The Invisibility of Whiteness

[Nevilledog]

https://www.everythingishorrible.net/p/the-invisibility-of-whiteness

Myra Greene’s 2013 book of photos My White Friends examines stereotypes of white people. The main stereotype of white people being that there is no stereotype of white people.

As the title My White Friends says, Greene’s album is devoted to photos of her white friends . In one photo, two friends are standing on the porch holding their babies.

In another a friend sits in a room with an impressive view.

Greene says she was specifically working “to present stereotypes, not create faithful representations.” So the pictures are meant to present clichéd images— to show, not individuals, but iconographic, or iconic, whiteness.

In some photos, this comes across clearly. A picture of a guy on his driveway with his gut and his grill fits neatly into images of angry-white-man stereotypes.

Similarly, the photo of a woman posing with her golf club and Pink Panther golf bag in front of a golf course seems to fit into stereotypes about white people, poor taste, and golf. The woman’s hip-cocked pose and flirtatious crossed-legs perhaps also suggests ways in which white women’s sexuality is sometimes presented as clueless or self-parodic. White people, at least according to some stereotypes, aren’t sexy.

*snip*

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R