A Kentucky Democratic lawmaker argued during a hearing that white people should feel guilt over their skin color, defending diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs just as Republicans in the state moved to eliminate them from public schools.
The Tuesday comments came as Republican state Sen. Lindsey Tichenor introduced legislation banning DEI initiatives in Kentucky’s K–12 system, according to the Paducah Sun.
Democratic state Rep. Sarah Stalker objected to the bill, insisting DEI gives students room to “reflect” on “historical privilege.”
Then Stalker went further.
“I’m going to be honest, I don’t feel good about being white every day for a lot of reasons,” Stalker said in a video shared on X by Libs of TikTok.
“Because it’s a point of privilege that I get to move through the world in a way that so many of my other colleagues and friends and family members and of the community don’t get the privilege to do, and I’m just a female, just a woman, just a white woman.”