By Eleni Kontou
The Black Lives Matter movement is one that everyone will be familiar with. If you have taken your time to read into the movement and educate yourself on systemic oppression, then you will know that when talking about racism, it doesn’t solely mean somebody shouting abuse on the street. That side of racism does exist as well, but it is the more subtle forms of racism that exist every single day, everywhere through things such as unconscious bias and white silence. This is systemic racism. Racism is an unequal system that benefits people who are white at the expense of BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of colour). It doesn’t mean the good vs. Bad that we are taught, it’s much more complex and damaging than the conscious prejudice or discrimination that we learn to associate racism with growing up.
Naturally, white people are taught by our environment that racists are all bad people, through factors such as education, and our own families. We are taught to not say certain words and then we think ‘OK well if I don’t think that, and I don’t say that, then I’m not racist’. We also associate being a good person with not being racist, but what we don’t realise is that it lives deep within us. Often white people assume that ‘not seeing colour’ is admirable, but that is wrong. This is a classic example of white fragility, by subconsciously creating the idea that white is ‘normal’. Preventing white people from confronting systemic racism and our part in it.
Our education fails us growing up. The truth is, racism lies within all white people, and it doesn’t always make us ‘bad’ people, what makes us bad is when we choose not to try and rid of it. When we choose silence over action. Most importantly, when we choose to deny its existence within us, because denial does not help anybody. Denial is an option that only white people get, black people do not get the option to ignore racism. They do not get the option to avoid it because it is ingrained into all aspects of society. It is ingrained in you. White people have the privilege to ignore racism, the privilege to misunderstand it, and the privilege to CONTROL it. White people often put the blame and the responsibility on everyone else when it comes to racism, we have an extremely predictable response when we are called out on our racism, whether it be unintentional or not. We need to own up to the effect that our education and acceptance of responsibility can change the way that future generations come to view racism, and more importantly, people. We can no longer stay silent on an issue that screams for our attention. We can no longer use our white silence in order to remain comfortable. White silence aids racism, it gives it a voice and allows it to carry on in its destruction. In order to be anti-racist, white people need to first accept our part in it, whether conscious to it or not. White fragility is more than being defensive, it maintains white supremacy by taking the easy option that is inaccessible to black people. Education on white privilege, black history (including history that celebrates black people and their contributions to the world), and the true and lasting effects of colonialism in schools is a step in the right direction.
The current education in schools teaches us that we are not racist, unless we are direct in our hate. Not a word is uttered about systemic racism, or white supremacy. The way that white people are currently taught to interact with racism individualises it and stops us from recognising that racism is structured throughout society in the form of things such as tokenism and unconscious bias. The misunderstanding, ignorance, and lack of education on racism allows it to continually ingrain itself in society. We need to own up to the racism within us in order to stop taking part in it subconsciously. Education is a way to progress this.
If you are told that you said or did something problematic, most white people will respond with white fragility by putting all of their energy into denying that they are racist. This defensiveness is created by the current education in schools and in our homes that we can only be racist if we are bad. Our association of racist behaviour to being bad and our defence mechanism of white fragility, prevents us from learning and educating ourselves on why it is problematic. If racism is properly discussed in our educational curriculum, this may reduce white fragility and start a generation of listening and open-mindedness. We can’t move forward unless we learn to disassociate unconscious racist behaviour with being a ‘bad person’. Only then will people start to listen to the conversation at hand without getting defensive and then of course, doing anything but listening. We need to learn that stopping our racist subconscious is more important than denying that it exists and trying to convince people you are not racist. We all have racist subconscious thoughts and black people know that we do too. Denying the existence of racism within you upholds the racial order by preventing you from learning and improving on your racist patterns.
Education of anti-racism in schools will allow white people to acknowledge the reality of white privilege. To destroy the mindset that not shouting slurs and not judging anyone consciously for their colour of skin is enough. We need to educate future generations that in order for racism to be challenged, white people need to first accept their part in it. To stop being comfortable and to speak instead of using white silence when hearing racist remarks, to educate themselves on black culture, and to learn that diversity is important in all forms whether it be in movies and books, or in parliament. In order to educate yourself on the racism within you and the importance of improving and destroying it, read and interact with Layla F. Saad’s Me and White Supremacy.
Teaching black history will allow representation and introduce a sense of belonging to the classroom. Black people are secluded from the often one-sided and inclusionary history that is included in the school curriculum at present. Teaching a history that is diverse and truthful is only ever going to have positive effects on everyone. It is important to teach the effects of colonialism, but it is also important to include stories of success such as inventions and literature.
With Scotland set to start representative education on LGBTQ+ in 2021, it’s about time that we also made our education inclusive to black people. Racism is a complex issue and there is no simple resolution, but education can’t be anything other than a step forward. By changing our reactions to racism, we can stop protecting it. At present our curriculum is telling us that a large part of the population doesn’t matter. Please put more pressure on the government to introduce a more diverse and inclusive educational curriculum by signing some petitions, and if you can, donating below.
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A small list of books to read if you want to educate yourself on racism, its history, and the way it presents itself now (of course you can actively seek more as there are many options out there):
‘Black and British: A Forgotten History’ - David Olusoga
‘Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging’ - Afua Hirsch
‘Girl, Woman, Other’ - Bernardine Evaristo
‘How to Be an Antiracist’ - Ibram X. Kendi
‘Me and White Supremacy: How to Recognise Your Privilege, Combat Racism and Change the World’ - Layla F. Saad
‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’ - Akala
‘The Good Immigrant’ - Nikesh Shukla
‘White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism’ - Robin DiAngelo
‘Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race’ - Reni Eddo-Lodge
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