white backlash

1 8.5

An angry reaction by some white people against progress toward equal rights for Black people

noun

NSFW

: reacción blanca

The rise of hate crimes in response to racial equality movements illustrates the ongoing white backlash in society.

Examples

And then it was all washed away by, you know, the tide of of white backlash that can that that is what will happen if you do not sort of entrench those those gains.
And the white backlash against that fusion movement pretty much killed the populist party in the South, particularly in North Carolina.
Recent studies show a significant white backlash against efforts to promote diversity in the workplace.
During the civil rights movement, many activists faced violent opposition as a result of the white backlash to their demands for equality.

Synonyms

whitelash

vswhite backlash

NSFW

1 9.9

An angry reaction by some White people against Black people and other minorities gaining rights

focuses specifically on opposition to Black people rather than to other minority groups

Surface Forms

white backlash singular

white backlashes plural

Morphology

white + backlash

The compound combines 'white' (referring to white people) with 'backlash' (a strong negative reaction), so a learner who knows both words can readily infer 'a negative reaction by white people.' The phrase follows a simple modifier+noun composition and is therefore directly comprehensible, although full sociopolitical nuance (specific targets or racist motivations) is additional contextual detail.

Etymology

White backlash pairs white, meaning white people, with backlash, which paints a clear picture: when social change moves forward, some people suddenly 'push back'. So white backlash means a 'hostile reaction' by some white people against progress for Black people.