Stop Being Racist

Racism is the "Hatred" of one person by another, based on the belief that that person is inferior because of their skin color, language, customs, place of birth, or other similar traits.Racism has existed throughout human history, often providing justification for one group's dominance over another. Most people, even if they do not approve of overt racism, nonetheless have some kind of prejudice against another group of people, and these prejudices can lead to hurt, anger, and even violence at both the personal and societal levels. Overcoming your own racism requires a personal long journey, and this article will provides some insights to help you find your path.

Steps

Working on Your Own

  1. Self-assess. An important first step in your personal journey to overcome racial prejudice is to take stock of yourself. Which groups of people might you be prejudiced against? What are your thoughts about these groups? Where do your negative feelings arise from?
    • Many people have prejudices that they aren't even conscious of, but can be detected using a psychological test called an Implicit Association Test (IAT). You can take the IAT yourself online.[1]
    • People are frequently shocked by the results of their IAT, because they assume they are free of racism. Taking this test is a good way to examine your own prejudice, and getting unpleasant results is, for many people, a motivation to work on changing their attitudes.
    • Think about the source of your racism. The cause of racism can be anything, but it's usually growing up in a racist environment, surrounding ourselves with peers who have racist attitudes, or looking for someone else to blame for our problems.[2] Some also point to messages we get through the media or culture more broadly.[3] Understanding where your own racist tendencies may have come from is an important step in unlearning them.
    • Monitor your thinking and practice empathy. Be aware of your thoughts when confronted with situations that trigger your prejudice, and try to put yourself in the other person's position. In other words, try to be mindful of how people different from yourself might feel in a given situation, and how your actions might be affecting them.[4]
  2. Research the topic. Start informing yourself about the scientific realities of race, the minority experience in your nation, and the struggles confronted by people who are victims of prejudice. Often, an understanding of these issues helps bring about greater sympathy for minority groups.[5]
    • A good place to start is by learning what race really is. Primarily, racial differences are socially constructed: that is, they are the product of society. Science tells us there is very little genetic difference between people of different races, and that racial categories aren't actually biologically distinct from one another.[6]
    • There are many books, both fiction and non-fiction, which can help you through the next step: starting to understand the difficulties confronted by minority or disenfranchised groups. Novels like Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man can be an enjoyable place to begin.[7]
    • Many anti-racism organizations provide lists of recommended reading (primarily non-fiction) on their websites. Anti-racist educator Tim Wise, for example, has an extensive reading list available on his website.[8]
  3. Stop using racial slurs. If been using them for a long time, it may be hard to break the habit, but try to Stop Using Racist Comments as soon as possible. This may sound obvious, but racial slurs and stereotypes are hurtful to people,[9] even if they are not meant to be serious.[10]
    • Sometimes you may not even be aware that your language has a racial meaning. Terms like "Chinese auction," "Indian giver" or calling a bad deal a "gyp," a term derived from "gypsy", which is in itself a racial slur against Romani people, are considered offensive by many people.[11]
    • Racist jokes aren't funny. The fact that you don't mean it, or that you are only intending to be humorous, doesn't make it acceptable to use racist language or to stereotype others.[12]
  4. Avoid cultural appropriation. In other words, don't treat other people's ethnic identities as costumes or fashion accessories.
    • Many consider it racist, for example, to dress up like a Native American for Halloween, or to wear feathered head dresses just for fun.[13]
    • Think about whether your fashion statement might be devaluing something that is valuable to another culture by treating it as just an amusing trend.
  5. Be vigilant about systemic and invisible racism. Often times, racist behavior isn't about saying something nasty to another person, it's about less obvious behavior like not interviewing someone for a job because their name sounds foreign, or not sitting by someone on the bus because of their skin color.[14]
    • As you go through your day, think carefully about your own behaviors to make sure you aren't engaging in these subtler forms of racism.
  6. Engage in mental exercises. Studies have shown that our attitudes about people different from ourselves can be positively impacted through practicing mental exercises. This includes even the subtle and difficult to detect prejudices that are measured by the IAT.[15]
    • For example, if there's a race of people who you consider to be more dangerous than others, practicing saying the word "safe" in your head every time you see someone of that race.[16] Over time, this can begin to change your attitude!

