What is this thing called "reverse racism" that white people keep talking about?

A white male colleague came to my office one day and complained that he did not get a job that a qualified black woman got because of "reverse racism." I was blown away that he thought that about his new boss, but also that he would be willing to say that out loud, and to me, a person who has faced discrimination daily, including microaggressions from him!

Here is the irony: when someone complains about "reverse racism," they inadvertently acknowledge that race and gender play a role in opportunities and outcomes in society. However, they often miss the broader point—that "regular" racism, or the systemic privileging of white people, has been normalized and accepted for so long that any attempt to correct these imbalances feels like an attack on the status quo.

Like my white colleague, people who complain of "reverse racism" suggest they prefer "forward racism" or regular racism, a clear double standard at play. The discomfort with so-called "reverse racism" reveals a preference for maintaining traditional power structures that have favored white people, especially white men. What my colleague did not realize is that his lamentations about "reverse racism" show that he is unbothered by—or even supportive of—the systemic racism that has historically disadvantaged others and people like me. I thought he was a cool guy, but after that revelation, I kept my distance, realizing that he was likely saying the same thing about me to his other white-believing friends. He is dangerous to humanity because of this fantasy belief.