When I say people are not able to understand racism, I don't necessarily mean the outward obvious type. Where hatred is involved and it's physically and/or verbally abusive. That's obvious and easily understood
I'm referring to the subtle unconscious racism. It'll be happening in front is some people, and they won't be aware of it. How being on the end of this type of racism can affect you, make you think differently, and thus approach matters in certain ways.
I'm pretty sure the word "minority" is being used in a sociopolitical context to mean "any demographic that lacks political and cultural power relative to others" and not "numerically smaller than."
Yeah. I just had to pick a word for the title that first closest.
Nah , I think they can get it
But the experience is always an eye opener
It's an eye opener that the majority of people will never experience. Never mind these aren't one and done isolated incidents. The feelings can linger in the recipient
What about mixed race couples who have to experience racist BS from passerbys or relatives? Or what if you have a mixed race kid and your family wants nothing to do with them and you because of that?
Well then they'd qualify. Substitute minority for anyone who doesn't belong to the norm. The people closest to them will also feel the effects
I'd extend it to all forms of discrimination. I've considered myself a feminist for years but it wasn't until my girlfriend talked about everyday interactions when I realized how little I actually understand. Even though I am an ethnic minority and have always had to deal with the kind of bullshit that comes with it, it's another level altogether.
Oh yeah absolutely. This applies to more than just racism, but to pretty much any kind of discrimination. I touched on it on my OP, but since I won't be on the receiving end of sexism, homophobia and so on, I didn't feel it was my place to address the issue since I have no experience in it. Only second hand by proxy
I'm asking because I want to learn: how do you tell if this look may not have another reason? I deal with customers all the time and I'm sure I give off a certain vibe because I'm in a dark place and often fake niceness.
Because you can see other people not get that look, but then you do. What if it's just me for a different reason? But then you see other people who are different get the same looks, and people who are 'normal' don't. It's not a blanket rule, but there is a trend, and you learn to recognise the look. While it doesn't happen as much as it used to, it's still fairly common. It doesn't bother me anymore compared to when i was younger, but I'm still aware of it.
These people aren't necessarily bad people. In the end it's just an initial glance, or first slight tone on first word in greeting. They then serve you fine, respectfully and you move on as usual. Just sometimes there's a split second to almost recover before they treat you with a friendly approach like any other
OP, is there anything else apart from you making a commentary you would like others to take away from this thread (beyond the point you've explained)?
is your message don't comment / you have limited or no understanding / others cannot add value to the discussion / similar or shared experiences are not sufficient?
I can't empathise with a disabled person and not all disabilities are the same.
Not at all to the bolded. Just because someone may be incapable of completely and fully comprehending, doesn't mean they don't have any understanding at all. they can still contribute a lot to any discussions or similar experiences.
The takeaway I'd really want is for people to get that racism will happen more often than they realise. Sometimes right in front of their own eyes and potentially by themselves , but they won't even know it's happening because it's so common place in little ways, and thus will be unaware. That doesn't mean said people are bad or cruel, it's an unconscious act and not deliberate in anyway. But whatever the reason, the recipient may notice they've been subject to racism, however minute it was. The majority (like 99%) will never call it out since it's ever present and they're used to it.
What I want is for people to not deny it when it is called out. Yes I know this is difficult since they were unaware of it, and because it can require a certain amount of self reflection and awareness people may not wish to have. But I've seen it all over, even here on ERA, where there are articles about someone believing they were subject to racism, and people defending it as not racism. Either by glossing over it, or attributing it to other reasons and causes. I believe the main reason people do this, is because if they realise that the certain words or actions are racism, then they'd need to re-evaluate the actions and words of friends, family and even themselves, and potentially judge them as racist occurrences too.
That is not a rabbit hole people want to go down because it leads to further problems, but if the initial act being discussed can be attributed to something other than racism (or any kind of discrimination), then they can remain safe in their own conscience. But denying things doesn't help anything in the long run. It's only by accepting things as they are, can people and society then learn from it and move on to something better. But denial and deflection is still to often the response to acts of discrimination, however minor they may be
