In my recent article, What are the Real Fears in the Attacks on DEI Initiatives?, I cite DiAngelo's (2018) book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, in which she DiAngelo argues that due to societal conditioning and privilege, many whites are unaccustomed to confronting issues of race and may become defensive or hostile as they perceive their racial identity or privilege challenged in discussions about DEI.

White fragility manifests as a range of reactions, including denial, anger, withdrawal, or silence, which serve to protect the racial status quo and maintain the existing power structures.