How to Deal with Racism

You can’t seem to avoid news reports about hate crimes, riots, or even police violence stemming from racism. But what is racism, and what can you do to combat it? Understanding racism and recognizing the effects of racism is the first step in fighting it when you face it yourself, when you witness racist or discriminatory behavior. treatment, or when racial issues are prevalent in the mass media.

Table of Contents

Facing Racism Aimed at You

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Understand that you are not overreacting. Similar to harassment, fleeting and often unintentional acts of racism (known as “small attacks”) may not seem like a big deal to others, but if those behaviors bother you, they must be stopped. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Studies show that people of color are subjected to petty racial attacks on a daily basis, but those who commit such acts almost always deny that they did something wrong or that their actions were motivated by prejudice. race. ^{[2] X Sources of Research} This can make people of color feel like they’re imagining things, or worry that when they speak up, what they’ve been through will be denied and seen as meaningless. base.

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Leave. When you’re subject to petty attacks or some more obvious form of racial hatred, put your own needs first; You can choose to leave. You are under no obligation to try to understand and interact with such a person.

As a victim of racism, you have no obligation to “fix” the person who attacked you. Engaging in conversations about racism will only make you tired and sad, not to mention it’s hard work, when you could just walk away. But if you want to try to understand and contact the person at fault, you can also choose this option. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Only raise the problem in words or manners. Instead of accusing someone of being racist, risking self-defence, point out exactly why that person’s behavior or words matter. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

For example, instead of saying “You offended other people” say “That would offend Asians”. By using “that way” instead of “you” you are redirecting the focus from the attacker to his or her words.

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Be frank with your friends. You are never obliged to accept or face racism just to avoid friction with your friends. Racism is always wrong and you have every right to speak up.

If you think someone is behaving racist, point out why that behavior is problematic. You can choose the approach; Understand that people tend to flaunt their defenses when criticized, so the more tactful you are, the more receptive they will be to your comments.

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Deal with racist comments or behavior in the group. When someone on the team does or says something offensive, depending on a few factors, the effectiveness of the way you approach and solve the problem can be high or low. Determine your goal when criticizing racist behavior in your group: do you want everyone there to know that you won’t hear such words, or do you want to stay in contact with the person who did it unknowingly? something annoying?

Criticizing a person’s racist behavior in front of others rather than in private will help the group understand that you don’t approve of such behavior directed at you. However, when being criticized in front of friends, people will tend to ruffle their hair in self-defence.
If you feel that the behavior is completely unintentional and you are interested in maintaining a relationship with the person at fault or maintaining a relationship with this person, you can temporarily ignore it, and then ask them if Can you meet privately to discuss it? There are many limitations when you wait to talk, for example the person may forget what he said or under the circumstances, another limitation is that the waiting conveys the message that you will not oppose such behaviour.

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Practice different approaches to racist speech or behavior. There are many ways to respond to unpleasantness, and you need to choose a response that suits your personality and your relationship with the person at fault.

You can reach out by sharing, “You know, I get hurt when people say or do that, because…” Talking about your feelings will make people less defensive than frank. criticize what they did, ^{[5] X Source of study} but this approach also makes them feel less responsible for their behavior, which in the long run is not the right strategy.
Another more direct approach is to say “You shouldn’t say that or do that. That offends people of this race because…”. That approach lets people know that their behavior hurts and they should stop.

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Learn how to deal with racism in higher status. If a teacher or boss treats you differently because of your race, hurls insults and makes comments that embarrass you, it’s hard to deal with because they’re in a position of power over you and can influence you. to your score or earnings.

If you think their racism was unintentional or careless, and if you have a good working relationship with this person, consider talking to the teacher or boss. The person may not be aware that their behavior is offensive. For example, a teacher who asks you to present an “Asian point of view” may not realize that their behavior offends you, because Asians are not a homogenous entity.
If you’re talking to a teacher or boss, make sure you approach them when they’re not busy and ask for a private session. Let them understand your concerns clearly, directly, and without emotion: “Sometimes I find you make me different from everyone else just because of my race. I really hope we can. can talk so this doesn’t happen again.” ^{[6] X Research Sources}
If you feel that racist behavior is intentional, malicious, or if you believe that discussing it directly with a teacher or boss could lead to negative consequences for you, affecting your working relationship yours, you need to talk to someone with higher authority. At the school, that person may be the school counselor or the principal. At work, you can talk to the human resources department or your boss’s manager. First, make sure you document any racist or racist acts they make. ^{[7] X Research Resources} Schedule a private meeting where you talk about what happened (including frequency of behavior, direct quotes from them, or descriptions of actions in each case) if possible) and explain why the behavior is unacceptable.