Working with Others

  1. Talk about race. Many people are afraid to talk about race and confront the difficult issues it may present. Research shows, however, that talking about these issues increases racial tolerance, especially among children.[17]
    • After you've done some research, it's a good idea to talk to people of races other than your own about their experiences. Listen and ask questions before sharing your views. The idea is to learn, not to teach.[18]
    • Remember that when people who have suffered from the effects of racism are sharing their experiences, you should not make the conversation about yourself or your guilt. Remember too that their experiences are not wrong just because they don't comport with your own.[18]
    • Remember to treat people of other races as individuals and avoid treating them as representatives of their race.[19] Also remember that people of other races are not teachers of race relations and that they are not obligated to talk to you about racism.
    • If you have the opportunity, work on performing some task with people you are prejudiced against. Completing a task at work or school that requires working together toward a common goal can help bridge divides between people.[20]
  2. Seek out culturally diverse experiences. A great way to start appreciating people different from yourself is to respectfully seek out experiences connected with their culture.
    • Having experiences with a variety of people, cultures, and environments makes them easier to understand and appreciate.[21]
    • Take time to observe (and hopefully appreciate) not only the differences, but also the similarities, between your culture and the the one you are experiencing. This has been shown in psychological experiments to decrease prejudice.[15]
  3. Attend a conference or join an anti-racism group. These venues are a great place to work with others to improve not only your own racial attitudes, but also society at large.
    • Two of the larger organizations that work on these issues are the White Privilege Conference and the Anti-Racist Alliance.[22][23]
    • Check to see if there is an anti-racism group where you live. Getting actively involved in the struggle against racism will only increase your resolve to eliminate it within yourself.
  4. Challenge racism in the world. Changing your own attitude is important, but if you truly wish not contribute racial inequality, many believe you have a responsibility to actively challenge the racism of others.
    • For example, talk to others about their own racist attitudes. If you encounter people who have prejudiced views but are open to change, point them toward the same types of minority perspectives that you sought out in your own research on the issue.[18]
    • Challenge racist behavior when you see it. If someone you know uses a racial slur, tell them it is racist, and explain why it is a problem.[18]

Tips

  • The more you can read about racial justice issues, the better. It is a great way to increase your understanding of the issue in the privacy of your home, especially in the early stages of your efforts to stop being racist.[24]
  • Get in the habit of self-monitoring. Think about your reactions to people you encounter from groups you may be prejudiced against as they are occurring, and try to correct them.[24]
  • Try not to get defensive. Talking to people about racism can be uncomfortable and can reveal some difficult truths. Remember that people's perspectives on their own life experiences (i.e. suffering the negative effects of racism) are valid and should be treated as such. Seek to embrace these perspectives without wallowing in guilt or making excuses your past behavior or the behavior of others.[18]
  • Along the same lines, if you make a mistake and do something that is racist, own up to it and apologize, and talk about how you can do a better job in the future, rather than making excuses.[18]

Warnings

  • Some racist friends and family members may not like the fact that you are trying to stop being racist. It is possible you may lose some friends because of your decision, but you will likely gain others who share your commitment to fairness.
  • Racism, like any bad habit, will be hard to break. You will probably never be free of all prejudice, and may have to strive for a long time to overcome your racism. Be prepared for a long (but hopefully rewarding) journey.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.understandingprejudice.org/iat/
  2. ↑ https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/resources/what-you-say-matters/why-are-people-racist
  3. ↑ http://ideas.time.com/2012/04/19/inside-the-racist-mind/
  4. ↑ http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/04/research-based-advice-on-teaching-children-not-to-be-racist/255736/
  5. ↑ http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/staff/tlink/development/theme_identity_and_cohort/race_stages.html
  6. ↑ http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/busting-myths-about-human-nature/201305/how-not-be-racist
  7. ↑ http://www.powells.com/biblio/9780679732761
  8. ↑ http://www.timwise.org/reading-list/
  9. ↑ http://www.racismnoway.com.au/teaching-resources/factsheets/9.html
  10. ↑ http://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/it-stops-with-me/what-you-say-matters/why-racism
  11. ↑ http://www.word-detective.com/2011/07/gyp-rip-off/
  12. ↑ http://jezebel.com/5905291/a-complete-guide-to-hipster-racism
  13. ↑ http://everydayfeminism.com/2013/09/cultural-exchange-and-cultural-appropriation/
  14. ↑ https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/why-racism
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/11/science-of-racism-prejudice
  16. ↑ http://bkpayne.web.unc.edu/files/2015/02/StewartPayne08.pdf
  17. ↑ http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=buy.optionToBuy&id=1998-04296-001
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 http://mic.com/articles/97900/10-simple-rules-for-being-a-non-racist-white-person
  19. ↑ http://politic365.com/2012/04/11/8-things-white-parents-should-teach-about-black-people/
  20. ↑ http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Sherif/chap7.htm
  21. ↑ http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/combating-racism-multicultural-classroom.shtml
  22. ↑ http://www.whiteprivilegeconference.com/
  23. ↑ http://www.antiracistalliance.com/
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2013/07/how_do_i_stop_being_racist.2.html
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