The White Bystander: how do we call out black racism?
HEY YOU, THE RACIST, I WANNA TALK TO YOU
I met a nice, racist man this week.
I say nice, because he was. He was chatty, friendly and doing good things in the community.
Then, all of a sudden - there it was.
The ugly, ugly words of racism that people think are okay to spout.
And it wasn't nice. Not at all.
He made a joke about Aboriginal women. It wasn't funny.
Then he said: "At least I didn't call them Gins.”
Yeah, you did. Just then.
Gin is a derogatory term to describe Aboriginal woman who were used for sex by white males.
The word even appeared in a newspaper in 1939.
I was shocked to hear someone say it out loud. And laugh about it. You know you were laughing about women being raped.
Your laughter condones that action.
You know your lack of respect says everything about the core of your character.
I'm unable to understand how anyone thinks it is okay to degrade another human being because of their gender and skin.
Former Australian Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs said being passive can be a form of racism.
I felt passive when I heard the racist remark. Then angry, then a lot of conflicting emotions.
I will be writing to this man.
I didn't have the words at the time but I do now.
Started NGO inclusive ed FFC, board member Advocacy Law Alliance, previous state boards that I enjoyed helping bring voices of my peeps to places they may not get. Oh & I like car park, supermarket chats so hit me up
6 年I’m no longer shocked by how many people think it’s ok to be openly racist, just so so saddened, that and comments on people who have disabilities and are in the lgbtiq communities. I’m not sure if I hear them more because I’m I white middle class chick but have 4 Aboriginal children, two with disabilities and one who identifies as lgbt . And I’m constantly calling my friends on it- I have significantly less friends than I did, but that’s ok. Just went to a no more ham conference that’s message was for me be an upstander not a bystander