Minimalism and Whiteness
I think it’s fair to say that American minimalism is dominated by white people. Matt D’Avella, The Minimalists, and Courtney Carver are some of the most well known minimalists I’m aware of, and they are all white.
Of course, there are incredible minimalists of color. Christine Platt created The Afrominimalist. Yolanda Acree, Kenya Cummings, Farai Harreld, and Anekia Nicole founded the Black Minimalists community. Marie Kondo, who is Japanese, is probably not a minimalist, but her book and Netflix show have certainly helped many people let go of what doesn’t “spark joy.” Yet they are not the most prominent.
The narrative of American minimalism is directed by whiteness. This means that white people disproportionately benefit from these resources, while people of color are distinctly disadvantaged. I see this manifesting in three ways.
The Scandinavian aesthetic
The word minimalism often evokes imagery of a Scandinavian aesthetic. White and beige rooms and black and white clothing do not reflect the traditions of a variety of cultures. Certainly, you CAN practice minimalism in a way that reflects your heritage. One example is Christine Platt, who has a great Tedx Talk on how she incorporates African styles and colors into her wardrobe and home décor. However, if we continue to think about minimalism as one aesthetic, we will likely make white people feel they can participate, while excluding the cultures of people of color.
The burden of perception
I haven’t found that people notice I repeat my outfits often. However, I don’t need to use my wardrobe to demonstrate my wealth, success, or humanity: it’s already assumed.
That, of course, is not the case for people of color. We often internalize pervasive stereotypes that make us harshly judge people of color. If they have a minimalist wardrobe, we may assume it’s not a choice. People of color may need to demonstrate their success through their appearance in a way I do not.
Perceptions of how people of color look, in the most extreme cases, can be a risk to their safety. We’ve seen countless Black people murdered for appearing “threatening.” The hypersexualization of Asian women led to a massacre last week. When I minimized my wardrobe, I only had to think of my own needs, and not the expectations of others. In fact, it took me two years to even consider how my race impacts my experience with minimalism. That’s privilege.
Privilege in the stories of minimalism
Typical journeys to minimalism, including mine, begin in privilege. I had the ability to let go of things, knowing that if I found I really needed them, I could buy replacements. Not facing scarcity made decluttering much easier. This is not everybody’s reality. White people are more likely to have wealth, or come from families with wealth, which allows them to feel more comfortable letting go overall. The predominant stories of minimalism can, therefore, exclude people of color.
I’ve mentioned before that the benefits of minimalism come from the choice of having less, which is different from not having enough. Further, involuntarily parting with your belongings, such as during an eviction or natural disaster, is traumatic, and more often experienced by people of color (see here and here). We must talk about minimalism in a way that recognizes the privilege of letting go or we will minimize the significance of inequality.
Steps white minimalists can take towards antiracism
Only a commitment to antiracism and the pursual of antiracist policies can address these disparities. I’ve shared with you that I have gained a lot from minimalism. Now I hope to redistribute some of these disproportionate benefits to pursue racial justice, including in the following ways:
Donate money I save to organizations dedicated to racial justice
Spend time I’ve gained from reducing my commitments to pursue learning about racist policies and my own personal racism, and apply this learning daily to ameliorate my behaviors and educate others
Credit minimalists of color and discuss policies that contribute to or dismantle racism on my blog
Ensure that my relationships, which are deepened by minimalism, also include conversations on antiracism
In conclusion
I look forward to continue learning the ways being white disproportionately benefits me as a minimalist. There are many other ways in which my whiteness benefits me that are not directly related to minimalism and are not discussed here. Certainly, other layers, like gender expression and class, also play a role in my experience with minimalism, and I hope to explore these soon. I hope as you consider to pursue minimalism, you apply the lens of racial justice to your analysis.