White USC professor, 83, refuses to apologize after saying her career would have been better if she was black and lesbian - prompting attendees at female historians conference to walk out

Daily Mail ^ | 7/03/23 | Hope Sloop

[Libloather]

A white USC professor is under fire after she said during a recent conference that her career and life would be easier if she were black and a lesbian.

Lois Banner, a professor emerita of women's history at the University of Southern California, spoke during the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians on Friday.

Banner, 83, reportedly said she wished she were a lesbian because they had great communities and that her career would have been better if she were black.

'You won't change my mind, I'm 84 years old,' Banner allegedly said, refusing to apologize. Her words were shared by Stephanie Narrow, a student in attendance.

According to conference guests, Banner's antics came just moments after a black professor had spoken on racism and exclusion in the academic space.

The shocking statements were documented by Narrow, a doctoral student who attended the Friday plenary session where Banner spoke.

She wrote that the event 'took a turn' after Banner - who she did not initially name - shared her extremely controversial opinions.

'A white senior scholar at the 50th anniversary plenary VERY publicly, and unapologetically, said that she wished she was Black so her professional life would be easier,' Narrow tweeted out Friday night.

The student said that the professor - who has a Ph.D. from Columbia University - was shunned for the comments which caused an uproar.

'She was immediately called out for her blatantly racist remarks, and refused to apologize, let alone listen, to the reason why her remarks were horrifying wrong.'

Narrow went on to say that the 'room was shaken,' calling the feeling that rippled through the auditorium 'palpable.'

The student did not name Banner as the professor who had made the startling remarks until several hours later, but stated she had confirmed Banner's identity.

[Chickensoup]

Jane fonda and her ilk are this woman’s contemporary. Fonda is 86 this year.