Racism Should Not Be Up For Political Debate

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I had a planned post to put up about my fears and experiences with racial prejudice and discrimination. However, considering the recent events that have taken place, I don't want to detract from the Black Lives Matter movement that is unfortunately taking place currently. So, I will save that for a later date and this post will take a different turn and repost something that you may have already seen on my social media.

You will always hear that you shouldn't bring your political views into your professional workspace. However, issues regarding racial, ethnic, and gender inequalities and injustice shouldn't even be up for political debate. 

It's quite shocking that we are in 2020 and still fighting against such issues in our societies. What if we discriminated each other based on eye colour? What if people with brown eyes are superior? They are treated with greater respect, they don't have to prove their worth, they don't have to convince others that they shouldn't be afraid of them; prove that they have rightfully earned their citizenship, or are even able to get better education... All on the basis that they have brown eyes.

Does that not sound completely foolish to you? I agree. 

If this sound familiar, you may recall an exercise/ experiment which Jane Elliott (an anti-racism activist and educator) introduced into her third grade (UK equivalent of Year 4) classroom (full documentary linked here and a short version here for you to watch). All it took was this very nuanced division and a couple of labels (i.e.: brown/ blue eyed people are smarter and troublemakers) to spread prejudice and discrimination among these children. They become so engrossed in the 'fact that their eye colour defined their identity and status. This is despite these children very clearly speaking against racial inequality at this very start of their class. 

If you think that adults would act differently, think again. Take a lookat this short video. It is appalling that adults would even use something so nuanced as eye colour to justify being "better' than or the value of another human being. I would highly urge you to take a look at these experiments conducted by Elliott and share them with anyone you know.

If there is one thing I have learned in social psychology it is that no matter how much you want to deny it, you have biases against people based on these overly generalised labels, whether that be based on race, gender, someone's looks, height, health status, whether they have tattoos, etc. Whether you believe in them or not, they are implicitly ingrained in us solely based on the way that certain groups of people are presented in our society. 

That may not be your fault at all. However, if there's one thing we can all do is acknowledge and speak up against them. Challenge the generalised way that the media present groups of people which only facilitate these biases. Challenge the way that you family, friends, colleagues, and peers speak about others. It should not be an issue that's up for discussion, but it is, and we all have a job to speak against it. 

I don't have a very big public platform, but I have one and I am going to use it. You should to even if it only reaches a few people. Use not to prove that you are not racist, but to truly acknowledge that prejudice and discrimination exists and build conversations. If this is something you can't do, have open conversations with those around you. 

Melany Rochester | Unsplash

You may not be able to fully understand the extent of it, but anything you do to attempt to educate yourself or stand with those who have to face the cruel acts of violence and continuous belittlement that we continue to see every single day will be appreciated.

I have no words to describe how wrong it is that this is something we still have to talk about.  Anti-black discrimination and similar brutal (as well as detrimental, non-explicit) acts of racism in all countries is not just a part of history books, it's a part of reality. Think about this: What much has changed? Why hasn’t it changed?

If you find yourself saying, “It’s too uncomfortable”, consider how it feels to have to fear experiencing it day and in day out. 

No one should have to fear going out and being attacked because of their race.

Resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/