Facing Racism Targeting Others

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Speak up when you hear racist slurs or jokes. People often dismiss racist comments or jokes when upset without knowing what to say. However, being prepared to respond in advance will give you the ability to react and act to defend what is right. There are many approaches to the problem that you can choose from depending on your personality, your relationship with the person who said these words, and the situation at the time:

Consider responding, “That’s not cool.” In some cases, like in the middle of class or when you get off the bus stop, you won’t have the time or ability to fully discuss what someone is saying, but you can let them know that Their behavior was out of bounds. You will feel better when you have defended the right thing.
Try saying, “Oh, that’s racist. Why do you say that?” Starting a conversation will make the other person think about whether or not they should say what they just said.
If it’s a joke, try saying, “Why is that funny?” in a serious tone, as if you didn’t understand the joke. Forcing someone to explain why their joke is funny will cause that person to consider the racist implications they have made. After explaining, if they still think the joke is funny, you can say, “That joke was really racist.”

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Face racism in your family. Sometimes the people who offend the most are family members, like your respected grandfather or mother. Your family member may make racist comments or jokes, or actually behave discriminatory toward other races (for example, not allowing you to date black people or not allowing you to date black people). Indian friends visit your house). This situation can be difficult for you, because it is people that you respect and obey (eg your parents, when you were still living with your family).

Be calm, but let them know your feelings. Families are built on the foundation of love and trust, you should confidently let your family members know when they have said or done something offensive. Don’t yell, don’t criticize the individual, but let them know: for example, you could say, “I don’t like what you said” or “What you said upset me,” or ask them to explain. I love why they say such racist things. This will start the conversation and give you an opportunity to point out why their behavior is problematic.
Note that sometimes talking to these people can make matters worse; for example, if an uncle knows that racist jokes bother you, he or she may intentionally add more jokes.
If your parents set racist rules about your friends, you’ll have to choose. You can follow that rule while you’re with your parents, or you can secretly break their rule. Understand that when they learn of your actions, you may suffer consequences.
Sometimes you just can’t get a racist family member to stop doing or saying hurtful things. You can choose to stay as far away from the person as possible, and continue to let them know how you feel about their racism, but unfortunately, in some cases, this will not work. fruit. Understand their choices and do your best to avoid fostering prejudiced and blinded thoughts or habits.

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Become an ally. If you oppose racism but are not a minority, every time you encounter racist behavior, you can play an important role in confronting it. By learning to discern petty attacks against people of color, you can leverage your position of preference to fight racism in all its forms. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Practice talking about race in “safe spaces for minorities.” Racism is a difficult subject, and non-minorities are often taught that they should not voice or “see” racial differences. It can be very difficult to fight racist acts when they actually happen, because you may not have any experience in talking about race. Find other allies who also want to fight racism, and work together to rehearse the racist situations you encounter in everyday life. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Facing Racism in Society

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Meet people who are different from you. In many parts of the world, it can be difficult to get to know people of another race. It is natural to turn to people who are similar to you, and so sometimes we will only have friends of the same race. Learn about other cultures and ways to experience the world. It will broaden your view of the world and help your friends, family or children realize that friendships with people who are different are normal and acceptable.

Visit cultural fairs, festivals and get-togethers in your community. Go to your local library or community center for information.
Join a club, start a new hobby, visit a church or chapel, or join a group to make new friends.

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Talking about race. Race has become a taboo subject, as many are taught from a young age that it is rude or inappropriate to discuss race. But as long as racism persists, debate, willingness to learn, and empathy play a vital role; Many studies have shown that talking about race increases understanding and tolerance. ^{[17] X Research Source} Use this opportunity to start the debate.

If you’re a parent, talk to your kids about race. Don’t force them to be quiet when they say someone has a different skin color; Noticing differences is normal in young children. Teach them that being different is good! Say things like, “Yeah, isn’t that great? Joe’s black and I’m yellow. We’re all so different!”
When your child is old enough to be aware, talk to them about racism. If you’re in the minority, you can let your child know in advance what they might encounter, building their self-esteem and confidence so they can react appropriately in any situation. If you’re not in a minority, it’s still important to talk to your kids about racism. Teach them about the racial history of their country, and explain to them why some people have racist attitudes toward others (prejudice, stereotyping, bigotry, etc.) ).

