INTERSECTIONALITY
Theory coined in 1989 by Kimberley Crenshaw, an African American academic and civil rights activist. Starting from the idea that social categorisations are interconnected between them (gender, ethnic group, class, sexual identity ...) Cresnshaw explains that the condition of an individual cannot be analyzed without considering the multiplicity of characteristics that concern him.
Speaking of black women and women of color, they suffer from the overlap of gender discrimination and racism linked to their ethnic group.
SYSTEMIC RACISM
Also called Institutional or Structural racism.
It refers to the notions of how the society is built on a White standard (it’s applied also to the concept of gender and class: a white rich man has better opportunities).
This is rooted in our everyday thinking, and function as a system: policies, laws, criminal justice, healthcare, education, housing, employment practices or access, and more.
An example: as a black woman with a high education and good payrolls you still get a “no” if you want to rent a house in a “high class” neighbourhood, while a white guy friend will get to visit it.
I personally experienced it, I called for an apartment and they told me that it was rented the minute they saw me (at the phone I gave my Italian name). I asked some friend (white men and women) to call, they got to visit and one of them eventually rented it!
WHITE PRIVILEGE
White privilege describes the inherent advantages white people possess as the result of a society built on racial inequality and injustice.
It doesn't mean that all white people have 'easy' lives, it means the colour of their skin isn't one of the things making their lives harder or the reason why they’re discriminated.
There are obviously other privileges
(socio-economic,male, heterosexual, able, age); but white privilege is probably
what persists despite historical and social changes.
There are several concrete examples from everyday life to public life: the white population is represented everywhere in the media or in large retailers, no one would question citizenship or nationality of a white person without a valid reason, the products (cosmetics, clothes ...) are designed for the norm and the standard of white population (the famous flesh color that corresponds only to a part of the population), the professional world, especially prestigious areas that are built around a white ideology.
Important: this does not erase all the suffering or discrimination you can live or suffer as a white person but differencei that you will never have the weight of racism against you.
MICROAGRESSIONS
The word "microaggression" was coined by Dr. Chester Pierce, a black Harvard professor and psychiatrist in 1970.
Pierce studied the ongoing presence of stigmatizing representations of people of color on TV.
He defines it as: "subtle, stunning, often automatic and non-verbal exchanges that are" humiliations "of blacks and people of color."
Nowadays, micro-aggressions come in the form of statements, actions or incidents, which can indirectly or unintentionally inflict discrimination against members of any so-called “minority” group.
Some examples of micro-aggression:
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"I don't see the color." (Denying the reality and lived experience of a black person).
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"Your name is so difficult to pronounce." (Reminding them that they are "others" and your culture is the dominant culture).
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"All lives matter." (Often used as a response to Black Lives Matter, "all lives matter" is highly problematic as it drifts the conversation and fails to recognize the specific injustices that occur towards blacks and people of color.)
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Not respecting their body or limits: touching their hair without asking, asking intrusive questions and demanding an answer, making comments about their "surprising" or "exemplary" success assuming that a person of color or black who succeeds in life is a ' exception.
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Having disrespectful behaviors or attitudes : belittling them with our speaking; instinctively clutching the bag when passing by a non-white person; speaking in a childish language assuming that the person in front does not speak our language or doesn’t understand it
Little things, be careful!
COLOURISM
Colourism is defined as prejudice or discrimination against people with a dark complexion.
It can come from either an external group (White people showing a preference for lighter-skinned black people) or occur within the same ethnic group (as a result of internalized racism.)
An example is the caste system in India where the darker the skin is the more disadvantaged the caste to which one belongs.
In the world of cinema it is a huge problem.
Lighter black-skinned actors denounce the fact that they are often the only representatives of black and coloured people as they are considered "the acceptable version of black skin" (Zendaya).
Some actresses were turned down at casting because they were considered "too dark" for mass media TV or cinema. (Example: Lupita Nyong’o, star of Black Panther).
Systemic racism also works with colourism, it seems that society benefits people according to the increasingly lighter tone of their skin.
In certain cultures of black and coloured communities, lighter people admit that they have different privileges, denied to those with darker complexions and that they are not victims of the same type of racism.
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ALLY
A person who is not a member of a particular marginalized group but tries to help end the oppression of those that are victims of it. ​
An ally is someone that can be trusted to use its force and privilege in the service of good which will benefit a specific oppressed group of people.
There are many ways to be a good ally, and it's important to not push it into permormative allyship (just talks ans social media sharing, not acts).
If you want to be a good ally , DO IT: Listen to marginalised people, stand up for them, educate yourself and others around you; starting by your family.
Use your privilege to protect others, be conscious of your power but never shadow those of others.
Togheter, we can change things!
WHITESPLAINING
Condescending and patronising speech given by white to people of colour and black people on issues related to ethnic group or injustice, defining what should or should not be considered racist, explaining how non-white people should feel or react to racism.
Obviously extremely demeaning and offensive!
UNCONSCIOUS BIAS
It is important to note that prejudices, whether conscious or unconscious, are not limited to ethnicity.
Although racial prejudice and discrimination are well documented, prejudice towards any social group can exist. Age, sex, gender identity, physical ability, religion, sexual orientation, weight and many other characteristics are subject to prejudice.
Unconscious prejudices are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that we form outside of our awareness.
We all have unconscious beliefs about various social groups and identities, and these prejudices stem from our tendency to organise the world into categories.
The unconscious bias is far more prevalent than the conscious bias and often incompatible with our conscious values.
Certain situations can activate or facilitate them!
For example, prejudices may be more prevalent when doing several things at the same time or feeling under pressure.
Warning: just because you don't notice it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt someone else.
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