Understanding Racism
Racism is a set of beliefs, attitudes and actions which either directly or indirectly assert that one race is inherently superior to another.
“Race” not only refers to biological characteristics, but is always defined by the dominant group in society.
Racism can be obvious (overt) or subtle (covert), intentional, or unintentional and often operates at a number of levels: individual, institutional, societal, and it can be internalized.
Have you ever committed racism or discrimination?
Have you ever:
- Believed and/or acted as if you were better than someone else because of the colour of their skin, their accent, or their cultural practices?
- Oppressed others of your own racial group because you believed in the negative racial stereotypes and prejudices presented by others?
- Excluded someone from a group or chosen to not work with someone because you were intimidated by, afraid or suspicious of their race?
- Openly threatened, assaulted, or called someone names because they were of a different race?
- Left a social event or a public place because a person or a group of people of a different race were also there?
- Assumed that a person was unintelligent or that they could not speak English because of the way they looked, their accent, or the sound of their name?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you have been a perpetrator of racism and discrimination.
Racial Harassment
Racial Harassment can be overt as well as covert. It includes but is not limited to: threats of violence, name calling, racist graffiti, sharing of racist jokes, and more subtle forms such as disparaging innuendo, and social exclusion.
