Natalie Portman calls out her white privilege in post supporting defunding the police
As more celebrities call for defunding the police in the wake of George Floyd's death, Natalie Portman revealed she was hesitant to support the movement at first.
In a candid message she posted to Instagram on Monday, the "Thor" actress explained to fans the difference between reforming and defunding the police.
"When I first heard #defundthepolice, I have to admit my first reaction was fear. My whole life, police have made me feel safe," Portman wrote.
"But that’s exactly the center of my white privilege: the police make me as a white woman feel safe, while my black friends, family and neighbors feel the opposite: police make them feel terror," the 39-year-old went on. "And for good reason."
Portman then included an alarming statistic regarding U.S. police violence: "Police are the 6th leading cause of death for black men in this country."
"These are not isolated incidents," she wrote. "They are patterns and part of the system of over-policing of black Americans."
The "Black Swan" actress continued, "Reforms have not worked. Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, is one of the most progressive police forces in the country, having undergone extensive anti-bias training."
Portman then rallied for redirecting police funds into other programs that specialize in "nourishing people," such as "education, health care, environment, shelter" instead of funneling money "into punishment."
The Oscar winner also vowed to challenge her gut reactions in the future, adding, "The system that makes me feel comfortable is wrong."
Portman left fans a lengthy slideshow of resources to look into, such as a list containing relevant reading material and ways to become involved with the Black Live Matter movement.
