surrounding income inequality and other factors that have made them so rich and powerful in the first place. These people thus solidify their wealth and power amidst such efforts, all while (seemingly) looking good for caring about others. This is why I cannot stand to see people engage in missionary work, as if the imposition of their own cultural and religious values will magically solve complex issues that they know nothing about.
Such efforts ignore cultural differences and the actual needs of local populations. Who are white people to foist our ways of life upon others? Who are we to continue putting white people in charge at organizations that seek to enact change…instead of the people with the lived experiences about whom we speak? And although we might associate this kind of ignorance with conservatives—think of Bush’s Operation Enduring Freedom, a campaign for Big Oil under the guise of liberation and nation-building—the more liberal of us can be just as guilty. Progressives recognize that male Congressmen legislating women’s bodies is inappropriate and misplaced, but often act as if they know exactly how to address the most pressing challenges facing the so-called Global South or even, say, Black people in the US…without consulting the people affected. Recall the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of 2020—a lot of white progressives were not actually elevating the voices of Black people, rather, centering George Floyd’s murder and other events on their own reactions. Many white folks essentially appropriated the movement as a marketing ploy, to make themselves look good without any thought to systemic change. "Voluntourism," which usually describes a short-term travel opportunity with a volunteer component, often--but not always--follows a similar pattern. Folks use the chance to travel and enjoy the semblance of giving back, while ignoring the ways in which short-term help often creates more problems than it solves.
White saviorism extends beyond the realm of travel, politics, and international relations. It completely permeates popular culture--it's a super common film trope, as exemplified by the movie Green Book, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2018. In the film, a white man and a Black man befriend each other while traveling together in the 1960s Deep South. The white, racist man is essentially redeemed by his friendship with the Black man. The movie is based off of a true story, which I often saw touted in response to the white savior accusation against it. (I suppose the defendants thought that, since it’s based off of a true story, it’s not the film’s fault? Hmmm.) But still, I couldn’t help but feel that the Black character was seen through a prism of the white man’s personal growth.
Similarly, white tourists should not use Black and brown children to advance a vision of themselves as worldly altruists. This dehumanizes these kids’ individuality and belittles their lived experiences. They are not props to be consumed through the lens of redemption for white people, to be used for a like on social media or a right swipe on a dating app. Next time you see someone taking or posting one of these pics, remind them not to center these interactions on themselves; to take the time to learn instead of rushing to post a picture with a condescending caption. These kids deserve privacy, and not to be highlighted in someone else’s ignorant narrative or fantasy.
Here's a picture of me, just me!
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