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Dedication. If possible, donate money or volunteer at organizations that fight racism in your local community or country, such as the following in the United States:

Southern Poor Law Research Center
Anti-Defamation Committee
Human Rights Campaign

Understanding Racism

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Understand the difference between racism, bigotry, and prejudice. These phrases are sometimes used interchangeably in the media or in conversations, but there are differences between them that need to be understood. Knowing the difference between these concepts will help you in communication, when people often use the wrong term with what they mean.

Racism is oppression directed at a group of people because of their race, color or ethnicity. In general, racism involves a majority racial or ethnic group setting laws, policies, systems, and cultural standards that favor their race, while races or other ethnic minorities are harmed.
Fanatical bigotry, on the other hand, is hatred. Fanatical bigotry means hating on a group of people for who they are and/or believing that the group is supreme, this hate is not limited to race or ethnicity; you can hate a group of people because of their religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, physical defect, etc. For example, the Holocaust was fueled by fanatical bigotry, is similar to the driving force behind all hate crimes under US law. ^{[18] X Research Sources}
Prejudice (literally “judge first”) is your assumption that you understand someone because they belong to a certain group. Although the word often has a negative connotation, prejudice is not always bad. For example, the stereotype is that all Asians are good at math, or that all people of color are great singers or athletes. These are stereotypes based on race. You can also have prejudice against someone because of religion, gender, physical disability, etc., so similar to bigotry, prejudice is not limited to race.

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Understand the intersection of these three concepts and their connection to racism. Sometimes racist policies or practices are very “conspicuous” (at least when you look at their history), for example, the history of slavery in the United States (which was considered natural at the time). legally and religiously acceptable) existed above the apartheid regime. At other times, however, people still debate whether certain policies or practices are racist; for example, many consider the Positive Action U.S. policy (requiring U.S. companies to meet hiring quotas from different demographics) as racist, when others argued that the policy was against racism.

Since racism is the mistreatment of a minority by a powerful group, “reciprocal racism” (often used to describe a member of a minority group mistreatment of a minority group) members of a majority group because of their race) is an incorrect term. It should be called “fanatic bigotry” or “prejudice” instead of “racism.” ^{[19] X Research Source}
It’s important to remember that you can support racism even if you don’t hate anyone. In fact, you can support racism without even knowing it, because racism is a regime of widespread repression.

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Understand the history of racism in your country and around the world. The sad but true truth about the nature of human civilization throughout history is that most mainstream civilizations have had to resist racism. The reason is that racism is the mistreatment of the powerful (the majority) by the powerless (the few), and race is one of the major dividing lines that people have used so far to determine who has or doesn’t have power.

In North America, the history of apartheid is said to have begun when white Europeans settled in the continent and invaded the indigenous peoples (Native Americans or Indians). . In fact, one racial group had more power than the other (in terms of weapons and epidemics that massacred the entire population of these races).
During the Victorian era in Europe, racism was firmly embedded in Western thinking thanks to the so-called “scientific” discoveries about racial differences. Influenced by Darwin’s theory of evolution, scientists believe that the Caucasian Anglo race has evolved further than other races. ^{[20] X Research Sources}

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Understand how racism connects to the public system. Although many oppressive regimes such as slavery have been abolished in many parts of the world, racist attitudes and policies, large or small, are still a problem in every country.

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Recognize the consequences of racism. Because racism is so systemic, its influence can be clearly seen in the media, in government agencies, the school system, and even religion.

Pay attention to stereotypes about other races or ethnicities on television, books, or movies. The popularity of video and video games has opened many avenues for thisism to spread. Contact the producers of racist products and explain your grievances. Refuse to support any business or organization that allows racial discrimination to take place.

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Understand that not all acts of racism are conspicuous. In everyday life, “small attacks” are more common than obvious hatred, but they are equally damaging. As the name implies, petty attacks are tiny acts of discrimination that many people may not realize — but over time, with people of color, those attacks become more visible and destructive. damage. ^{[21] X Research Source}

A petty attack can be anything from subconsciously avoiding a colored person on the train to asking a black woman if her hair is really “hers”. , or ask an Asian-American where they “really” come from.
Petty attacks, as opposed to obvious acts of hate, are often unintentional. This will make it difficult for people of color to “prove” that the behavior has occurred, and they may risk being seen as overly angry or accused of trying to gain a racial advantage. when protesting against such attacks.

Advice

In the United States, file a civil privilege lawsuit when you are the victim of longstanding racism.
Maybe you acted racist, and you didn’t even know it. Read the following helpful wikiHow for tips to help you stop behaving like this.

Warning

While confronting racism is admirable, it can also be dangerous for you. Understand that there are risks involved in confronting racism, especially when the subject is fueled by fanatical bigotry rather than mere ignorance.

Steps