Whiteness in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Who is Talking About Racism With Their Kids?

• In Event: Vulnerable Children and Families in COVID-19: Risks and Resilience

Abstract

Objectives. Initially hailed as ‘the great equalizer,’ the coronavirus pandemic quickly exposed deep-rooted and structural racial inequities around the world (e.g., Bhala et al., 2020). Media coverage and experiences of pandemic-related stress may enhance awareness of and socialization around historical and current racial disparities among privileged groups. However, past work has demonstrated that even in the face of catastrophe, White individuals continue to be unaware of racial disparities (e.g., Doherty, 2015) and either do not discuss the topic with their children or engage in colorblind socialization (e.g., Underhill, 2018), both of which have been proposed as barriers to breaking down systemic racism (Bonilla-Silva, 2006). The present study investigated predictors of awareness of COVID-19-related racial disparities among White parents, as well as predictors of their racial socialization practices with their children surrounding these disparities.

Methods. Parents of children ages 1.5 – 8 living in Canada and the United States (N=524, 85.4% mothers, 85% Canadian) responded to an online survey about parenting during the pandemic between mid to late April of 2020, during the beginning of quarantine, but before the killing of George Floyd and subsequent social justice uprisings. The majority of our sample (N=423, 82.6%) identified as a majority racial group member and was mostly higher SES (71% bachelors or higher; 64% family income > $90,000), but still negatively impacted by the pandemic, as indicated by self-reported employment loss (35%) and experiences of financial strain (36%). Participants reported on their level of awareness of COVID-19-related health and resource disparities, as well as how often they discussed pandemic-related racial inequity with their children. Regression models were used to examine predictors of awareness and socialization, including country, child age, family income, parent education, stressful pandemic-related experiences, parenting practices, and consumption of pandemic-related news.

Results. 52% of the majority-identifying sample reported some level of awareness of disparities. However, only 34% reported any amount of discussion with their child about racial inequities during COVID-19. Higher levels of education (0.249, p<0.001), watching more news (0.223, p<0.001), being American (0.917, p < 0.001), and experiencing more relationship distress (0.371, p<0.05) were positively associated with awareness. Having an older child (0.326, p <0.001), engaging in proactive parenting (0.239, p<0.05), and reporting higher awareness of disparities (0.083, p<0.05) were positively associated with socialization, while having higher family income was negatively associated with socialization (-0.059, p<0.001).

Conclusions. In a large sample, this study provides unique insight into which parents are aware of racial inequities exposed by the pandemic and which are choosing to speak to their children about them. Results suggest that exposure to information may be important predictors of increased awareness, which then relates to increased socialization. However, income may be providing economic, in addition to racial, insulation from addressing racial inequity. Limitations with data collected restrict our ability to investigate variability in socialization strategy or other sociodemographic predictors. These data suggest that White parents continue to avoid conversations about racial disparities, even when exposed and highlighted by the pandemic.

Authors

• Keira Bryn Leneman, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  Presenting Author

• Sydney Puhach, University of Manitoba
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sarah Gillespie, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  Non-Presenting Author

• Irlanda Gomez, University of Manitoba
  Non-Presenting Author

• Gordon C. Nagayama Hall, University of Oregon
  Non-Presenting Author

• Leslie E. Roos, University of Manitoba
  Non-Presenting Author