Work event.. left me out of the planning

[Notthattimeofthemonth]

We have a work day out next month and they have asked us to bring in a baby picture and they are going to guess who’s who to get us all networking.

I’m the only black person out of 126 people going so wouldn’t take them very long to guess who’s who.

im trying to calm down before I address this as I’m currently infuriated.

how on earth do I proceed with this in the correct way..

My work arranged the same activity and we also had only one black person in our team. I objected to it for the exact reasons you do. I'm white, if that matters.

I understand your feelings but I should imagine that whoever organised this didn't even think about it and will feel an idiot when you point it out to them.

My DD had a rare genetic condition. I live in an area where everyone knows everyone. The number of times I had to point out to our Local Authority or NHS that their 'anonymous ' survey about services isn't going to be 'anonymous' for my DD regardless of leaving her name and address off. The questions asked for the diagnosis and she was the only child in the County with the diagnosis! I wouldn't care to count the number of times I'm pretty sure I've recognised a survey participant from the 'anonymous ' information given.

There isn’t an issue here, stop trying to make one.

Op this is shocking and not OK.

I don't think you're overreacting and I think you should raise it . I can't believe some people on here think it's so trivial.

It is shocking, but why are you trying to make it OP's fight?

Saying that this should be posted in Black Mumsnetters is, frankly, shocking. As is the suggestion that the OP is too sensitive/over-reacting.

This is an issue which everyone should understand to be totally unacceptable. Regardless of the colour of our skin.

@Notthattimeofthemonth you really need to take this up with the person who has suggested this exercise. There are a billion and one other ice-breakers that they could choose that wouldn't single you out in this way.

Uh yuk. This is awful.
we had to take in a pet pic - that was bad enough. My work bestie had just had her dog PTS.

I hate this kind of rubbish.

Id email the organiser, however they might just be the middle person who has been tasked with organising something (as seems to happen in my office anyway, the stupid ideas are usually from the top!)

Everyone coming on to tell OP it’s nothing personal, they probably didn’t even think about her. I suspect that might be her point?

Sorry if that came across like I was comparing pets to casual racism. I was trying to say, generally this is all a ridiculous load of rubbish.

Agree - the reply will probably be something like - oh we don’t see colour

''@ByPeachSeal
There isn’t an issue here, stop trying to make one.''

No wonder the OP has to face bias in her life when people make this type of daft comment/can't think for themselves.

Of course there is an issue!

In fact there are several:

• The person who came up with this nonsense did not bother considering what this would mean for their only black staff member
• it really shows that this company has a total lack of diversity in their staff
• the idiot who came up with this also did not think about how other could be affected: as someone as mentioned a transgender person might not be comfortable sharing their baby pictures, someone who has been through the care system might not even have early family pics.

I have no pictures of myself as a baby because I have no contacts with my toxic family for decades. I did not take any when I left and now will never be able to get hold of them ever again.

@ohtowinthelottery
'I understand your feelings but I should imagine that whoever organised this didn't even think about it and will feel an idiot when you point it out to them. '

Why should the OP has to point out the blindingly obvious? people should be able to do their job properly, and that includes being mindful of inclusivity and diversity in everything they do, without needing someone to remind them to do it.

Yeah it is a rubbish ice breaker with this racial mix, I would raise it and suggest a better one - one is a type of bingo where you have to find people with certain skills, interests and characteristics- eg left handed, good with excel, likes certain hobbies, runs, has certain pets etc

Why is it shocking?

When interviewing, the best person for the job should be hired, regardless of race.

Nobody should be shoehorned in on the diversity ship. It would be an insult to them and take away from their actual achievements.

It is shocking. Think of some of the reasons why it might be.

Hey OP you are not BU. It's not very thoughtless of them at best and definitely unconscious bias there.
We did a similar thing and I was very worried about potential diversity issues so we made all of them sepia and tried to make them slightly similar but I have a way more diverse team than you so it was not as bad.
Could you mention to a colleague and have them advocate for you? It sucks to be the one who has to raise it. But it's really not on.

Yep build a tower out of spaghetti and marshmallows ffs

I don't have any pictures of me as a baby or child.

It sounds like the sort of thing where someone on the organising committee googled icebreaker ideas and didn't stop to engage their brain with how this could play out beyond their immediate bubble.

OP, please speak up.

Right, so it isn’t then 😂

As I said, nobody should be shoehorned in on the diversity ship. It would be an insult to them, for a start.

The best person for the job should get it, regardless of race, sex etc.

@Keepthosenamesgoing

Could you mention to a colleague and have them advocate for you? It sucks to be the one who has to raise it

What on earth is wrong with the OP raising the issue?! It's something to be (rightfully) angry about, and not the time to go all coy.

I don't understand why you're upset about this. It's not like the there's a massive prize at stake for the one who doesn't get guessed. Whenever we've done this, it's very obvious who is who and that's part of the fun. You could tackle the issue head on and make a joke out of it if you think it will be awkward but I think bringing up EDI and implying they are racist for suggesting this game is an overreaction.

Let me guess. You're white.

sorry at what stage have I branded my colleagues as racist?

With the added rub that you can choose to be a vegetarian/vegan/fussy eater.

You can't choose you skin colour.

Tell us you're white without telling us you're white, @Cornflakes44