A person wearing a suit is pictured in this file photo.

Student-led panel to address the practice of whitewashing, the vision of dressing professionally

Kiteh Totimeh, a student in the course Ways of Doing, will lead a panel addressing the social norms of “dressing professionally” this Tuesday, Aug. 4 at 5 p.m.

The panel asks two connected questions: how do organizations define professional attire in educational, professional, and organizational settings? In what ways is this a generational whitewashing practice?

The panel topic is informed by personal experiences of black students and the writings of George M. Fredrickson, Robin Di Angelo and Bell Hooks.

Fredrickson captured his conception of racial inequality and racism as an ideology and practice in Western societies.

Di Angelo’s White fragility: Why it's so hard for White People to Talk about Racism presents the theory that white people live in a social environment that protects and insulates them from race-based interaction.

Social activist Hooks’ Black Looks; Race and representation where she states that whiteness functions as a power source and a place of privilege. Hooks further shares that the power white people have asserted themselves makes it hard to acknowledge racism because they are invested in the myth of “sameness.”

Course instructor Tim Brunet creates opportunities for students to study topics that they have reason to value in the course.

Brunet said he looks forward to learning more about the topic because higher education institutions regularly ask students to “dress to impress.”

He acknowledged that a professor’s ethnocultural vision for dress codes is often incomplete. 

The panel also includes an award for the best dressed participant.  

To enter into the best-dressed competition, share your best-dressed outfit on Instagram using the hashtag #UWinDresstoImpress prior to Aug. 4.

The panellists will decide on the winner at the event. The winner will receive an UWindsor Campus Bookstore gift certificate for $100. 

For more information please reach out to totimeh@uwindsor.ca.

Event registration is required and is available by clicking here.