Leukophobia (Fear of the Color White)
Not The Same As Fearing White People
“With leukophobia, fear of the color white takes over your life. Seeing or thinking of this color can make you feel sick. You may go out of your way to avoid it. Exposure therapy may help you overcome this condition.”
I thank my mother for me having a reasonable vocabulary. I participated in my elementary school’s spelling bee competition in fifth and sixth grade. We spent many nights in the basement going over old words and introducing new ones, eating Old Dutch potato chips, and drinking Pepsi from 16 oz bottles. I finished second in my school in fifth grade, and the following year, I finished first and advanced to the city championships, where I finished eighth. Not once during that time did I come across the word leukophobia.
I was exposed to “leukophobia” in an online discussion with a woman defending a police officer in a small Georgia town who lost her job for displaying the confederate flag in her yard. The reason provided by their Internal Affairs department was that she “engaged in conduct that was unbecoming” and “brought discredit to the Roswell Police Department.” The woman claimed the officer lost her job because…
