The common discussion among PoC is that BIPOC cannot be racist against white people because "Racism" requires a level of power that none of us posssess to disrupt white people's lives in any collective way. That's the definition of racism I'm working from and those were some ofthe exmpales I used.

That said, I will move into a more personal definition here. I do think we are capable of being prejudiced and I fully admit I do prejudge white people. This doesn't stop me from interacting with white people initially, because in most cases I have no choice about that, but the judgement is still there, and I stay on my guard and keep them at arms distance until they have proven to me they are okay for me and mine to be around.

I make the automatic assumption that any white person I meet has not done the work of not harming someone who looks like me, just like the two white women I let get close to me (For one of them its a much more interesting story.). I am indeed going to continue to assume and prejudge until the majority of white people have done the work of caring about the feelings of BIPOC and doing the work, and we are not there yet.

I actually agree that BIPOC can be racist: but towards each other and themselves. I've actually witnessed the sideways version of marginalized groups harming each other, and their own. I don't refer to entirely justifiable wariness around white people as racism. (Until white people stop collectively acting the fool they're going to continue to get the side-eye from most of us. )

For example, I've been accosted by enough trolls in this space that I prejudged you. I do this just as a matter of course on the internet. I looked up your bio before I responded and realized I'd read some of your stories in the past. If you'd had no followers and no stories I would have blocked you without even reading what you wrote. I call this "curating" my online space because I do not need my blood pressure to be any higher than it already is.

I don't think prejudice for people like me is a bad thing. It's a protective thing I will not be shamed for doing. I can minimize my anxiety online in a way I can't in the real world. BIPOC have been hurt for too long and too often to be carefree about our interactions with white people.