To think skin colour matters WAY more than people like to admit

[daysayso]

I am involved in marketing campaigns - I won't say what because it's outing but let's say I recently worked on a campaign where the service being provided had absolutely nothing to do with race (so it wasn't makeup or hair for example).

Yet the vast majority that responded were people of colour (Same as the person featured in the ad) and it made me think how much your life chances are still dictated by your skin colour.

People like to consider race more than they like to admit even in spaces where it has nothing to do with anything, people just seem to feel more 'comfortable' with their own.

I felt for the first time in a long time my success will in part depend on my skin colour because for whatever reason the majority of white people that saw this ad decided it wasn't for them on the basis I'm someone of colour.

Please no arguments I'm looking for a mature conversation and if you find the topic sensitive you need not respond

Just looking for others experiences really

I do see colour. We are all different in our skin tones.

It's also why health information leaflets in my predominantly white part of the UK have a collection of people on the front cover which whilst very diverse is not representative of the local population again to get people of all colours to read the information.

Thank you for the congratulations. It’s not well deserved though as I do see it but don’t define by it.

I believe in white privilege and I say that as a white person.

what is white privilege? I’m white. I’ve certainly not had a life of privilege

😂

Yes, this one’s a particularly egregious example. No semantic difference worth worrying about, it’s just operating as a shibboleth to show who’s in the know and who’s not.

As PP have said, representation is important. People feel a natural affinity to other people who appear 'like them'.

A colleague of mine uses the phrase "you can't be what you can't see" - and there is some truth to that (sure, you CAN be what you can't see, but it's a much more difficult pathway).

The challenge I have with people dismissing that they have unconscious bias, or refuting that practically everyone makes assumptions based on the colour of a person's skin is that it also dismisses the experience of the person.

"I don't treat people any differently based on their skin" has implications of "I don't believe you are systemically treated different based on the colour of your skin".

Ditto people who put 'white privilege' in inverted commas as if it's a fallacy, don't understand that the only reason that privilege is invisible to them, is because they have that privilege. It's the optimum in "if it doesn't affect me, it doesn't exist".

This is a subject I'm particularly passionate about, sorry if it's a bit soap boxy.

That’s a strange thing to say. What makes you think that black people are not contributing, let alone thinking that you know why?

Oh please! Is it laughable? Really?

Privilege is a bit misleading but you certainly have it as a white person. In the same way that I have male privilege.

Privilege should really be replaced with another word that means advantage, benefit or similar. Simply because a lot of people say exactly what you have when they hear it for the first time.

It's worth googling, if you have the time and inclination to understand the dynamics between races and sexes etc.

Have you experienced daily racism @Sarah0611 ? If the answer to that question is no then that is your privilege. This has been explained a few times already in this thread maybe have a look back through.

Not daily. But when I was younger.

Because black posters said so, Farfromhome. Why is that so strange?

Or do you expect black people to be a rapt audience to your protestations of colour blindness?

It refers to the fact that in a predominately white country, someone who is white wont have the other inherent prejudices shown to them, that people who are not white will have. White people who wont have had to overcome racism.

However, its not without some controversy because its a term from largely the middle classes,, the white saviour middle classes and completely neglects the experiences of the white working class or white underclass in this country. Hence it has caused offence at some levels

A small example is that white working class boys now have the worst outcomes of all students at secondary schools in the UK

So you have reacted in the way that a lot of people who havent experienced privilege would react, in that its a meaningless phrase

I actually find the term ‘white privilege’ racist.

And yet I know a number of people from ethnic minorities - black and Asian (of Pakistani descent) who are actively involved in campaigning on diversity (so this is a subject particularly close to their hearts), and whose preferred term to describe themselves is as “people of colour” 🤷‍♀️

@Countingdowntodecember I don't think babies of 3 months old are aware of their own race it's probably more likely a case of babies prefer people that mostly resemble their primary carer (usually mother/father) which are the usually the same race to them.
But then again what about the studies on mixed race babies??

What, when you claim to not know what it means?

That's interesting.

@Lunar270 it’s like they follow a script…

I am white and not up to date on the woke. So have no idea whether POC is still in or out.

But I did always find it weird. It basically lumps all non whites together. Which when I compare to feminism (which I am vested in being a member of the female sex); is akin to calling women non-men.

So I have always referred to someone as black, white, Asian or mixed etc. Because the only time I ever use it is as a descriptor usually in a specific circumstance.

Perhaps POC is more useful to everyone else when they are specifically grouping themselves as non white in an organisational manner but it’s not really of use to me as a white individual.

Not the question you asked I know sorry

Yes I know. I also know black people who still use the term coloured.

No one gets to police my language and I dont police others.

After an explanation I do. Quick learner.
Still quite offensive though don’t you think?

"Oblomov22
Colourblind?
What like Darius? Colourblind 

😂😂😝"

Oh yeah, hilarious. You want to have a look at your "sense of humour"

And here the mask starts to slip…