Could you be racist? Being racist means drawing conclusions about other people based on racial stereotypes, or believing that some races are better than others. Some racist people use hateful offensive words or even act violently towards members of a race they can't stand, but racism is not always so easily perceived. Even if you feel you have never hurt someone of a race other than your own, deeply racist people can experience subconscious conditioning in the way they treat others. Bringing racism to light is important in order to stop it.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Observe your own Cognitive Process
Step 1. Check to see if you think certain breeds are better or worse than others
Believing that some races are superior to others is the underlying thought of racism. If deep down you believe that the race you belong to (or one you don't belong to) has qualities that make it better than others, this is a racist thought. Be honest with yourself about what your beliefs are.
Step 2. Check if you believe that all members of a certain race have certain qualities
Do you rate people based on the stereotypes of their race? For example, it is racist to assume that all members of a certain race are untrustworthy. It is equally racist to believe that all members of a certain race are shrewd. Applying any stereotype to all members of a race is a racist thought.
- Many people who apply this type of racism believe it is harmless. For example, they may believe that hiring a person of a certain race that they think is smarter than others is a compliment. In any case, since this idea is based on a racist stereotype, it is not a compliment. It is racism.
- In the worst cases, judging people based on stereotypes can be very dangerous. For example, innocent people are often singled out as criminals because of the color of their skin, even if they have not committed any crime.
Step 3. Beware of making hasty judgments when you meet someone
Let's say someone you've never seen before is introduced to you in a business setting. First impressions are always the basis for hasty judgments, but do yours have a racist basis? Do you make an impression on someone based on their skin color? This is a racist trend.
- Racism is not limited to judging others based on skin color. If you base your judgment on someone's clothing, accent, haircut, or other elements of their appearance related to their race, those judgments fall into the category of racism.
- The judgments you make can be positive or negative, but still racist. When you assume that a person is funny, sensual, scary, or any other quality, you are still basing yourself on a stereotype.
Step 4. Reflect on how much you tend to deflect concerns about racism
When you hear something indicated as racist, are you able to understand why? Or do you tend to think it's not really racist? Racism is a big problem practically everywhere in the world. If you never notice it, it's not because it's not there; it's because you don't see it clearly.
- For example, if you have a colleague who feels she is not being promoted because of her race, and you work for a company with a history of promoting employees of a certain race to leadership positions, your colleague is likely to be right.
- Racism can be difficult to recognize, especially when you are unfamiliar with its subtleties. But when someone dismisses problems related to racism without even trying to understand why, it usually means that they have racist tendencies.
Step 5. Reflect on how aware you are of racial injustices
In a perfect world, all races would have the same opportunities and enjoy equal well-being, but sadly that is not the case. Instead, some rockets have historically taken more for themselves while leaving less for others. When you don't recognize racial injustices, I help perpetuate racism by ignoring its problems.
For example, if you feel that all races have equal access to education, and that the races not represented in universities simply haven't worked hard enough, take a closer look at the root of the problem. Understand that the reason why some people can afford college and graduation is related to the privileges that have historically been granted to them more than others
Part 2 of 3: Observe How You Treat Others
Step 1. See if the way you talk to others changes based on their race
Do you treat all people equally, or is there something about their appearance that changes the way you approach them? If you stiffen or treat people of another race in a rude way, it's racist.
- Notice when you feel less comfortable around people of other races.
- See if you easily make friends with people of other races. If everyone you see yourself with tends to be of the same race, it could indicate a problem.
Step 2. Check to see if you talk about people of other races differently when they are not around
Maybe you are friendly when you are in their presence, but speak ill of them behind their backs? If you have no problem with offending or using stereotypes when you are around people of your own race, even if you never do it openly with the person you are talking about, it is still racist.
And in fact, even when you behave like this in front of the person you're talking about, and they say they don't have any problems, it's still not okay. Maybe this person doesn't care, but you're still being racist
Step 3. Check to see if a person's race affects decisions that affect them
This is about your different behavior towards people of another race or whether you treat everyone the same. If you decide not to hire someone, not to get together, not to smile at them, and so on based on their race, it's racist.
- Another classic example is to change paths when you are about to cross paths with someone of another race.
- Even if your reaction is to make jokes or act more gregarious than usual, if you do it because you get an idea of someone based on their race, you are treating them differently.
Step 4. Identify times when you have been racist towards someone
If you are not used to recognizing the subtleties of racism, you may not even notice that you have said or done something racist, even among people you think are friends. Remember that whenever you make a judgment about someone's abilities, preferences, or any other quality based on a racial stereotype, it's a racist thought. Making these judgments aloud can potentially hurt someone and perpetuate these stereotypes that affect everyone. Here are some examples of comments and questions to avoid:
- Making racial assumptions about someone's preferences for food, music, or whatever.
- Asking someone about their race, as if they could represent them
- Ask someone for advice on dating someone of your race
- Asking indiscreet questions about a person's race or origin
- Making any kind of comment or gesture that might make someone feel different or emphasized because of their race (touching their hair, etc.)
Part 3 of 3: Changing Your Point of View
Step 1. Pay attention to stereotypes when you meet them
Once you know what to look for, you will feel overwhelmed by the racial stereotypes perpetrated by those you know, the news, politicians, movies, books and everywhere you look. Racial stereotypes are part of our culture, and bringing them to light is one of the ways to change our point of view and stop racism.
If recognizing racial stereotypes is new to you, a good way to get used to it is to watch old movies. Look at classic westerns, for example. What racial stereotypes are perpetuated by the roles played by whites against Native Americans? Modern stereotypes aren't that obvious, but they are there nonetheless
Step 2. Question your hasty judgments
If you find that you have just judged someone based on their race, take a moment to understand what happened. Make an effort to see beyond the stereotypes you have accepted about the real person standing in front of you.
Nobody's personality, history, desires or potentials are limited by the stereotypes you know about their race. Don't allow racism to affect the way you see a person
Step 3. Start addressing racial injustices
Once you are aware that they exist, you will see them everywhere: at school, at work, in your neighborhood and in the way institutions are run. For example, if you go to a private school where the vast majority of students are Italian, ask yourself why there are no people of other nationalities. What inequalities have led to this situation in your school?
Think about the people elected to the city council of your city. Are all the breeds of the territory represented? What factors might cause members of a certain race to have a lower chance of being elected?
Step 4. Take people seriously when they define something as racist
Maybe it is, maybe not, but don't make a habit of underestimating people who feel they are being racist, or who point to something they think is racist. Examine the situation and do what you can to help. Even if you don't recognize the racism in that thing right away, give the person the benefit of the doubt.
Step 5. Continue to educate yourself
Learning how to eliminate racism from your life is an ongoing job. Everyone in our society has learned racial stereotypes, both about their own race and about others. Racism will not fade by itself, but by highlighting injustices when we see them instead of turning the other way, we do our part to stop them.
Advice
- Don't be afraid to question the attitudes and assumptions of others. Likewise, be prepared to listen when someone does the same to you.
- Don't take people for granted. It's rude and patronizing.
- Try taking time to discover the cultures of other races to be more aware and open about other ways and lifestyles.
- Remember that when you look at the big picture, there is only one race: the human one.
