Sometimes its hard to call-out racism
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'My colleague / boss / client / friend / family member made a racist comment and I don't know what to do.'
The current climate has made me think about the act of calling out racism. It's something that a lot of people struggle with, for a period I certainly did. Sometimes I would do it with all the passion and knowledge I have and sometimes I wouldn’t - which in turn would make me feel guilty. I’d wish I was more consistent. On reflection, I know why I found it difficult and I'm guessing they're pretty common reasons...
1) I didn’t want to fall out with people
2) I feared I would suffer professionally
3) I knew that it might be met with a backlash and further damage the relationship
4) I worried about what people would think of me
5) I didn’t always have the vocabulary
6) I didn’t want to draw attention to my ethnicity (a particularly messed up reason)
7) Sometimes the emotional labour was just too much
I needed to realise the part I play in this. My own privilege of feeling like racism hasn’t really affected me is exactly that… a privilege. For me not to then use this privilege would mean I’m part of the problem.
Lightbulb moment - I do have privilege and a platform.
Part of my journey is to continue to figure out how to make the 'reasons' above increasingly less valid... here is what has worked for me.
1) Educate yourself. Knowledge is power and more importantly its confidence. Read more, learn more, discuss more, reflect more.
2) Talk it through with someone else first. This will help to hone thoughts, feelings and language.
3) Do your best to be compassionate and empathetic. Prepare for how people might react to being called out.
4) Know that there is definitely support and encouragement out there… you might just have to go and find it.
5) If in an organisational setting seek professional support and know the legalities.
6) Know that you’re helping both the individual (even if they may not realise or appreciate it at the time) and the greater cause.
7) As hard and unfair as it sounds…. be brave, use your voice as nothing will change if you don’t.
I hope we’re in a moment of time where calling out racism becomes commonplace and a safe, ‘easy’ thing to do.